Fables of La Fontaine Part 42

The traveller were surely rash To brave its whirling, foaming dash, But one, by robbers sorely press'd, Its terrors haply put to test.

They were but threats of foam and sound, The loudest where the least profound.

With courage from his safe success, His foes continuing to press, He met a river in his course: On stole its waters, calm and deep, So silently they seem'd asleep, All sweetly cradled, as I ween, In sloping banks, and gravel clean,-- They threaten'd neither man nor horse.

Both ventured; but the n.o.ble steed, That saved from robbers by his speed, From that deep water could not save; Both went to drink the Stygian wave; Both went to cross, (but not to swim,) Where reigns a monarch stern and grim, Far other streams than ours.

Still men are men of dangerous powers; Elsewhere, 'tis only ignorance that cowers.

[34] Abstemius.

XXIV.--EDUCATION.

Lapluck and Caesar brothers were, descended From dogs by Fame the most commended, Who falling, in their puppyhood, To different masters anciently, One dwelt and hunted in the boundless wood; From thieves the other kept a kitchen free.

At first, each had another name; But, by their bringing up, it came, While one improved upon his nature, The other grew a sordid creature, Till, by some scullion called Lapluck, The name ungracious ever stuck.

To high exploits his brother grew, Put many a stag at bay, and tore Full many a trophy from the boar; In short, him first, of all his crew, The world as Caesar knew; And care was had, lest, by a baser mate, His n.o.ble blood should e'er degenerate.

Not so with his neglected brother; He made whatever came a mother; And, by the laws of population, His race became a countless nation-- The common turnspits throughout France-- Where danger is, they don't advance-- Precisely the antipodes Of what we call the Caesars, these!

Oft falls the son below his sire's estate: Through want of care all things degenerate.

For lack of nursing Nature and her gifts.

What crowds from G.o.ds become mere kitchen-thrifts!

XXV.--THE TWO DOGS AND THE DEAD a.s.s.[35]

The Virtues should be sisters, hand in hand, Since banded brothers all the Vices stand: When one of these our hearts attacks, All come in file; there only lacks, From out the cl.u.s.ter, here and there, A mate of some antagonizing pair, That can't agree the common roof to share.

But all the Virtues, as a sisterhood, Have scarcely ever in one subject stood.

We find one brave, but pa.s.sionate; Another prudent, but ingrate.

Of beasts, the dog may claim to be The pattern of fidelity; But, for our teaching little wiser, He's both a fool and gormandiser.

For proof, I cite two mastiffs, that espied A dead a.s.s floating on a water wide.

The distance growing more and more, Because the wind the carca.s.s bore,-- 'My friend,' said one, 'your eyes are best; Pray let them on the water rest: What thing is that I seem to see?

An ox, or horse? what can it be?'

'Hey!' cried his mate; 'what matter which, Provided we could get a flitch?

It doubtless is our lawful prey: The puzzle is to find some way To get the prize; for wide the s.p.a.ce To swim, with wind against your face.[36]

Let's drink the flood; our thirsty throats Will gain the end as well as boats.

The water swallow'd, by and bye We'll have the carca.s.s, high and dry-- Enough to last a week, at least.'

Both drank as some do at a feast; Their breath was quench'd before their thirst, And presently the creatures burst!

And such is man. Whatever he May set his soul to do or be, To him is possibility?

How many vows he makes!

How many steps he takes!

How does he strive, and pant, and strain, Fortune's or Glory's prize to gain!

If round my farm off well I must, Or fill my coffers with the dust, Or master Hebrew, science, history,-- I make my task to drink the sea.

One spirit's projects to fulfil, Four bodies would require; and still The work would stop half done; The lives of four Methuselahs, Placed end to end for use, alas!

Would not suffice the wants of one.

[35] Aesop; also Lokman.

[36] _With the wind against your face_.--Did La Fontaine, to enhance the folly of these dogs, make them bad judges of the course of the wind, or did he forget what he had said a few lines above?--Translator.

XXVI.--DEMOCRITUS AND THE PEOPLE OF ABDERA.

How do I hate the tide of vulgar thought!

Profane, unjust, with childish folly fraught; It breaks and bends the rays of truth divine, And by its own conceptions measures mine.

Famed Epicurus' master[37] tried The power of this unstable tide.

His country said the sage was mad-- The simpletons! But why?

No prophet ever honour had Beneath his native sky.

Democritus, in truth, was wise; The ma.s.s were mad, with faith in lies.

So far this error went, That all Abdera sent To old Hippocrates To cure the sad disease.

'Our townsman,' said the messengers, Appropriately shedding tears, 'Hath lost his wits! Democritus, By study spoil'd, is lost to us.

Were he but fill'd with ignorance, We should esteem him less a dunce.

He saith that worlds like this exist, An absolutely endless list,-- And peopled, even, it may be, With countless hosts as wise as we!

But, not contented with such dreams, His brain with viewless "atoms" teems, Instinct with deathless life, it seems.

And, never stirring from the sod below, He weighs and measures all the stars; And, while he knows the universe, Himself he doth not know.

Though now his lips he strictly bars, He once delighted to converse.

Come, G.o.dlike mortal, try thy art divine Where traits of worst insanity combine!'

Small faith the great physician lent, But still, perhaps more readily, he went.

And mark what meetings strange Chance causes in this world of change!

Hippocrates arrived in season, Just as his patient (void of reason!) Was searching whether reason's home, In talking animals and dumb, Be in the head, or in the heart, Or in some other local part.

All calmly seated in the shade, Where brooks their softest music made, He traced, with study most insane, The convolutions of a brain; And at his feet lay many a scroll-- The works of sages on the soul.

Indeed, so much absorb'd was he, His friend, at first, he did not see.

A pair so admirably match'd, Their compliments erelong despatch'd.

In time and talk, as well as dress, The wise are frugal, I confess.

Dismissing trifles, they began At once with eagerness to scan The life, and soul, and laws of man; Nor stopp'd till they had travell'd o'er all The ground, from, physical to moral.

My time and s.p.a.ce would fail To give the full detail.

But I have said enough to show How little 'tis the people know.

How true, then, goes the saw abroad-- Their voice is but the voice of G.o.d?

[37] _Epicurus' master_.--Democritus and Epicurus lived about a century apart. The latter was disciple to the former only because in early life he adopted some of Democritus's philosophy. Later Epicurus rejected more than he accepted of what his "master" taught.

XXVII.--THE WOLF AND THE HUNTER.[38]

Thou l.u.s.t of gain,--foul fiend, whose evil eyes Regard as nought the blessings of the skies, Must I for ever battle thee in vain?

How long demandest thou to gain The meaning of my lessons plain?

Will constant getting never cloy?

Will man ne'er slacken to enjoy?

Haste, friend; thou hast not long to live: Let me the precious word repeat, And listen to it, I entreat; A richer lesson none can give-- The sovereign antidote for sorrow-- ENJOY!--'I will.'--But when?--'To-morrow.--'

Ah! death may take you on the way, Why not enjoy, I ask, to-day?

Lest envious fate your hopes ingulf, As once it served the hunter and the wolf.

The former, with his fatal bow, A n.o.ble deer had laid full low: A fawn approach'd, and quickly lay Companion of the dead, For side by side they bled.

Could one have wished a richer prey?