The Talking Beasts Part 35

Two sureties better are than one; And cautions worth its cost, Though sometimes seeming lost._

The Fox, the Monkey, and the Animals

Left kingless by the lion's death, The beasts once met, our story saith, Some fit successor to install.

Forth from a dragon-guarded, moated place, The crown was brought and, taken from its case, And being tried by turns on all, The heads of most were found too small; Some horned were, and some too big; Not one would fit the regal gear.

Forever ripe for such a rig, The Monkey, looking very queer, Approached with antics and grimaces, And, after scores of monkey faces, With what would seem a gracious stoop, Pa.s.s'd through the crown as through a hoop.

The beasts, diverted with the thing, Did homage to him as their king.

The Fox alone the vote regretted, But yet in public never fretted.

When he his compliments had paid To royalty, thus newly made, "Great sire, I know a place," said he, "Where lies conceal'd a treasure, Which, by the right of royalty, Should bide your royal pleasure."

The King lack'd not an appet.i.te For such financial pelf, And, not to lose his royal right, Ran straight to see it for himself.

It was a trap, and he was caught.

Said Reynard, "Would you have it thought, You Ape, that you can fill a throne, And guard the rights of all, alone.

Not knowing how to guard your own?"

_The beasts all gathered from the farce, That stuff for kings is very scarce._

The Rat and the Oyster

A country Rat of little brains, Grown weary of inglorious rest, Left home with all its straws and grains, Resolved to know beyond his nest.

When peeping through the nearest fence, "How big the world is, how immense!"

He cried; "there rise the Alps, and that Is doubtless famous Ararat."

His mountains were the works of moles, Or dirt thrown up in digging holes!

Some days of travel brought him where The tide had left the Oysters bare.

Since here our traveller saw the sea, He thought these sh.e.l.ls the s.h.i.+ps must be.

"My father was, in truth," said he, "A coward, and an ignoramus; He dared not travel: as for me, I've seen the s.h.i.+ps and ocean famous; Have cross'd the deserts without drinking, And many dangerous streams, unshrinking."

Among the shut-up sh.e.l.l-fish, one Was gaping widely at the sun; It breathed, and drank the air's perfume, Expanding, like a flower in bloom.

Both white and fat, its meat Appear'd a dainty treat.

Our Rat, when he this sh.e.l.l espied, Thought for his stomach to provide.

"If not mistaken in the matter,"

Said he, "no meat was ever fatter, Or in its flavour half so fine, As that on which to-day I dine."

Thus full of hope, the foolish chap Thrust in his head to taste, And felt the pinching of a trap-- The Oyster closed in haste.

_Now those to whom the world is new Are wonder-struck at every view; And the marauder finds his match When he is caught who thinks to catch._

The a.s.s and the Dog

Along the road an a.s.s and Dog One master following, did jog.

Their master slept: meanwhile, the a.s.s Applied his nippers to the gra.s.s, Much pleased in such a place to stop, Though there no thistle he could crop.

He would not be too delicate, Nor spoil a dinner for a plate, Which, but for that, his favourite dish, Were all that any a.s.s could wish.

"My dear companion," Towser said-- "'Tis as a starving Dog I ask it-- Pray lower down your loaded basket, And let me get a piece of bread."

No answer--not a word!--indeed, The truth was, our Arcadian steed Fear'd lest, for every moment's flight, His nimble teeth should lose a bite.

At last, "I counsel you," said he, "to wait Till master is himself awake, Who then, unless I much mistake, Will give his Dog the usual bait."

Meanwhile, there issued from the wood A creature of the wolfish brood, Himself by famine sorely pinch'd.

At sight of him the Donkey flinch'd, And begg'd the Dog to give him aid.

The Dog budged not, but answer made, "I counsel thee, my friend, to run, Till master's nap is fairly done; There can, indeed, be no mistake That he will very soon awake; Till then, scud off with all your might; And should he snap you in your flight, This ugly Wolf--why, let him feel The greeting of your well-shod heel.

I do not doubt, at all, but that Will be enough to lay him flat."

But ere he ceased it was too late; The a.s.s had met his cruel fate.

The Monkey and the Leopard

A Monkey and a Leopard were The rivals at a country fair.

Each advertised his own attractions.

Said one, "Good sirs, the highest place My merit knows; for, of his grace, The King hath seen me face to face; And, judging by his looks and actions, I gave the best of satisfactions.

When I am dead, 'tis plain enough, My skin will make his royal m.u.f.f.

So richly is it streak'd and spotted, So delicately waved and dotted, Its various beauty cannot fail to please."

And, thus invited, everybody sees; But soon they see, and soon depart.

The Monkey's show-bill to the mart His merits thus sets forth the while, All in his own peculiar style: "Come, gentlemen, I pray you, come; In magic arts I am at home.

The whole variety in which My neighbour boasts himself so rich Is to his simple skin confined, While mine is living in the mind.

For I can speak, you understand; Can dance, and practise sleight-of-hand; Can jump through hoops, and balance sticks; In short, can do a thousand tricks; One penny is my charge to you, And, if you think the price won't do, When you have seen, then I'll restore, Each man his money at the door."

_The Ape was not to reason blind; For who in wealth of dress can find Such charms as dwell in wealth of mind?

One meets our ever-new desires, The other in a moment tires.

Alas! how many lords there are, Of mighty sway and lofty mien, Who, like this Leopard at the fair, Show all their talents on the skin!_

The Rat and the Elephant

A Rat, of quite the smallest size, Fix'd on an Elephant his eyes, And jeer'd the beast of high descent Because his feet so slowly went.

Upon his back, three stories high, There sat, beneath a canopy, A certain sultan of renown, His Dog, and Cat, and wife sublime, His parrot, servant, and his wine, All pilgrims to a distant town.

The Rat profess'd to be amazed That all the people stood and gazed With wonder, as he pa.s.s'd the road, Both at the creature and his load.

"As if," said he, "to occupy A little more of land or sky Made one, in view of common sense, Of greater worth and consequence!

What see ye, men, in this parade, That food for wonder need be made?

The bulk which makes a child afraid?

In truth, I take myself to be, In all aspects, as good as he."

And further might have gone his vaunt; But, darting down, the Cat Convinced him that a Rat Is smaller than an elephant.

The Acorn and the Pumpkin

G.o.d's works are good. This truth to prove Around the world I need not move; I do it by the nearest Pumpkin.

"This fruit so large, on vine so small,"

Surveying once, exclaim'd a b.u.mpkin-- "What could He mean who made us all?

He's left this Pumpkin out of place.

If I had order'd in the case, Upon that oak it should have hung---- A n.o.ble fruit as ever swung To grace a tree so firm and strong.

Indeed, it was a great mistake, As this discovery teaches, That I myself did not partake His counsels whom my curate preaches.

All things had then in order come; This Acorn, for example, Not bigger than my thumb, Had not disgraced a tree so ample.

The more I think, the more I wonder To see outraged proportion's laws, And that without the slightest cause; G.o.d surely made an awkward blunder."

With such reflections proudly fraught, Our sage grew tired of mighty thought, And threw himself on Nature's lap, Beneath an oak, to take his nap.

Plump on his nose, by lucky hap, An Acorn fell: he waked, and in The scarf he wore beneath his chin, He found the cause of such a bruise As made him different language use.

"Oh! Oh!" he cried; "I bleed! I bleed!

And this is what has done the deed!