The Musical Ass
The fable which I now present
Occur to me by accident;
And whether bad or excellent,
Is merely so by accident.
A stupid Ass this morning went
Into a field by accident
And crop his food and was content,
Until he spied by accident
A flute, which some oblivious gent
Had left behind by accident;
When, sniffing it with eager scent,
He breathed on it by accident,
And made the hollow instrument
Emit a sound by accident.
“Hurrah, hurrah!” exclaimed the brute,
“How cleverly I play the flute!”
A fool, in spite of nature’s bent,
May shine for once—by accident.
Yriarte (1750-1791). Trans. R. Rockliff.