OE, PLAIN TEACHING. 



THE SNAIL AND THE FLY. 



" The morning sun was beaming 



Forth from the eastern sky ; 

 Beneath a dock-leaf dreaming, 



Reposed a little Fly. 

 He was as fair a creature 



As ever spread a wing — 

 Full many a lovely feature 



Bedeck'd this lovelier thing. 

 His eyes were of the brightest green, 



His breast of deepest red, 

 Upon his back rich blue was seen, 



And feathers on his head ! 



" The sun far in the heavens 



Had sped his course along ; 

 At length the sluggard waken'd 



By the Skylark's song ; 

 And then, his wings unfolding, 



He hurried forth to view 

 The beauties of **ie morning, 



And taste the deeting dew. 



s He offer'd no th inksgiving, 

 Gave forth no contrite sigh, 



But boasted as 1 e flew — 

 * Who so beaut ful as I ? 



The primroses a*id golden-cups — 

 They all were aiade for me — 



To hold my morning breakfast, 

 Or serve my e /ening tea ! ' 



*« An aged Snail was crawling 



Upon a stony wall, 

 And thus unto the boaster 



His voice was heard to call : 

 * Beware the Swallow flying 



To and fro the lane ; 

 Beware the lurking Spider, 



That spi eadeth out his chain; 

 They care not for thy beauty, 



Nor the lustre of thine eye — 

 If either one should catch thee, 



Then thou wilt surely die/ 



« But the Fly, his plumage waving, 

 Around the old Snail fled, 

 And with a voice of railing, 



Unto the vet' ran said : 

 • If I were slow as thou art, 

 Thou dull and stupid thing ! 

 I might fear the preying Spider, 



Or the Swallow on the wing. 

 Get in thy slimy shell — 



Thou fearfufcart and old ; 

 But I am young ana beautiful, 

 Am resolute and bold ! ■ 



M And with a scornful smiling, 



The proud Fly fled away, 

 Nor heeded what the old Snail 



Most feelingly did say. 

 But soon becoming wearied, 



And feeling very dry, 

 A brightly sparkling dew-drop 



Allured his lustrous eye ; 

 It lay upon a carpet 



That o'er a bush was spread— 

 A carpet soft as velvet, 



Or a downy bed. 



And once again he boasted: 



1 This carpet's laid for me — 

 Oh, would that whining Snail 



Were here this sight to see! ' 

 Tben down he flew upon it, 



Waving his plumes the while; 

 To see his air of vaunting 



Would make a Stoic smile! 

 But oh ! the look of terror — 



The anguish — the dismay — 

 When once his feet alighted, 



He could not tear away ! 

 And rushing from its hiding, 



A hungry Spider sprung ; — 

 This was the very danger 



Of which the old Snail sungl 



"The Spider quickly bound him 



With cords all tight and strong, 

 And in another moment 



Bore him the web along : 

 And there, a fetter'd captive, 



Doom'd certainly to die, 

 Lay struggling unsuccessfully 



This proud and gaudy Fly. 

 And in his latest moments, 



Ere he the forfeit paid, 

 With meek and true repr ntance. 



He this confession made : — 



"'I was a proud and foolish thing, 



Disdaining e'en the sage, 

 Who sought, to be my teacher; 



But I mock'd his feeble age. 

 Had I his voice regarded, 



I still might spread my wings, 

 And share my Maker's bounties, 



With other living things, 

 Then let me bid you, Children, 



Since I am doom'd to die. 

 Think often of the story 



Of the old Snail and the Fly; 

 And when old people warn you, 



Though they're infirm and slow— 

 Rely upon their wisdom, 



And by their counsels go!'" 



