Chapter 13

A Grasshopper gay Sang the summer away, And found herself poor By the winter's first roar. Of meat or of bread, Not a morsel she had! So a-begging she went, To her neighbour the Ant, For the loan of some wheat, Which would serve her to eat, Till the season came round. "I will pay you," she saith, "On an animal's faith, Double weight in the pound Ere the harvest be bound." The Ant is a friend-- (And here she might mend) Little given to lend. "How spent you the summer?" Quoth she, looking shame At the borrowing dame. "Night and day to each comer I sang, if you please." "You sang! I'm at ease, For 'tis plain at a glance, Now, ma'am, you must dance."

The Swan and the Cook

The pleasures of a poultry yard Were by a Swan and Gosling shared. The Swan was kept there for his looks, The thrifty Gosling for the Cooks; The first the garden's pride, the latter A greater favourite on the platter. They swam the ditches, side by side, And oft in sports aquatic vied, Plunging, splashing far and wide, With rivalry ne'er satisfied. One day the Cook, named Thirsty John, Sent for the Gosling, took the Swan, In haste his throat to cut, And put him in the pot. The bird's complaint resounded In glorious melody; Whereat the Cook, astounded His sad mistake to see, Cried, "What! make soup of a musician! Please God, I'll never set such dish on. No, no; I'll never cut a throat That sings so passing sweet a note."

_'Tis thus, whatever peril may alarm us, Sweet words will surely never harm us_.

The Hornets and the Bees

"The artist by his work is known." A piece of honey-comb, one day, Discovered as a waif and stray, The Hornets treated as their own. Their title did the Bees dispute, And brought before a Wasp the suit. The judge was puzzled to decide, For nothing could be testified Save that around this honey-comb There had been seen, as if at home, Some longish, brownish, buzzing creatures, Much like the Bees in wings and features. But what of that? for marks the same, The Hornets, too, could truly claim. Between assertion and denial, The Wasp, in doubt, proclaimed new trial; And, hearing what an ant-hill swore, Could see no clearer than before. "What use, I pray, of this expense?" At last exclaim'd a Bee of sense. "We've laboured months in this affair, And now are only where we were. Meanwhile the honey runs to waste: 'Tis time the judge should show some haste. Both sides have had sufficient bleeding, Without more fuss of scrawls and pleading. Let's set to work, these drones and we, And then all eyes the truth may see, Whose art it is that can produce The magic cells, the nectar juice." The Hornets, flinching on their part, Show that the work transcends their art. The Wasp at length their title sees, And gives the honey to the Bees.

_Oh, would that suits at law with us Might every one be managed thus!_

The Two Rats, the Fox, and the Egg

Two Rats in foraging fell on an Egg-- For gentry such as they A genteel dinner every way; They needed not to find an ox's leg. Brimful of joy and appetite, They were about to sack the box, So tight without the aid of locks, When suddenly there came in sight A personage--Sir Slyboots Fox. Sure, luck was never more untoward Since Fortune was a vixen froward! How should they save their Egg--and bacon? Their plunder couldn't then be bagg'd. Should it in forward paws be taken, Or roll'd along, or dragg'd? Each method seem'd impossible, And each was then of danger full. Necessity, ingenious mother, Brought forth what help'd them from their pother. As still there was a chance to save their prey, The sponger yet some hundred yards away-- One seized the Egg, and turned upon his back, And then, in spite of many a thump and thwack, That would have torn, perhaps, a coat of mail, The other dragg'd him by the tail. Who dares the inference to blink, That beasts possess wherewith to think?

_Were I commission'd to bestow This power on creatures here below, The beasts should have as much of mind As infants of the human kind._

The Lion's Share

The Heifer, the Goat, and their sister the Sheep, Compacted their earnings in common to keep, 'Tis said, in time past, with a Lion, who swayed Full lordship o'er neighbours, of whatever grade. The Goat, as it happened, a Stag having snared, Sent off to the rest, that the beast might be shared. All gathered; the Lion first counts on his claws, And says, "We'll proceed to divide with our paws The stag into pieces, as fix'd by our laws." This done, he announces part first as his own; "'Tis mine," he says, "truly, as Lion alone." To such a decision there's nought to be said, As he who has made it is doubtless the head. "Well, also, the second to me should belong; 'Tis mine, be it known, by the right of the strong. Again, as the bravest, the third must be mine. To touch but the fourth whoso maketh a sign, I'll choke him to death In the space of a breath!"

The Shepherd and His Dog

A Shepherd, with a single Dog, Was ask'd the reason why He kept a Dog, whose least supply Amounted to a loaf of bread For every day. The people said He'd better give the animal To guard the village seignior's hall; For him, a Shepherd, it would be A thriftier economy To keep small curs, say two or three, That would not cost him half the food, And yet for watching be as good. The fools, perhaps, forgot to tell If they would fight the wolf as well. The silly Shepherd, giving heed, Cast off his Dog of mastiff breed, And took three dogs to watch his cattle, Which ate far less, but fled in battle.

_Not vain our tale, if it convinces Small states that 'tis a wiser thing To trust a single powerful king, Than half a dozen petty princes._

The Old Man and the Ass

An Old Man, riding on his Ass, Had found a spot of thrifty grass, And there turn'd loose his weary beast. Old Grizzle, pleased with such a feast, Flung up his heels, and caper'd round, Then roll'd and rubb'd upon the ground, And frisk'd and browsed and bray'd, And many a clean spot made. Arm'd men came on them as he fed: "Let's fly!" in haste the Old Man said. "And wherefore so?" the Ass replied; "With heavier burdens will they ride?" "No," said the man, already started, "Then," cried the Ass, as he departed. "I'll stay, and be--no matter whose; Save you yourself, and leave me loose, But let me tell you, ere you go (I speak plain English, as you know), My master is my only foe."

The Lion Going to War

The Lion had an enterprise in hand; Held a war-council, sent his provost-marshal, And gave the animals a call impartial-- Each, in his way, to serve his high command. The Elephant should carry on his back The tools of war, the mighty public pack, And fight in elephantine way and form; The Bear should hold himself prepared to storm; The Fox all secret stratagems should fix; The Monkey should amuse the foe by tricks. "Dismiss," said one, "the blockhead Asses, And Hares, too cowardly and fleet." "No," said the King; "I use all classes; Without their aid my force were incomplete. The Ass shall be our trumpeter, to scare Our enemy. And then the nimble Hare Our royal bulletins shall homeward bear."

_A monarch provident and wise Will hold his subjects all of consequence, And know in each what talent lies. There's nothing useless to a man of sense._

The Ass and the Lap-dog

One's native talent from its course Cannot be turned aside by force; But poorly apes the country clown The polish'd manners of the town. Their Maker chooses but a few With power of pleasing to imbue; Where wisely leave it we, the mass, Unlike a certain fabled Ass, That thought to gain his master's blessing By jumping on him and caressing. "What!" said the Donkey in his heart; "Ought it to be that Puppy's part To lead his useless life In full companionship With master and his wife, While I must bear the whip? What doth the Cur a kiss to draw Forsooth, he only gives his paw! If that is all there needs to please, I'll do the thing myself, with ease." Possess'd with this bright notion-- His master sitting on his chair, At leisure in the open air-- He ambled up, with awkward motion, And put his talents to the proof; Upraised his bruised and batter'd hoof, And, with an amiable mien, His master patted on the chin, The action gracing with a word-- The fondest bray that e'er was heard! Oh, such caressing was there ever? Or melody with such a quaver? "Ho! Martin! here! a club, a club bring!" Out cried the master, sore offended. So Martin gave the Ass a drubbing-- And so the comedy was ended.

The Hare and the Partridge

A field in common share A Partridge and a Hare, And live in peaceful state, Till, woeful to relate! The hunters mingled cry Compels the Hare to fly. He hurries to his fort, And spoils almost the sport By faulting every hound That yelps upon the ground. At last his reeking heat Betrays his snug retreat. Old Tray, with philosophic nose, Snuffs carefully, and grows So certain, that he cries, "The Hare is here; bow wow!" And veteran Ranger now-- The dog that never lies-- "The Hare is gone," replies. Alas! poor, wretched Hare, Back comes he to his lair, To meet destruction there! The Partridge, void of fear, Begins her friend to jeer:-- "You bragg'd of being fleet; How serve you, now, your feet?" Scarce has she ceased to speak-- The laugh yet in her beak-- When comes her turn to die, From which she could not fly. She thought her wings, indeed, Enough for every need; But in her laugh and talk, Forgot the cruel hawk!

The Weasel in the Granary

A Weasel through a hole contrived to squeeze, (She was recovering from disease), Which led her to a farmer's hoard. There lodged, her wasted form she cherish'd; Heaven knows the lard and victuals stored That by her gnawing perish'd! Of which the consequence Was sudden corpulence. A week or so was past, When having fully broken fast, A noise she heard, and hurried To find the hole by which she came, And seem'd to find it not the same; So round she ran, most sadly flurried; And, coming back, thrust out her head, Which, sticking there, she said, "This is the hole, there can't be blunder: What makes it now so small, I wonder, Where, but the other day, I pass'd with ease?" A Rat her trouble sees, And cries, "But with an emptier belly; You entered lean, and lean must sally."

The Wolf Turned Shepherd

A Wolf, whose gettings from the flocks Began to be but few, Bethought himself to play the fox In character quite new. A Shepherd's hat and coat he took, A cudgel for a crook, Nor e'en the pipe forgot: And more to seem what he was not, Himself upon his hat he wrote, "I'm Willie, shepherd of these sheep." His person thus complete, His crook in upraised feet, The impostor Willie stole upon the keep. The proper Willie, on the grass asleep, Slept there, indeed, profoundly, His dog and pipe slept, also soundly; His drowsy sheep around lay. As for the greatest number, Much bless'd the hypocrite their slumber And hoped to drive away the flock, Could he the Shepherd's voice but mock. He thought undoubtedly he could. He tried: the tone in which he spoke, Loud echoing from the wood, The plot and slumber broke; Sheep, dog, and man awoke. The Wolf, in sorry plight, In hampering coat bedight, Could neither run nor fight.

_There's always leakage of deceit Which makes it never safe to cheat, Whoever is a Wolf had better Keep clear of hypocritic fetter._

The Lion and the Ass Hunting

The King of animals, with royal grace, Would celebrate his birthday in the chase. Twas not with bow and arrows, To slay some wretched sparrows; The Lion hunts the wild boar of the wood, The antlered deer and stags, the fat and good. This time, the King, t' insure success, Took for his aide-de-camp an Ass, A creature of stentorian voice, That felt much honoured by the choice. The Lion hid him in a proper station, And ordered him to bray, for his vocation, Assured that his tempestuous cry The boldest beasts would terrify, And cause them from their lairs to fly. And, sooth, the horrid noise the creature made Did strike the tenants of the wood with dread; And, as they headlong fled, All fell within the Lion's ambuscade. "Has not my service glorious Made both of us victorious?" Cried out the much-elated Ass. "Yes," said the Lion; "bravely bray'd! Had I not known yourself and race, I should have been myself afraid!" The Donkey, had he dared, With anger would have flared At this retort, though justly made; For who could suffer boasts to pass So ill-befitting to an Ass?

The Oak and the Reed

The Oak one day address'd the Reed: "To you ungenerous indeed Has nature been, my humble friend, With weakness aye obliged to bend. The smallest bird that flits in air Is quite too much for you to bear; The slightest wind that wreathes the lake Your ever-trembling head doth shake. The while, my towering form Dares with the mountain top The solar blaze to stop, And wrestle with the storm. What seems to you the blast of death, To me is but a zephyr's breath. Beneath my branches had you grown, Less suffering would your life have known, Unhappily you oftenest show In open air your slender form, Along the marshes wet and low, That fringe the kingdom of the storm. To you, declare I must, Dame Nature seems unjust." Then modestly replied the Reed: "Your pity, sir, is kind indeed, But wholly needless for my sake. The wildest wind that ever blew Is safe to me compared with you. I bend, indeed, but never break. Thus far, I own, the hurricane Has beat your sturdy back in vain; But wait the end." Just at the word, The tempest's hollow voice was heard. The North sent forth her fiercest child, Dark, jagged, pitiless, and wild. The Oak, erect, endured the blow; The Reed bow'd gracefully and low. But, gathering up its strength once more, In greater fury than before, The savage blast o'erthrew, at last, That proud, old, sky-encircled head, Whose feet entwined the empire of the dead!

The Bat and the Two Weasels

A blundering Bat once stuck her head Into a wakeful Weasel's bed; Whereat the mistress of the house, A deadly foe of rats and mice, Was making ready in a trice To eat the stranger as a mouse. "What! do you dare," she said, "to creep in The very bed I sometimes sleep in, Now, after all the provocation I've suffered from your thievish nation? It's plain to see you are a mouse, That gnawing pest of every house, Your special aim to do the cheese ill. Ay, that you are, or I'm no Weasel." "I beg your pardon," said the Bat; "My kind is very far from that. What! I a mouse! Who told you such a lie? Why, ma'am, I am a bird; And, if you doubt my word, Just see the wings with which I fly. Long live the mice that cleave the sky!" These reasons had so fair a show, The Weasel let the creature go.

By some strange fancy led, The same wise blunderhead, But two or three days later, Had chosen for her rest Another Weasel's nest, This last, of birds a special hater. New peril brought this step absurd: Without a moment's thought or puzzle, Dame Weasel, oped her peaked muzzle To eat th' intruder as a bird. "Hold! do not wrong me," cried the Bat; "I'm truly no such thing as that. Your eyesight strange conclusions gathers. What makes a bird, I pray? Its feathers. I'm cousin of the mice and rats. Great Jupiter confound the cats!" The Bat, by such adroit replying, Twice saved herself from dying.

_And many a human stranger Thus turns his coat in danger; And sings, as suits, where'er he goes, "God save the king!"--or "save his foes!_"

The Dove and the Ant

A Dove came to a brook to drink, When, leaning o'er its crumbling brink, An Ant fell in, and vainly tried, In this, to her, an ocean tide, To reach the land; whereat the Dove, With every living thing in love, Was prompt a spire of grass to throw her, By which the Ant regained the shore.

A barefoot scamp, both mean and sly, Soon after chanced this Dove to spy; And, being arm'd with bow and arrow, The hungry codger doubted not The bird of Venus, in his pot, Would make a soup before the morrow. Just as his deadly bow he drew, Our Ant just bit his heel. Roused by the villain's squeal, The Dove took timely hint, and flew Far from the rascal's coop-- And with her flew his soup.

The Cock and the Fox

Upon a tree there mounted guard A veteran Cock, adroit and cunning; When to the roots a Fox up running, Spoke thus, in tones of kind regard: "Our quarrel, brother, 's at an end; Henceforth I hope to live your friend; For peace now reigns Throughout the animal domains. I bear the news--come down, I pray, And give me the embrace fraternal; And please, my brother, don't delay. So much the tidings do concern all, That I must spread them far to-day. Now you and yours can take your walks Without a fear or thought of hawks. And should you clash with them or others, In us you'll find the best of brothers; For which you may, this joyful night, Your merry bonfires light. But, first, let's seal the bliss With one fraternal kiss." The Cock replied, "Upon my word, A better thing I never heard; And doubly I rejoice To hear it from your voice; There really must be something in it, For yonder come two greyhounds, which I flatter Myself are couriers on this very matter. They come so fast, they'll be here in a minute. I'll down, and all of us will seal the blessing With general kissing and caressing." "Adieu," said Fox; "my errand's pressing; I'll hurry on my way, And we'll rejoice some other day." So off the fellow scampered, quick and light, To gain the fox-holes of a neighbouring height, Less happy in his stratagem than flight. The Cock laugh'd sweetly in his sleeve-- 'Tis doubly sweet deceiver to deceive.

The Wolf, the Goat, and the Kid

As went a Goat of grass to take her fill, And browse the herbage of a distant hill, She latch'd her door, and bid, With matron care, her Kid; "My daughter, as you live, This portal don't undo To any creature who This watchword does not give: 'Deuce take the Wolf and all his race'!" The Wolf was passing near the place By chance, and heard the words with pleasure, And laid them up as useful treasure; And hardly need we mention, Escaped the Goat's attention. No sooner did he see The matron off, than he, With hypocritic tone and face, Cried out before the place, "Deuce take the Wolf and all his race!" Not doubting thus to gain admission. The Kid, not void of all suspicion, Peer'd through a crack, and cried, "Show me white paw before You ask me to undo the door." The Wolf could not, if he had died, For wolves have no connection With paws of that complexion. So, much surprised, our gourmandiser Retired to fast till he was wiser.

_How would the Kid have been undone Had she but trusted to the word The Wolf by chance had overheard! 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, Pass'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 appetite 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 shells the ships 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 ships and ocean famous; Have cross'd the deserts without drinking, And many dangerous streams, unshrinking." Among the shut-up shell-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 shell 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 Ass and the Dog