boundless strife, a war-clattering deed of Mars, desiring all men to receive it into their ears—how that the mice went victorious against the frogs, imitating the deeds of the earth-born hero giants, as was the report among men. Now it had such an origin.
Once on a time a thirsting mouse having escaped danger from a weasel,[1] dipped his smooth[2] beard into a lake near at hand, delighting himself with the sweet water. But him a talkative, lake-rejoicing [frog] beheld, and addressed him thus:
"Stranger, who art thou? Whence comest thou to the shore? And who begat thee? Speak all things truly, lest I catch thee telling falsehoods. For if I perceive thee to be a proper friend, I will lead thee to my dwelling, and will give thee gifts of hospitality, numerous and good. Now I am king Puff-Cheeks, who am honoured throughout the marsh, through all days ruling over the frogs. And Muddy, my sire, of erst gave me birth, mingling in embrace[3] with Water-Queen by the banks of Eridanus. And I perceive that thou too art handsome and valiant above other [mice], a sceptre-wielding king, and a warrior in battles.[4] But come, quickly detail thy pedigree."
But him Crumb-Filcher answered and addressed:
"Why askest thou concerning my race, which is well known to all, both men, and gods, and birds of the sky? I am hight Crumb-Filcher, but I am the son of my great-souled sire Bread-Muncher, and my mother indeed is Lick-Meal, daughter of king Chaw-Bacon. But she brought me forth in a hut, and nurtured me with viands, with figs, and nuts, and all sorts of eatables. But how canst thou make me a friend, who am no ways like [thee] in nature? For thy sustenance is in the waters, but it is my wont to feed upon as many things as are among men. Nor does the short-baked[5]
- ↑ Not a cat, for "in agris mures non timcnt feles, sed mustelas." Maittaire compares Arist. Hist. An. vi. [μύας] αἱ γαλαῑ αἱ ἄγριαι μάλιστα ἀναιροῦσι, and Phædr. fab. i. 22.
- ↑ λίχνον, the reading of the Oxford MS. seems more recherché than ἁπαλόν
- ↑ "Mix'd in nuptial knot." Chapman.
- ↑ A seeming imitation of Il. iii. 179, ἀμφότερον βασιλεύς τ' ἀγαθὸς, κρατερός τ' αἰχμητής.
- ↑ This is probably the sense, though not the exact meaning of τρισκο-
