Beside a fountain in the wood A royal Stag admiring stood: His antlers pleased him well. But one thing vexed him to the heart: His slender legs ill matched the part On which he loved to dwell.
"Nature has shaped them ill," said he, Watching their shadows peevishly: "Here is a disproportion! My horns rise branching, tall, and proud; My legs disgrace them, 'tis allowed, And are but an abortion."
[Illustration: THE STAG VIEWING HIMSELF IN THE STREAM.]
Just then a deer-hound frightened him, And lent a wing to every limb. O'er bush and brake--he's off! At those adornments on his brow The foolish creature praised just now He soon begins to scoff.
Upon his legs his life depends: They are his best and only friends. He unsays every word, And curses Heaven, that has sent A dangerous gift. We all repent Speeches that are absurd.
We prize too much the beautiful, And useful things spurn (as a rule); Yet fast will beauty fleet. The Stag admired the antlers high, That brought him into jeopardy, And blamed his kindly feet.
THE COCKEREL, THE CAT, AND THE LITTLE RAT.
A Rat, so very young that it had seen Nothing at all, was at his setting out Almost snapped up; and what his fears had been He told his mother. Thus it came about-- "I crossed the mountains bordering our land, Bold as a Rat that has his way to make; When two great animals, you understand, Before my eyes, their way towards me take. The one was gentle, tender, and so mild; The other restless, wild, and turbulent; A screeching voice, some flesh upon its head, A sort of arm, raised as for punishment. His tail a plume, a fiery plume displayed (It was a capon that the creature drew Like a wild beast new come from Africa); And with his arms he beat his sides, it's true, With such a frightful noise, that in dismay, E'en I, who pride myself on courage, ran And fled for fear, cursing the evil creature; As, but for him, I should have found a plan To make acquaintance with that gentle nature-- So soft and sweet, and with a skin like ours; Long tail, and spotted, with a face so meek; And yet a glittering eye, of such strange powers: A sympathiser, sure as I can speak, With us the Rats, for he has just such ears. I was about to make a little speech, When, all at once, as if to rouse my fears, The other creature gave a dreadful screech, And I took flight." "My child," exclaimed the Rat, "That gentle hypocrite you liked so well, Was our malignant enemy--the Cat. The other, on whose form so foul you fell, Is simply harmless, and will be our meal, Perhaps, some day; while, as for that meek beast, On us he dearly loves to leap and steal, And crunch and munch us for his cruel feast. Take care, my child, in any case, Judge no one by their look or face."