An Ant who in a brook would drink Fell off the bank. He tried To swim, and felt his courage sink - This ocean seemed so wide. But for a dove who flew above He would have drowned and died. ...
An envoy of the Porte Sublime, As history says, once on a time, Before th' imperial German court[2] Did rather boastfully report, The troops commanded by his master's firman,...
A CLOISTERED nun had a lover Dwelling in the neighb'ring town; Both racked their brains to discover How they best their love might crown. The swain to pass the convent-door! -...
Each has his fault, to which he clings In spite of shame or fear. This apophthegm a story brings, To make its truth more clear. A sot had lost health, mind, and purse;...
John Rabbit, by Dame Eagle chased, Was making for his hole in haste, When, on his way, he met a beetle's burrow. I leave you all to think If such a little chink...
The eagle, through the air a queen, And one far different, I ween, In temper, language, thought, and mien, - The magpie, - once a prairie cross'd. The by-path where they met was drear,...
The eagle and the owl, resolved to cease Their war, embraced in pledge of peace. On faith of king, on faith of owl, they swore That they would eat each other's chicks no more....
A certain hollow tree Was tenanted by three. An eagle held a lofty bough, The hollow root a wild wood sow, A female cat between the two. All busy with maternal labours,...
WHEN William went from home (a trader styled): Six months his better half he left with child, A simple, comely, modest, youthful dame, Whose name was Alice; from Champaign she came....
Some beast with horns did gore The lion; and that sovereign dread, Resolved to suffer so no more, Straight banish'd from his realm, 'tis said, All sorts of beasts with horns -...
An iron pot proposed To an earthen pot a journey. The latter was opposed, Expressing the concern he Had felt about the danger Of going out a ranger. He thought the kitchen hearth...
Once in the olden times the elephant and the rhinoceros disputed as to which was the more important, and which should, therefore, have empire over the other animals. They decided to settle the point by battle in an enclosed fie...
'Twixt elephant and beast of horned nose About precedence a dispute arose, Which they determined to decide by blows. The day was fix'd, when came a messenger To say the ape of Jupiter...
Sound reason and a tender heart With thee are friends that never part. A hundred traits might swell the roll; - Suffice to name thy nobleness of soul;...
IF there's a tale more common than the rest, The one I mean to give is such confessed. Why choose it then? you ask; at whose desire? Hast not enough already tuned thy lyre?...
A stag took refuge from the chase Among the oxen of a stable, Who counsel'd him, as saith the fable, To seek at once some safer place. 'My brothers,' said the fugitive,...
Thanks to Memory's daughters nine, Animals have graced my line: Higher heroes in my story Might have won me less of glory. Wolves, in language of the sky, Talk with dogs throughout my verse;...
I RECOLLECT, that lately much I blamed, The sort of lover, avaricious named; And if in opposites we reason see, The liberal in paradise should be. The rule is just and, with the warmest zeal,...
You often hear a sweet seductive call: If wise, you haste towards it not at all; - And, if you heed my apologue, You act like John de Nivelle's dog.[2]