Perhaps as truthful of the Pigeon tribe is.

He might not like to shoot me till I stir;

“And thus far will I trust thee, gentle sir,”

I’ll sit on top, and try how long I can sit,

Time’s precious! “Ready? Pull!” Here goes; I’ll chance it!

*  *  *  *  *

’Tis done—’tis done! Down swept the leaden trail;

And must have killed me had I had a tail;

Behind the trap there was “such scanty room,

It missed my (absent) helm but razed a plume.”