A Fairy leapt upon my knee

    Singing and dancing merrily；

    I said， `Thou thing of patches， rings，

    Pins， necklaces， and such-like things，

    Disgracer of the female form，

    Thou paltry， gilded， poisonous worm！'

    Weeping， he fell upon my thigh，

    And thus in tears did soft reply：

    `Knowest thou not， O Fairies' lord！

    How much by us contemn'd， abhorr'd，

    Whatever hides the female form

    That cannot bear the mortal storm？

    Therefore in pity still we give

    Our lives to make the female live；

    And what would turn into disease

    We turn to what will joy and please.'