Sly Reynard survey'd them with gluttonous eyes,
And made, spite of morals, a pullet his prize.
A mouse, too, that chanced from her covert* to stray,
The greedy Grimalkin secured as her prey.
A Spider that sat in her web on the wall,
Perceived the poor victims, and pitied their fall;
She cried, "Of such murders, how guiltless am I!"
So ran to regale† on a new-taken fly.
THE FOX AT THE POINT OF DEATH.
A Fox, in life's extreme decay,
Weak, sick, and faint, expiring lay;
All appetite had left his maw,
And age disarm'd‡ his mumbling jaw.
His numerous race around him stand
To learn their dying sire's command:
He rais'd his head with whining moan,
And thus was heard the feeble tone:
66 Ah, sons, from evil ways depart;
My crimes lie heavy on my heart.
See, see, the murder'd geese appear!
Why are those bleeding turkeys there?
Why all around this cackling train,
Who haunt my ears for chickens slain ?"
The hungry foxes round them stared,
And for the promised feast prepared.
"Where, sir, is all this dainty cheer?
Nor turkey, goose, nor hen is here.
These are the phantoms§ of your brain;
And your sons lick their lips in vain.”
"Oh, gluttons!" said the drooping sire,
"Restrain inordinate|| desire,
Your liquorish taste you shall deplore,
When peace of conscience is no more.
Covert, hole.
+ Regale, feast.
§ Phantom, vision.
Disarm, weaken, enfeeble. Inordinate, unusual, excessive.
Does not the hound betray our pace,
And gins and guns destroy our race?
Thieves dread the searching eye of power,
And never feel the quiet hour.
Old age (which few of us shall know)
Now puts a period to my woe.
Would you true happiness attain,
Let honesty your passions rein;*
So live in credit and esteem,
And the good name you've lost, redeem.Ӡ
"The counsel's good," a son replies,
"Could we perform what you advise.
Think what our ancestors§ have done;
A line of thieves from son to son.
To us descends the long disgrace,
And infamy|| has marked our race.
Though we like harmless sheep should feed,
Honest in thought, in word, in deed,
Whatever hen-roost is decreas'd,
We shall be thought to share the feast.
The change shall never be believed,
A lost good name is ne'er retrieved."
"Nay then," replies the feeble Fox,
"(But hark! I hear a hen that clucks,)
Go; but be moderate in your food:
A chicken, too, might do me good."
THE TURKEY AND THE ANT.
IN other men we faults can spy,
And blame the mote that dims their eye,
Each little speck and blemish find,
To our own stronger errors blind.
A Turkey, tired of common food,
Forsook the barn, and sought the wood;
* Rein, restrain, keep in check. † Redeem, gain again.
§ Ancestors, forefathers.
Behind her ran an infant train,
Collecting here and there a grain.
"Draw near, my birds!" the mother cries,
“This hill delicious fare supplies;
Behold the busy negro race,
See millions blacken all the place!
Fear not; like me, with freedom eat;
An Ant is most delightful meat.
How bless'd, how envied were our life,
Could we but 'scape the poulterer's knife;
But man, foul man, on Turkeys preys,
And Christmas shortens all our days!
Sometimes with oysters we combine,
Sometimes assist the savory chine;
From the low peasant to the lord,
The Turkey smokes on every board;
Sure, men for gluttony are cursed,
Of the seven deadly sins the worst."
An Ant, who climb'd beyond her reach,
Thus answer'd from the neighboring beech:
"Ere you remark another's sin,
Bid thy own conscience look within;
Control thy more voracious bill,
Nor for a breakfast nations kill."
THE HARE AND MANY FRIENDS.
FRIENDSHIP, like love, is but a name,
Unless to one you stint* the flame.
The child whom many fathers share,
Hath seldom known a father's care.
'Tis thus in friendships; who depend
On many, rarely find a friend.
A Hare who, in a civil way, Complied with everything, like Gay,† *Stint, limit, restrict.
Was known to all the bestial train
Who hunt the wood, or graze the plain:
Her care was never to offend,
And every creature was her friend.
As forth she went at early dawn,
To taste the dew-besprinkled lawn,
Behind she hears the hunter's cries,
And from the deep-mouth'd thunder flies.
She starts, she stops, she pants for breath;
She hears the near approach of death:
She doubles to mislead the hound,
And measures back her mazy ground;
Till, fainting, in the public way,
Half dead with fear she gasping lay.
What transport* in her bosom grew,
When first the Horse appeared in view!
"Let me," says she, "your back ascend,
And owe my safety to a friend.
You know my feet betray my flight;
To friendship every burden's light."
The Horse replied, "Poor honest Puss,
It grieves my heart to see you thus:
Be comforted, relief is near,
For all your friends are in the rear."
She next the stately Bull implored;
And thus replied the mighty lord:
"Since every beast alive can tell
That I sincerely wish you well,
I may, without offence, pretend
To take the freedom of a friend.
Love calls me hence; a favorite cow
Expects me near yon barley-mow;
And, where a lady's in the case,
You know all other things give place.
To leave you thus would seem unkind :
But see, the Goat is just behind.”
The Goat remarked her pulse was high, Her languid head, her heavy eye:
* Transport, pleasurable excitement.
"My back," says she, " may do you harm;
The Sheep's at hand, and wool is warm."
The Sheep was feeble, and complain'd,
"His sides a load of wool sustain'd;"
Said he was slow, confess'd his fears,
"For hounds eat sheep as well as hares.”
She now the trotting Calf address'd,
To save from death a friend distress'd:
"Shall I," says he, "of tender age,
In this important case engage?
Older and abler passed you by;
How strong are those! how weak am I!
Should I presume to bear you hence,
Those friends of mine may take offence.
Excuse me, then; you know my heart;
But dearest friends, alas! must part.
How we shall all lament! adieu!
the hounds are just in view."
THE COUNTRYMEN AND THE ASS.
A COUNTRY fellow and his son, they tell
In ancient† fables, had an ass to sell:
For this intent, they turned it out to play.
It fed so well, that by the destined day
They brought the creature into sleek repair,
And drove it gently to a neighboring fair.
As they were jogging on, a rural‡ class
Was heard to say, "Look! look there, at that ass!
And those two blockheads trudging on each side,
They have not, either of 'em, sense to ride;
Asses all three!" And thus the country folks
On man and boy began to cut their jokes.
* Sustain, bear, carry. † Ancient, long ago, opp. modern. Rural, belonging to the country.
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