and Ocean, and are said to have been
turned to stone for trying to deceive Zeus.

'Liars and cheats, skilled in deeds irremediable, accomplished
knaves. Far over the world they roamed deceiving men as they wandered
continually.'

THE BATTLE OF FROGS AND MICE (303 lines)

(ll. 1-8) Here I begin: and first I pray the choir of the Muses to
come down from Helicon into my heart to aid the lay which I have newly
written in tablets upon my knee. Fain would I sound in all men's ears
that awful strife, that clamorous deed of war, and tell how the Mice
proved their valour on the Frogs and rivalled the exploits of the
Giants, those earth-born men, as the tale was told among mortals. Thus
did the war begin.

(ll. 9-12) One day a thirsty Mouse who had escaped the ferret, dangerous
foe, set his soft muzzle to the lake's brink and revelled in the sweet
water. There a loud-voiced pond-larker spied him: and uttered such words
as these.

(ll. 13-23) 'Stranger, who are you? Whence come you to this shore, and
who is he who begot you? Tell me all this truly and let me not find you
lying. For if I find you worthy to be my friend, I will take you to my
house and give you many noble gifts such as men give to their guests.
I am the king Puff-jaw, and am honoured in all the pond, being ruler
of the Frogs continually. The father that brought me up was Mud-man who
mated with Waterlady by the banks of Eridanus. I see, indeed, that you
are well-looking and stouter than the ordinary, a sceptred king and a
warrior in fight; but, come, make haste and tell me your descent.'

(ll. 24-55) Then Crumb-snatcher answered him and said: 'Why do you ask
my race, which is well-known amongst all, both men and gods and the
birds of heaven? Crumb-snatcher am I called, and I am the son of
Bread-nibbler--he was my stout-hearted father--and my mother was
Quern-licker, the daughter of Ham-gnawer the king: she bare me in the
mouse-hole and nourished me with food, figs and nuts and dainties of
all kinds. But how are you to make me your friend, who am altogether
different in nature? For you get your living in the water, but I am used
to each such foods as men have: I never miss the thrice-kneaded loaf
in its neat, round basket, or the thin-wrapped cake full of sesame and
cheese, or the slice of ham, or liver vested in white fat, or cheese
just curdled from sweet milk, or delicious honey-cake which even the
blessed gods long for, or any of all those cates whic