Satirises the actions of the company management. The failure of the strike is acknowledged but a final note of defiance is struck.
It was once upon a time
That the spiders held a conference, [Note 574.1]
A pretty little conference.
And unanimously decided
To play the game of confidence,
The usual game of confidence.
Said the spiders to each other,
We will teach the flies a lesson,
A most useful little lesson,
And remove out of their craniums
An erroneous impression,
A very wrong impression [Note 574.2]
We're a group of pretty spiders
Combined for aims acquisitive,
Yes, decidedly acquisitive ;
Which is perfectly legitimate,
If you're not too inquisitive ;
The flies are too inquisitive.
They've got the silly notion
That their very tame existence,
Their profitless existence,
Is not to serve their betters,
And they talk of vain resistance,
Yes, they talk of vain resistance.
We will teach these little insects,
Though exceedingly numerous
(Confoundedly too numerous)—
Their hope to match our cunning
Is decidedly humorous,
Ridiculously humorous.
Their strength against our cunning
Has made them over jubilant, [Note 574.3]
Yes, very much too jubilant:
They forget the web is woven
That will curb their zeal exuberant,
Their zeal and hope exuberant.
Thus the spiders now are gloating
At their victory prospective,
Their triumph yet prospective; [Note 574.4]
When the merry files must ponder
O'er a view quite introspective,
A view entirely introspective.
But it doubtless sometimes happens
That the spiders count their flies,
That even spiders count their flies,
Before the web has caught its victims,
Or the threatened creature dies;
Yes, before the creature dies.