Fables of La Fontaine — Fables XXIX and XXX

FABLE XXIX.

THE LION AND THE RAT.

It's well to please all people when you can;

There's none so small but one his aid may need.

Here are two fables, if you give good heed, Will prove the truth to any honest man.

A Rat, in quite a foolish way, Crept from his hole between a Lion's paws;

The king of animals showed on that day His royalty, and never snapped his jaws.

The kindness was not unrepaid;

Yet, who'd have thought a Lion would need aid [Illustration: THE LION AND THE RAT.

] From a poor Rat?

Soon after that The Lion in the forest brake, In their strong toils the hunters take;

In vain his roars, his frenzy, and his rage.

But Mr. Rat runs up; a mesh or two Nibbles, and lets the Lion through Patience and length of time may sever, What strength and empty wrath could never.

FABLE XXX.

THE DOVE AND THE ANT.

The next example we must get From creatures even smaller yet.

A Dove came to a brook to drink, When, leaning on the crumbling brink, An Ant fell in, and failed to reach, Through those vast ocean waves, the beach.

The Dove, so full of charity is she, Threw down a blade of grass, a promontory, Unto the Ant, who so once more, Grateful and glad, escaped to shore.

Just then passed by A scampish poacher, soft, bare-footed, came Creeping and sly;

A crossbow in his hand he bore: Seeing the Dove, he thought the game Safe in the pot, and ready for the meal: Quick runs the Ant, and stings his heel;

The angry rascal turns his head;

The Dove, who sees the scoundrel stoop, Flies off, and with her flies his soup.