A mountain was in travail pang; The country with her clamour rang. Out ran the people all, to see, Supposing that the birth would be A city, or at least a house. It was a mouse! In thinking of this fable, Of story feign'd and false, But meaning veritable, My mind the image calls Of one who writes, "The war I sing Which Titans waged against the Thunder-king."[14] As on the sounding verses ring, What will be brought to birth? Why, dearth. [13] Phaedrus, IV. 22. [14] _The War, &c._--The war of the Gods and Titans (sons of Heaven and Earth); _vide_ Hesiod, _Theogony_, I. 1083, Bohn's ed. XI.--FORTUNE AND THE BOY.[15] Beside a well, uncurb'd and deep, A schoolboy laid him down to sleep: (Such rogues can do so anywhere.) If some kind man had seen him there, He would have leap'd as if distracted; But Fortune much more wisely acted; For, passing by, she softly waked the child, Thus whispering in accents mild: 'I save your life, my little dear, And beg you not to venture here Again, for had you fallen in, I should have had to bear the sin; But I demand, in reason's name, If for your rashness I'm to blame?' With this the goddess went her way. I like her logic, I must say. There takes place nothing on this planet, But Fortune ends, whoe'er began it. In all adventures good or ill, We look to her to foot the bill. Has one a stupid, empty pate, That serves him never till too late, He clears himself by blaming Fate! [15] Aesop. XII.--THE DOCTORS.[16] The selfsame patient put to test Two doctors, Fear-the-worst and Hope-the-best. The latter hoped; the former did maintain The man would take all medicine in vain. By different cures the patient was beset, But erelong cancell'd nature's debt, While nursed As was prescribed by Fear-the-worst. But over the disease both triumph'd still. Said one, 'I well foresaw his death.' 'Yes,' said the other, 'but my pill Would certainly have saved his breath.' [16] Aesop, and others. XIII.--THE HEN WITH THE GOLDEN EGGS.[17] How avarice loseth all, By striving all to gain, I need no witness call But him whose thrifty hen, As by the fable we are told, Laid every day an egg of gold. 'She hath a treasure in her body,' Bethinks the avaricious noddy. He kills and opens--vexed to find All things like hens of common kind. Thus spoil'd the source of all his riches, To misers he a lesson teaches. In these last changes of the moon, How often doth one see Men made as poor as he By force of getting rich too soon! [17] Aesop. XIV.--THE ASS CARRYING RELICS.[18]