Krilof and His Fables/Parnassus

by Ivan Krylov

Parnassus.

 

After the Gods had been driven out of Greece, and when their domains were being divided among mortals, a certain man had Parnassus itself allotted to him. The new landlord turned out a number of Asses to graze on it. Now these Asses had learnt, somehow or other, that the Muses used to live there in former times; so they said,

"It wasn't for nothing that we were turned out on Par­nassus. It is evident that the world is tired of the Muses, and it wants us to take to singing here."

Then one exclaimed,

"Look sharp there, and don't lose heart. I will lead off: mind you are not behindhand. We must not be timid, friends. Rather will we lift up our voices louder than those of the Nine Sisters, rendering our herd illustrious. And we will form our own choir, and, in order that our confraternity may not be disconcerted, we will establish among ourselves such a regulation as this—that we will not admit upon Parnassus any but those in whose voices the asinine charm is to be found."

The Asses approved of the beautiful and artistically-con­ structed speech of the Ass, and the novel choir set up a screech that sounded as if a train of waggons were rolling along on a thousand unoiled wheels. But how did the varied beauty of the singing end? Why, the landlord, losing all patience, drove them away from Parnassus into his stable.

 

If it will not hurt the feelings of the uncultivated, I should like to quote the ancient saw:

 

"To a head that is empty no art can add brains:Though you place it in office—it empty remains."

 

[This fable is supposed to refer to the downfall of what was called the "English" Ministry in Russia, after the meeting which took place at Tilsit between Alexander I. and Napoleon. When Alexander came to the throne he displaced most of the old Ministers, and gave their portfolios to young men who shared his own liberal ideas. They held office for five years. Then came the change in Alexander's policy, which drove them out, so that by the end of 1807 not one of them was left in power. Krilof, as a Conservative, and an admirer of the old school of politicians formed under Catherine II., was delighted at the fall of the "Young-Russian" Ministry.]