Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE WIDOW AND HER CAT, by MATTHEW PRIOR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE WIDOW AND HER CAT, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A widow kept a favourite cat
Last Line: Here, towzer! -- do him justice.'
Subject(s): Animals; Cats; Fables; Honor; Mice; Widows & Widowers; Allegories


A WIDOW kept a favourite cat,
At first a gentle creature;
But, when he was grown sleek and fat,
With many a mouse, and many a rat,
He soon disclosed his nature.

The fox and he were friends of old,
Nor could they now be parted;
They nightly slunk to rob the fold,
Devoured the lambs, the fleeces sold;
And puss grew lion-hearted.

He scratched the maid, he stole the cream,
He tore her best laced pinner;
Nor chanticleer upon the beam,
Nor chick, nor duckling, 'scapes, when Grim
Invites the fox to dinner.

The dame full wisely did decree,
For fear he should dispatch more,
That the false wretch should worried be;
But, in a saucy manner, he
Thus speeched it like a Lechmere:

'Must I, against all right and law,
Like polecat vile be treated?
I, who so long with tooth and claw
Have kept domestic mice in awe,
And foreign foes defeated!

'Your golden pippins, and your pies,
How oft have I defended!
'Tis true, the pinner which you prize,
I tore in frolic; to your eyes
I never harm intended.

'I am a cat of honour.' -- 'Stay!'
Quoth she, 'no longer parley;
Whate'er you did in battle slay,
By law of arms, became your prey:
I hope you won it fairly.

'Of this we'll grant you stand acquit,
But not of your outrages:
Tell me, perfidious! was it fit
To make my cream a perquisite,
And steal, to mend your wages?

'So flagrant is thy insolence,
So vile thy breach of trust is,
That longer with thee to dispense,
Were want of power, or want of sense --
Here, Towzer! -- do him justice.'





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