FAVOURITE FABLES. 143

«?Tis green! ’tis green! sir, I assure ye.’’—
‘«‘ Green !’’ cries the other, in a fury,—
“Why, sir, d’ye think I’ve lost my eyes ?”’
“?Twere no great loss!’ the friend replies ;
‘‘ For if they always serve you thus,
You find ’em but of little use.”’

So high at last the contest rose,
From words they almost came to blows ;
When, luckily, came by a third ;

To him the question they referr’d ;
And begged he’d tell ’em, if he knew,
Whether the thing was green or blue.

“« Sirs,”’ cries the umpire, ‘‘ cease your pother——-

The creature’s neither one nor t’ other.

I caught the animal last night,

And viewed it o’er by candle-light ;

I marked it well—’twas black as jet ;—

You stare—but, sirs, I’ve got it yet,

And.can produce it.’’—‘“‘ Pray, sir, do;

Til lay my life the thing is blue.”
_“ And T’ll be sworn that when you’ve seen

The reptile, you'll pronounce him green.”’