The Cricket: the Burrow 



The Cricket answers : 



" Comes celaf Voiis me prenez pour 

 criiche! 

 ^' Ce sont oreilles que Dieu ft" 



The Hare Insists : 



'^ On les fera passer pour comes." ^ 



And that Is all. What a pity that La Fon- 

 taine did not make the insect hold forth at 

 greater length ! The good-natured Cricket 

 is depicted for us In a couple of lines 

 which already show the master's touch. No, 

 indeed, he is no fool : his big head might 

 have found some capital things to say. And 

 yet the Hare was perhaps not wrong to take 

 his departure in a hurry. When slander is 

 at your heels, the best thing is to fly. 



* '* Fare thee well, good neighbour Cricket; from thy 



presence I must flee; 

 " Mine ears also will be taken for a pair of horns," 



said he. 

 " Horns, i' faith ! " the Cricket answered. " Is thy 



servant mad or blind? 

 *' Those are ears which thy Creator with His own 



hand hath designed ! " 

 " Yet the world will one day call them horns," his 



fellow made reply, 

 " And ere that day dawn, my neighbour, I will bid 



this place good-bye." 



301 



