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Le Pot de Terre et le Pot de Fer
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The Clay Pot and the Iron Pot

Pot of Iron once proposed
A voyage to Pot of Clay.
The latter was indisposed:
Said he’d wiser be to stay
Hearthside for safety’s sake.
For so little would it take
So little, the merest thing
Would cause his fracturing:
No bit of him would come back.
"Your skin can take a whack;
It’s much harder than mine.
So I see nothing to confine
You." "We’ll cover your hide,"
The Iron Pot replied.
"If something hard in view
By chance endangers you,
Between you two I’ll go
And save you from the blow."
This offer made the case.
Comrade Iron Pot, in place,
Moved over as his guide.
Then off our tripod folk did stride,
Clumping along on each tripod stump,
Flung against each other’s side
Each time they met the slightest bump.
The harm was to Pot of Clay: he hadn’t gone even a hundred yards
When he found himself smashed by his pal into shards,
Without any reason at all to complain.

With our equals alone let’s cast our lots,
Or else we must fear, it’s plain,
The fate of one of these Pots.