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Muses on anything except the wager.

At last he sees she has almost

Attained the Winning-post:

Then like a flash across the grass he gleams.

In vain! His powers he has misreckoned

And comes in Second.

"The Stakes are mine, and who's fool now?" exclaimed

The Tortoise bold, with victory inflamed.

"My senses do I lack?

Such as I am, you see I've won;

How then would you have been outrun

If you had had a house upon your back!"

(La Fontaine, Fables, Vol. VI, No. 10. Translated by Paul Hookham.)

HE Lion once gave orders to proclaim

&ensp;In the King's name,

That lying sick within his Cave,

Attacked by symptoms grave,

He called upon his Subjects to evince

Devotion to their suffering Prince:

Each Species should despatch a Deputation

By way of sympathy and consolation.

Therein he gave his promise to respect

The Envoys whom they should elect,

On faith of King that could admit no doubt;

And this was fairly written out.

As Passport good 'gainst tooth and claw,