The Works of John Hall-Stevenson ... Corrected and Enlarged. With Several Original Poems, Now First Printed, and Explanatory Notes. In Three Volumes |
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FABLE VI. The SPIDER and the FLY
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 | The Works of John Hall-Stevenson |  |
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FABLE VI. The SPIDER and the FLY
With malice fell,A spider watch'd within his cell,
Ready to sally,
Th' unwary traveller to souse,
Like a Jew broker in the alley,
Or a Dutch merchant in his counting-house,
Like them he corresponded far and near,
And, tho' his trade was intricate and dark,
He manag'd his affairs and kept all clear,
Without a partner or a clerk.
A petit maître, a gaudy fly,
Thinking to scamper unmolested,
With airy equipage as he pass'd by,
By cruel Cacus was arrested.
Furnish'd with that undaunted sense,
Which only courts and camps can teach,
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Except his instrument of speech,
The fly with flattering soporific strains,
Tried to benumb the spider's brains:
Hearing such daily praise bestow'd,
Upon your elegance in weaving,
I came to visit your abode,
Which is magnificent beyond believing.
And now I am convinc'd, if you will drop.
The linen trade,
And take to weaving velvets and brocade,
The sallad-eaters soon must shut up shop,
Change but your diet, and, like their's, your taste
Will grow refin'd, correct and chaste.
As I have study'd every herb and leaf,
That's either noxious or good to eat,
Make me your caterer in chief,
And pourveyor of all your meat.
Send me this instant in a trice,
I'll bring you something savoury and nice.
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He found his plot would not succeed,
It was too thin,
For one of that sagacious breed;
On which he fell a vapouring and buzzing,
Swearing the drones would take the alarm,
And come to the assistance of their cousin
With an enormous swarm.
The drones and I are no such strangers,
We know, said Cacus, what we both can do,
They are too wise to run their heads in dangers,
For such a busy meddling fool as you;
But, since you come to spoil our manufacture,
And poison honest traders,
I'll hang you like a malefactor,
To terrify invaders.
No sooner said than done,
He knock'd him down, and hung him in the sun.
The spider, like Mynheer, goes on:
Is watchful, subtle, and alert,
The fly is either proud, like Don;
Or like a Frenchman vain and pert.
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Spanish or French, small flies or great,
Maintain your high spider allies,
In order to preserve your meat.
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