A Sultan glorious,
His Dog, his Cat, his Ape,
His Parrot and his wife—in fact, his House
Goes journeying along:
While people stare and gape,
The Rat was much astonished that a throng
Should congregate this mass to gaze upon.
"What! Does mere bulk," he says, "these fools impress?
As if to occupy more space or less
Were of true greatness the criterion!
What marvel in this awkward giant lies?
Are Children even frightened at his size?
I count myself, though little I may be,
Quite as important, morally, as he."
Much more, equally sage,
He would have said, but for a slight event.
Just then the Sultan's Cat
Sprang softly from her cage
And showed him, by one little argument,
The difference 'twixt an Elephant and Rat.
(La Fontaine, Fables, Vol. VIII, No. 15. Translated by Paul Hookham.)
AN ape and cat, in roguery and fun
Sworn brothers twain, both owned a common master,
Whatever mischief in the house was done,
By Pug and Tom contrived was each disaster.
The feat performed, in chimney-corner snug,
