FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175  
176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   >>   >|  
misfortune in the note.' 'Dame,' quoth the raven, 'spare your oaths, Unclench your fist, and wipe your clothes. But why on me those curses thrown? Goody, the fault was all your own; _40 For had you laid this brittle ware, On Dun, the old sure-footed mare, Though all the ravens of the hundred, With croaking had your tongue out-thundered, Sure-footed Dun had kept his legs, And you, good woman, saved your eggs.' FABLE XXXVIII. THE TURKEY AND THE ANT. In other men we faults can spy, And blame the mote that dims their eye, Each little speck and blemish find, To our own stronger errors blind. A turkey, tired of common food, Forsook the barn, and sought the wood; Behind her ran her infant train, Collecting here and there a grain. 'Draw near, my birds,' the mother cries, 'This hill delicious fare supplies; _10 Behold, the busy negro race, See, millions blacken all the place! Fear not. Like me with freedom eat; An ant is most delightful meat. How bless'd, how envied were our life, Could we but 'scape the poulterer's knife! But man, cursed man, on turkeys preys, And Christmas shortens all our days: Sometimes with oysters we combine, Sometimes assist the savoury chine. _20 From the low peasant to the lord, The turkey smokes on every board. Sure men for gluttony are cursed, Of the seven deadly sins the worst.' An ant, who climbed beyond his reach, Thus answered from the neighbouring beech: 'Ere you remark another's sin, 27 Bid thy own conscience look within; Control thy more voracious bill, Nor for a breakfast nations kill.' _30 * * * * * FABLE XXXIX. THE FATHER AND JUPITER. The man to Jove his suit preferred; He begged a wife. His prayer was heard, Jove wondered at his bold addressing: For how precarious is the blessing! A wife he takes. And now for heirs Again he worries heaven with prayers. Jove nods assent. Two hopeful boys And a fine girl reward his joys. Now, more solicitous he grew, And set their future lives in view; _10 He saw that all respect and duty Were paid to wealth, to power, and beauty. 'Once more,' he cries, 'accept my prayer; Make my loved progeny thy care. Let my first hope, my favourite boy, All fortune's richest gifts enjoy. My next with strong ambition fire: May favour teach him to a
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175  
176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
footed
 

turkey

 

prayer

 

cursed

 

Sometimes

 
JUPITER
 
preferred
 

breakfast

 
nations
 

FATHER


voracious

 

Control

 
answered
 

gluttony

 
deadly
 

peasant

 
smokes
 
remark
 

conscience

 

climbed


neighbouring

 

progeny

 

accept

 

wealth

 

beauty

 

favourite

 

ambition

 

favour

 

strong

 

fortune


richest

 
respect
 

worries

 

prayers

 

heaven

 
blessing
 

precarious

 
wondered
 

addressing

 
assent

solicitous
 

future

 
hopeful
 
reward
 

begged

 

XXXVIII

 
TURKEY
 

tongue

 
croaking
 

thundered