Josh Billings on Ice, and Other ThingsBillings, Josh
General
Josh Billings on Ice, and Other Things
Billings, Josh
American wit and humor
"_Benvolio._"--In writing for yu an analasiss ov the frog, i must
confess that i hav coppied the whole thing, "verbatus ad liberating,"
from the works ov a selebrated French writer on natural history, ov the
16th sentry.
The frog iz, in the fust case, a tadpole, aul boddy and tail, without
cuming tew a head.
He travels in pond holes, bi the side ov the turnpike, and iz
accellerated bi the acktivity ov his tail, which wriggles with uncommon
limberness and vivacity. Bi and bi, pretty soon, before long, in a few
daze, his tail iz no more, and legs begin to emerge from the south end
ov the animal, and from the north end, at the same time, may be seen a
disposition tew head out.
In this cautious way the frog iz built, and then for the fust time in
his life, begins tew git his head abuv water.
His success iz now certain, and soon, in about five daze more, he may
be seen sitting down on himself bi the side ov the pond hole, and
looking at the dinner baskets ov the children on their way tew the
distrikt skoolhous.
Az the children cum more nearer, with a club or chunk ov a brickbat in
his hand tew swott him with, he rares up on his behind leggs, and
enters the water, head fust, without opening the door.
Thus the frog duz bizzness for a spell ov time, until he gits tew be
21, and then his life iz more ramified.
Frogs hav 2 naturs, ground and water, and are az free from sin az an
oyster.
I never knu a frog tew hurt ennyboddy who paid his honest dets and took
the NEW YORK WEEKLY.
I don't reckoleckt now whether a frog has enny before leggs or not, and
if he don't, it ain't enny boddy's bizzness but the frog's.
Their hind leggs are used for refreshments, but the rest ov him won't
pay for eating.
A frog iz the only person who kan live in a well, and not get tired.
The bull-frog iz the boss ov the mud puddle, and has a log tew sit on,
over on the other side ov the puddle, and talks tew the rest ov the
frogs away down in his throat, so that yu kan't understand more than
half what he sez; he iz generally a cross and lazy old devil, all over
warts.
This iz aul thare iz worth knowing now about the frog, except that they
ketch flize during fli time, and winter on nothing, by freezing up
solid.'
P.S.--I hav endeavored tew translate mi author cluss, but it iz tuff
tew render aul his butiz intu our tung, without bursting the sense.
LVI.
HUMAN HAPPINESS.
Human happyness being a subject that interests most persons, and having
never bin writ upon bi enny boddy else, i thought i would write upon it
immediately.
But fu ever git tew be happy, for the reazon they try so hard.
_Comfort_ in this world is about awl that mortals kan expect;
_happyness_ has bin reserved, bi an all wise Providence, for futur use.
Those who are the most happy appear tew kno it the least; in fact,
happyness seems tew consist in not knowing it.
The best way i kno ov tew be happy is not tew want enny thing till yu
hav got it, and then be saving of it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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