Coxcombs, an ever-noisy race,
  Are trumpets of their own disgrace.’ 
     ‘Why so severe?’ the cub replies;
  ‘Our senate always held me wise.’ 
     ‘How weak is pride!’ returns the sire;
  ’All fools are vain, when fools admire! 
  But know what stupid asses prize,
  Lions and noble beasts despise.’

* * * * *

FABLE XX.

THE OLD HEN AND THE COCK.

  Restrain your child; you’ll soon believe
  The text which says, we sprung from Eve. 
     As an old hen led forth her train,
  And seemed to peck to shew the grain;
  She raked the chaff, she scratched the ground,
  And gleaned the spacious yard around. 
  A giddy chick, to try her wings,
  On the well’s narrow margin springs,
  And prone she drops.  The mother’s breast
  All day with sorrow was possess’d.
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     A cock she met; her son she knew;
  And in her heart affection grew. 
     ‘My son,’ says she, ’I grant your years
  Have reached beyond a mother’s cares;
  I see you vig’rous, strong, and bold;
  I hear with joy your triumphs told. 
  Tis not from cocks thy fate I dread;
  But let thy ever-wary tread
  Avoid yon well; that fatal place
  Is sure perdition to our race.
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  Print this my counsel on thy breast;
  To the just gods I leave the rest.’ 
     He thanked her care; yet day by day
  His bosom burned to disobey;
  And every time the well he saw,
  Scorned in his heart the foolish law: 
  Near and more near each day he drew,
  And longed to try the dangerous view. 
     ‘Why was this idle charge?’ he cries;
  ’Let courage female fears despise.
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  Or did she doubt my heart was brave,
  And therefore this injunction gave? 
  Or does her harvest store the place,
  A treasure for her younger race? 
  And would she thus my search prevent? 
  I stand resolved, and dare the event.’ 
     Thus said.  He mounts the margin’s round,
  And pries into the depth profound. 
  He stretched his neck; and from below
  With stretching neck advanced a foe: 
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  With wrath his ruffled plumes he rears,
  The foe with ruffled plumes appears: 
  Threat answered threat, his fury grew,
  Headlong to meet the war he flew,
  But when the watery death he found,
  He thus lamented as he drowned: 
     ’I ne’er had been in this condition,
  But for my mother’s prohibition.’

* * * * *

FABLE XXI.

THE RAT-CATCHER AND CATS.