Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE APE AND THE FOX, ON THE FRUITS OF GREEDINESS AND CREDULITY, by JOHN BYROM


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE APE AND THE FOX, ON THE FRUITS OF GREEDINESS AND CREDULITY, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Old esop so famous was certainly right
Last Line: That your majesty's grace did not understand trap.
Subject(s): Animals; Apes; Cruelty; Fables; Men; Gorillas; Chimpanzees; Gibbons; Orangutans; Allegories


OLD Esop so famous was certainly right
In the way that he took to instruct and delight,
By giving to creatures, beasts, fishes, and birds,
Nay to things, tho' inanimate, language and words.
Thus he gain'd by his fables the attention of youth,
And forc'd even fiction to tell them the truth.

They're not quickly forgotten, since man is more able
To retain a true hint in the shape of a fable;
And allusions to nature insensibly raise
Reflections suggested by fabular phrase,
Which afford less exception for cavil to find,
While the moral more gently slides into the mind.

Thus to hint that a kingdom will flourish the most,
Where each man in high station is fit for his post;
That disgraces attend both on person and station,
If regard be not had to due qualification,
He invented, they tell us, this fable of old,
Which the place where I stand, now requires to be told.

The beasts, on a time when the lion was dead,
Met together in council to choose them a head;
The fox, being fam'd for his cunning and wit,
Was propos'd to their choice; but they did not think fit
To elect such a sharper, lest, watching his hour,
He should cunningly creep into absolute pow'r.

They'd no fear from the ape of being so rid;
He would mind his diversion, and do as they did.
So to give to their new constitution a shape
Resembling he human, they fix'd on the ape;
They crown'd and proclaim'd him by parliament plan,
And never was monkey so like to a man.

Sly Reynard, on this, was resolv'd to expose
Poor Pug, whom the senate so formally chose;
And having observ'd in his rambles a gin
Where a delicate morsel was nicely hung in,
He let the king know what a prize he had found,
And the waste where it lay was his Majesty's ground.

'Shew me where,' said the ape; so the treasure was shewn,
Which he seiz'd with paw royal to make it his own;
But the gin at the time was dispos'd to resist,
And clapping together caught pug by the wrist,
Who perceiv'd by his fingers laid fast in the stocks,
What a trick had been play'd by his subject the fox.

'Thou traitor!' said he,—'but I'll make thee anon
'An example of vengeance!' and so he went on,
With a rage most monarchical. Reynard, who ey'd
The success of his scheme, gave a sigh and reply'd,—
Well, adieu! Royal Sir, 'twas a cruel mishap,
That your Majesty's Grace did not understand trap.





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