The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe Household Edition : with illustrations |
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THE TURKEY AND THE CROW.
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 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
THE TURKEY AND THE CROW.
YRIARTE.
A pompous old Turkey, conceited and vain,
As deeming himself of a lordlier breed
Than the wandering birds of the forest and plain,
Once challenged a Crow to a trial of speed.
As deeming himself of a lordlier breed
Than the wandering birds of the forest and plain,
Once challenged a Crow to a trial of speed.
If you e'er saw a Crow as he sailed through the sky,
And noticed how lightly and swiftly he went,
Compared with a Turkey attempting to fly,
Of this notable match you will guess the event.
And noticed how lightly and swiftly he went,
Compared with a Turkey attempting to fly,
Of this notable match you will guess the event.
“I say!” screamed the Gobbler, as falling behind
He saw his antagonist certain to win,
“Look here! did it ever occur to your mind
You 're as black as the deuce and as ugly as sin?
He saw his antagonist certain to win,
“Look here! did it ever occur to your mind
You 're as black as the deuce and as ugly as sin?
“Moreover,” he cries, “I have frequently heard
You 're the odious tool of the treacherous Fates;
A wicked, uncanny, Plutonian bird;
A monster of evil whom every one hates!
You 're the odious tool of the treacherous Fates;
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A monster of evil whom every one hates!
“Away with yourself! it is loathsome to see
A fowl who on carrion feeds with delight;
From birds who are decent no wonder you flee;
The faster, the better!—quick! out of my sight!”
A fowl who on carrion feeds with delight;
From birds who are decent no wonder you flee;
The faster, the better!—quick! out of my sight!”
The match being over, the winner replied:
“You spoke of my color,—that is n't the thing:
The question, I think, which we met to decide
Was which of the two is the fleeter of wing.”
“You spoke of my color,—that is n't the thing:
The question, I think, which we met to decide
Was which of the two is the fleeter of wing.”
MORAL.
Some critics, aware they are likely to failIn argument, follow a similar plan;
The works of the author 't were vain to assail,
And so they endeavor to injure the man!
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |