{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/the-barking-weasel",
 "title": "The Barking Weasel",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Ambrose Bierce",
 "poet_slug": "ambrose-bierce",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Black Beetles in Amber",
 "book_slug": "black-beetles-in-amber",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 87,
 "container": "Black Beetles in Amber",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1892,
  "venue": "Black Beetles in Amber (1892)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/blackbeetlesinam00bier"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/ambrose-bierce_poetry",
  "file": "black-beetles-in-amber.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4793",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12658",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12977",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15599",
   "https://archive.org/details/collectedworksof04bierrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/collectedworksof05bierrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/collectedworksof08bierrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/shapesofclay00bier",
   "https://archive.org/details/blackbeetlesinam00bier",
   "https://archive.org/details/literarycalifor05mighgoog",
   "https://archive.org/details/cali07webb"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 30,
  "n_stanzas": 5,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 55,
  "max_indent": 1
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "You say, John Irish, Mr. Taylor hath",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A painted beard. Quite likely that is true,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And sure ’tis natural you spend your wrath",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On what has been least merciful to you.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "By Taylor’s chin, if I am not mistaken,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You like a rat have recently been shaken.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "To wear a beard of artificial hue",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "May be or this or that, I know not what;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But, faith, ’tis better to be black-and-blue",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In beard from dallying with brush and pot",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Than to be so in body from the beating",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That hardy rogues get when detected cheating.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "You’re whacked about the mazzard rather more",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of late than any other man in town.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Certes your vulnerable back is sore",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And tender, too, your corrigible crown.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "In truth your whole periphery discloses",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "More vivid colors than a bed of posies!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "You call it glory! Put your tongue in sheath!⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Scars got in battle, even if on the breast,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "May be a shameful record if, beneath,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A robber heart a lawless strife attest.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "John Sullivan had wounds, and Paddy Ryan⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Nay, as to that, even Masten has, and Bryan.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "’Tis willingly conceded you’ve a knack",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "At holding the attention of the town;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "The worse for you when you have on your back",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "What did not grow there⁠—prithee put it down!",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "For pride kills thrift, and you lack board and lodging,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Even while the brickbats of renown you’re dodging.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}