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(La Fontaine, Fables, Vol. IV, No. 17. Translated by Paul Hookham.)

THE HARE'S EARS

T chanced that some unruly horrid beast

&ensp;Had gored the Lion King;

Who, hot with wrath at such a monstrous thing.

Vowed to secure himself henceforth at least,

And issued strict command,

All creatures that wore horns should quit his land.

Goats, Rams and Bulls decamped that very day;

The Stags sought change of air;

Of all his long- and short-horned subjects there.

None lost an hour in getting safe away.

The Hare, a timid creature,

Caught sight in shadow of his poor long Ears,