The Caliph's dish

With various fish

Hassan had long supplied,

And still with daily toil and care
Sought, for his taste, whate'er was rare,
With honest boast and pride.

It chanced that with well baited hook,
In a famed brook,

A splendid prize at setting sun he took.
Rejoiced the fisher drew it to the shore,
A finer fish he had not seen before;

So with his load, blessing his lucky fate,
He posted homeward, for 'twas late,

And with a ponderous and repeated knock
Which echoed to the sonorous clock,
Assail'd the palace gate.

Sadi, the porter, in an instant came ;
Not like our servants here,

Who loitering at ease,

Where'er they please,

Turn to the summons a deaf ear,

Reckless of censure or of blame.

This watchful Cerberus, it seem'd,

For years, had always deem'd

That half the profits should be his by right,

Of whate'er came ;

Fish, flesh, or fruits,

Choice plants, rare roots,

To him were all the same;

His avarice stretching to the utmost height. The Caliph view'd the fish with longing eyes, "By Alla," cried, "this is a precious prize! Let Hassan here be brought;"

Who enter'd in a trice,

When Ali ask'd him, where the fish he caught? Demanding too the price.

"Light of the sun," said Hassan, "not one mark I'll take, for sooner I'd be swallow'd by a shark ; I only crave a boon.”

""Tis granted, Hassan ; name at once thy prayer; And by our holy prophet do I swear,

'Tis thine ere wanes the moon."

"Dread sir," said Hassan, as he prostrate lay,

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My labours then you amply will repay,

I heed not scars or gashes;

Your royal mandate issue then with speed,
Which let your myrmidons as quickly heed,
And give one hundred lashes!"

""Tis an odd fancy, for a man so poor,"

Said Ali, "and that I have sworn, do much deplore." Then call'd his mutes,

Two sooty brutes,

While Hassan fifty bastinadoes bore.

Smarting with pain, and lacerated back,

Hold, hold!" said Hassan, "no more stripes I lack, I have a partner here-it is no jest,

For, by agreement, he must have the rest.”—

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How now?" said Ali,

Smiling gaily,

[plain."

"What mean you, Hassan ? pr'ythee, slave, ex-
"Sun of the East," said Hassan, with a grin,
"Your porter Sadi, sire, who let me in,
Bargain'd for half the gain,

And may it please your highness, 'tis but fair,
Since I have promis'd him the ample share
Of what obtain'd from you,

That he should have it; and I've born the lash,
Rather than be rewarded with the cash,

That he might have his due."

The Caliph saw the trick, and laugh'd outright, While Sadi, crouching, sicken'd with affright; Trembling and quaking,

Like an aspen shaking,

He pray'd the Caliph to remit the fine;

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"No, by great Allah!

Lay on, Abdallah !”

Great sire," said Sadi, "mercy is divine!"
In vain he preach'd,

Implored, beseech'd,

Ali commands !-the slaves the vassal strip,
And without mercy ply again the whip.

Accounts thus balanced, Hassan was departing, Who had till now prlong'd his stay;

When Ali, from his cushion starting,

For the smart jest must pay.

"You have borne much," he said, "for justice sake,
Here, honest Hassan, this bright jewel take."
So grateful Hassan stopp'd salaam to make,
Then chuckling went his way.

THE OYSTER.

With feelings strange and undefined

I

gaze upon thy face,

Thou choice and fancy specimen

Of an ill-fated race!

How calmly, yea, how meekly

Thou reclinest in thy shell,

But what thy woes and sufferings are,

Man may conjecture well;

For thou hast life as well as he

Who heedlessly takes thine,

And if thou could'st but speak, would draw
Forth tears as briny as.thy brine.

For thou wert torn from home and friends,
And every heartfelt wish,

Thou hapless, helpless, innocent

Mute, persecuted fish.

Perhaps thou hadst been lately join'd

To some soft plump young bride,

Who oped her mouth with thee for food,
When flowed the flowing tide.

Perhaps thou hadst a family

From which thou hast been torn, Who mourn the loss of thee, alas ! That never will return;

Perhaps, when dragg'd from out thy bed,

They clung unto thy shell, Willing to share all danger, with

Their parent fond to dwell.

Perhaps just then they'd been chipp'd off,

To meet a watery grave,
Or seen their father shipped off,
And sold just like a slave.

Thou wert happy in thy native bed,
Where the blythesome billows play,
Till the ruthless fisher stole thee from
Thy own dear home away ;

He laid thee in his cobble,

Then rowed thee to the land;
Thou art sold, and wash'd, and open'd,

And placed in my right hand;
E'en I, the friend of all thy race,
When I think on what thou art,—

When I ponder o'er the witching joys
Thy swallowing will impart,

Can delay thy fate no longer-
One look-it is my last!
One gulp! one more ! a silent

One sigh and all is pass'd.

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