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HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING.
a curious play upon the word. In the reign of Philip Augustus, King of France, Count Ferrand of Flanders was taken prisoner at the battle of Bovines (1214), and carried in chains behind four shod horses into Paris. The populace improvised a song for the occasion, the refrain of which was founded upon horse-shoes (fers), horses (ferrants), the Count's title (Ferrand), and his ignominious condition.
Et quatre ferrants bien ferrés,
Trainent Ferrand bien enferré.
