20^. The Poets Beasts. 



" But more of trap and bait, sir, 

 Why should I sing of either ? • 

 Since the rat who knew the sleight, 

 Came in the dead of night, 

 And dragged 'em away together. 



Then answer this, ye sages ! 



Nor deem I mean to wrong ye. 



Had the rat, which thus did seize on ' 



The trap, less claim to reason 



Than many a skull among ye ? " 



Tennyson makes " the little rat " a terrific agent in 

 catastrophe — 



" Ah, little rat, that borest in the dyke 



Thy hole by night, to let the boundless deep 

 Down upon far-off cities while they dance 

 Or dream. 



Among British " wild animals " may also be enumerated 

 the polecat, pine-marten, and wild-cat, and each is referred 

 to by our poets. 



