The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1884-11-14
Our Young Folks.
THE STORK'S REVENGE.

vERsrFIEp FROM EsoP's FABLES.
There was Fox lived on the hill.
With reddish locks,
And there was a Stork lived by the mill;
And one was idle and fnt and gay.
And knew how cunning tiicS TO play.
Gay ally Fox lived by her wit.
But her friend. the Stork,
Was forced to work.
And a tedious time he had OF 1t;
For the little green frogs were quick to
leap,
out OF the shadows into the deep.
The Fox on high-pcrched, stately shelf
Close to her den.
Was now and then,
Wont to lie DOWN and sun herSeir.
only the wind her Eabit knew,
And up to her slender muzkle blew
The scent OF the grasS-tields and the dew,
And up TO her ears SO keen to hear.
Tn ready wing
brought everything
OF news. and sounds from far and near
The tree-toad chirr. the pillow boy strain.
The bay of the hound and his hindering
chain,
While the hillside echo bayed again.
And there was much for her eyes to see,
From the hazy blue
OF mountain to
The nearer grace of rock and tree;
And by puddle, or pool. or rivulet,
One lone, gaunt figure always met
Her gaze, knee-deep in sedge and wet
The storS. She unused. that from the peep
OF dawn till noon.
Aud from noon till moon,
He was always standing there knee-dcep.
So. once she sent small gray bee
" 18th message worded graciously:
"Dear friend, pray dine to-day with me.
She made a soup. The breast of wren,
A robins egg.
A sparrows leg,
And the whole of the little fat red hen.
She boiled together. with sprigs of rue.
With thyme and anise and onion, too,
And salt-just pinch OF salt would do.
And. seasoned thus. in n skillfui way
She stirred il well.
Till the StOrk could smell
The steam from it half a mile away.
So. when the gray Bee bukzing near
Droned her kind message in his ear.
His heart leapt glad and light to hear.
Out he stepped from the mud and ooze.
With eager speed
Through rush and reed,
AnIi AWAY Ire ssaihed III rs scarlet shoes
That savory smell his footsteps led:
And there was the Fox S table spread:
And the pot was boi ing fast, she said.
Tive large fiat plates were on the board,
And. the stew completed,
They soon were seated,
And from a gourd-Ia1ie the mess was poured.
Then out Il her vide and shallow pan
The Fox with little red tcngue began
To lap. lap, lap. as foxes can.
But the Stork could only touch the tip
OF his long bill in;
The soup was thin,
Aud try as he would, he could only sip.
And while with n relish his hostess ate
Saucers full, piatters full. plate on plate,
He sat, half-staryed, disconsolate.
What a dinner it was, food drop by dropl
Just taste enough
OF the toothsome stun
To make him linger and ioath to stop.
And he bitterly sighed: lit may be q flt.
Fine way for a lady TO show her wit,
But j II be even with her for il.
And the time came soon; one day he sent
by messenger
A mole to her
OF fla:tering flourish and compliment:
Come down TO the fen from your lofty
rocks.
And feast with me, dear Lady Fox"
Swift-footed adown the hill she crept
A russell shadow
Along the meadow,
The grass scarce rustling where she stepped.
She TO ind at the Stork s the table out.
a chowder bubbled: q specified trout
Hoped in the Try ing-pan about
And what were the dishes. do you suppose?
Why, ewers and jugs,
And bottles and mugs,
Each one with narrow neck and nose.
And the Lady Fox she looked askance,
With haif-dismayed. uneasy glance.
And a gathering cloud on her countenancc.
For how could a Lady eat-dear mel
From pitchers so tall,
With necks so small.
And the chowder so deep within. you see?
She could pick y bone. or rob a nest;
She would steal the bait from q trap with
Zest;
But here she was batfied, she confessed.
She shifted in this jar, peercd in that:
She smiled. she simpered.
She even whimpered,
But the Stork as grave as deacon SAT,
And ate by thrustiny his long bill
Way down to the pJttage and pudding, I'M
I'll
He had eaten all-had had his I'LL
slow-footed the poor Fox homeward crept
A russet shadow
Along the meadow,
The weeds scarce rastiing where she stepped
And hungry she went to bed that night,
Murterin2: 1.-THE Stprk was not polite.
But he served me rtght-he served me
right!'
Mrs. lara Doty Bates, IN Wide Atclkc.