The Fables of Phaedrus Part 23

XXIX. THE FROGS AND BULLS.

Men of low life are in distress When great ones enmity profess.

There was a Bull-fight in the fen, A Frog cried out in trouble then, "Oh, what perdition on our race!"

"How," says another, "can the case Be quite so desp'rate as you've said?

For they're contending who is head, And lead a life from us disjoin'd, Of sep'rate station, diverse kind."-- "But he, who worsted shall retire, Will come into this lowland mire, And with his hoof dash out our brains, Wherefore their rage to us pertains."

x.x.x. THE KITE AND THE DOVES.

He that would have the wicked reign, Instead of help will find his bane.

The Doves had oft escaped the Kite, By their celerity of flight; The ruffian then to coz'nage stoop'd, And thus the tim'rous race he duped: "Why do you lead a life of fear, Rather than my proposals hear?

Elect me for your king, and I Will all your race indemnify."

They foolishly the Kite believed, Who having now the pow'r received, Began upon the Doves to prey, And exercise tyrannic sway.

"Justly," says one who yet remain'd, "We die the death ourselves ordain'd."

BOOK II.

PROLOGUE.

The way of writing Esop chose, Sound doctrine by example shows; For nothing by these tales is meant, So much as that the bad repent; And by the pattern that is set, Due diligence itself should whet.

Wherefore, whatever arch conceit You in our narratives shall meet (If with the critic's ear it take, And for some special purpose make), Aspires by real use to fame, Rather than from an author's name.

In fact, with all the care I can, I shall abide by Esop's plan: But if at times I intersperse My own materials in the verse, That sweet variety may please The fancy, and attention ease; Receive it in a friendly way; Which grace I purpose to repay By this consciousness of my song; Whose praises, lest they be too long, Attend, why you should stint the sneak, But give the modest, ere they seek.

FABLE I. THE JUDICIOUS LION.

A Lion on the carca.s.s stood Of a young heifer in the wood; A robber that was pa.s.sing there, Came up, and ask'd him for a share.

"A share," says he, "you should receive, But that you seldom ask our leave For things so handily removed."

At which the ruffian was reproved.

It happen'd that the selfsame day A modest pilgrim came that way, And when he saw the Lion, fled: Says he, "There is no cause of dread, In gentle tone--take you the chine, Which to your merit I a.s.sign."-- Then having parted what he slew, To favour his approach withdrew.

A great example, worthy praise, But not much copied now-a-days!

For churls have coffers that o'erflow, And sheepish worth is poor and low.

II. THE BALD-PATE DUPE.

Fondling or fondled--any how-- (Examples of all times allow) That men by women must be fleeced.

A dame, whose years were well increased, But skill'd t' affect a youthful mien, Was a staid husband's empress queen; Who yet sequester'd half his heart For a young damsel, brisk and smart.

They, while each wanted to attach Themselves to him, and seem his match, Began to tamper with his hair.

He, pleased with their officious care, Was on a sudden made a coot; For the young strumpet, branch and root, Stripp'd of the h.o.a.ry hairs his crown, E'en as th' old cat grubb'd up the brown.

III. THE MAN AND THE DOG.

Torn by a Cur, a man was led To throw the snappish thief some bread Dipt in the blood, which, he was told, Had been a remedy of old. Then Esop thus:-- "Forbear to show A pack of dogs the thing you do, Lest they should soon devour us quite, When thus rewarded as they bite."

One wicked miscreant's success Makes many more the trade profess.

IV. THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE SOW.

An Eagle built upon an oak A Cat and kittens had bespoke A hole about the middle bough; And underneath a woodland Sow Had placed her pigs upon the ground.

Then treach'rous Puss a method found To overthrow, for her own good, The peace of this chance neighbourhood First to the Eagle she ascends-- "Perdition on your head impends, And, far too probable, on mine; For you observe that grubbing Swine Still works the tree to overset, Us and our young with ease to get."

Thus having filled the Eagle's pate With consternation very great, Down creeps she to the Sow below; "The Eagle is your deadly foe, And is determined not to spare Your pigs, when you shall take the air."

Here too a terror being spread, By what this tattling gossip said, She slily to her kittens stole, And rested snug within her hole.

Sneaking from thence with silent tread By night her family she fed, But look'd out sharply all the day, Affecting terror and dismay.

The Eagle lest the tree should fall, Keeps to the boughs, nor stirs at all; And anxious for her grunting race, The Sow is loth to quit her place.

In short, they and their young ones starve, And leave a prey for Puss to carve.

Hence warn'd ye credulous and young, Be cautious of a double tongue.

V. CaeSAR AND HIS SLAVE.

There is in town a certain set Of mortals, ever in a sweat, Who idly bustling here and there, Have never any time to spare, While upon nothing they discuss With heat, and most outrageous fuss, Plague to themselves, and to the rest A most intolerable pest.

I will correct this stupid clan Of busy-bodies, if I can, By a true story; lend an ear, 'Tis worth a trifler's time to hear.

Tiberius Caesar, in his way To Naples, on a certain day Came to his own Misenian seat, (Of old Lucullus's retreat,) Which from the mountain top surveys Two seas, by looking different ways.

Here a shrewd slave began to cringe With dapper coat and sash of fringe, And, as his master walk'd between The trees upon the tufted green, Finding the weather very hot, Officiates with his wat'ring-pot; And still attending through the glade, Is ostentatious of his aid.

Caesar turns to another row, Where neither sun nor rain could go; He, for the nearest cut he knows, Is still before with pot and rose.

Caesar observes him twist and s.h.i.+ft, And understands the fellow's drift; "Here, you sir," says th' imperial lord.

The bustler, hoping a reward, Runs skipping up. The chief in jest Thus the poor jackanapes address'd "As here is no great matter done, Small is the premium you have won: The cuffs that make a servant free, Are for a better man than thee."

VI. THE EAGLE, CARRION CROW, AND TORTOISE.

No soul can warrant life or right, Secure from men of lawless might; But if a knave's advice a.s.sist, 'Gainst fraud and force what can exist?

An Eagle on a Tortoise fell, And mounting bore him by the sh.e.l.l: She with her house her body screens, Nor can be hurt by any means.

A Carrion Crow came by that way, "You've got," says she, "a luscious prey; But soon its weight will make you rue, Unless I show you what to do."

The captor promising a share, She bids her from the upper air To dash the sh.e.l.l against a rock, Which would be sever'd by the shock.

The Eagle follows her behest, Then feasts on turtle with his guest.

Thus she, whom Nature made so strong, And safe against external wrong, No match for force, and its allies, To cruel death a victim dies.

VII. THE MULES AND ROBBERS.

Two laden Mules were on the road-- A charge of money was bestowed Upon the one, the other bore Some sacks of barley. He before.

Proud of his freight, begun to swell, Stretch'd out his neck, and shook his bell.

The poor one, with an easy pace, Came on behind a little s.p.a.ce, When on a sudden, from the wood A gang of thieves before them stood; And, while the muleteers engage, Wound the poor creature in their rage Eager they seize the golden prize, But the vile barley-bags despise.

The plunder'd mule was all forlorn, The other thank'd them for their scorn: "'Tis now my turn the head to toss, Sustaining neither wound nor loss."

The low estate's from peril clear, But wealthy men have much to fear.

VIII. THE STAG AND THE OXEN.