Duck

"[Like] water off a duck's back"

"Women ben full of ragerie, Yet swinken not sans secresie. Thilke Moral shall ye understond, From schoole-boy’s Tale of fayre Irelond; Which to the Fennes hath him betake, To filche the grey Ducke fro the Lake. Right then there passen by the way His Aunt, and eke her Daughters tway. Ducke in his trowses hath he hent, Not to be spied of ladies gent. ‘But ho! our Nephew,’ crieth one; ‘Ho!’ quoth another, ‘Cozen John;’ And stoppen, and lough, and callen out— This sely Clerke full low doth lout: They asken that, and talken this, ‘Lo, here is Coz, and here is Miss.’ But, as he glozeth with speeches soote, The Ducke sore tickleth his Erse-roote: Fore-piece and buttons all-to-brest, Forth thrust a white neck and red crest. ‘Te-hee,’ cried ladies; clerkes nought spake; Miss stared, and grey Ducke crieth ‘quaake.’ ‘O Moder, Moder!’ quoth the Daughter, ‘Be thilke same thing Maids longen a’ter? Bette is to pine on coals and chalke, Then trust on Mon whose yerde can talke.’"

"Soft as the wild-duck’s tender young, That float on Avon’s tide;"

"The wild duck startles like a sudden thought"

"And when at Night - Our good Day done – I guard My Master’s Head – ’Tis better than the Eider Duck’s Deep Pillow – to have shared –"

"All along the backwater, Through the rushes tall, Ducks are a-dabbling, Up tails all!Ducks’ tails, drakes’ tails, Yellow feet a-quiver, Yellow bills all out of sight Busy in the river!Slushy green undergrowth Where the roach swim— Here we keep our larder, Cool and full and dim.Everyone for what he likes! We like to be Heads down, tails up, Dabbling free!High in the blue above Swifts whirl and call— We are down a-dabbling Up tails all!"

"How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks."