THE BIRDS, 151

To you and your children we'll give to possess

All things that are good, — life, happiness, health,
Peace, plenty, and laughter, and feasting and wealth;
For, what is the most unattainable thing?

‘Pigeons’ milk ’— and that in abundance we'll bring,
Till the general plenty among you be such

That your only complaint will be having too much.”

By this time the two friends had come back,
equipped for the functions which they would have
in future to perform. . The first thing to be done was
to give the new city a name. “Cloud Cuckoo Land”?!
was finally settled upon, and the tutelary deity was to
be a gamecock. The builders were set to work, and
an inaugurating sacrifice was performed to the new
deities. This had scarcely been done when a poet
appeared on the scene, with a ready-made ode.

“Muse, prepare a noble ditty,
Hymning with your choicest lay,
This the new-built, happy city,
Nephelo-Coccugia.”

Plaus. “What have we got here? Who are you,
sir?”
Poet. “Singer of melodious strain,
Servant in the Muses’ train.”

Plaus. “ A servant with long hair!”

Poet. “All who teach the art of song are ‘ser-
vants of the Muses,’ as Homer puts it.”

Plaus. “Well, what have you come here for?”

1The Greek word is “ Nephelo-Coccugia.”