THE FROGS. 175

Charon. “You will do it easily enough. Just dip
your oar in, and you'll hear the sweetest singing you
ever heard in your life.”

And, indeed, the next moment the frogs in the
lake began a strain : —

“ Brekekex, koax, koax,
Brekekex, koax, koax,
All ye children of the Jake,
Join your voices till you make
Sweetest harmony of song
For the revellers’ merry throng.
Brekekex, koax, koax.”
Bac. “But I’m getting very sore
As I labour with the oar
Now have done there with your noise.”
Frogs. “Brekekex, koax, koax.”
Bat. “Oh, confound you with- your koax :*
Frogs. “But the minstrel Pan enjoys
The sweet music of our voices,
And the Muses’ tuneful choir
In our singing much rejoices,
And Apollo with his lyre.
Brekekex, koax, koax.”
Bac. “ But Ive blisters on my hands,
O ye music-loving crew;
*Tis the god himself commands
That ye make no more ado.”
Frogs. “But our voices we will raise
All the louder, while we sing,
How in sunny summer days
Through the reed and rush we spring.
Brekekex, koax, koax.”
Bac. “T forbid you to proceed.”