Fable
As soon as the sun had set in the evening
And everywhere the sky had become dark,
In the firmament the beautiful stars sparkled
Like precious diamond brilliants,
Thales shouted, "Dear old lady!"
Why are you shouting, dumb sage?"
"I've had enough of sitting in this place.
Take me to look at the stars."
The dear old lady went before him,
Right behind her came the dumb sage.
They went to where there was a high hill,
From which one could look at the starry sphere.
"Oh," cried the sage, "I've fallen, old lady!"
Having fallen into a hole, the poor man had knocked off his ear.
"You wouldn't have fallen into the hole, muddle-headed old man,
Why didn't you follow in my tracks?
How can you, not able to see a ditch in front of your nose,
Know the stars, muddle head?"
After these speculations the old lady
Led the sage back home without his ear.
© 1996 Richard Hantula