Three Black Crows, The

Two honest tradesmen meeting in the Strand,     One took the other briskly by the hand;     "Hark-ye," said he, "'tis an odd story, this,     About the crows!" "I don't know what it is,"     Replied his friend. "No! I'm surprised at that;     Where I came from it is the common chat;     But you shall hear, an odd affair indeed!     And that it happened, they are all agreed.     Not to detain you from a thing so strange,     A gentleman, that lives not far from 'Change,     This week, in short, as all the alley knows,     Taking a puke, has thrown up three black crows."     "Impossible!" "Nay, but it's really true;     I have it from good hands, and so may you."     "From whose, I pray?" So, having named the man,     Straight to inquire his curious comrade ran.     "Sir, did you tell" relating the affair.     "Yes, sir, I did; and, if it's worth your care,     Ask Mr. Such-a-one, he told it me.     But, by the bye, 'twas two black crows, not three."     Resolved to trace so wondrous an event,     Whip, to the third, the virtuoso went;     "Sir" and so forth. "Why, yes; the thing is fact,     Though, in regard to number, not exact;     It was not two black crows, 'twas only one;     The truth of that you may depend upon;     The gentleman himself told me the case."     "Where may I find him?" "Why, in such a place."     Away goes he, and, having found him out,     "Sir, be so good as to resolve a doubt."     Then to his last informant he referred,     And begged to know if true what he had heard.     "Did you, sir, throw up a black crow?" "Not I."     "Bless me! how people propagate a lie!     Black crows have been thrown up, three, two, and one;     And here, I find, all comes, at last, to none.     Did you say nothing of a crow at all?"     "Crow, crow, perhaps I might, now I recall     The matter over." "And pray, sir, what was't?"     "Why, I was horrid sick, and, at the last,     I did throw up, and told my neighbor so,     Something that was, as black, sir, as a crow."