Part 42 (2/2)
”Friend,” says the Wolf, ”the matter weigh; Nature designed us beasts of prey; As such, when hunger finds a treat, 'Tis necessary Wolves should eat.
If mindful of the bleating weal, Thy bosom burn with real zeal, Hence, and thy tyrant lord beseech; To him repeat the moving speech: A Wolf eats sheep but now and then; Ten thousands are devoured by men.
An open foe may prove a curse, But a pretended friend is worse.”
JOHN GAY
The Rat-catcher and Cats
The rats by night such mischief did, Betty was ev'ry morning chid.
They undermin'd whole sides of bacon, Her cheese was sapp'd, her tarts were taken.
Her pasties, fenc'd with thickest paste, Were all demolish'd, and laid waste.
She curs'd the cat for want of duty, Who left her foes a constant booty.
An Engineer, of noted skill, Engag'd to stop the growing ill.
From room to room he now surveys Their haunts, their works, their secret ways; Finds where they 'scape an ambuscade.
And whence the nightly sally's made.
An envious Cat from place to place, Unseen, attends his silent pace.
She saw, that if his trade went on, The purring race must be undone; So, secretly removes his baits, And ev'ry stratagem defeats.
Again he sets the poisoned toils, And Puss again the labour foils.
”What foe, to frustrate my designs, My schemes thus nightly countermines?”
Incens'd, he cries: ”This very hour This wretch shall bleed beneath my power.”
So said, a ponderous trap he brought, And in the fact poor Puss was caught.
”Smuggler,” says he, ”thou shalt be made A victim to our loss of trade.”
The captive Cat, with piteous mews, For pardon, life, and freedom sues.
”A sister of the science spare; One int'rest is our common care.”
”What insolence!” the man replies; ”Shall Cats with us the game divide?
Were all your interloping band Extinguished, or expell'd the land, We Rat-catchers might raise our fees.
Sole guardians of a nation's cheese!”
A Cat, who saw the lifted knife, Thus spoke and sav'd her sister's life.
”In ev'ry age and clime we see Two of a trade can ne'er agree.
Each hates his neighbour for encroaching; 'Squire stigmatizes 'squire for poaching; Beauties with beauties are in arms.
And scandal pelts each other's charms; Kings too their neighbour kings dethrone, In hope to make the world their own.
But let us limit our desires; Not war like beauties, kings, and 'squires!
For though we both one prey pursue, There's game enough for us and you.”
JOHN GAY
The Farmer's Wife and the Raven
Between her swaggering pannier's load A Farmer's Wife to market rode, And jogging on, with thoughtful care, Summed up the profits of her ware; When, starting from her silver dream, Thus far and wide was heard her scream: ”That Raven on yon left-hand oak (Curse on his ill-betiding croak) Bodes me no good.” No more she said, When poor blind Ball, with stumbling head, Fell p.r.o.ne; o'erturned the panniers lay, And her mashed eggs bestrewed the way.
She, sprawling on the yellow road, Railed, cursed, and swore: ”Thou croaking toad, A murrain take thy noisy throat!
I knew misfortune in the note.”
”Dame,” quoth the Raven, ”spare your oaths, Unclench your fist and wipe your clothes.
But why on me those curses thrown?
Goody, the fault was all your own; For had you laid this brittle ware On Dun, the old sure-footed mare, Though all the Ravens of the hundred With croaking had your tongue out-thundered, Sure-footed Dun had kept her legs, And you, good woman, saved your eggs.”
JOHN GAY
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