The Wishes (prose Fable) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B B A C D| When the Great Mogul held empire there were certain little sprites who used to undertake all sorts of tasks helpful to mankind They would do housework stable work and even gardening But if one interfered with them all would be spoilt | A |
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| One of these friendly sprites cultivated the garden of a worthy family living near the Ganges His duties were performed deftly and noiselessly He loved not only his master and mistress but the garden also Possibly the zephyrs who are said to be friends of the sprites helped him in his tasks At any rate he did his very best and never ceased in his efforts to load his hosts with every pleasure To prove his zeal he would have stayed with these people for ever in spite of the natural propensity of his kind for waywardness But his mischievous fellow sprites fell to plotting They induced the chief of their band to remove him to another field of labour This the chief promised and either by caprice or by policy finally brought about Orders came that the devoted worker should set out for the uttermost part of Norway there to take charge of a house which at all times of the year was covered with snow So from being an Indian the poor thing became a Laplander | B |
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| I am forced to leave you he said to his hosts but for what fault of mine this has come to pass I cannot tell I only know that go I must and in a very little while too a month perhaps or maybe only a week Make the most of the interval Fortunately I can fulfil three wishes for you but not more than three | B |
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| To mankind there is nothing very out of the way in merely wishing These good people decided that their first wish should be for abundance and straightway Abundance by the double handful poured gold into their coffers wheat into their granaries wine into their cellars Repletion was everywhere But alas what cares of direction what account keeping what time and anxiety this affluence involved | A |
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| Thieves plotted against them Great lords borrowed from them The prince taxed them They were in fact reduced to misery by this excess of good fortune At last they could endure it no longer Take back this awful overplus of wealth they cried Even the poor are happy in comparison with us and poverty is more covetable than such riches Away then with these treasures And thou sweet Moderation mother of all peace sister of repose come to us again With these words which made their second wish lo Moderation returned and they received her with open arms once again enjoying peace | C |
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| Thus at the end of these two wishes they were exactly where they were in the first place and so it is with all who are given to wishing and wasting in dreams the time they had better have spent in doing But being philosophical people they laughed and the sprite laughed with them To profit by his generosity when he had left them they hazarded their third wish and asked for wisdom Wisdom is a treasure which never embarrasses | D |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
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