WHEN YOU ARE IN A LIONS’ DEN

by Vic Jameson

— or —

The Unlikely Adventures or a Young Man and his Friends
(all of whom Aged Rapidly)
and their Escapes from a Short Tempered King. Told in
Episodes rather than Chronology Inasmuch as
Chronology had Not Been Invented at the Time

—

Once upon a time King Nebuchadnezzar
had a notion: he would bring
some young men from far away
to seek wisdom, night and day
and, when questions might arise
they could counsel and advise.
The king’s plan worked out so well
everybody thought it swell
to have wisdom right at hand
What a handy-dandy land!

But, alas, it could not be;
peace and sweet tranquility
fell apart because a dream
blotted out all other scenes;
the king summoned all his best
brains from north and south and west.

So here is the situation: The king’s moods have been
swinging wildly ever since that first dream

One night the king had a dream
fit to make an angel scream.
Caused him to send out a call
for his wise men, one and all.
“Tell me what I dreamed,” he said;
“If you fail, our future’s dead.”
Which of course they couldn’t do
and their hopes were faint and few.
Daniel, though, had found a way
to explain it all. Hooray!
But every time the good guys win,
someone stirs it up again.

Daniel’s in a dicey spot:
told the king that he would not
wish to have a leg of lamb —
maybe just some bread and jam.
“Have some steak,” the ruler cried —
“barbecued or southern fried?
Have a bite of roasted mutton —
none will think you are a glutton.”

“Oh no!” Daniel might have said,
“just a simple loaf of bread;
feed us plainly, and no wine —
water on the rocks is fine.
“And Sire, we can serve you more
if you’ll lock the lions’ door;
I can’t be a cheerful giver
while my hands and liver quiver.”

(This is one of the many wonderful stories in the Book of Daniel. You may have noticed that Daniel has all the best lines. But then he seems to get all the worst threats, too.)