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A FABLE FOR THE TIMES

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 4, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 27.

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A FABLE FOR THE TIMES.

By W. Colegrove, LL.D.

[W. Colegrove, LL.D.]
A GREAT eagle, one day, Who would piously prey, Took his seat on a towering cliff by the sea; And, observing from there The land, water, and air, He considered what best for his dinner would be.
Pretty soon he perceived (So at least he believed) A good prospect of daintily dining on fish; And in truth he was glad That such game could be had; For at that time of year 'twas his favorite dish.
A fish-hawk he descried, With his pinions spread wide, Overhanging the face of the billowy brine. "Good for him," thought the king Of the birds, "for he'll bring From the deep a fair prize that will shortly be mine."
Then the hawk, with a lunge And a desperate plunge, Takes a shad in the depth of its watery lair; Thence, emerging, he draws The big fish with his claws; And in triumph he bears it aloft through the air.
"What a sight to behold!" Says his majesty bold; "How the tyrant's abusing the innocent shad!" In an instant he starts; And like lightning he darts, And denounces the hawk for his government bad.
In surprise and dismay Hawk releases his prey; And the fish is returning toward water,—the elf! But the eagle declares, With magnificent airs, "The poor thing is not able to care for itself!"
So he plunges head first, As if fearing the worst; And his powerful talons are holding the shad. "Let me go," says the fish; "For 'tis freedom I wish!" Says the eagle, "Your conduct is horribly sad.
"How ungrateful you are, Since I've traveled so far To emancipate you from the tyrannous hawk, To pretend you've a claim To the home whence you came; And how grossly depraved thus of freedom to talk!
"For in fact I've designed, And had only in mind, As distinctly I said in my late proclamation, To secure for your race A superior place By means of benevolent assimilation."
Thereupon through the air, Spite of protest and prayer, The poor fish was borne off to the bird's habitation; And the bird was so filled With the fish that he'd killed That he died of benevolent assimilation.