52 LAVOURITE FABLES.

And Bruin, o’er his friend a strict watch keeping,
Chased off the flies that haunted him when sleeping.

One afternoon, as in the sun
The weary Hermit took his usual nap,
And at his post
The faithful Bear his daily work begun,
Giving full many a brush and gentle slap,
With a light whisp of herbs sweet-scented,
And thus the teasing flies prevented,
That buzzing host,
From fixing on his sleeping patron’s visage,
Sunk in the deep repose so fit for his age.

One blue-bottle his care defied ;
No place could please him but the old man’s nose,
Quite unabashed.
The Bear, provoked, no means would leave untried ;
At last, a vigorous, certain mode, he chose:
Extending wide his heavy paw,
And thrusting hard each crooked claw,
The fly was smashed :
But his poor patron’s face, so roughly patted,
All streamed with blood, and smooth his nose was
flatted.