The Chameleon

A FABLE  FROM M. DE LAMOTTE    Oft has it been my lot to mark   A proud, conceited, talking spark,   With eyes, that hardly served at most   To guard their master 'gainst a post;    Yet round the world the blade has been   To see whatever could be seen,   Returning from his finished tour,   Grown ten times perter than before;   Whatever word you chance to drop,   The traveled fool your mouth will stop:   "Sir, if my judgment you'll allow,   I've seen and sure I ought to know,"   So begs you'd pay a due submission,   And acquiesce in his decision.   Two travelers of such a cast,   As o'er Arabia's wilds they passed   And on their way in friendly chat,   Now talked of this, and then of that,   Discoursed awhile, 'mongst other matter.   Of the chameleon's form and nature.   "A stranger animal," cries one,   "Sure never lived beneath the sun.   A lizard's body, lean and long,   A fish's head, a serpent's tongue,   Its foot with triple claw disjoined;   And what a length of tail behind!   How slow its pace; and then its hue    Who ever saw so fine a blue?"     "Hold, there," the other quick replies,   "'T is green, I saw it with these eyes,   As late with open mouth it lay,   And warmed it in the sunny ray:   Stretched at its ease, the beast I viewed   And saw it eat the air for food."     "I've seen it, sir, as well as you,   And must again affirm it blue;   At leisure I the beast surveyed,   Extending in the cooling shade."     "'T is green, 't is green, sir I assure ye!"   "Green!" cries the other in a fury    "Why, sir! d'ye think I've lost my eyes?"   "'T were no great loss," the friend replies,   "For, if they always serve you thus,   You'll find them of but little use."     So high at last the contest rose,   From words they almost came to blows;   When luckily came by a third    To him the question they referred,   And begged he'd tell 'em, if he knew,   Whether the thing was green or blue.     "Sirs," cries the umpire, "cease your pother!   The creature's neither one nor t' other.   I caught the animal last night,   And viewed it o'er by candlelight:   I marked it well 't was black as jet    You stare but sirs, I've got it yet,   And can produce it." "Pray, sir, do:   I'll lay my life the thing is blue."   "And I'll be sworn, that when you've seen   The reptile, you'll pronounce him green."     "Well, then, at once to ease the doubt,"   Replies the man, "I'll turn him out:   And when before your eyes I've set him,   If you don't find him black, I'll eat him."     He said: then full before their sight   Produced the beast, and lo! 't was white.   Both stared, the man looked wondrous wise    "My children," the chameleon cries,   (Then first the creature found a tongue,)   "You are all right, and all are wrong:   When next you talk of what you view,   Think others see as well as you;   Nor wonder, if you find that none   Prefers your eyesight to his own." JAMES MERRICK