THE PEASANT in Search of his HEIFER. A TALE, After M. De la Fontaine. William Congreve Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T146495 K113867.000 Congreve, William, 1670-1729. An impossible thing. A tale. London printed: and sold by J. Roberts 1720 pp. []-16. [4],16p. ; 4⁰.

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THE PEASANT in Search of his HEIFER . A TALE , After M. De la Fontaine . IT so befell : a silly Swain Had sought his Heifer long in vain ; For wanton she had frisking stray'd , And left the Lawn , to seek the Shade . Around the Plain he rolls his Eyes , Then , to the Wood , in Haste he hies ; Where , singling out the fairest Tree , He climbs , in Hopes to hear or see . Anon , there chanc'd that Way to pass A jolly Lad and buxom Lass : The Place was apt , the Pastime pleasant ; Occasion with her Forelock present : The Girl agog , the Gallant ready ; So lightly down he lays my Lady . But so she turn'd , or so was said , That she some certain Charms display'd , Which with such Wonder struck his Sight , ( With Wonder , much ; more , with Delight ) That loud he cry'd in Rapture , What ! What see I , Gods ! What see I not ! But nothing nam'd ; from whence 'tis guess'd , 'Twas more than well could be express'd . The Clown aloft , who lent an Ear , Strait stopt him short in mid Career : And louder cry'd , Ho ! honest Friend , That of thy seeing seest no End ; Dost see the Heifer that I seek ? If do'st , pray be so kind to speak .