Truth in Fiction Or, Morality in Masquerade. A Collection of Two hundred twenty five Select Fables of Aesop, and other Authors. Done into English Verse. By Edmund Arwaker |
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| XXVIII. | FABLE XXVIII. The Beasts and Fishes:
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 | Truth in Fiction |  |
FABLE XXVIII. The Beasts and Fishes:
Or, Remote Alliances, useless.
The
Beasts, resolv'd they wou'd the Birds invade,
A shrict Alliance with the Fishes made;
Much in their Scaly Armour did confide,
And fear'd no Foe, while they were on their Side.
But when the Time to take the Field drew near,
The new Allies did not in Camp appear;
But from Land-service pray'd to be excus'd,
For they had only to the Sea been us'd.
This was the Cause their Forces were not sent,
They cou'd not Fight out of their Element.
A shrict Alliance with the Fishes made;
Much in their Scaly Armour did confide,
And fear'd no Foe, while they were on their Side.
But when the Time to take the Field drew near,
The new Allies did not in Camp appear;
But from Land-service pray'd to be excus'd,
For they had only to the Sea been us'd.
This was the Cause their Forces were not sent,
They cou'd not Fight out of their Element.
The MORAL.
‘Princes in vain seek such remote Allies,‘Who, in their Need, can send them no Supplies:
‘The safest Treaties, with near States are made,
‘Whose ready Troops can bring expected Aid.
| Truth in Fiction | |