Moral and political fables ancient and modern. Done into Measurd Prose intermixd with Ryme. By Dr. Walter Pope |
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Fab. XXIX. Mercury and a Woodward. |
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 | Moral and political fables |  |
Fab. XXIX. Mercury and a Woodward.
A Country Man, lopping a Willow Tree,
Whose Boughs hung o'er a Stream, let fall his Ax,
And sate lamenting by the River side,
Crying, he was undone, he had lost his All,
His Instrument by which he gain'd his bread.
To him Hermes appeard, and profferd aid,
And when he had heard the Woodward Story, divd,
And out o'th' River brought a Golden Ax,
Then askd the Country Man if it were his.
No Sir, said he, I never was so Rich.
Mercury divd again, and in his Hand
Brought up another Ax of Silver made,
Toth' Country Man he the same question puts,
And the same answer as before receives.
He dives again, and found an Iron Ax,
At sight of which the joyful Man cryd out,
Sir that is mine, I give you many thanks.
Hermes admiring his tryd Honesty,
Bestowd them all on him, and sent him home.
When this was noisd about, a Crafty Clown
To the same place repairs, throws in his Ax,
And then sate down, filling the Air with Cries.
Mercury proffers to repair his loss,
And diving, from the Rivers bottom brought
A Golden Ax, which when the Clown espied,
That's mine, by Jove 'tis mine, aloud he cried.
But Mercury detesting this foul Lie,
Threw't in again, and strait to Heaven did fly.
Whose Boughs hung o'er a Stream, let fall his Ax,
And sate lamenting by the River side,
Crying, he was undone, he had lost his All,
His Instrument by which he gain'd his bread.
To him Hermes appeard, and profferd aid,
And when he had heard the Woodward Story, divd,
And out o'th' River brought a Golden Ax,
Then askd the Country Man if it were his.
No Sir, said he, I never was so Rich.
Mercury divd again, and in his Hand
Brought up another Ax of Silver made,
Toth' Country Man he the same question puts,
And the same answer as before receives.
He dives again, and found an Iron Ax,
At sight of which the joyful Man cryd out,
Sir that is mine, I give you many thanks.
Hermes admiring his tryd Honesty,
Bestowd them all on him, and sent him home.
When this was noisd about, a Crafty Clown
To the same place repairs, throws in his Ax,
28
Mercury proffers to repair his loss,
And diving, from the Rivers bottom brought
A Golden Ax, which when the Clown espied,
That's mine, by Jove 'tis mine, aloud he cried.
But Mercury detesting this foul Lie,
Threw't in again, and strait to Heaven did fly.
The Moral.
God often makes those who are Honest Rich,And brings to Beggery Evil Doers.
| Moral and political fables | |