Literary Fables of Yriarte Part 14

FABLE LVII.

THE LIZARDS.

A Naturalist, cruel as a Turk, Two Lizards in his garden catches, And coolly sets himself at work To anatomize the little wretches.

The plumpest now he has dissected, And torn the reptile limb from limb; With microscope he then inspected Intestines, paws, and tail, and skin; He pulls apart, for scrutiny, The loin and belly, neck and eye: Then takes his pen--again he looks-- A little writes and recapitulates-- The memoranda enters in his books; To fresh dissection then himself betakes.

Some curious friends, by chance, dropped in to see The subject of his shrewd anatomy.

One wonders--questions one proposes-- While others yet turn up their noses.

This done, the scientific man Gave o'er, exhausted with his labors.

The other Lizard jumped and ran, In his old haunts, to join his neighbors.

To them, in friendly chat, he stated The matters we have just related.

"You need not doubt it, friends,"--said he,-- "For everything myself did see.

The livelong day this man did spend Over the body of our friend.

If, in us, attributes so rare Are worth such pains in writing down, To call us vermin who shall dare?

'Tis gross abuse--as all must own.

Now, n.o.ble brothers, our high station Let us with dignity maintain, I pray.

Sure, we are worthy great consideration-- Whatever spiteful folks may say."

It is not worth the while to natter The pride of writers we despise.

'Tis honoring too much the matter, To condescend to criticize.

Their paltry trash in serious way To note--your pains will never pay.

Of Lizards to make great account, Gives them occasion to surmise Their claims to be of some amount, In the impartial public's eyes-- "Whatever spiteful folks may say."

FABLE LVIII.

THE WATCHES.

A knot of friends, invited to a feast, At table sat--a loitering guest, Who came long after all the rest, Sought for his tardiness to make excuse: And, by his comrades for a reason pressed, Drew out his Watch, and, holding it on high, Replied--"'Tis you are out of time, not I.

'Tis two precisely--wherefore this abuse?"

"Absurd!" they answered. "Friend, your Watch is slow.

The rest of us came near an hour ago."

"But"--said the loiterer--"what needs argue more?

I trust my Watch, as I have said before."

Now let each wiser man this reference take To foolish authors, who gross blunders make; Then quote--in order to make good their stand-- The first authority that comes to hand.

But with our story we will now go on.

The guests all round next eagerly began To pull their Watches out to test the fact,-- For all men like to prove their words exact;-- One at the quarter stood; at half, another; One made it six and thirty minutes past; This fourteen more, that ten less than the last.

No single Watch agreed with any other.

Then, all was doubt and question and vexation.

By luck, their entertainer chanced to be A great proficient in astronomy.

He, his Chronometer by observation Carefully set, consulted--and the hour Was three o'clock and just two minutes more.

Thus he concluded all the disputation: "To quote opinion and authority Against the truth, if any one can see The use--no point needs unsupported be.

For all can surely see, and must admit, forsooth, Many opinions there may be--but only one is truth!"

FABLE LIX.

THE MOLE AND OTHER ANIMALS.

Some four-footed creatures a.s.sembled one day, At the game of the blind man Together to play.

A Dog and a Monkey, Brimful of his tricks-- With a Fox, Hare and Eat, And a Squirrel--made six.

The Monkey, he blinded The eyes of the whole; Because of his hands He had better control.

A Mole heard their frolic; And said,--"Surely I For this fun am just fitted-- I think I will try."

He asks to come in; The Monkey agreed.

Some mischief, I doubt not, He had in his head.

The Mole, at each step, Would stumble and blunder.

With his skin-covered eyes, It was, clearly, no wonder.

At the very first trial,-- As well may be thought,-- Without much ado, His Moles.h.i.+p was caught.

To be blind-man, of course, To him it now fell: And who was there fitted To act it so well?

But, to get up a sham-- With affected surprise, Said he,--"What are we doing?

You've not blinded my eyes."

If a creature purblind Thus pretends he can see, Will the blockhead confess himself Stupid--think ye?

FABLE LX.

THE ROPE-DANCER.