Читать книгу The Humorous Poetry of the English Language; from Chaucer to Saxe - Various - Страница 82

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A donkey whose talent for burden was wondrous,

So much that you'd swear he rejoiced in a load,

One day had to jog under panniers so pond'rous,

That—down the poor donkey fell, smack on the road.

His owners and drivers stood round in amaze—

What! Neddy, the patient, the prosperous Neddy

So easy to drive through the dirtiest ways,

For every description of job-work so ready!

One driver (whom Ned might have "hail'd" as a "brother")

Had just been proclaiming his donkey's renown,

For vigor, for spirit, for one thing or other—

When, lo! 'mid his praises, the donkey came down.

But, how to upraise him?—one shouts, T'OTHER whistles,

While Jenky, the conjurer, wisest of all,

Declared that an "over-production" of thistles—

(Here Ned gave a stare)—was the cause of his fall.

Another wise Solomon cries, as he passes—

"There, let him alone, and the fit will soon cease,

The beast has been fighting with other jack-asses,

And this is his mode of 'TRANSITION TO PEACE'"

Some look'd at his hoofs, and, with learned grimaces,

Pronounced that too long without shoes he had gone—

"Let the blacksmith provide him a sound metal basis

(The wiseacres said), and he's sure to jog on."

But others who gabbled a jargon half Gaelic,

Exclaim'd, "Hoot awa, mon, you're a' gane astray"—

And declared that "whoe'er might prefer the METALLIC,

They'd shoe their OWN donkeys with papier mache."

Meanwhile the poor Neddy, in torture and fear,

Lay under his panniers, scarce able to groan,

And, what was still dolefuler—lending an ear

To advisers whose ears were a match for his own.

At length, a plain rustic, whose wit went so far

As to see others' folly, roar'd out as he pass'd—

"Quick—off with the panniers, all dolts as ye are,

Or your prosperous Neddy will soon kick his last."