readenglishbook.com » Poetry » Aesop, in Rhyme, Aesop [book club recommendations .TXT] 📗
  • Author: Aesop
  • Performer: -

Book online «Aesop, in Rhyme, Aesop [book club recommendations .TXT] 📗». Author Aesop



1 ... 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ... 13
Go to page:
him quit his cloak."

"Come on," says Phebus, "let us see

Who best succeeds, or you or me."

The wind to blow so fierce began,

He almost had upset his man;

But still his cloak, for all his roar,

Was wrapp'd more closely than before.

When Boreas what he could had done,

"Now for my trial," says the Sun,

And with his beams so warm'd the air,

The man his mantle could not bear,

But open'd first, then threw aside.

Learn hence, unbending sons of pride

Persuasive manners will prevail,

When menaces and bluster fail.

Illustration 140

Illustration 141 THE TWO POTS.

Forc'd on a stream to make their way,

To pot of brass says pot of clay:

"Since brass is stout and clay is frail,

Pray let us at a distance sail.

Not your intention that I fear

Sir Brass," adds humble Earthenware,

"While the winds leave you to yourself;

But woe betide my ribs of delf,

If it should dash our sides together;

For mine would be the damage, whether

Their force should you or I impel;

To pray proceed, and fare you well."

Learn hence, ye folks of low estate,

To keep due distance from the great.

Illustration 142

Illustration 143 HERCULES AND THE CARTER.

His cart bemired, a carter pray'd

To Hercules to come and aid.

"Up!" says the God, "thou lazy dog.

And lift the axle from the bog;

Think'st thou Gods nothing have to do

But listen to such knaves as you?"

Illustration 144 THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER.

From a wise emmet, well sustain'd

On what her industry had gain'd,

A grasshopper some aid desir'd.

"What was his trade?" the ant inquir'd.

"I've none," the grasshopper replied;

"I range the country far and wide,

Singing all day from door to door,

And have no time to form a store."

Shutting her granaries, says the ant,

"No wonder, friend, you are in want;

He who all summer sings, may chance

In winter to be forc'd to dance."

To spend his time in idle song,

The thoughtless grasshopper was wrong;

And not to give a small supply,

The emmet mean and niggardly.

Illustration 145

Illustration 146 THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.

Patience and ingenuity

The want of natural means supply.

A thirsty crow some water found,

But in a vessel so profound,

That with her neck at utmost stretch,

A single drop she could not reach.

Then stones she in the pitcher places,

Which to the top the water raises;

And by this innocent device

Her thirst at leisure satisfies.

Illustration 147 THE ANGLER AND THE LITTLE FISH.

An angler a small salmon caught,

Who with much earnestness besought

That he would let her go: says she,

"What can you do with such as me!

Next year when grown a little bigger,

I in your bag might make a figure."

The prudent man replied, "No, no;

Into my pouch, though small, you go.

A bird in hand is better far,

Than two that in the bushes are."

Illustration 148 THE FROG AND THE FOX.

Let us our own defects amend,

Ere to guide others we pretend.

A sallow, wrinkl'd, spotted frog,

To turn physician left the bog.

"He every malady could cure,"

He said, "that animals endure."

"First on yourself your science show,"

Says Reynard: "that the world may know

Your skill and knowledge, pray begin

Of those foul spots to clear your skin:

For while you look so sick and pale,

To vend your drugs you'll ne'er prevail."

Illustration 148 THE APE AND HER YOUNG ONES.

An ape had cubs; one much she lov'd,

The other small affection prov'd.

Alarm'd, she hears the hunter's cries;

And catching up her darling flies:

Through fear she stumbled o'er some stones

And broke the little favorite's bones;

The other to her back who clung

Uninjured went with her along.

Mothers, beware! the fondl'd child

By too much tenderness is spoil'd;

While those who hardships have endur'd,

To suffer life are best inur'd.

Illustration 150

Illustration 151 THE FIR TREE AND THE THORN.

The lowly and contented state

Is farthest from the wounds of fate.

A fir tree upon a humble thorn

From his high top look'd down with scorn.

"For loftiest fanes we grow," she said,

"Of us the tallest masts are made,

While thou, poor bramble, canst produce

Nothing of ornament or use."

"Great tree," the modest thorn replied,

"When the sharp axe shall pierce your side,

In vain you then may wish to be

Unsought-for, and unknown like me."

Illustration 152

Illustration 153 THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN.

Fools may on other fools impose;

The sage their real value knows.

An ass once found a lion's skin,

And rolling up himself therein,

From every fold that he came nigh,

Made flocks, and herds, and shepherds fly.

Ranging the country round, at last

He meets his master where he pass'd,

Who long-ears instantly descries

Through his magnificent disguise:

Laying his cudgel on his side,

"Get home, thou stupid fool," he cried:

"With others for a lion pass;

I know thee for an arrant ass."

Illustration 154

Illustration 155 THE DOG IN THE MANGER.

A mastiff in a stable lay,

Couch'd on a manger full of hay.

When any thing drew near to eat,

He quickly forced it to retreat.

An ox then cried, "detested creature,

How vile is thy malignant nature,

Which will not others let enjoy

That which thou never canst employ!"

Illustration 156 THE STAG AND THE VINE.

A stag pursued with horn and hound

In a thick vineyard shelter found.

Soon as he thought the danger past,

He on the vine began to feast.

The huntsman hears the rustling noise,

And through half-eaten leaves descries

His branching horns, the pack recalls,

And merited the creature falls

To his ingratitude a prey.

Those their protectors who betray,

Unpitying, all the world will see

Consign'd to death and infamy.

Illustration 157 THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG.

Titles and ribands, bought with shame,

Folly and vice but more proclaim.

A man who own'd a vicious dog,

Upon his collar fix'd a log,

Which the vain cur supposed to be

A note of worth and dignity.

A mastiff saw his foolish pride;

"Puppy," indignantly he cried,

"That thing is put about your neck

Your mischievous designs to check;

And to who see you to declare,

Of what a currish race you are."

Illustration 158 THE SICK MAN AND THE PHYSICIAN.

Woe to the land where those who guide,

To please the people's foolish pride,

Persuade them there is nought to dread,

When ruin threatens o'er their head.

A patient, ask'd to tell his pains,

Of thirst and shivering cold complains.

"'Tis very good," the doctor said;

"He has but to remain in bed,

And take the med'cines I shall send,

The thing will soon be at an end."

When next the question was repeated,

The man complain'd he much was heated;

"This," cried the leech, "is better still!"

And thus to each increasing ill,

"That it was going well," he cried,

Till the poor martyr sunk and died.

Illustration 159

Illustration 160 THE FARMER AND HIS SONS.

Work, work, my boys, with hand and mind!

Your labors you will fruitful find.

A husbandman, about to die,

Call'd on his children to come nigh:

"I leave," he says, "a small estate,

But wherewithal to make it great:

For know, a treasure it contains,

If you to search will take the pains."

He died. The sons dug all the ground,

And there no hidden treasure found;

But so productive was the soil,

The crop by far o'erpaid the toil.

Says one, when they the corn had sold,

"This treasure 'twas our sire foretold!"

Illustration 161

Illustration 162 THE SWALLOW AND THE BIRDS.

Those who of guides stand most in need,

Are least inclin'd advice to heed.

A travell'd swallow, learn'd and wise,

To all his feather'd neighbors cries:

"See you yon laborers there below;

What is it, think ye, that they sow?

'Tis hemp, my friends; of which are made

The nets that for us all are laid;

The moment yonder men are gone,

Then pick the seeds up one by one."

The gay inhabitants of air

For his precaution little care.

The seedling sprung; again the swallow

Urges his good advice to follow;

Again his counsel they deride.

The plants full grown, and cut, and dried,

Beaten and spun, the nets were made,

And the unwary birds betray'd,

Regretting, in their hapless fate,

Their incredulity too late.

Learn hence the danger to foresee,

Nor wait for their maturity.

Illustration 163

Illustration 164 THE BOASTING TRAVELLER.

A fellow who abroad had been,

Told marvels he had done and seen:

"When resident at Rhodes," he said,

"A leap of twenty yards he made

Over a barrier ten feet high;

A dozen witnesses were by."

"Come on," says one, at the same table,

"Yon ditch and fence to o'erleap you're able.

They're not, by much, so high or wide;

Here let the experiment be tried.

Suppose yourself at Rhodes, and we

Your faithful witnesses will be."

The man replied, "that he to-day

Was not quite well," and stole away.

Who boast of what they cannot do

Both knavery and folly show.

Illustration 165

Illustration 166 THE OLD WOMAN AND HER MAIDS.

Better known evils to endure,

Than seek by wrong a doubtful cure.

A thrifty dame her maids awoke

At the first crowing of the cock.

They of such early rising tir'd,

To kill the harmless cock conspir'd.

The dame, to hear him crow in wait,

Next morning lay in bed till eight.

But when she knew the trick they had play'd,

She caused a larum to be made,

And rung it daily in their ears

Two hours before the dawn appears.

Illustration 167

Illustration 168 INDUSTRY AND SLOTH.

Insidious sloth her object gains,

If but a hearing she obtains.

A youth ask'd why so long in bed?

"I listen to a cause," he said;

"As soon as I unclose my eyes.

First industry excites to rise."

"Up, up," she says, "to meet the sun,

Your task of yesterday's undone!"

"Lie still," cries sloth, "it is not warm,

An hour's more sleep can do no harm;

You will have time your work to do,

And leisure for amusement too."

Illustration 169

Illustration 170 THE SHEPHERD TURNED MERCHANT.

Fair weather sailors, keep at home,

For be assur'd the storm will come.

A shepherd of an inland breed

Brought to the coast his flocks to feed;

The beauty of a summer sea,

A merchant tempted him to be.

He sold his sheep, and with the sale

Purchas'd of dates an ample bale.

He sail'd; a furious tempest rose;

Into the sea his dates he throws;

And swimming from the bark to land,

Arrives half dead upon the strand.

To one, soon afterwards who stood

Pleas'd with the calmness of the flood,

"Aye, aye," the simple shepherd said

"With dates again it would be fed."

Illustration 171

Illustration 172 THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW.

A fool who all had thrown away,

When wandering pennyless one day,

Perceived a swallow. "Ho," says he,

"Summer is come at last I see!"

And to a Jew his mantle sold.

Next day it was severely cold:

Starv'd as he walk'd, the bird he found

Frozen to death upon the ground.

"Ah! what a fool was I," he cried,

"When on one swallow I relied!"

Those who too readily believe,

For their credulity may grieve.

Illustration 173 THE EAGLE AND THE CROW.

The wise well know their force to weigh,

Nor what they cannot do, essay.

A carrion crow an eagle saw

Seize on a lamb with beak and claw.

Conceiving he could better do,

He pounces on a well fed ewe;

But he and not the sheep was caught;

For when to fly

1 ... 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ... 13
Go to page:

Free e-book «Aesop, in Rhyme, Aesop [book club recommendations .TXT] 📗» - read online now

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment