A treaty they concluded with the forest king, That he, by this concession, should not lose a thing. 100 His daily ration ready always should be found; And he should have no cause to trespass on their ground. Lots they would cast among themselves from day to day. On whom the lot should fall, he’d be the lion’s prey. But lo, at length the lot upon the hare did light. He found it very hard, and wailed his awful plight. The other beasts remarked: “We each have had our turn; And none of us refused th’ agreement to confirm. By breach of faith on us fresh infamy bring not. Begone forthwith; the lion must not be forgot.” 105 The hare replied: “Dear friends, a respite to me grant. A stratagem I’ll plan, and cheat this grim tyrant. My wily plan shall save the souls of all alive; And safety heirloom be your children shall derive. Thus every prophet’s promised to his sect, at least, Salvation from the doom o’erhanging man and beast. They found a ready way to ’scape beyond the spheres, So soon as to reflect they turned their minds from fears. Man sees another’s eye is but a wee, wee thing; He knows how great a service can th’ eye’s pupil bring.” 110 The beasts in answer: “Jackass! Prate to us no more. Consider. Thou’rt a hare; a beast of no great store. What talk is this? Thy betters ne’er have used such speech. They never would have dared to think as thou dost preach. It must be thou’rt o’erweening, or our fate’s at hand. For otherwise, pretensions such as thine can’t stand.”