The Monkey's Frolic A Humorous Tale in Verse

Excerpt

Ourtale is a true one, from which may be taughtA maxim for youth, with utility fraught;—If terrors assail you, examine the cause,And all will be well;—for, byNature’skind laws,Nor Goblins nor Spectres on earth have a station,—These phantoms are all of ideal creation.

Monkey, that comical tricks would be at,His frolics one morning began with theCat;He chatter’d, as much as to sayHow d’ ye do?AndPusslook’d her thanks, and politely criedMew!Pugthen shook her paw, and they sat down together,Pusswashing her face, indicating wet weather.

But, mischief theMonkeyinclining to harbour,His skill he resolved now to try as aBarber.—A soap-box conveniently lay in the room,“MissPuss,” he exclaim’d, “you’ll be shaved, I presume?”Then scraping and bowing with grin and grimace,Despite of resistance, he lather’d her face.

NowPugcould not find either razor or knife,SoPussran no hazard of losing her life;—Yet razor or knife though they could not be had,Pugfound what the terrifiedCatthought as bad;A knife made of ivory, in use to cut paper,With which BarberPugnow proceeded to scrape her.

ButPusson a sudden deserted her station,Disliking (no wonder) the strange operation,And ran round the room without means of escaping;WhilePug, still determined to give her a scraping,Pursued, and, regardless of struggle or prayer,Fast bound her, at last, to the back of a chair.

When, tucking a napkin close under her chin,Each mew of dismay he return’d with a grin;And yelling and chattering they raised such a clatter,ThatSusanrush’d in to learn what was the matter;WhenPug, overturning the chair midst the clack,Ran off, leavingPussystretched out on her back.

The sight was toSusanso curious, that fasterShe ranoutthanin, to tellMistressandMaster;But, when they came up, neitherPussnor theShaverWas there, to account for improper behaviour;—ForPughad contrived, amidSusan’salarms,To reach the house-top, with MissPussin his arms.

Now fearing thatPugor MissPussmight be maim’d,“Go, fetch a long ladder,” theMasterexclaim’d;“And bring them down quickly bothBarberandCat.”“Oh, oh!” thought theMonkey, “Isha’nt suffer that.”—The ladder was climb’d by a servant so valiant,ButPugwith loose tiles soon repulsed the assailant.

Against all manœuvre apparently proof,Pugchatter’d and paced to and fro on the roof,And fondled theCat, and next, pitying her case,He wiped with the napkin the suds from her face;As nurse would a child, then he held her outso,While all the spectators kept laughing below.

Now seeing him thus to good humour inclined,They thought he might prove more pacific of mind,So mounted the ladder another assailer;WhenPug, of loose tiles now perceiving a failure,Eluded the grasp of pursuit with a hop,And gained an adjacent and tall chimney-pot....