The Monkey and the Dolphin

It was the custom of the Greeks / For passengers o'er sea to carry / Both monkeys full of tricks / And funny dogs to make them merry. / A ship, that had such things on deck, / Not far from Athens, went to wreck. / But for the dolphins, all had drown'd. / They are a philanthropic fish, / Which fact in Pliny may be found; -- / A better voucher who could wish? / They did their best on this occasion. / A monkey even, on their plan / Well nigh attain'd his own salvation; / A dolphin took him for a man, / And on his dorsal gave him place. / So grave the silly creature's face, / That one might well have set him down / That old musician of renown.[1] / The fish had almost reach'd the land, / When, as it happen'd, -- what a pity! -- / He ask'd, 'Are you from Athens grand? ' / 'Yes; well they know me in that city. / If ever you have business there, / I'll help you do it, for my kin / The highest offices are in. / My cousin, sir, is now lord mayor. ' / The dolphin thank'd him, with good grace, / Both for himself and all his race, / And ask'd, 'You doubtless know Piraeus, / Where, should we come to town, you'll see us. ' / 'Piraeus? yes, indeed I know; / He was my crony long ago. ' / The dunce knew not the harbour's name, / And for a man's mistook the same. / The people are by no means few, / Who never went ten miles from home, / Nor know their market-town from Rome, / Yet cackle just as if they knew. / The dolphin laugh'd, and then began / His rider's form and face to scan, / And found himself about to save / From fishy feasts, beneath the wave, / A mere resemblance of a man. / So, plunging down, he turn'd to find / Some drowning wight of human kind.[2]

[1]: Arion. -- Translator. According to Herodotus, I. 24 (Bonn's ed., p. 9), Arion, the son of Cyclon of Methymna, and famous lyric poet and musician, having won riches at a musical contest in Sicily, was voyaging home, when the sailors of his ship determined to murder him for his treasure. He asked to be allowed to play a tune; and as soon as he had finished he threw himself into the sea. It was then found that the music had attracted a number of dolphins round the ship, and one of these took the bard on its back and conveyed him safely to Taenarus.