The Fox And The Hen. - A Fable Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABC DBDBEEAFFA GGHHAA IBBIJCCJKLLK LLMMDD MBBB LLNNOOLLCCPPCBCB LLQQMQRMBBAACC L CSCS| Speaking within compass as to fabulousness I prefer | A |
| Southcote to Northcote | B |
| PIGROGROMITUS | C |
| - | |
| - | |
| One day or night no matter where or when | D |
| Sly Reynard like a foot pad laid his pad | B |
| Right on the body of a speckled Hen | D |
| Determined upon taking all she had | B |
| And like a very bibber at his bottle | E |
| Began to draw the claret from her throttle | E |
| Of course it put her in a pretty pucker | A |
| And with a scream as high | F |
| As she could cry | F |
| She call'd for help she had enough of sucker | A |
| - | |
| Dame Partlet's scream | G |
| Waked luckily the house dog from his dream | G |
| And with a savage growl | H |
| In answer to the fowl | H |
| He bounded forth against the prowling sinner | A |
| And uninvited came to the Fox Dinner | A |
| - | |
| Sly Reynard heedful of the coming doom | I |
| Thought self deceived | B |
| He should not be perceived | B |
| Hiding his brush within a neighboring broom | I |
| But quite unconscious of a Poacher's snare | J |
| And caught in copper noose | C |
| And looking like a goose | C |
| Found that his fate had hung upon a hare | J |
| His tricks and turns were rendered of no use to him | K |
| And worst of all he saw old surly Tray | L |
| Coming to play | L |
| Tray Deuce with him | K |
| - | |
| Tray an old Mastiff bred at Dunstable | L |
| Under his Master a most special constable | L |
| Instead of killing Reynard in a fury | M |
| Seized him for legal trial by a Jury | M |
| But Juries sop was a sheriff then | D |
| Consisted of twelve Brutes and not of Men | D |
| - | |
| But first the Elephant sat on the body | M |
| I mean the Hen and proved that she was dead | B |
| To the veriest fool's head | B |
| Of the Booby and the Noddy | B |
| - | |
| Accordingly the Stork brought in a bill | L |
| Quite true enough to kill | L |
| And then the Owl was call'd for mark | N |
| The Owl can witness in the dark | N |
| To make the evidence more plain | O |
| The Lynx connected all the chain | O |
| In short there was no quirk or quibble | L |
| At which a legal Rat could nibble | L |
| The Culprit was as far beyond hope's bounds | C |
| As if the Jury had been packed of hounds | C |
| Reynard however at the utmost nick | P |
| Is seldom quite devoid of shift and trick | P |
| Accordingly our cunning Fox | C |
| Through certain influence obscurely channel'd | B |
| A friendly Camel got into the box | C |
| When 'gainst his life the Jury was impanel'd | B |
| - | |
| Now in the Silly Isles such is the law | L |
| If Jurors should withdraw | L |
| They are to have no eating and no drinking | Q |
| Till all are starved into one way of thinking | Q |
| Thus Reynard's Jurors who could not agree | M |
| Were lock'd up strictly without bit or mummock | Q |
| Till every Beast that only had one stomach | R |
| Bent to the Camel who was blest with three | M |
| To do them justice they debated | B |
| From four till ten while dinner waited | B |
| When thirst and hunger got the upper | A |
| And each inclin'd to mercy and hot supper | A |
| Not Guilty was the word and Master Fox | C |
| Was freed to murder other hens and cocks | C |
| - | |
| - | |
| MORAL | L |
| - | |
| What moral greets us by this tale's assistance | C |
| But that the Solon is a sorry Solon | S |
| Who makes the full stop of a Man's existence | C |
| Depend upon a Colon | S |
Thomas Hood
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About The Fox And The Hen. - A Fable
The Fox And The Hen. - A Fable is a poem by Thomas Hood. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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