The Gardener And His Master
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Tomas de Iriarte
Literary Fables of Yriarte
Ticknor And Fields, London
1855
Spain
The Gardener And His Master: practical knowledge, class tension, interference, experience, authority, incompetence, labour, management, common sense, frustration
Public Domain (copyright expired)
n/a
The Gardener And His Master
A copious fountain played
In a garden's flowery bed,
And served to form a basin
Where many fish were fed.
Of the watering of his flowers
The Gardener thought alone;
And drained it dry, till due supply
For carp and tench was gone.
His Master soon the mischief saw,
And scolds the careless sinner.
"The flowers I love; but also like
My mess of fish for dinner."
The Gardener, grown crusty,
So reads his Master's whim,
That he lets the plants go thirsty,
That carp and tench may swim.
In the garden, shortly after,
The indignant owner found
His flowers, all dry and withered,
Upon the parching ground.
"Booby! you need not water waste,
And leave me not a fish to taste;
Nor yet deny--to save the fish--
A single flower to grace the dish,"
* * * * *
Though the maxim may be trite,--
Unless you have the skill,
Taste and profit to unite,--
Lay by the author's quill.
Folktales, Fairytales, myths, legends, stories, fantasy