University of Virginia Library

A generous Race of croking Frogs,
Which lay intrench't betwixt two Bogs,
Who as the Morning Sun did shine,
Daily encreas'd their Stock Divine;
Just as the Solar Influence burn'd,
Prolifick Spawn to Life was turn'd,
Until the young ones had at length
An equal Vigor, equal Strength.
So numerous at length they prove,
They supplicate to mighty Jove;
A King and Governour they crave,
As other Beasts and Insects have;
But Jove allow'd all Mortal Elves,
To chuse a Monarch for themselves
The Croking Elders now consult
About a King, and the Result
Was, that a neighb'ring Log should be
Executor of Monarchy.
About the Log their Heads they raise,
In sounds uncouth they croke his Praise:
At length some crawl upon his Top,
And frisk about, and croke and hop:
Says one Frog, Here's fine business done,
Was e'er a King thus trampl'd on?
Troth, says another antient Frog,
We'll ne'er be govern'd by a Log.
The Heat at length so far arose,
They did the Loggerhead depose.
To new Election they proceed,
And to their Hearts content succeed:
A neighb'ring Stork at length they chose,
Which shou'd their Heats and Feuds compose;
He took upon him the Command
Of all the People in Frogland;
But he, as t'other 'fore had done,
Made it an Arbitrary Throne;
Up from the Mud the Frogs would pick,
And squeeze their Corps within his Beak.
One Frog much wiser than the rest,
To those about him thus addrest:
Good Friends this is confounded work,
Shall we be govern'd by a Stork;
To have our Bones in pieces torn,
Our young ones eat just as they're born?
As if Kings only had a Power
To ruin Subjects and devour;
I think 'tis just to chuse agen:
The Brood of Frogs all crok'd, Amen.
The next they chose was a dull Ass,
Which prov'd as bad as t'other was;
For tho he was not so malicious,
His Folly made him as pernicious;
Stumbling on Empire, oft he stood
Upon his Subjects chokd in Mud:
Whole beds of Spawn he did destroy,
At every flounce did Frogs annoy.
The Devil's in't, said one, for we
In chusing Kings still wretched be,

Thus often we have chose a K---,
And still have found it the same thing.