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Title: The Starling And The Goose, A Fable
Author: J. C. Manning [ More Titles by Manning]
A silly bird of waddling gait On a common once was bred, And brainless was his addle pate As the stubble on which he fed; Ambition-fired once on a day He took himself to flight, And in a castle all decay He nestled out of sight. "O why," said he, "should mind like mine "Midst gosling-flock be lost? "In learning I was meant to shine!" And up his bill he tossed. "I'll hide," said he, "and in the dark "I'll like an owl cry out ("In wisdom owls are birds of mark), "And none shall find me out!" And so from turret hooted he At all he saw and heard; Hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo! What melody! And what a silly bird! At length a Starling which had flown Down on the Castle wall Thus spake: "Why what a simple drone "You are to sit and bawl! "Though you presume an Owl to be, "It's not a bit of use! "Your body though folks cannot see "They know the diff'rence--pardon me! "Betwixt the screech of Owl up tree "And the cackling of a Goose!"
[The end] J. C. Manning's poem: Starling And The Goose, A Fable ________________________________________________
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