The Rug in The Hall

 THE RUG IN THE HALL

The Emperor slipped on a rug.

            Someone must've given it a tug.

We ran to sound the alarm:

            Someone wished the Emperor harm!

Someone was out to get him,

            So we had to find them.

It could have been a secret cabal.

            We had to find them all.

The Emperor almost fell,

            So everyone had to tell:

Where were you?

            What did you do?

Who put down the rug?

            Who gave it a tug?

Was the carpet laid

            By the scullery maid?

Even the most loyal knights

            Were in our sights.

The nobles were put to the test

            Along with all the rest.

We never found the secret culprit,

            But many bodies

                        Were hanged in the lobbies.

And there was a big purge

            Of any who might have felt the urge

To make the Emperor fall

            On the rug in the hall.