Fables of La Source ✓

The Lobster and the Whiting

Let me tell you today

The tale of a whiting caught in a foul play

Of mischief in front of his lobster friend.

One day, as Mr. Lobster enjoyed his caviar blend,

He encountered on his way

A certain Mr. Whiting, a rascal so gay,

Who, driven by greed and by hunger's gnaw,

Slithered like a snake, with no fear or awe,

And asked Mr. Lobster,

Speaking in a tone quite improper:

"My dear companion, would you, so kind,

Share some of your meal with a hungry whiting?"

Mr. Lobster, whose savory feast was disrupted,

Not pleased by the guest so unprompted,

Turned from his wine

And replied in a manner so fine:

"Dear friend, though you join my table unbid,

I must refuse this humble meal you've coveted.

Look at me, I'm slender with claws so thin,

And you are quite plump, like a prince within.

What could I possibly offer you to eat?

You who are so grand and replete."

Mr. Whiting, embarrassed and quite taken aback,

Didn't know whether to laugh or to crack.

Mr. Lobster turned back to his feast

Leaving a panting whiting, a ravenous beast,

Outraged and fuming at the meal so consuming, 

Yet inaccessible, so frustrating.

From this affront, Mr. Whiting made a decision,

Approaching Mr. Lobster with precision.

Near to his caviar, sly as a cat,

He struck, with a shoe, just like that.

Down fell the lobster, stunned by the blow,

Mr. Whiting took advantage, quite so,

Of his unconscious friend,

To steal the precious caviar, in the end.

The rascal feasted from afar,

While the unfortunate mourned his caviar.

Dear readers, to witness such a crime,

So horrid and vile, of this rhyme,

Would be too sad to ressemble him indeed.

And if a moral you need,

To summarize this rogue's tale:

Beware of whiting wearing a shoe, without fail.

Célestin de La Source