The Two Dogs

Kriloff’s Original Fables
A faithful house dog, from the yard, —His name was Bard,
And he his service well did, though ’twas hard
—
Saw an old friend of his, by name Joujou,
A curly pug, an open window through,
Sitting upon a cushion soft. As if ’twere to caress, which he did oft, Tears in his eyes, and full of tender feeling,
Up to the window he
Comes howling, her to see, His tail off wheeling.
“Well, what with thee, Joujou, of late, Since thou hast had a mansion under guard ? The days thou dost remember when we hungered in the yard! In what consists thy service, mate ? ” “A sin at luck to grumble,” Joujou said, ” My master is with me quite off his head
:
I live in comfort and in ease, Drink out of, eat on silver, when I please
;
Frisk round my master’s chair, and never tire, Rolling on carpets, sofas soft, unto my heart’s desire,
How is’t with thee?”—”With me?” did Bard reply,
His tail and head both hanging, with a sigh,
‘ I live as ever : have to bear with cold
;
‘Gainst hunger bold,
And all that might the master’s house attack
;
I sleep beneath the hedge, when rain falls wet my back ; And, if I bark when not required,
The stick upon me ne’er gets tired. But how didst thou, Joujou, thus come by luck,
Weak, small, and wanting, dear, in pluck,
Whilst I, my sides to crack, have toiled in vain ? What is thy service?”—”What my service !” says again
Joujou with scornful laughter : ” That master on my hind paws I walk after.”
How many lucky are, who’ve only got
The gift upon their hind paws well to trot !