The story of The Mikado . well asthey could, but as the dust got into their throatswhenever they drew a breath, the result was lessremarkable for its smooth and velvety utterancethan for a kind of coughing loyalty which causedinfinite amusement to its august object. This was the National Anthem : Miya sama, miya sama,Ou ma no, maye sara no wa Nan gia naToko tonyare, tonyare na ! And I feel sure you will agree with me that, crude asit is, yet as an expression of simple heartfelt loyalty,combined with self-respecting humility, it is far inadvance of the ridiculous doggerel which we
The story of The Mikado . well asthey could, but as the dust got into their throatswhenever they drew a breath, the result was lessremarkable for its smooth and velvety utterancethan for a kind of coughing loyalty which causedinfinite amusement to its august object. This was the National Anthem : Miya sama, miya sama,Ou ma no, maye sara no wa Nan gia naToko tonyare, tonyare na ! And I feel sure you will agree with me that, crude asit is, yet as an expression of simple heartfelt loyalty,combined with self-respecting humility, it is far inadvance of the ridiculous doggerel which we Britishershave to sing whenever we are called upon to hail ourbeloved monarch. The (rather) good Mikado then proceeded, as washis custom, to explain his position and views. Thesong he sang was not intended to be interrupted and,when sung without interruption, it is a singularlypowerful piece of lyrical composition. But on thisoccasion he was accompanied by Kati-sha, who had 92 A TROUPE OF WARRIORS IN RED AND BLACK ARMOUR. THE STORY OF THE MIKADO no idea of being left out in the cold when anythinginteresting was going on, and who consequentlytook good care that the Mikado should not have itall his own way. This quite spoilt the beauty of theverses, to the annoyance of the Poet-Laureate Aus-Tin who wrote them. So, when the Mikado sang: From every kind of manObedience I expect;Im the Emperor of Japan- Kati-sha, regardless of metre, cut in with : And Im his daughter-in-law elect!Hell marry his son(Hes only got one)To his daughter-in-law elect! This absurd interruption annoyed the Mikado,who felt that it was a liberty on Kati-shas , he went on : My morals have been declaredParticularly correct And Kati-sha, as before, sang: But theyre nothing at all comparedWith those of his daughter-in-law elect ! Bow ! Bow!To his daughter-in-law elect! By this time the Mikado was very angry, but he 95 THE STORY OF THE MIKADO was too much of a gentleman to expostulate he con
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidcu3192401345, bookyear1921
