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FABLES

by

RONALD ROSS


OF WHICH COPIES TO THE NUMBER OF TWO HUNDRED AND
FIFTY ARE NOW PRIVATELY PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY
PRESS OF LIVERPOOL, ANNO DOMINI MCMVII, AND ARE
TO BE HAD OF THE AUTHOR AT THE UNIVERSITY AND
OF HENRY YOUNG AND SONS OF SOUTH CASTLE STREET,
LIVERPOOL, FOR TWO SHILLINGS AND SIX PENCE.

Entered at Stationers’ Hall




            _For my Children_
                    . . . . . . . .

                            _These Fables were written in India
            between the years_ 1880 _and_ 1890




_CONTENTS_


  _AN EXPOSTULATION WITH TRUTH_

  _ARIEL AND THE HIPPOPOTAMUS_

  _THE FROG, THE FAIRY, AND THE MOON_

  _THE TROLL AND THE MOUNTAIN_

  _THE TOAD AND THE FAYS_

  _THE PARSON AND THE ANGEL_

  _PUCK AND THE CROCODILE_

  _THE VIRTUOUS GOAT_

  _THE TRUTH OF TRUTH_

  _THE MAN, THE LION, AND THE FLY_

  _ORPHEUS AND THE BUSY ONES_

  _THE POET AND THE PENMAN_

  _THE PITEOUS EWE_

  _THE CONTEST OF BIRDS_

  _ALASTOR_

  _OCEAN AND THE ROCK_

  _DEATH AND LOVE_

  _CALYPSO TO ULYSSES_

  _THE STAR AND THE SUN_

  _THE POET’S RETIREMENT_




_An Expostulation with Truth_

_Uttered by the Well Meaning Poet_


    Altho’ you live aloft so far,
    Transcendent Goddess, in your star,
    Pray, try to see us as we are.

    Consider—and be more forgiving—
    Life is not reasoning but believing,
    And we must work to get our living.

    Expound with logic most exact
    And rightly marshal every fact—
    D’you think we thank you for your act?

    D’you think we’ve nothing else to do
    But to distinguish false from true?—
    We’re lawyers, doctors, parsons too.

    But for our little fond delusions
    We’d never come to our conclusions,
    And then—just think of the confusions!

    You pain us when you contradict.
    Your presence would the less afflict
    If you were not so very strict.

    Dear Lady, take this sober view,
    It matters little what is true—
    The world is not the place for you.

    I rede you therefore, go away;
    Or, if you really mean to stay,
    Let’s hear your views another day.




_Ariel and the Hippopotamus_

_Dedicated to Rural Magnates_


    Fine Ariel, serf to Prospero,
    Sped on the Great Meridian
    For jetty pearls from Andaman
    To make a chaplet to declare