14

FAVOURITE FABLES.

And on their way, in friendly chat,
Now talked of this, and then of that;
Discoursed awhile, ’mongst other matter,
Of the Chameleon’s form and nature.
‘‘ A stranger animal,’’ cries one,
«Sure never lived beneath the sun:
A lizard’s body, lean and long,

A fish’s head, a serpent’s tongue.

In truth, with triple jaw disjoin’d;
And what a length of tail behind !
How slow its pace! and then its hue!
Who ever saw so fine a blue?”’

‘‘ Hold there !”’ the other quick replies,
“°Tis green :—I saw it with these eyes,
As late with open mouth it lay,

And warm’d it in the sunny ray:
Stretch’d at its-ease the beast I view’d,
And saw it eat the air for food.’’

“‘T’ve seen it, sir, as well as you,
And must again affirm it blue;
At leisure I the beast survey’d,
Extended in the cooling shade.”