[PW] [Publib] "the horse may talk"

[swguardian-stumpers at yahoo.com]

  The source I heard was Herodotus, but I have never been able to confirm that. Below is the version I like best 

   
  The Optimist: A Fable

In Cyrus' or in Xerxes' time
a thief convicted for his crime
was hauled before the king.
To save his life, the robber vowed
if twelve months' mercy was allowed
he'd teach a horse to sing.

"A twelvemonth's grace is all I need",
said he, "to teach your royal steed
to sing like any bird.
And if I pull it off," he said
then, sire, I pray you'll spare my head."
The monarch gave his word,

and said "My horse has never made
a tuneful noise, but only neighed.
You do the best you can,
and if you do it in a year
I'll grant you pardon, free and clear",
and so dismissed the man.

His friends were skeptical, of course,
and told him "You can't teach a horse
to warble out a tune."
He answered: "I have twelve months' grace
and much may happen in that space:
don't write me off too soon.

No man is certain of his fate:
I have a twelvemonth to await
some unexpected thing.
Perhaps, my friends, the king will die;
so might the horse; and so may I.
Who knows what time will bring?

For life is sweeter still than death
and I have hope while yet I've breath ---
perhaps the horse will sing."

Jim Sanderson <jsanderson at nngov.com> wrote:  I have always heard this one in reference to St. Louis, King of France.


James W. Sanderson 
Supervising Librarian 
West Avenue Library 
Newport News Public Library 
2907 West Avenue 
Newport News, Virginia. 23607 
(757) 247-8505 
(757) 247-2344 
www.nngov.com/library 



_____ 

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of GraceAnne Andreassi DeCandido
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 11:24 AM
To: list at project-wombat.org
Cc: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] "the horse may talk"


Cross-posted to several lists, forgive me. 


For decades, I have been telling a story that I believe I learned from
WBAIradio in the early 1970s, identified as a Sufi story. I have never
successfully tracked it down, although my approach has been desultory over
the years. I would be very grateful if a womb at t or a a publibber might be
able to point me in a direction. Here is the story, as I know it. 


A man had offended the king, and was sentenced to death. 
"Oh your majesty!" he pleaded. "Allow me but one year, and I will teach your
horse to talk." 
Astonished, the king agreed. 
The man's friend took him aside and asked, "why did you make such a foolish
promise?" 
The man shrugged. "In a year, the king may die. In a year, I may die. In a
year, the horse may talk." 


The last line has become a family catchphrase in many situation. 


Thank you. GraceAnne 


GraceAnne A. DeCandido 
Reader Writer Reviewer ~ New York City 
Part-time lecturer in children's and YA literature Rutgers SCILS PDS 


Favorite titles 2006 

http://www.well.com/user/ladyhawk/books.html 


Love isn't what you feel. Love is what you do. 
-Madeleine L'Engle, The Wind in the Door 



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