Page:Florian - The Fables, 1888.djvu/95

Why we make merry while we live.
We study friendship, love, and peace,
And our enjoyments thus increase.
Life we embellish all we may,
By kind attentions all the day.
If you're content with us to be,
Then come and join our colony.
If not, why then at least you'll stay,
And take your dinner here to-day.
You'd please us with your company."
The hedgehog to these words replied—
"It would, indeed, give me great pride,
With such good people to reside."
Then every rabbit forward press'd,
And civilly their joy express'd,
With offer'd welcome to their guest.
All things went well till night had come,
When discord rent the happy home.
For when at supper they began
For morrow's work to fix the plan,
The hedgehog, bent to have his will,
At a young rabbit shot a quill.
"Excuse me, friend," the father says;
"I'm not accustom'd to such ways."
This rais'd the bristling hedgehog's ire,
And caus'd him right and left to fire
       His angry darts.
First one and then another smarts,
Until no longer they can stand
The stings he gives on ev'ry hand.