Still at the front, iron armour is worn and battered thin, And here at home food-sticks are made of jade tears.
It enters the pearl blinds, it wets the silk curtains; A fur coat feels cold, a cotton mat flimsy; Bows become rigid, can hardly be drawn And the metal of armour congeals on the men; The sand-sea deepens with fathomless ice, And darkness masses its endless clouds; But we drink to our guest bound home from camp, And play him barbarian lutes, guitars, harps; Till at dusk, when the drifts are crushing our tents And our frozen red flags cannot flutter in the wind,
This contains an international collection of a thousand plus objects including ceramics, glass, metalwork, furniture, costumes, textiles, toys, dolls houses and even armour.
" He ordered them to give him some armour, had a sword and spear brought, and armed himself.
"Sparrows and silly little birds are of no use in thatplace -- there one finds much gold, velvet, silk, armour, harnesses, sparrow-hawks,screech-owls and hen-harriers; keep to the horses' stable where they winnow oats,or thresh, and then fortune may give thee thy daily grain of corn in peace.
"Thou shalt likewise have a suit of red armour for the occasion, and ride on a spirited chestnut-horse.
On the walls hung pictures of knights in armour and proud ladies in gorgeous dresses; the most stately of all walked about alive.
