A Rooster Once Pursued A Worm That Lingered Not To Brave Him, To See His Wretched Victim Squirm A Pleasant Thrill It Gave Him; He Summoned All His Kith And Kin, They Hastened Up By Legions, With Quaint, Expressive Gurgles In Their Oesophageal Regions. Just Then A Kind Of Glimmering Attracting His Attention, The Worm Became Too Small A Thing For More Than Passing Mention: The Throng Of Hungry Hens And Rude He Skilfully Evaded. Said He, "I' Faith, If This Be Food, I Saw The Prize Ere They Did." It Was A Large And Costly Pearl, Belonging In A Necklace, And Dropped By Some Neglectful Girl: Some People Are So Reckless! The Cock Assumed An Air Forlorn, And Cried, "It's Really Cruel. I Thought It Was A Grain Of Corn: It's Nothing But A Jewel." He Turned Again To Where His Clan In One Astounding Tangle With Eager Haste Together Ran To Slay The Helpless Angle, And Sighed, "He Was Of Massive Size. I Should Have Used Discretion. Too Late! Around The Toothsome Prize A Bargain-Sale'S In Session." The Worm'S Remarks Upon His Plight Have Never Been Recorded, But Any One May Know How Slight Diversion It Afforded; For Worms And Human Beings Are Unanimous That, When Pecked, To Be The Prey Of Men They Far Prefer To Being Hen-Pecked. The Moral: When Your Dinner Comes Don't Leave It For Your Neighbors, Because You Hear The Sound Of Drums And See The Gleam Of Sabres; Or, Like The Cock, You'll Find Too Late That Ornaments External Do Not For Certain Indicate A Bona Fide Kernel.