Two travelers of such a cast,
As o'er Arabia's wilds they passed
And on their way in friendly chat,
Now talked of this, and then of that,
Discoursed awhile, 'mongst 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,
"'T is _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."
"'T is green, 't is green, sir I assure ye!"
"Green!" cries the other in a fury--
"Why, sir!--d'ye think I've lost my eyes?"
"'T were 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 'em, if he knew,
Whether the thing was green or blue.
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