HKB
For one that I am will make seven come, When I shall whistle, as our custom is To do whenever one of us comes out.”
Cagnazzo at these words his muzzle lifted, Shaking his head, and said: “Just hear the trick Which he has thought of, down to throw himself!”
Whence he, who snares in great abundance had, Responded: “I by far too cunning am, When I procure for mine a greater sadness.”
Alichin held not in, but running counter Unto the rest, said to him: “If thou dive, I will not follow thee upon the gallop,
But I will beat my wings above the pitch; The height be left, and be the bank a shield To see if thou alone dost countervail us.”
O thou who readest, thou shalt hear new sport! Each to the other side his eyes averted; He first, who most reluctant was to do it.
The Navarrese selected well his time; Planted his feet on land, and in a moment Leaped, and released himself from their design.
Whereat each one was suddenly stung with shame, But he most who was cause of the defeat; Therefore he moved, and cried: “Thou art o’ertakern.”
But little it availed, for wings could not Outstrip the fear; the other one went under, And, flying, upward he his breast directed;
Not otherwise the duck upon a sudden Dives under, when the falcon is approaching, And upward he returneth cross and weary.
Infuriate at the mockery, Calcabrina Flying behind him followed close, desirous The other should escape, to have a quarrel.
And when the barrator had disappeared, He turned his talons upon his companion, And grappled with him right above the moat.
But sooth the other was a doughty sparhawk To clapperclaw him well; and both of them Fell in the middle of the boiling pond.
A sudden intercessor was the heat; But ne’ertheless of rising there was naught, To such degree they had their wings belimed.
Lamenting with the others, Barbariccia Made four of them fly to the other side With all their gaffs, and very speedily
This side and that they to their posts descended; They stretched their hooks towards the pitch-ensnared, Who were already baked within the crust,
And in this manner busied did we leave them.
Inferno: Canto XXIII
Silent, alone, and without company We went, the one in front, the other after, As go the Minor Friars along their way.
Upon the fable of Aesop was directed My thought, by reason of the present quarrel, Where he has spoken of the frog and mouse;
For ‘mo’ and ‘issa’ are not more alike Than this one is to that, if well we couple End and beginning with a steadfast mind.
And even as one thought from another springs, So afterward from that was born another, Which the first fear within me double made.
Thus did I ponder: “These on our account Are laughed to scorn, with injury and scoff So great, that much I think it must annoy them.
If anger be engrafted on ill-will, They will come after us more merciless Than dog upon the leveret which he seizes,”
I felt my hair stand all on end already With terror, and stood backwardly intent, When said I: “Master, if thou hidest not
Thyself and me forthwith, of Malebranche I am in dread; we have them now behind us; I so imagine them, I already feel them.”
And he: “If I were made of leaded glass, Thine outward image I should not attract Sooner to me than I imprint the inner.
Just now thy thoughts came in among my own, With similar attitude and similar face, So that of both one counsel sole I made.
If peradventure the right bank so slope That we to the next Bolgia can descend, We shall escape from the imagined chase.”
Not yet he finished rendering such opinion, When I beheld them come with outstretched wings, Not far remote, with will to seize upon us.