The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe Household Edition : with illustrations |
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THE PIOUS BRAHMIN AND HIS NEIGHBORS.
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 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
THE PIOUS BRAHMIN AND HIS NEIGHBORS.
A HINDOO FABLE.
A pious Brahmin made a vow
Upon a certain day
To sacrifice a fatted sheep;
And so, his vow to pay,
One morning to the market-place
The Brahmin took his way.
Upon a certain day
To sacrifice a fatted sheep;
And so, his vow to pay,
One morning to the market-place
The Brahmin took his way.
It chanced three cunning neighbors,
Three rogues of brazen brow,
Had formed the wicked purpose
(My tale will tell you how)
To cheat the pious Brahmin,
And profit by his vow.
Three rogues of brazen brow,
Had formed the wicked purpose
(My tale will tell you how)
To cheat the pious Brahmin,
And profit by his vow.
The leader of these cunning knaves
Went forth upon the road,
And bearing on his shoulders
What seemed a heavy load,
He met the pious Brahmin
Not far from his abode.
Went forth upon the road,
And bearing on his shoulders
What seemed a heavy load,
He met the pious Brahmin
Not far from his abode.
“What have you there?” the Brahmin said.
“Indeed,” the man replies,
“I have the finest, fattest sheep,
And of the largest size;
A sheep well worthy to be slain
In solemn sacrifice!”
“Indeed,” the man replies,
“I have the finest, fattest sheep,
And of the largest size;
A sheep well worthy to be slain
In solemn sacrifice!”
And then the rogue laid down his load,
And from a bag drew forth
A scurvy dog. “See there!” he cried,
“The finest sheep on earth!
And you shall have him, if you will,
For less than he is worth.”
And from a bag drew forth
A scurvy dog. “See there!” he cried,
“The finest sheep on earth!
And you shall have him, if you will,
For less than he is worth.”
“Wretch!” cried the pious Brahmin,
“To call a beast so mean
A goodly sheep! 'T is but a dog
Accurséd and unclean;
The foulest, leanest, lamest cur
That ever yet was seen!”
“To call a beast so mean
A goodly sheep! 'T is but a dog
Accurséd and unclean;
The foulest, leanest, lamest cur
That ever yet was seen!”
Just then the second rogue came up.
“What luck!” he said, “to find
So soon a sheep in flesh and fleece
Exactly to my mind!”
“A sheep?” exclaimed the Brahmin,
“Then I am surely blind!”
“What luck!” he said, “to find
So soon a sheep in flesh and fleece
Exactly to my mind!”
“A sheep?” exclaimed the Brahmin,
“Then I am surely blind!”
“You must be very blind indeed,
Or fond of telling lies,
To say the beast is not a sheep!”
The cunning rogue replies;
“Go get a leech to mend your tongue,
Or else to mend your eyes!”
Or fond of telling lies,
140
The cunning rogue replies;
“Go get a leech to mend your tongue,
Or else to mend your eyes!”
Now while these men disputed thus,
The other rogue drew near,
And all agreed this honest man
Should make the matter clear.
“O stranger!” cried the Brahmin,
“What creature have we here?”
The other rogue drew near,
And all agreed this honest man
Should make the matter clear.
“O stranger!” cried the Brahmin,
“What creature have we here?”
“A goodly sheep!” the stranger said.
“Alas!” the Brahmin cried,
“A moment since I would have sworn
This honest fellow lied;
But now I know it is a sheep,
Since thus you all decide!”
“Alas!” the Brahmin cried,
“A moment since I would have sworn
This honest fellow lied;
But now I know it is a sheep,
Since thus you all decide!”
And so it was the cunning knaves
Prevailed in their device;
The pious Brahmin bought the dog,
Nor higgled at the price.
“'T will make,” he said, “unto the gods
A pleasing sacrifice!”
Prevailed in their device;
The pious Brahmin bought the dog,
Nor higgled at the price.
“'T will make,” he said, “unto the gods
A pleasing sacrifice!”
But ill betide the fatal hour
His filthy blood was shed;
It brought no benison, alas!
Upon the Brahmin's head;
The gods were angry at the deed,
And sent a curse instead!
His filthy blood was shed;
It brought no benison, alas!
Upon the Brahmin's head;
The gods were angry at the deed,
And sent a curse instead!
The meaning of this pleasant tale
Is very plainly shown;
The man is sure to fall, at last,
Who does n't stand alone:
Don't trust to other people's eyes,
But learn to mind your own!
Is very plainly shown;
The man is sure to fall, at last,
Who does n't stand alone:
Don't trust to other people's eyes,
But learn to mind your own!
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |