Читать книгу Macmillan's Reading Books. Book V - Unknown - Страница 22

       Oft has it been my lot to mark

       A proud, conceited, talking spark,

       With eyes that hardly served at most

       To guard their master 'gainst a post:

       Yet round the world the blade has been

       To see whatever can be seen.

       Returning from his finished tour,

       Grown ten times perter than before.

       Whatever word you chance to drop,

       The travelled fool your mouth will stop:

       "Sir, if my judgment you'll allow—

       I've seen—and sure I ought to know."

       So begs you'd pay a due submission

       And acquiesce in his decision.

       Two travellers of such a cast,

       As o'er Arabia's wilds they passed,

       And on their way in friendly chat,

       Now talked of this, and now of that:

       Discoursed a while, 'mongst other matter,

       Of the chameleon's form and nature.

       "A stranger animal," cries one,

       "Sure never lived beneath the sun;

       A lizard's body, lean and long,

       A fish's head, a serpent's tongue,

       Its foot with triple claw disjoined;

       And what a length of tail behind!

       How slow its pace! And then its hue—

       Who ever saw so fine a blue?"—

       "Hold there," the other quick replies,

       "'Tis green; I saw it with these eyes

       As late with open mouth it lay,

       And warmed it in the sunny ray;

       Stretched at its ease the beast I viewed,

       And saw it eat the air for food."

       "I've seen it, sir, as well as you,

       And must again affirm it blue:

       At leisure I the beast surveyed

       Extended in the cooling shade."

       "'Tis green, 'tis green, sir, I assure you."

       "Green!" cried the other in a fury:

       "Why, do you think I've lost my eyes?"

       "'Twere no great loss," the friend replies,

       "For if they always serve you thus,

       You'll find them of but little use."

       So high at last the contest rose,

       From words they almost came to blows,

       When luckily came by a third:

       To him the question they referred,

       And begged he'd tell them if he knew,

       Whether the thing was green or blue?

       "Sirs," cries the umpire, "cease your pother,

       The creature's neither one nor t'other.

       I caught the animal last night,

       And view'd it o'er by candle-light:

       I marked it well—'twas black as jet.

       You stare; but, sirs, I've got it yet:

       And can produce it"—"Pray, sir, do:

       I'll lay my life the thing is blue."

       "And I'll be sworn, that when you've seen

       The reptile you'll pronounce him green!"

       "Well, then, at once to ease the doubt,"

       Replies the man, "I'll turn him out:

       And when before your eyes I've set him,

       If you don't find him black, I'll eat him,"

       He said, and full before their sight,

       Produced the beast, and lo!—'twas white.

       Both stared: the man looked wondrous wise:

       "My children," the chameleon cries

       (Then first the creature found a tongue),

       "You all are right, and all are wrong;

       When next you tell of what you view,

       Think others see as well as you!

       Nor wonder if you find that none

       Prefers your eyesight to his own."