“Men, pray are ye any better “Than are we, because your skin is “Smooth and glist’ning? This advantage “Ye but share with every serpent. “Human race, two leggèd serpents! “Well I see the reason why ye “Breeches wear; with foreign wool ye “Hide your serpent-nakedness! “Children, guard yourselves against these “Hairless and misshapen creatures! “My dear daughters, never marry “Any monster that wears breeches!” More than this I’ll not report now, How the bear in his wild mania For equality, kept reasoning All about the human race. For, to say the truth, I also Am a man, and never will I Tell again such foolish libels, Which are, after all, offensive. Yes, I am a man, and better Than the other sucking creatures, And the interests of the race Ne’er will I renounce promoting. In the fight with other creatures Faithfully I’ll ever struggle For humanity,--the holy Rights of man that he is born to. CAPUT VI. Yet perchance ’tis beneficial For us men, who form the higher Kind of livestock, to discover How they reason down below us. Yes, below us, in the gloomy Mournful spheres of fellowship, In the beasts’ inferior strata, Brood resentment, misery, pride. That which natural hist’ry ever, Equally with common custom, Has for centuries admitted Is denied with impious muzzle. That false doctrine by the aged In the young ones’ ears is grumbled Which assails both cultivation And humanity on earth. “Children!” Atta Troll thus growl’d, As he hither roll’d and thither On his carpet-wanting couch: “Unto us belongs the Future! “If each bear but thought as I do, “If all beasts but thought so too, “With united forces would we “Take up arms against the tyrants. “Then the bear would form alliance “With the horse, the elephant “Twine his trunk in loving fashion “Round the valiant ox’s horn. “Bear and wolf of every colour, “Goat and monkey, e’en the hare “For a time would work in common, “And our triumph would be certain. “Union, union is the’ essential “Requisite; alone, we’re conquer’d “Easily, but join’d together “We would overreach the tyrants. “Union! union! and we’ll triumph, “And Monopoly’s vile sway “Be o’erthrown, and we’ll establish “A just kingdom for us beasts, “Full equality for all, then, “Of God’s creatures, irrespective “Of their faith, or skin, or odour, “Be its fundamental maxim! “Strict equality! Each donkey “Be entitled to high office; “On the other hand, the lion “Carry to the mill the sack. “As respects the dog, indeed he “Is a very servile rascal, “Since for centuries has man “Like a dog ne’er ceased to treat him.