Page:Florian - The Fables, 1888.djvu/70

64 As by fair words folks always are, The crowd believes as others do, And once again their sports renew. One hides his eyes, his hand extends, As formerly among his friends, And straight the leopard deals a blow That makes the crimson blood to flow.

This time the monkey well could guess Whose blow had given him such distress; But waiting not the name to say, He in great silence stole away. His comrades vainly strove to smile; The leopard howe’er laugh’d outright; They all excus’d themselves the while, As best they might. And leaving, thus growl’d out their spite:— "The people of such lofty tone ’Twere well for us to let alone; For hid beneath the softest paws, The gentlest of them have sharp claws."