In a corner of Africa most remote
Animals, so runs the anecdote,
Those beasts that have hoofs and those that have claws,
Established government and laws.
With that worthy gentry all prospered well.
Or so begun. I’m glad to tell
That harmony reigned througbout the land;
And, difficult to understand,
Friendship, too, dwelled there, which you will agree
Is what we very seldom see
Among the masses of human kind
(Sorry to bring the fact to mind).
The wolf did not start from his savage lair
To devour goats, and pigs to snare;
And not till brother in strife with brother
Begun to wrong and wound each other
Was there example harmful in the least
Set before the misguided beast.
It chanced, when hard times fell, the state
Its scanty funds to aggregate
Called council; with care that nothing should pass
Except in justice to each class
Of animals: – asses, the goats, and sheep,
That the apportioned tax should keep
Of equal weight, ‘mong the high and the low,
And the state burdens ordered so
That each could easily render his share,
The lowly and the millionaire.
With preparation and dignity great
The worthy councillors of state
A meeting called to settle as they could
These matters for the public good.
The elephant was first to speak, – said he:
“Citizen animals, most worthy!
Oxen, goats, asses, and mules, and hares,
Distinguished by the name each bears,
That matters to all should be without wrong,
To the meek sheep or lion strong,
I propose to you in all sincerity,
Without favor. or asperity:
Let each one who thinks that in small or great
He has broken the laws of state
Contribute a mark to the treasury;
From this a great auxiliary
Will our country gain, while at the same time
You must reflect, all sorts of crime
In our country’s bounds, from west to east,
From north to south, will be decreased.”
“That perhaps might do,” said the crafty fox,
Bowing most humbly to the flocks;
A good-natured grin on his countenance spread
And wagging his yellow tail, said:
“Greater the income, in my opinion,
If young and old of this dominion
Were allowed to apprise their good degrees,
And pay a florin for each of these;
My fame for judgment I’ll stake in this way,
A larger sum we could display,
Which would be with the utmost promptness paid,
And never any trouble made.
Because, it may please your reverence,
They’d rather pay than evidence
Transgression of the law’s just scope,
Your honor sees the point–I hope.”
From —Poets and Poetry of Poland A Collection of Polish Verse, Including a Short Account of the History of Polish Poetry, with Sixty Biographical Sketches of Poland’s Poets and Specimens of Their Composition— by Paul Soboleski.
W kąciku gdzieś dalekim odludnej Afryki,
Powiadają, że zwierz dziki
l ten, co ma pazury, i ten, co kopyto,
Założył rzeczpospolitą.
Wszystko tam u ichmościów z samego początku
Szło w należytym porządku.
Wszędy pokój panował i przyjaźń prawdziwa,
Co u lodzi rzadko bywa.
Nie dybał bury wilezek cichuczeuko z łozy
Na świnki i płoche kozy.
Dopiero, gdy się ludzie gryźć poczęli wzajem,
Popsnł się zwierz złym zwyczajem,
Trafiło się raz jakoś, że zostając w nędzy,
Stan potrzebował pieniędzy:
A ze tam iw podatkach pilne względy miano,
By słabszych nie uciskano;
Waląc równie na tego, co ma dwa zagony,
Jako co ma miliony:
Zeszły się wszystkie dwory w towarzystwie licznem,
Myślec o dobru pubłicznem.
Tu naprzód rzecz od słonia ex turno zaczęta:
Mościwe wielee zwierzęta!
Woły, osły, kozłowie, niedźwiedzie, i muły,
Zacne swojemi tytuły!
Żeby było bez krzywdy kazdego z osobna;
Czy to lew, czy owca drobna,
Niech każdy, kto rzecz prawom uczyni przeciwną,
Skarb jedną pomnoży grzywną.
Zkąd i liczne ojczyzna będzie mieć pieniądze,
I złe się poskromią żądze.
Dobrze to jest, odpowie lis z niskim ukłonem,
Rudym machnąwszy ogonem:
Lecz zdaniem moim będą liczniejsze dochody,
Gdy tak stary, jako młody,
Sam sobie sędzią, własne oceni przymioty;
I za nie położy złoty.
Bo każdy, choć mało wart, rad swe wielbi czyny,
A nikt się nie zna do winy.
The original Polish from: Poezye — Adam Naruszewicz
.