Aesop, in Rhyme - Aesop (best book club books of all time txt) 📗
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To the Lord of the manor, and therefore is mine."
"Hey day!" said the fox; "Stop a bit," said the lion,
"I have not quite done," said he, fixing his eye on
The other three parts; "you are fully aware,
That, as tribute, one other part comes to my share.
"And I think 'twould be prudent, the next to put by
Somewhere safe in my den for a future supply,
And the other, you know, will but barely suffice,
To pay those expenses which always arise."
"If this be the case," said the fox, "I discern
That the business to us is a losing concern;
If so to withdraw, I should think would be best;"
"Oh, yes! let us break up the firm," said the rest;
And so:—for you may not have heard of it yet,—
It was quickly dissolved, though not in the gazette.
MORAL.Some folks in their dealings, like him in the fable,
Will take others' shares, if they think they are able;
But let them not wonder who act in this way,
If they find none will join them in business or play.
A lion, with the heat oppress'd,
One day composed himself to rest;
But whilst he dozed, as he intended,
A mouse his royal back ascended;
Nor thought of harm as Esop tells,
Mistaking him for something else,
And travelled over him, and round him,
And might have left him as he found him,
Had he not, tremble when you hear,
Tried to explore the monarch's ear!
Who straightway woke with wrath immense,
And shook his head to cast him thence.
"You rascal, what are you about,"
Said he, when he had turned him out.
"I'll teach you soon," the lion said,
"To make a mouse-hole in my head!"
So saying, he prepared his foot,
To crush the trembling tiny brute;
But he, the mouse, with tearful eye,
Implored the lion's clemency,
Who thought it best at least to give
His little pris'ner a reprieve.
'Twas nearly twelve months after this,
The lion chanced his way to miss;
When pressing forward: heedless yet,
He got entangled in a net.
With dreadful rage he stamp'd and tore,
And straight commenced a lordly roar;
When the poor mouse who heard the noise,
Attended, for she knew his voice.
Then what the lion's utmost strength
Could not effect, she did at length:
With patient labor she applied
Her teeth, the net-work to divide;
And so at last forth issued he,
A lion, by a mouse set free.
MORAL.Few are so small or weak, I guess,
But may assist us in distress;
Nor shall we ever, if we're wise,
The meanest, or the least, despise.
"There lived," says friend Esop, "some ages ago,
An ass who had feelings acute, you must know;
This ass to be jealous, felt strongly inclined,
And for reasons which follow, felt hurt in his mind."
It seems that his master, as I understand,
Had a favorite dog which he fed from his hand.
Nay, the dog was permitted to jump on his knee:
An honor that vex'd our poor donkey to see.
"Now," thought he, "what's the reason, I cannot see any,
That I have no favors, while he has so many?
If all this is got by just wagging his tail,
Why I have got one, which I'll wag without fail."
So the donkey resolved to try what he could do
And, determined unusual attentions to show,
When his master was dining, came into the room.
"Good sir!" said his friends, "why your donkey is come!"
"Indeed!" said their host, great astonishment showing,
When he saw the ass come, while his tail was a-going;
But who can describe his dismay or fear,
When the donkey rear'd up, and bray'd loud in his ear!
"You rascal get down,—John, Edward, or Dick!
Where are you? make haste, and come here with a stick."
The man roared—the guests laugh'd—the dog bark'd—the bell rung:
Coals, poker, and tongs, at the donkey were flung,
Till the blows and the kicks, with combined demonstration,
Convinced him that this was a bad speculation;
So, mortified deeply, his footsteps retrod he,
Hurt much in his mind, but still more in his body.
MORAL.So some silly children, as stupid as may be,
Will cry for indulgences fit for a baby.
Had they enter'd the room while the donkey withdrew,
They'd have seen their own folly and punishment too:
Let them think of this fable, and what came to pass;
Nor forget, he who play'd this fine game was an ass.
A plain, but honest, country mouse,
Residing in a miller's house;
Once, on a time, invited down
An old acquaintance of the town:
And soon he brought his dainties out;
The best he had there's not a doubt.
A dish of oatmeal and green peas,
With half a candle, and some cheese;
Some beans, and if I'm not mistaken,
A charming piece of Yorkshire bacon.
And then to show he was expert
In such affairs, a fine dessert
Was next produced, all which he press'd,
With rustic freedom, on his guest.
But he, the city epicure,
This homely fare could not endure
Indeed he scarcely broke his fast
By what he took, but said, at last,
"Old crony, now, I'll tell you what:
I don't admire this lonely spot;
This dreadful, dismal, dirty hole,
Seems more adapted for a mole
Than 'tis for you; Oh! could you see
My residence, how charm'd you'd be.
Instead of bringing up your brood
In wind, and wet, and solitude,
Come bring them all at once to town,
We'll make a courtier of a clown.
I think that, for your children's sake,
'Tis proper my advice to take."
"Well," said his host, "I can but try,
And so poor quiet hole good bye!"
Then off they jogg'd for many a mile,
Talking of splendid things the while;
At last, in town, they all arrived—
Found where the city mouse had lived—
Entered at midnight through a crack,
And rested from their tedious track.
"Now," said the city mouse, "I'll show
What kind of fare I've brought you to:"
On which he led the rustic mice
Into a larder, snug and nice,
Where ev'ry thing a mouse could relish,
Did ev'ry shelf and nook embellish.
"Now is not this to be preferr'd
To your green peas?" "Upon my word,
It is," the country mouse replied,
"All this must needs the point decide."
Scarce had they spoke these words, when, lo!
A tribe of servants hasten'd through,
And also two gigantic cats,
Who spied our country mouse and brats.
Then, by a timely exit, she
Just saved herself and family.
"Oh, ask me not," said she in haste,
"Your tempting dainties more to taste;
I much prefer my homely peas,
To splendid dangers such as these."
MORAL.Then let not those begin to grumble,
Whose lot is safe, though poor and humble;
Nor envy him who better fares,
But for each good, has twenty cares.
Crows feed upon worms: yet an author affirms
Cheshire cheese they will get if they're able;
"For," said he, "I well know, one unprincipled crow
Once purloined a large piece from my table."
Then away darted she, to the shade of a tree,
To deposit the booty within her;
But it never occurr'd to the mind of the bird,
That a fox was to have it for dinner.
"How many a slip, 'twixt the cup and the lip!"
(Excuse me, I pray, the digression,)
Said a fox to himself, "I can share in the pelf,
If I act with my usual discretion."
So said he, "Is it you? pray, ma'am, how do you do,
I have long wish'd to pay you a visit;
For a twelvemonth has pass'd, since I heard of you last
Which is not very neighborly, is it?
"But, dear madam," said he, "you are dining, I see;
On that subject I'd ask your advice;
Pray, ma'am, now can you tell, where provisions they sell,
That are not an extravagant price?
"Bread and meat are so dear, and have been for a year,
That poor people can scarcely endure it,
And then cheese is so high, that such beggars as I,
Till it falls, cannot hope to procure it."
But the ill-behaved bird did not utter a word,
Still intent on retaining her plunder;
Thought the fox, "It should seem, this is not a good scheme,
What else can I think of, I wonder?"
So said Reynard once more, "I ne'er knew it before,
But your feathers are whiter than snow is!"
But thought he, when he'd said it, "she'll ne'er give it credit,
For what bird is so black as a crow is."
"But I'm told that your voice is a horrible noise,
Which they say of all sounds is the oddest;
But then this is absurd, for it never is heard,
Since you are so excessively modest."
If that's all thought the crow, "I will soon let you know
That all doubt on that score may be ended;"
Then most laughingly piped, the poor silly biped,
When quickly her dinner descended!
MORAL.If this biped had not been so vain and conceited,
She would not by the fox quite so soon have been cheated;
But perhaps the term biped to some may be new:
'Tis a two-legged creature—perchance it is you.
A lion, bravest of the wood,
Whose title undisputed stood,
As o'er the wide domains he prowl'd,
And in pursuit of booty growl'd,
An Echo from a distant cave
Regrowl'd, articulately grave:
His majesty, surprised, began
To think at first it was a man;
But on reflection sage, he found
It was too like a lion's sound.
"Whose voice is that which growls at mine?"
His highness ask'd. Says Echo, "Mine!"
"Thine!" says the Lion: "Who art thou?"
Echo as stern cried, "Who art thou?"
"Know I'm a lion, hear and tremble!"
Replied the king. Cried Echo, "Tremble!"
"Come forth," says Lion; "show thyself."
Laconic Echo answered, "Elf."
"Elf, durst thou call me, vile pretender?"
Echo as loud replies, "Pretender!"
At this, as jealous of his reign,
He growl'd in rage; she growl'd again.
Incensed the more, he chafed and foam'd,
And round the spacious forest roam'd
To find the rival of his throne,
Who durst with him dispute the crown.
A fox, who listen'd all the while,
Address'd the monarch with a smile:
"My liege, most humbly I make bold,
Though truth may not be always told,
That this same phantom which you hear,
That so alarms your royal ear,
Is not a rival of your throne:
The voice and fears are all your own."
Imaginary terrors scare
A timorous soul with real fear;
Nay, even the wise and brave are cow'd
By apprehensions from the crowd:
A frog a lion may disharm,
And yet how causeless the alarm!
Once on a time, a paper kite
Was mounted to a wondrous height;
Where, giddy with its elevation,
It thus express'd self-admiration:
"See how yon crowds of gazing people
Admire my flight above the steeple;
How would they wonder, if they knew
All that a kite, like me, could do?
Were I but free, I'd take a flight,
And pierce the clouds beyond their sight.
But, ah! like a poor prisoner bound,
My string confines me near the ground.
I'd brave the eagle's towering wing,
Might I but fly without a string."
It tugg'd and pull'd, while thus it spoke,
To break the string—at last it broke!
Deprived at once of all its stay,
In vain it tried to soar away:
Unable its own weight to bear,
It flutter'd downward through the air;
Unable its own course to guide,
The winds soon plunged it in the tide.
Oh! foolish kite, thou hadst no wing,
How could'st thou fly without a string?
My heart replied, "Oh, Lord, I see
How much the kite resembles me!
Forgetful that by thee I stand,
Impatient of thy ruling hand;
How oft I've wish'd to break the lines
Thy wisdom for my lot assigns!
How oft indulged a vain desire
For something more or something higher!
And but for grace and love divine,
A fall thus dreadful
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