The eagle and the owl, resolved to ceaseTheir war, embraced in pledge of peace.On faith of king, on faith of owl, they sworeThat they would eat each other’s chicks no more.“But know you mine?” said Wisdom’s bird.“Not I, indeed,” the eagle cried.“The worse for that,” the owl replied:“I fear your oath’s a useless word;I fear […]

The lion, for his kingdom’s sake,In morals would some lessons take,And therefore call’d, one summer’s day,The monkey, master of the arts,An animal of brilliant parts,To hear what he could say.“Great king,” the monkey thus began,“To reign upon the wisest planRequires a prince to set his zeal,And passion for the public weal,Distinctly and quite high aboveA […]

The Fable AEsop tells is nearly this:–A shepherd from his flock began to miss,And long’d to catch the stealer of, his sheep.Before a cavern, dark and deep,Where wolves retired by day to sleep,Which he suspected as the thieves,He set his trap among the leaves;And, ere he left the place,He thus invoked celestial grace:–“O king of […]

A man that labour’d in the woodHad lost his honest livelihood;That is to say,His axe was gone astray.He had no tools to spare;This wholly earn’d his fare.Without a hope beside,He sat him down and cried,“Alas, my axe! where can it be?O Jove! but send it back to me,And it shall strike good blows for thee.”His […]

From heaven, one day, did Jupiter proclaim,“Let all that live before my throne appear,And there if any one hath aught to blame,In matter, form, or texture of his frame,He may bring forth his grievance without fear.Redress shall instantly be given to each.Come, monkey, now, first let us have your speech.You see these quadrupeds, your brothers;Comparing, […]

The sorest ill that Heaven hathSent on this lower world in wrath,–The plague (to call it by its name,)One single day of whichWould Pluto’s ferryman enrich,–Waged war on beasts, both wild and tame.They died not all, but all were sick:No hunting now, by force or trick,To save what might so soon expire.No food excited their […]

The weasels live, no more than cats,On terms of friendship with the rats;And, were it not that theseThrough doors contrive to squeezeToo narrow for their foes,The animals long-snoutedWould long ago have routed,And from the planet scoutedTheir race, as I suppose. One year it did betide,When they were multiplied,An army took the fieldOf rats, with spear […]

A Lion, old, and impotent with gout,Would have some cure for age found out.This king, from every species,–Call’d to his aid the leeches.They came, from quacks without degreeTo doctors of the highest fee.Advised, prescribed, talk’d learnedly;But with the restCame not Sir Cunning Fox, M.D.Sir Wolf the royal couch attended,And his suspicions there express’d.Forthwith his majesty, […]

Two fellows, needing funds, and bold,A bearskin to a furrier sold,Of which the bear was living still,But which they presently would kill–At least they said they would,And vow’d their word was good.The bargain struck upon the skin,Two days at most must bring it in.Forth went the two. More easy found than got,The bear came growling […]

An iron pot proposedTo an earthen pot a journey.The latter was opposed,Expressing the concern heHad felt about the dangerOf going out a ranger.He thought the kitchen hearthThe safest place on earthFor one so very brittle.“For thee, who art a kettle,And hast a tougher skin,There’s nought to keep thee in.”“I’ll be thy body-guard,”Replied the iron pot;“If […]

A stag, by favour of a vine,Which grew where suns most genial shine,And form’d a thick and matted bowerWhich might have turn’d a summer shower,Was saved from ruinous assault.The hunters thought their dogs at fault,And call’d them off. In danger now no moreThe stag, a thankless wretch and vile,Began to browse his benefactress o’er.The hunters, […]

Mars once made havoc in the air:Some cause aroused a quarrel thereAmong the birds;–not those that sing,The courtiers of the merry Spring,But naughty hawk and vulture folks,Of hooked beak and talons keen.The carcass of a dog, ’tis said,Had to this civil carnage led.Blood rain’d upon the swarded green,And valiant deeds were done, I ween.Suffice to […]

A dog and cat, messmates for life,Were often falling into strife,Which came to scratching, growls, and snaps,And spitting in the face, perhaps.A neighbour dog once chanced to callJust at the outset of their brawl,And, thinking Tray was cross and cruel,To snarl so sharp at Mrs. Mew-well,Growl’d rather roughly in his ear.‘And who are you to […]

A Man amass’d. The thing, we know,Doth often to a frenzy grow.No thought had he but of his minted gold–Stuff void of worth when unemploy’d, I hold.Now, that this treasure might the safer be,Our miser’s dwelling had the seaAs guard on every side from every thief.With pleasure, very small in my belief,But very great in […]

A knight of powder-horn and shotOnce fill’d his bag–as I would not,Unless the feelings of my breastBy poverty were sorely press’d–With birds and squirrels for the spitsOf certain gormandizing cits.With merry heart the fellow wentDirect to Mr. Centpercent,Who loved, as well was understood,Whatever game was nice and good.This gentleman, with knowing air,Survey’d the dainty lot […]

A thrush that sang one rustic odeOnce made a garden his abode,And gave the owner such delight,He grew a special favourite.Indeed, his landlord did his bestTo make him safe from every foe;The ground about his lowly nestWas undisturb’d by spade or hoe.And yet his song was still the same;It even grew somewhat more tame.At length […]

Among the beasts a feud arose.The lion, as the story goes,Once on a time laid downHis sceptre and his crown;And in his stead the beasts elected,As often as it suited them,A sort of king pro tem.,–Some animal they much respected.At first they all concurr’d.The horse, the stag, the unicorn,Were chosen each in turn;And then the […]

A father once, whose sons were two,For each a gift had much ado.At last upon this course he fell:‘My sons,’ said he, ‘within our wellTwo treasures lodge, as I am told;The one a sunken piece of gold,–A bowl it may be, or a pitcher,–The other is a thing far richer.These treasures if you can but […]

A city rat, one night,Did, with a civil stoop,A country rat inviteTo end a turtle soup. Upon a Turkey carpetThey found the table spread,And sure I need not harp itHow well the fellows fed. The entertainment wasA truly noble one;But some unlucky causeDisturb’d it when begun. It was a slight rat-tat,That put their joys to […]

By voyages in air,With constant thought and care,Much knowledge had a swallow gain’d,Which she for public use retain’d,The slightest storms she well foreknew,And told the sailors ere they blew.A farmer sowing hemp, once having found,She gather’d all the little birds around,And said, ‘My friends, the freedom let me takeTo prophesy a little, for your sake,Against […]