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So out of respect, they their noses erect,

Except one who the order reversed; What is the main
Ayes, all then but one, but yet nought could be done, concern of the
Just a Minute!
Until he had his reasons rehearsed. mice committee?

‘I shall not,’ said this mouse, ‘waste the time of the house,

In long arguments; since, as I view it, nought: zero or nothing

The scheme would succeed without doubt, if indeed rehearsed: to say or explain
something again, often in a
We could find any mouse who would do it.’ detailed and practised manner
departed: left or went away from
a place
nem. con: an abbreviation of the
‘Hear! hear!’ was the cry, and ‘no bells we will try, Latin phrase nemine contradicente,
which means ‘without opposition’
Unless you will fasten them on;’ ridiculous: something that is silly,

So quite broken-hearted the members departed, absurd, or deserving of mockery
or laughter
For the bill was rejected nem. con.

MORAL

Then be not too hasty in giving advice,

Lest your schemes should remind of the council of mice;

You had better delay your opinion a year,

Than put forth a ridiculous one, it is clear.

—From Marmaduke Park's Aesop, in Rhyme

About the Poet
Aesop’s Fables is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller who lived in Ancient Greece between
620 and 564 bce. A fable is a short story that teaches a lesson, which is called the moral of the story. The central
characters of a fable are animals. They act and talk like human beings. The above poem is one of his fables set in verse.

Time to answer

A. Write true or false for these statements.

1. The group of mice meet regularly to discuss and address
the issues of their city.

2. The group of mice follow a common practice of appointing
a chairman and forming a committee for their meetings.

3. Once the chairman is in place, he explains the purpose of the meeting.

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