Signor Topsy-Turvy's wonderful magic lantern or The World turned upside down. By the author of "My Mother," and other poems [Ann and Jane Taylor]. Illustrated with twenty-four engravings |
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THE FISH TURNED FISHERS.
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 | Signor Topsy-Turvy's wonderful magic lantern |  |
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THE FISH TURNED FISHERS.
On the banks of a lake by a forest o'erhung,
One day a rebellion began,
The tenants of wood and of water among,
Against the dominion of man;
One day a rebellion began,
The tenants of wood and of water among,
Against the dominion of man;
The partridge and rabbit, the pheasant and hare,
Were met for a chat on the shore,
And a fish or two ventur'd their gills in the air,
To listen, and put in their oar.
Were met for a chat on the shore,
And a fish or two ventur'd their gills in the air,
To listen, and put in their oar.
“My friends of the forest,” the partridge begun,
“Just lords of these beautiful shades,
“You know that a great living thing with a gun,
“Our rightful dominion invades.”
“Just lords of these beautiful shades,
“You know that a great living thing with a gun,
“Our rightful dominion invades.”
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“Alas!” said a pheasant, who limp'd from aspray,
“I cannot but join the complaint,
“My wing was so dreadfully shatter'd to day,
“That really I'm ready to faint:
“I cannot but join the complaint,
“My wing was so dreadfully shatter'd to day,
“That really I'm ready to faint:
“And 'twas but last year (I remember the spot,
“Beneath yonder blossoming thorn),
“My dear honour'd parents were kill'd by one shot,
“And left me an orphan forlorn!”
“Beneath yonder blossoming thorn),
“My dear honour'd parents were kill'd by one shot,
“And left me an orphan forlorn!”
“Poor thing!” cried a gudgeon, “that's hard to be sure,
“But is it so shocking to bear,
“As what wretched fishes are forc'd to endure,
“Hook'd up, and then drown'd in the air?”
“But is it so shocking to bear,
“As what wretched fishes are forc'd to endure,
“Hook'd up, and then drown'd in the air?”
“But I,” said a rabbit, almost out of breath,
And heaving his white little breast,
“Have just had my family all put to death,
“By a ferret turn'd into my nest!”
And heaving his white little breast,
“Have just had my family all put to death,
“By a ferret turn'd into my nest!”
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The hare having listen'd awhile for a foe,
And finding no enemy near,
In sorrowful whispers unbosom'd her woe,
And finish'd the tale with a tear.
And finding no enemy near,
In sorrowful whispers unbosom'd her woe,
And finish'd the tale with a tear.
A warm-hearted squirrel who heard them complain,
Perch'd high on a neighbouring tree,
Now able no longer his wrath to contain,
Cried out, “then my fellows be free!
Perch'd high on a neighbouring tree,
Now able no longer his wrath to contain,
Cried out, “then my fellows be free!
“To arms, brother hare, with your pointer and gun,
“And you, my poor friends of the wave,
“And you feather'd cousins, in purple and dun,
“Take courage, and man is your slave!”
“And you, my poor friends of the wave,
“And you feather'd cousins, in purple and dun,
“Take courage, and man is your slave!”
Each fur-cover'd bosom and silvery gill,
With sudden emotion was fir'd,
And gay little knights of the topple and quill,
To freedom and glory aspir'd:
With sudden emotion was fir'd,
And gay little knights of the topple and quill,
To freedom and glory aspir'd:
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The woods were deserted, the fishes arose
In spirited shoals from the tide;
Hares now were the sportsmen, and cours'd for the beaux,
Poor gentlemen anglers were hook'd by the nose,
And the whole race of fox hunters died.
In spirited shoals from the tide;
Hares now were the sportsmen, and cours'd for the beaux,
Poor gentlemen anglers were hook'd by the nose,
And the whole race of fox hunters died.
A.
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