III.18 Esop and the Importunate Fellow

Esop (no other slave at hand)
Received himself his lord's command
An early supper to provide.
From house to house he therefore tried
To beg the favor of a light;
At length he hit upon the right.
But as when first he sallied out
He made his tour quite round about,
On his return he took a race
Directly, cross the market-place:
When thus a talkative buffoon,
"Esop, what means this light at noon?"
He answer'd briefly, as he ran,
"Fellow, I'm looking for a man."
Now if this jackanapes had weigh'd
The true intent of what was said,
He'd found that Esop had no sense
Of manhood in impertinence.