A great man, master of arts, renowned afar,

Yet his servant was of vile manners, bizarre

With scruffy hair and a sullied demeanor,

His badness, like vinegar rubbed on a mirror

Like a snake with venom-stained teeth, he bore,

Among the ugly-faced ones, he conquered more

Forever with teary eyes that spilled,

He ran from the scent of onions distilled

He frowned while cooking, tying knots in his brow,

But when done, he bowed to his master, somehow

He often sat to eat bread by his side,

Yet wouldn’t hand him water, no matter the tide

He neither followed commands nor used tools,

Day and night, he turned the house to chaos, like fools

At times, he threw thorns in the path to obstruct,

At others, chickens into wells he’d conduct

His visage alone brought terror and fright,

He’d go on an errand and never return right

Someone asked, 'Of this ill-tempered slave,

What do you seek—manners, skill, or looks to save?'

Such an unpleasant being is worth no price,

To bear his injustice and still pay the price

Seek a noble and good-natured servant instead,

Sell this one to the auctioneer; let him be led

And if he fetches even a penny, don’t refrain,

For even that is too much for his disdain

The kind-hearted man heard this and laughed in jest,

'O friend of noble lineage, do what’s best!'

This boy’s nature and manners are indeed poor,

But from his nature, I learn patience, and more

If I can bear with him and endure his vice,

Then I can endure injustice from anyone twice

Endurance feels like poison at first, so bitter,

But it turns to honey once it roots and grows fitter