Chapter 110
section c10 of childhood's favourites and fairy stories by various authors section c10 the chameleon a fable from m de la oft it has been my lot to mark a proud conceited talking spark with eyes that hardly served at most to guard their master gainst a post yet round the world the blade has been to see whatever could be seen returning from his finished tour grown ten times purder than before whatever word you chance to drop the travelled fool your mouth will stop sir if my judgment you'll allow i've seen and sure ought to know so begs you'd pay a due submission and acquiesce in his decision two travellers of such a caste as o'er arabia's wilds they passed and on their way in friendly chat now talked of this and then of that discoursed a while amongst other matter of the chameleon's form and nature
a stranger animal cries one sure never lived beneath the sun a lizard's body lean and long a fish's head a serpent's tongue its foot with triple claw disjoined and what a length of tail behind how slow its pace and then its hue who ever saw so fine a blue hold there the other quick replies tis green i saw it with these eyes as late with open mouth it lay and warmed it in the sunny ray stretched at its ease the beast i viewed and saw it eat the air for food i've seen it sir as well as you and must again affirm it blue at leisure i the beast surveyed extending in the cooling shade tis green tis green sir i assure ye green cries the other in a fury why sir d'ye think i've lost my eyes twere no great loss the friend replies for if they always serve you thus you'll find them of but little use so high at last the contest rose from words they almost came to blows when luckily came by a third to him the question they referred and begged he'd tell him if he knew whether the thing was green or blue sirs cries the umpire cease your pother the creature's neither one nor t'other i caught the animal last night and viewed it o'er by candle-light i marked it well twas black as jet
you stare but sirs i've got it yet and can produce it pray sir do i'll lay my life the thing is blue and i'll be sworn that when you've seen the reptile you'll pronounce him green well then at once to ease the doubt replies the man i'll turn him out and when before your eyes i've set him if you don't find him black i'll ate him he said then full before their sight produced the beast and lo twas white both stared the man looked wondrous wise my children the chameleon cries then first the creature found a tongue you are all right and all are wrong when next you talk of what you view think others see as well as you nor wonder if you find that none prefers your eyesight to his own james merrick end of section one hundred ten
