 | The collected works of Ambrose Bierce |  |
A PAIR OF OPPOSITES
A Fabulist of wide repute,Whose laugh was loud and wit was mute—
Whose grammar had the grace of guess,
And language an initial S—
Whose tireless efforts, long sustained,
Proved him far better brawned than brained,
Once met a Toad. “My son,” said he,
“'Twould jar you to get onto me!
You're swell, but I'm the dandy guy
That slings the gilt-edged lullaby.
Dost tumble? What I'm shouting, see,
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“That compliment,” the Toad replied,
“Is grateful to my foolish pride:
It seems to mean that though I hop
Right awkwardly I sometimes stop.”
The gods, whom long the Fabulist
Had plagued (the Toad had only hissed)
Emitted loud Olympian snorts
Of joy to hear the King of Warts
Administer a mental pang
To the Protagonist of Slang.
So Jove appointed him to be
Chief Jester by divine decree,
And ne'er another joke made he.
| The collected works of Ambrose Bierce | |