After Aesop

Upon a stately deer's horns once there sat a little fly,

A mighty little thing it was, upon the horns so high: —

"If I'm too heavy for thee", cried the fly down to the deer,

"Thou'st only to tell me so, and I'll not stay long here."

"Thou'rt very good", the deer replied, "to let me know thou'rt there,

But pray do no disturb thyself, I'll try the weigh to bear."