The Wolf and the Fox (Book XI)

Why Aesop gave the palm of cunning, / O'er flying animals and running, / To Renard Fox, I cannot tell, / Though I have search'd the subject well. / Hath not Sir Wolf an equal skill / In tricks and artifices shown, / When he would do some life an ill, / Or from his foes defend his own? / I think he hath; and, void of disrespect, / I might, perhaps, my master contradict: / Yet here's a case, in which the burrow-lodger / Was palpably, I own, the brightest dodger. / One night he spied within a well, / Wherein the fullest moonlight fell, / What seem'd to him an ample cheese. / Two balanced buckets took their turns / When drawers thence would fill their urns. / Our fox went down in one of these, / By hunger greatly press'd to sup, / And drew the other empty up. / Convinced at once of his mistake, / And anxious for his safety's sake, / He saw his death was near and sure, / Unless some other wretch in need / The same moon's image should allure / To take a bucket and succeed / To his predicament, indeed. / Two days pass'd by, and none approach'd the well; / Unhalting Time, as is his wont, / Was scooping from the moon's full front, / And as he scoop'd Sir Renard's courage fell. / His crony wolf, of clamorous maw, / Poor fox at last above him saw, / And cried, 'My comrade, look you here! / See what abundance of good cheer! / A cheese of most delicious zest! / Which Faunus must himself have press'd, / Of milk by heifer Io given. / If Jupiter were sick in heaven, / The taste would bring his appetite. / I've taken, as you see, a bite; / But still for both there is a plenty. / Pray take the bucket that I've sent ye; / Come down, and get your share. ' / Although, to make the story fair, / The fox had used his utmost care, / The wolf (a fool to give him credit) / Went down because his stomach bid it -- / And by his weight pull'd up / Sir Renard to the top. / We need not mock this simpleton, / For we ourselves such deeds have done. / Our faith is prone to lend its ear / To aught which we desire or fear.