Analysis of The Arrogant Frog And The Superior Bull



Once, on a time and in a place
Conducive to malaria,
There lived a member of the race
Of
Rana Temporaria
;
Or, more concisely still, a frog
Inhabited a certain bog.

A bull of Brobdingnagian size,
Too proud for condescension,
One morning chanced to cast his eyes
Upon the frog I mention;
And, being to the manner born,
Surveyed him with a lofty scorn.

Perceiving this, the bactrian's frame
With anger was inflated,
Till, growing larger, he became
Egregiously elated;
For inspiration's sudden spell
Had pointed out a way to swell.

'Ha! ha!' he proudly cried, 'a fig
For this, your mammoth torso!
Just watch me while I grow as big
As you-or even more so!'
To which magniloquential gush
His bullship simply answered 'Tush!'

Alas! the frog's success was slight,
Which really was a wonder,
In view of how with main and might
He strove to grow rotunder!
And, standing patiently the while,
The bull displayed a quiet smile.

But ah, the frog tried once too oft
And, doing so, he busted;
Whereat the bull discreetly coughed
And moved away, disgusted,
As well he might, considering
The wretched taste that marked the thing.

THE MORAL: Everybody knows
How ill a wind it is that blows.


Scheme ABAXB CC DEDEFF GHGHII JKJKXX LXLBMM NHNHOO PP
Poetic Form
Metre 11010001 01010100 11010101 1 101 1 11010101 01000101 01101001 111010 11011111 0101110 01010101 01110101 0101011 1101010 11010101 0100010 11101 11010111 11110101 111101 11111111 1111011 1111 1110101 01010111 1101010 01111101 11111 01010001 01010101 11011111 0101110 1010101 0101010 11110100 01011101 0101001 11011111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,142
Words 211
Sentences 14
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 8, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 2
Lines Amount 40
Letters per line (avg) 23
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 131
Words per stanza (avg) 30
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:03 min read
83

Guy Wetmore Carryl

Guy Wetmore Carryl was an American humorist and poet more…

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