How to parse. ...

122

TIHE SUBJUNCTIVE. [Par. 185, i86.

185 "If we had but a king," said some noisy frogs in a pond,
" we should be peaceful and orderly; as it is, every one
may do as he pleases, and say what he likes, and there
is as much uproar in our pond as1 if we were a set of
noisy ducks, instead of being quiet respectable frogs. A
king would 2 soon set us to rights. 0! that Jupiter3
would give us a king." So they held an assembly and
offered up a prayer to Jupiter that he would 4 give them
a king. Scarcely were the words of their prayer out
of their mouths, when down came a big black monster
from the sky, splashing the water up like a fountain.
Away swam the frogs in a fright. "Jupiter should not
have sent us such a terrible monster," cried they;
"why could lie not send us a decent quiet king, who
might 5 keep us in order without frightening us out of
our wits? As for this tyrant, if he terrifies6 us thus at
his first coming, what will he do when he is7 used to
oppressing us?"
I86 But the big black monster took no notice of their terror.
There lie lay, silent and sullen, and would not so much
as move a limb. Astonished at his silence, the frogs,
after their first fright, began to wish that their new
king would 4 say or do something, so that at least they
might be relieved from their suspense. So they took out
1 i.e. "as (there would be) if we were."
2 Here, as very often, the Antecedent is left out, but can be supplied, "if he were here."
3 "0! that Jupiter would" is a short way of saying "(we pray,
desire) that Jupiter would." This is a more earnest and less hopeful way of expressing oneself than " we*'pray that Jupiter will, or
may." If filly expressed, the sentence would perhaps be " if it were
possible that one's prayer could be granted, we would pray that Jupiter would give us a king." This is " would " of purpose; Par 167.
4 (1) After " prayer" vwould expresses purpose: (2) after " wish "
it may be changed into " was going to," and treated as IndiCative.
6 ", Who might keep us in order " is put for " that he might" and
denotes purpose.
6 "If" here is the same as " since." Hence "terrifies" is Indicative.
7 See Par. 80.