The Fox, the Monkey, and the Animals

Left kingless by the lion's death, / The beasts once met, our story saith, / Some fit successor to install. / Forth from a dragon-guarded, moated place, / The crown was brought, and, taken from its case, / And being tried by turns on all, / The heads of most were found too small; / Some hornèd were, and some too big; / Not one would fit the regal gear. / For ever ripe for such a rig, / The monkey, looking very queer, / Approach'd with antics and grimaces, / And, after scores of monkey faces, / With what would seem a gracious stoop, / Pass'd through the crown as through a hoop. / The beasts, diverted with the thing, / Did homage to him as their king. / The fox alone the vote regretted, / But yet in public never fretted. / When he his compliments had paid / To royalty, thus newly made, / 'Great sire, I know a place,' said he, / 'Where lies conceal'd a treasure, / Which, by the right of royalty, / Should bide your royal pleasure. ' / The king lack'd not an appetite / For such financial pelf, / And, not to lose his royal right, / Ran straight to see it for himself. / It was a trap, and he was caught. / Said Renard, 'Would you have it thought, / You ape, that you can fill a throne, / And guard the rights of all, alone, / Not knowing how to guard your own?'

The beasts all gather'd from the farce, / That stuff for kings is very scarce.[1]