The Fox, the Monkey, and the Animals

     Left kingless by the lion's death,

    The beasts once met, our story saith,

    Some fit successor to install.

  Forth¹ from a dragon-guarded, moated place,

  The crown was brought and, taken from its case,

    And being tried by turns on all,

    The heads of most were found too small;

    Some horned were, and some too big;

      Not one would fit the regal gear.

    Forever ripe for such a rig,

    The Monkey, looking very queer,

    Approached with antics and grimaces²,

    And, after scores of monkey faces,

  With what would seem a gracious stoop,

  Pass'd through the crown as through a hoop³.

    The beasts, diverted with the thing,

    Did homage⁴ to him as their king.

    The Fox alone the vote regretted,

    But yet in public never fretted⁵.

    When he his compliments had paid

    To royalty⁶, thus newly made,

    "Great sire, I know a place," said he,

      "Where lies conceal'd a treasure,

    Which, by the right of royalty,

      Should bide⁷ your royal pleasure."

    The King lack'd not an appetite

      For such financial pelf⁸,

    And, not to lose his royal right,

      Ran straight to see it for himself.

    It was a trap, and he was caught.

    Said Reynard, "Would you have it thought,

    You Ape, that you can fill a throne,

    And guard the rights of all, alone.

    Not knowing how to guard your own?"

 

    The beasts all gathered from the farce⁹,

    That stuff for kings is very scarce.

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 grimaces   

n.（表蔑视、厌恶等）面部扭曲，鬼脸( grimace的名词复数 )v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Clark winked at the rude child making grimaces. 克拉克先生假装没有看见那个野孩子做鬼脸。 来自辞典例句
• The most ridiculous grimaces were purposely or unconsciously indulged in. 故意或者无心地扮出最滑稽可笑的鬼脸。 来自辞典例句

3 hoop   

n.（篮球）篮圈，篮

参考例句：

• The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
• The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。

4 homage   

n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬

参考例句：

• We pay homage to the genius of Shakespeare.我们对莎士比亚的天才表示敬仰。
• The soldiers swore to pay their homage to the Queen.士兵们宣誓效忠于女王陛下。

5 fretted   

焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的

参考例句：

• The wind whistled through the twigs and fretted the occasional, dirty-looking crocuses. 寒风穿过枯枝，有时把发脏的藏红花吹刮跑了。 来自英汉文学
• The lady's fame for hitting the mark fretted him. 这位太太看问题深刻的名声在折磨着他。

6 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

7 bide   

v.忍耐；等候；住

参考例句：

• We'll have to bide our time until the rain stops.我们必须等到雨停。
• Bide here for a while. 请在这儿等一会儿。

8 pelf   

n.金钱；财物（轻蔑语）

参考例句：

• Let him disenslave himself from the pelf of the world.让他从金钱束缚下解放自己。
• Pelf makes friends,adversity tries them.富贵交友易, 患难显真情。

9 farce   

n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹

参考例句：

• They played a shameful role in this farce.他们在这场闹剧中扮演了可耻的角色。
• The audience roared at the farce.闹剧使观众哄堂大笑。