For I must, without fail, visit twenty other places.
You and yours may attend to your several affairs
Without dread of us, or without any cares.
We will serve you like brothers from this very night;
Your fires of joy on this friendship alight!
But only come down, and my truthfulness prove,
By receiving the kiss of my brotherly love!"
Replied then the cock: "I could ne'er apprehend
A sweeter or better announcement, my friend,
Than this peace; and my pleasure, what more can enhance,
Is that you tell me of it. See! two greyhounds advance,
Who are couriers, I am told, sent expressly before,
Upon the same object. They get the ground o'er
Pretty fast, and will meet us here soon at this pace;
I'll come down, and we'll join in a general embrace."
"Adieu!" says the fox, "I must go a long way,
We'll rejoice o'er this matter's success some fine day,
But not now!" As the fellow thus cried,
He made tracks up the mountain's steep side,
And made off, discontented in mind,
As his stratagem badly succeed he did find.
The old cock at his fears laughed well in his leisure; To trick a trickster is a double-fold pleasure.
Fable 16.-Le Corbeau voulant imiter
L'OISEAU de Jupiter enlevant un mouton,
Un corbeau, témoin de l'affaire,
Et plus faible de reins, mais non pas moins glouton, En voulut sur l'heure autant faire.
Il tourne à l'entour du troupeau,
Marque entre cent moutons le plus gras, le plus beau,
Un vrai mouton de sacrifice.
On l'avait réservé pour la bouche des dieux.
Gaillard corbeau disait, en le couvant des yeux,
Je ne sais qui fut ta nourrice,
Mais ton corps me paraît en merveilleux état ;
Tu me serviras de pâture.
Sur l'animal bêlant, à ces mots, il s'abat.
La moutonnière créature
Pesait plus qu'un fromage; outre que sa toison.
Etait d'une épaisseur extrême,
Et mêlée à peu près de la même façon
Que la barbe de Polyphème.
Fable 16.-The Crow who wished to imitate
JOVE's bird a sheep was carrying off;
A crow, of kidney not so tough,
Saw the deed done; and, none the less a glutton,
Wished in the same way to procure her mutton.
He flies all round the flock with greedy zest,
Picks from an hundred sheep the fattest, best,
The very one for sacrificial rites,
Reserved for gods and godlike appetites.
The crow, whose eyes were gloating o'er the prey,
Observed: "Who brought you up, I cannot say,
But sure your body seems in rare condition,
And seems just suitable for my nutrition!"
This said, he pounces on the bleating beast,
The creature, thickly fleeced,
Weighed heavier than a cheese; besides,
It wore the thickest of all hides-
Rough and entangled and unshorn,
Like Polyphemus' beard was worn.
Elle empêtra si bien les serres du corbeau,
Que le pauvre animal ne put faire retraite :
Le berger vient, le prend, l'encage bien et beau,
Le donne à ses enfants pour servir d'amusette.
Il faut se mesurer; la conséquence est nette :
Mal prend aux volereaux de faire les voleurs.
L'exemple est un dangereux leurre :
Tous les mangeurs de gens ne sont pas grands seigneurs;
Où la guêpe a passé le moucheron on demeure.
Fable 17.-Le Paon se plaignant à Junon.
LE paon se plaignait à Junon:
Déesse, disait-il, ce n'est pas sans raison
Que je me plains, que je murmure;
Le chant dont vous m'avez fait don
Déplaît à toute la nature :
Au lieu qu'un rossignol, chétive créature,
Forme des sons aussi doux qu'éclatants,
Est lui seul l'honneur du printemps.
Junon répondit en colère,
Oiseau jaloux, et qui devrais te taire,
Est-ce à toi d'envier la voix du rossignol,
Toi que l'on voit porter à l'entour de ton col
Un arc-en-ciel nué de cent sortes de soies;
So firmly the crow's claws it caught,
That vainly to escape he sought.
The shepherd takes him, puts him in a cage,
His children, as a plaything, to engage.
Mete out yourselves, the consequence is clear:
Ill thieves betides, who robbers would appear.
Example sometimes dangerously decoys;
All are not lords who live on others here;
That which the wasp neglects the gnat employs.
Fable 17.-The Peacock complaining to Juno.
THE peacock to Juno poured out his complaint:
"My murmurings, goddess, are not a mere feint,
But real are the griefs I am wishing to paint!
The notes of the voice with which me you've endowed
Are displeasing to all men (so harsh and so loud);
Whereas there's the nightingale-pitiful creature!—
Makes sweet sounds and clear, which resound through
all nature!
He alone represents all the honours of spring."
Juno answered, in anger, “Come, cease murmuring,
Fealous bird! Lies your duty in holding your tongue.
Is it your part to envy the nightingale's song?
Thou, whose neck is encircled, which every one views,
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