The Miller, His Son, And The Ass Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B BBCCDDECBBBBFFGGCCHH BBI J KLBBBBMMBBBBNNOOPQQR SSJJTUCCQQVVWWXXBBBB QQBBCCCYYZZA2A2YYYB2 B2 HHN| A | |
| - | |
| To M De Maucroix | B |
| - | |
| Because the arts are plainly birthright matters | B |
| For fables we to ancient Greece are debtors | B |
| But still this field could not be reap'd so clean | C |
| As not to let us later comers glean | C |
| The fiction world hath deserts yet to dare | D |
| And daily authors make discoveries there | D |
| I'd fain repeat one which our man of song | E |
| Old Malherbe told one day to young Racan | C |
| Of Horace they the rivals and the heirs | B |
| Apollo's pets my masters I should say | B |
| Sole by themselves were met I'm told one day | B |
| Confiding each to each their thoughts and cares | B |
| Racan begins 'Pray end my inward strife | F |
| For well you know my friend what's what in life | F |
| Who through its varied course from stage to stage | G |
| Have stored the full experience of age | G |
| What shall I do 'Tis time I chose profession | C |
| You know my fortune birth and disposition | C |
| Ought I to make the country my resort | H |
| Or seek the army or to rise at court | H |
| There's nought but mixeth bitterness with charms | B |
| War hath its pleasures hymen its alarms | B |
| 'Twere nothing hard to take my natural bent | I |
| But I've a world of people to content ' | - |
| 'Content a world ' old Malherbe cries 'who can sir | J |
| Why let me tell a story ere I answer ' | - |
| - | |
| 'A miller and his son I've somewhere read | K |
| The first in years the other but a lad | L |
| A fine smart boy however I should say | B |
| To sell their ass went to a fair one day | B |
| In order there to get the highest price | B |
| They needs must keep their donkey fresh and nice | B |
| So tying fast his feet they swung him clear | M |
| And bore him hanging like a chandelier | M |
| Alas poor simple minded country fellows | B |
| The first that sees their load loud laughing bellows | B |
| What farce is this to split good people's sides | B |
| The most an ass is not the one that rides | B |
| The miller much enlighten'd by this talk | N |
| Untied his precious beast and made him walk | N |
| The ass who liked the other mode of travel | O |
| Bray'd some complaint at trudging on the gravel | O |
| Whereat not understanding well the beast | P |
| The miller caused his hopeful son to ride | Q |
| And walk'd behind without a spark of pride | Q |
| Three merchants pass'd and mightily displeased | R |
| The eldest of these gentlemen cried out | S |
| Ho there dismount for shame you lubber lout | S |
| Nor make a foot boy of your grey beard sire | J |
| Change places as the rights of age require | J |
| To please you sirs the miller said I ought | T |
| So down the young and up the old man got | U |
| Three girls next passing What a shame says one | C |
| That boy should be obliged on foot to run | C |
| While that old chap upon his ass astride | Q |
| Should play the calf and like a bishop ride | Q |
| Please save your wit the miller made reply | V |
| Tough veal my girls the calf as old as I | V |
| But joke on joke repeated changed his mind | W |
| So up he took at last his son behind | W |
| Not thirty yards ahead another set | X |
| Found fault The biggest fools I ever met | X |
| Says one of them such burdens to impose | B |
| The ass is faint and dying with their blows | B |
| Is this indeed the mercy which these rustics | B |
| Show to their honest faithful old domestics | B |
| If to the fair these lazy fellows ride | Q |
| 'Twill be to sell thereat the donkey's hide | Q |
| Zounds cried the miller precious little brains | B |
| Hath he who takes to please the world such pains | B |
| But since we're in we'll try what can be done | C |
| So off the ass they jump'd himself and son | C |
| And like a prelate donkey march'd alone | C |
| Another man they met These folks said he | Y |
| Enslave themselves to let their ass go free | Y |
| The darling brute If I might be so bold | Z |
| I'd counsel them to have him set in gold | Z |
| Not so went Nicholas his Jane to woo | A2 |
| Who rode we sing his ass to save his shoe | A2 |
| Ass ass our man replied we're asses three | Y |
| I do avow myself an ass to be | Y |
| But since my sage advisers can't agree | Y |
| Their words henceforth shall not be heeded | B2 |
| I'll suit myself And he succeeded | B2 |
| - | |
| 'For you choose army love or court | H |
| In town or country make resort | H |
| Take wife or cowl ride you or walk | N |
| Doubt not but tongues will have their talk ' | - |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
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