Social Commentaries
I.4 The Dog in the River
Translated by Christopher Smart (1887 printing) · From Fables, Book I
Social Commentaries
The churl that wants another's fare
Deserves at least to lose his share.
As through the stream a Dog convey'd
A piece of meat, he spied his shade
In the clear mirror of the flood,
And thinking it was flesh and blood,
Snapp'd to deprive him of the treat:--
But mark the glutton's self-defeat,
Miss'd both another's and his own,
Both shade and substance, beef and bone.
Cite this poem
MLA
Phaedrus. “I.4 The Dog in the River.” Translated by Christopher Smart. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/phaedrus/4/.
Chicago
Phaedrus. “I.4 The Dog in the River.” Translated by Christopher Smart. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/phaedrus/4/.
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