The Mouse Metamorphosed Into A Maid Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCDDEEFFGHIIJJKKJL LLMMNONN P L QQ RS NNT UUT VVWWXXO YZA2A2A2 B2B2C2C2NNLLC2C2XXD2 D2LLE2E2F2E2F2LLE2E2 E2E2G2G2VVVMH2MH2 JE2JE2I2OI2O| A | |
| - | |
| A mouse once from an owl's beak fell | B |
| I'd not have pick'd it up I wis | C |
| A Brahmin did it very well | B |
| Each country has its prejudice | C |
| The mouse indeed was sadly bruised | D |
| Although as neighbours we are used | D |
| To be more kind to many others | E |
| The Brahmins treat the mice as brothers | E |
| The notion haunts their heads that when | F |
| The soul goes forth from dying men | F |
| It enters worm or bird or beast | G |
| As Providence or Fate is pleased | H |
| And on this mystery rests their law | I |
| Which from Pythagoras they're said to draw | I |
| And hence the Brahmin kindly pray'd | J |
| To one who knew the wizard's trade | J |
| To give the creature wounded sore | K |
| The form in which it lodged before | K |
| Forthwith the mouse became a maid | J |
| Of years about fifteen | L |
| A lovelier was never seen | L |
| She would have waked I ween | L |
| In Priam's son a fiercer flame | M |
| Than did the beauteous Grecian dame | M |
| Surprised at such a novelty | N |
| The Brahmin to the damsel cried | O |
| 'Your choice is free | N |
| For every he | N |
| Will seek you for his bride ' | - |
| Said she 'Am I to have a voice | P |
| The strongest then shall be my choice ' | - |
| 'O sun ' the Brahmin cried 'this maid is thine | L |
| And thou shalt be a son in law of mine ' | - |
| 'No ' said the sun 'this murky cloud it seems | Q |
| In strength exceeds me since he hides my beams | Q |
| And him I counsel you to take ' | - |
| Again the reverend Brahmin spake | R |
| 'O cloud on flying with thy stores of water | S |
| Pray wast thou born to wed my daughter ' | - |
| 'Ah no alas for you may see | N |
| The wind is far too strong for me | N |
| My claims with Boreas' to compare | T |
| I must confess I do not dare ' | - |
| 'O wind ' then cried the Brahmin vex'd | U |
| And wondering what would hinder next | U |
| 'Approach and with thy sweetest air | T |
| Embrace possess the fairest fair ' | - |
| The wind enraptured thither blew | V |
| A mountain stopp'd him as he flew | V |
| To him now pass'd the tennis ball | W |
| And from him to a creature small | W |
| Said he 'I'd wed the maid but that | X |
| I've had a quarrel with the rat | X |
| A fool were I to take the bride | O |
| From one so sure to pierce my side ' | - |
| The rat It thrill'd the damsel's ear | Y |
| To name at once seem'd sweet and dear | Z |
| The rat 'Twas one of Cupid's blows | A2 |
| The like full many a maiden knows | A2 |
| But all of this beneath the rose | A2 |
| - | |
| One smacketh ever of the place | B2 |
| Where first he show'd the world his face | B2 |
| Thus far the fable's clear as light | C2 |
| But if we take a nearer sight | C2 |
| There lurks within its drapery | N |
| Somewhat of graceless sophistry | N |
| For who that worships e'en the glorious sun | L |
| Would not prefer to wed some cooler one | L |
| And doth a flea's exceed a giant's might | C2 |
| Because the former can the latter bite | C2 |
| And by the rule of strength the rat | X |
| Had sent his bride to wed the cat | X |
| From cat to dog and onward still | D2 |
| To wolf or tiger if you will | D2 |
| Indeed the fabulist might run | L |
| A circle backward to the sun | L |
| But to the change the tale supposes | E2 |
| In learned phrase metempsychosis | E2 |
| The very thing the wizard did | F2 |
| Its falsity exposes | E2 |
| If that indeed were ever hid | F2 |
| According to the Brahmin's plan | L |
| The proud aspiring soul of man | L |
| And souls that dwell in humbler forms | E2 |
| Of rats and mice and even worms | E2 |
| All issue from a common source | E2 |
| And hence they are the same of course | E2 |
| Unequal but by accident | G2 |
| Of organ and of tenement | G2 |
| They use one pair of legs or two | V |
| Or e'en with none contrive to do | V |
| As tyrant matter binds them to | V |
| Why then could not so fine a frame | M |
| Constrain its heavenly guest | H2 |
| To wed the solar flame | M |
| A rat her love possess'd | H2 |
| - | |
| In all respects compared and weigh'd | J |
| The souls of men and souls of mice | E2 |
| Quite different are made | J |
| Unlike in sort as well as size | E2 |
| Each fits and fills its destined part | I2 |
| As Heaven doth well provide | O |
| Nor witch nor fiend nor magic art | I2 |
| Can set their laws aside | O |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
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About The Mouse Metamorphosed Into A Maid
The Mouse Metamorphosed Into A Maid is a poem by Jean De La Fontaine. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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