The works of Allan Ramsay edited by Burns Martin ... and John W. Oliver [... and Alexander M. Kinghorn ... and Alexander Law] |
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The Fox and Rat.
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 | The works of Allan Ramsay |  |
The Fox and Rat.
The
Lyon and the Tyger lang maintain'd
A bloody Weir;—at last the Lyon gain'd.
The Royal Victor strak the Earth with Aw,
And the four-footed World obey'd his Law:
Frae ilka Species Deputies were sent,
To pay their Homage due, and compliment
Their Sovereign Liege, wha'd gart the Rebels cour,
And own his Royal Right, and Princely Power.
After Dispute, the moniest Votes agree,
That Reynard should address his Majesty,
Ulysses like, in Name of a' the Lave;
Wha thus went on,—“O Prince, allow thy Slave
“To roose thy brave Atchievments and Renown;
“Nane but thy daring Front shou'd wear the Crown,
“Wha art like Jove, whase Thunderbowt can make
“The Heavens be hush, and a' the Earth to shake;
“Whase very Gloom, if he but angry nods,
“Commands a Peace, and flegs the inferior Gods.
“Thus thou, great King, hast by thy conqu'ring Paw,
“Gi'en Earth a Shog, and made thy Will a Law:
“Thee a' the Animals with Fear adore,
“And tremble if thou with Displeasure rore;
“O'er a' thou canst us eith thy Sceptre sway,
“As Badrans can with cheeping Rottans play.”
A bloody Weir;—at last the Lyon gain'd.
The Royal Victor strak the Earth with Aw,
And the four-footed World obey'd his Law:
Frae ilka Species Deputies were sent,
To pay their Homage due, and compliment
Their Sovereign Liege, wha'd gart the Rebels cour,
And own his Royal Right, and Princely Power.
43
That Reynard should address his Majesty,
Ulysses like, in Name of a' the Lave;
Wha thus went on,—“O Prince, allow thy Slave
“To roose thy brave Atchievments and Renown;
“Nane but thy daring Front shou'd wear the Crown,
“Wha art like Jove, whase Thunderbowt can make
“The Heavens be hush, and a' the Earth to shake;
“Whase very Gloom, if he but angry nods,
“Commands a Peace, and flegs the inferior Gods.
“Thus thou, great King, hast by thy conqu'ring Paw,
“Gi'en Earth a Shog, and made thy Will a Law:
“Thee a' the Animals with Fear adore,
“And tremble if thou with Displeasure rore;
“O'er a' thou canst us eith thy Sceptre sway,
“As Badrans can with cheeping Rottans play.”
This Sentence vex'd the Envoy Rottan sair;
He threw his Gab, and girn'd; but durst nae mair.
The Monarch pleas'd with Lowry, wha durst gloom?
A Warrant's order'd for a good round Sum,
Which Dragon, Lord Chief Treasurer, must pay
To sly-tongu'd Fleechy on a certain Day;
Which Secretary Ape in Form wrote down,
Sign'd Lyon, and a wee beneath, Baboon.
'Tis given the Fox.—Now Bobtail tap o' Kin,
Made rich at anes, is nor to had nor bind;
He dreams of nought, but Pleasure, Joy and Peace,
Now blest with Wealth, to purchase Hens and Geese.
Yet in his Loof he hadna tell'd the Gowd,
And yet the Rottan's Breast with Anger glow'd;
He vow'd Revenge, and watch'd it Night and Day,
He took the Tid, when Lowry was away,
And throw a Hole into his Closet slips,
There chews the Warrant a' in little Nips.
Thus what the Fox had for his Flatt'ry gotten,
Ev'n frae a Lyon, was made nought by an offended Rottan.
He threw his Gab, and girn'd; but durst nae mair.
The Monarch pleas'd with Lowry, wha durst gloom?
A Warrant's order'd for a good round Sum,
Which Dragon, Lord Chief Treasurer, must pay
To sly-tongu'd Fleechy on a certain Day;
Which Secretary Ape in Form wrote down,
Sign'd Lyon, and a wee beneath, Baboon.
'Tis given the Fox.—Now Bobtail tap o' Kin,
Made rich at anes, is nor to had nor bind;
He dreams of nought, but Pleasure, Joy and Peace,
Now blest with Wealth, to purchase Hens and Geese.
Yet in his Loof he hadna tell'd the Gowd,
And yet the Rottan's Breast with Anger glow'd;
He vow'd Revenge, and watch'd it Night and Day,
He took the Tid, when Lowry was away,
And throw a Hole into his Closet slips,
There chews the Warrant a' in little Nips.
Thus what the Fox had for his Flatt'ry gotten,
Ev'n frae a Lyon, was made nought by an offended Rottan.
| The works of Allan Ramsay | |