Deborah: " The Honey-Bee" 293 



And proudly speer'd what brought her there, 



And with what front she durst repair 



Among the regents of the air. 



' It sets ye well,' the Flie reply 'd, 



' To quarrel with sic saucy pride ! 



They're daft indeed who've ought to do 



With thrawn contentious fowk like you.' 



' Why, scoundrel, you ! ' return'd the Bee, 



1 What nation is sae wise as we ? 



Best laws and policy is ours, 



And our repast the fragrant flowers. 



No sordid nasty trade we drive, 



But with sweet honey fill the hive 



Honey maist gratefu' to the taste, 



On which the gods themselves may feast. 



Out of my sight, vile wretch ! whose tongue 



Is daily slacking throw the dung ; 



Vile spirits, filthily content 



To feed on stinking excrement ! ' 



The Flie replied in sober way, 



' Faith, we maun live as well's we may. 



Glad poverty was ne'er a vice, 



But sure ill-natur'd passion is. 



Your honey's sweet, but then how tart 



And bitter's your malicious heart. 



In making laws you copy heaven, 



But in your conduct how uneven ! 



To fash at ony time a fae, 



Ye'll never stick yer'sells to slae, 



And skaith yer'sell mair sickerly 



Than e'er ye can your enemy. 



At that rate ane had better have 



Less talents, if they can behave 



Discreet, and less their passions' slave.' " 



The bee has no large place in classic tale or fable. 



1 ' In such a palace Aristasus found 

 Cyrene, when he bore the plaintive tale 

 Of his lost bees to her maternal ear." 



Cowper refers here to a legend that has many versions, 

 and though it is difficult and not a little impious to try 

 nowadays to decide which is right, the main facts appear 

 to be these. Aristaeus was a young prince who kept bees. 

 He fell in love with Eurydice, wife of Orpheus, and one 



