The Swallow And The Little Birds.[1] Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDEEFFGHHGIIJKKJ LLMMNONPGGCCCCQPCCRP SSCCTTUUVVWAAWXXYYZA 2A2PCB2B2CC2C2D2D2 CC

By voyages in airA
With constant thought and careA
Much knowledge had a swallow gain'dB
Which she for public use retain'dB
The slightest storms she well foreknewC
And told the sailors ere they blewD
A farmer sowing hemp once having foundE
She gather'd all the little birds aroundE
And said 'My friends the freedom let me takeF
To prophesy a little for your sakeF
Against this dangerous seedG
Though such a bird as IH
Knows how to hide or flyH
You birds a caution needG
See you that waving handI
It scatters on the landI
What well may cause alarmJ
'Twill grow to nets and snaresK
To catch you unawaresK
And work you fatal harmJ
Great multitudes I fearL
Of you my birdies dearL
That falling seed so littleM
Will bring to cage or kettleM
But though so perilous the plotN
You now may easily defeat itO
All lighting on the seeded spotN
Just scratch up every seed and eat it 'P
The little birds took little heedG
So fed were they with other seedG
Anon the field was seenC
Bedeck'd in tender greenC
The swallow's warning voice was heard againC
'My friends the product of that deadly grainC
Seize now and pull it root by rootQ
Or surely you'll repent its fruit 'P
'False babbling prophetess ' says oneC
'You'd set us at some pretty funC
To pull this field a thousand birds are neededR
While thousands more with hemp are seeded 'P
The crop now quite matureS
The swallow adds 'Thus far I've fail'd of cureS
I've prophesied in vainC
Against this fatal grainC
It's grown And now my bonny birdsT
Though you have disbelieved my wordsT
Thus far take heed at lastU
When you shall see the seed time pastU
And men no crops to labour forV
On birds shall wage their cruel warV
With deadly net and nooseW
Of flying then bewareA
Unless you take the airA
Like woodcock crane or gooseW
But stop you're not in plightX
For such adventurous flightX
O'er desert waves and sandsY
In search of other landsY
Hence then to save your precious soulsZ
Remaineth but to sayA2
'Twill be the safest wayA2
To chuck yourselves in holes 'P
Before she had thus far goneC
The birdlings tired of hearingB2
And laughing more than fearingB2
Set up a greater jargonC
Than did before the Trojan slaughterC2
The Trojans round old Priam's daughterC2
And many a bird in prison grateD2
Lamented soon a Trojan fateD2
-
'Tis thus we heed no instincts but our ownC
Believe no evil till the evil's doneC

Jean De La Fontaine



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