But  scarce  had  he  ventured  three  steps  on  the  road,

When  his  blood  was  half  frozen  with  fear ;
For  before  him  a  tall  slender  figure  there  stood,
Which,  holding  its  arms  out  as  wide  as  it  could,
Made  young   Edwin    believe  from    the   form  that   it

shew'd,
That  the  ghost  of  some  person  was  near.
109

Now  backward  with  horror  he  started  and  fled,

And  wander'd  till  morning  arose ;
Then  he  found  'twas  a  hand-post  had  fill'd  him  with

dread,

That  a  rvill-rvith-a-whisp  had  his  footsteps  misled,
And  that  he  was  like  others,  of  whom  it  is  said,

That  they  know  not  their/Hewcfo  from  their  foes.
FABLE  VI.
THE   ASS   AND   THE    POX.
As  an  honest  old  donkey  was  browsing  one  day,
On  the  stalk  of  a  thistle  that  grew  by  the  way,
A  fox,  just  return'd  from  a  dinner  on  goose,
Fat,  saucy,  and  full,  let  his  insolence  loose.
"  So,"  said  he,  "  sorry  beast !  is  that  all  you  can  find
For  jour  poor  toothless  jaws  at  this  season  to  grind  ?
Are  all  the  birch-brooms  eaten  out  of  the  land  ?
Is  an  old  bushel-basket  no  longer  at  hand  ?

"  Yet  a  thistle,  I  grant  ye,  your  nature  befits,
I  dare  say  you  find  that  it  sharpens  your  wits ;
But  stay — sharpen  your  wits?  that  can  never  be  done,
For  all  the  world  knows  that  a  donkey  has  none."


110

But  the  ass,  quite  contented,  it  seems,  with  his  diet,
Resolved  on  that  head  to  be  perfectly  quiet ;
Nor  much  cared  as  to  brains  that  he  did  under-rate  him  ;
Yet  he  made  this  reply,  and  I  give  it  verbatim.
