The Two Samaritans and the Tramp
The Two Samaritans and the Tramp - meaning Summary
Charity and Human Instinct
This short, colloquial poem recounts a chance meeting between a thirsty tramp and two helpers: a pious parson who offers water out of duty, and a bullock-driver who gives beer out of fellow-feeling. The narrator notes neither endorses temperance; instead the episodes contrast formal religious obligation with spontaneous, human kindness. The anecdotal tone and rural voice make the moral ambiguous and invite the reader to consider practical compassion over doctrinal correctness.
Read Complete AnalysesA tramp was trampin’ on the road The afternoon was warm an’ muggy And by-and-by he chanced to meet A parsin ridin’ in a buggy. Said he: As follerers ov the Loard, To do good offices we oughter! An’ from a water-bag he poured, An’ guv the tramp, a drink er water. The parsin he went rattlin’ ’ome To ware his fam-i-lee was thrivin’, The tramp went on until he met A bullick-driver, bullick drivin’ It’s bilin’ ’ot, the driver sed As soon’s the dirty tramp drawed nearer, And from a little keg he poured, And giv the tramp a pint of beer ah! (P.S. The ah is meant to stand for the tramp a-drinking ov it.) I ain’t agin the temperance cause, Nor yet no advocate ov drinkin’ I only tells the yarn because Well, at the time it somehow seemed Ter kind ov set me thinkin’.
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