# Ye Foe to Cathaye explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A brief poetic chapter describing a seemingly harmless youth who secretly plans to start a conflagration, using cunning rather than overt violence.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Self-Deception

The youth's hidden plan and feigned innocence embody deception.

## Key lines

> O never an oathe sweares he, And never a pig-taile jerkes; With a brick-batte he ne lurkes For to buste y e crust, perdie, Of y e man from over sea, A-synging as he werkes.

He never swears an oath or pulls a pigtail; he doesn't hide with a brickbat to break the skin of the man from overseas, but sings while he works.

_Describes the youth's outwardly harmless behavior._

> For he knows ful well, y s youth, A tricke of exceeding worth: And he plans withouten ruth A conflagration’s birth!

For this youth knows a very valuable trick, and he ruthlessly plans to start a great fire.

_Reveals the youth's true malicious intent._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/ye-foe-to-cathaye
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters