A man and a lion once had a dispute,
Which was reckon'd the greatest, the man or the brute;
The lion discoursed on his side at some length,
And greatly enlarged on his courage and strength.
The man, one would think, had enough to reply
On _his_ side the question, which none could deny;
But like many others who make a pretence,
He talk'd perfect nonsense, and thought it good sense.
"So," says he, "don't be prating,--look yonder, I pray,
At that sculpture of marble, now what will you say?
The lion is vanquished; but as for the man
He is striding upon him; deny it who can."
"But pray," said the lion, "who sculptured that stone?"
"One of _us_," said the man, "I must candidly own."
"But when _we_ are sculptors," the other replied,
"You will then on the man see the _lion_ astride."