Phaedrus, The Fables of Phaedrus
Christopher Smart, Christopher Smart, A. M., Ed.

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The Bitch and Her Puppies

Bad men have speeches smooth and fair,
Of which, that we should be aware,
And such designing villains thwart,
The underwritten lines exhort.
A Bitch besought one of her kin
For room to put her Puppies in:
She, loth to say her neighbour nay,
Directly lent both hole and hay.
But asking to be repossessed,
For longer time the former press'd,
Until her Puppies gathered strength,
Which second lease expired at length;
And when, abused at such a rate,
The lender grew importunate,
"The place," quoth she, " I will resign
When you 're a match for me and mine.'