For time moves on with measured foot. 1821.* ----- THE FOX AND CRANE. ONCE two persons uninvited Came to join my dinner table; For the nonce they lived united, Fox and crane yclept in fable. Civil greetings pass'd between us Then I pluck'd some pigeons tender For the fox of jackal-genius, Adding grapes in full-grown splendour. Long-neck'd flasks I put as dishes For the crane, without delaying, Fill'd with gold and silver fishes, In the limpid water playing. Had ye witness'd Reynard planted At his flat plate, all demurely, Ye with envy must have granted: "Ne'er was such a gourmand, surely!" While the bird with circumspection On one foot, as usual, cradled, From the flasks his fish-refection With his bill and long neck ladled. One the pigeons praised,--the other, As they went, extoll'd the fishes, Each one scoffing at his brother For preferring vulgar dishes. * * * If thou wouldst preserve thy credit, When thou askest folks to guzzle At thy hoard, take care to spread it Suited both for bill and muzzle. 1819. ----- THE FOX AND HUNTSMAN. HARD 'tis on a fox's traces To arrive, midst forest-glades; Hopeless utterly the chase is, If his flight the huntsman aids. And so 'tis with many a wonder, (Why A B make Ab in fact,) Over which we gape and blunder, And our head and brains distract. 1821.* ----- THE FROGS. A POOL was once congeal'd with frost; The frogs, in its deep waters lost, No longer dared to croak or spring; But promised, being half asleep, If suffer'd to the air to creep, As very nightingales to sing. A thaw dissolved the ice so strong,-- They proudly steer'd themselves along, When landed, squatted on the shore, And croak'd as loudly as before. 1821.* ----- THE WEDDING. A FEAST was in a village spread,-- It was a wedding-day, they said. The parlour of the inn I found, And saw the couples whirling round, Each lass attended by her lad, And all seem'd loving, blithe, and glad; But on my asking for the bride, A fellow with a stare, replied: "'Tis not the place that point to raise! We're only dancing in her honour; We now have danced three nights and days, And not bestowed one thought upon her." * * * * Whoe'er in life employs his eyes Such cases oft will recognise. 1821.* ----- BURIAL. To the grave one day from a house they bore A maiden; To the window the citizens went to explore; In splendour they lived, and with wealth as of yore Their banquets were laden. Then thought they: "The maid to the tomb is now borne; We too from our dwellings ere long must be torn, And he that is left our departure to mourn, To our riches will be the successor, For some one must be their possessor. 1827.* ----- THREATENING SIGNS.