The Big Book of Fables
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THt- BIG BOOK- OF
FABLES
EDITED BY V^LTERJERROiD •
AND ILIUSTRTCTEB BY-
CHARLES ROBINSON-
AND
JJ^NL HARVEY
PORTLAND HOUSE
NEW YORK
This edition published 1987 by Portland House
Distributed by Crown Publishers, Inc.
225 Park Avenue South
New York, New York 10003
This edition. Copyright © Lamboll House, 1987
Black and White illustrations.
Copyright © The Estate of Charles Robinson, 1987
Color illustrations. Copyright ©Lamboll House, 1987
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
means, electronic,
or transmitted, in any form or by any
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
permission of the copyright holder.
without the prior
ISBN 0-517-63790-1
Printed and bound in Hungary
h gf edc ba
WTRovucr/oi^-
S fables — stories in which birds and beasts, trees
and insects, speak in the manner of men
belong to the oldest kind of tales that are
told, to the kind which savage as well as
in
civilized peoples have alike delighted, so in
a sense they may be said to belong to the
newest, for each of us begins the lessons of
life as they are presented in these shortest of
short stories. Even the very youngest reader
of this book will probably already know some-
thing of one or two of the stories, for some
of them have become so familiar to everybody, that references
to them are part of everyday talk. A small child who has
refused to let another have a toy with which he was not
/^T^IO T> UC TIO?^
playing may
wonder why his nurse or
well
mother has called him "a little dog-in-the-
—
manger" in one of these stories he will
learn why, and will surely do his best not
to deserve the name again! That is the
first use of the fable, we now under-
as
stand it — to teach us how to behave to
others. But it does not teach us by merely
saying "be good", ''be kind", "be just"; /[)/7iil
it teaches us by telling a delightful little
story with a *'
moral ". The story is for
our amusement, and the moral is one of the
little lessons which we may learn from it.
We may well laugh, for instance, at
that other foolish dog that dropped his
piece ofmeat into the water while greedily
trying to snatch the reflection which he
thought another piece of meat, but having
done so we are likely to remember that
greediness is a foolish thing which soon \
brings about own punishment.
its There
are some people who pretend to dislike
these morals, but they are short-sighted
folks who think that a thing should be
only beautiful, and do not see that it is
still more beautiful if it is useful as well.
Fortunately most people do not agree with
those short-sighted folks, and thus it is
that some of our fables have been repeated
again and again, not only for hundreds,
but actually for thousands of years.
i^^C^T^o T> uc t/o:ac
Yes, even thousands of years; for the
man whose name is most commonly asso-
ciated with our fables is that of ^Esop,
who died nearly two thousand five hun-
dred years ago. It is true that we do not
know much about JEsop; it is probable
that most of the stories to which his name
is attached were never told by him, and
it may certainly be said that he did not
invent the fable; yet he is of interest as
being the first author whose name is as-
sociated with these little stories, ^sop
is said to have been a Greek slave who
was born about six hundred and twenty
years before the birth of Christ, and died
at about the age of sixty. Some accounts
describe him as having been deformed;
but these accounts, it must be remem-
bered, were written long after his death,
and it is not really known what he was
like. Some of the stories of him say that
though at one time a slave, he was given
his freedom by his master and lived for a
while at the court of King Croesus, and
that he once dined with those philosophers
known asSeven Sages. When the
the
people of Athens were thinking of changing
their ruler, ^sop is said to have told
them his fable of "The Frogs Choose a
King" for the purpose of pointing out to
them how it was possible, in the eagerness
i!h(ri^T)Ucrio:Ni
to change, to pass from bad to worse,
^sop is indeed supposed to have told his
stories always by word of mouth, for it
is not known whether he ever wrote them
down. It was seven or eight hundred
years after his death that the first collec-
tion of the fables that we know as his
was made by a writer named Babrius
supposed to have been a Roman living
in the East.
Very little is indeed known with any
certainty of any of the old writers or col-
lectors of fables. The fables of Bidpai
(or Pilpay) were early Oriental tales; but
perhaps the most generally known name
in association with fables after that of
-/Esop is that of Jean de la Fontaine, one
of the leading French men of letters of
his time. La Fontaine, who was born in
1621 and died in 1695, published his first
Fables in 1668. Several of his stories
are the same as those associated with the
earlier collections — though he set them
forth in a new verse form — and
many of
the verse fables given in this "Big Book"
.zy
are translated from La Fontaine. Many
later writers have given us fables, though
few with the neat brevity of ^sop. Pos-
sibly a score of different authors, or even
more, are represented in this volume.
Here will be found one. The Raven, by
i&
/JA^r^^O T> UC TlO^Ni
William Cowper, the author of The
Diverting History of yohn Giipin, and
one, The Mountain and the Squirrel, by
the great American author, Ralph Waldo
Emerson, as well as some by yet more
recent writers. In all, the intention is
the same, to present a little story which
shall entertain us by what it tells, and
teach us by what it implies. As La
Fontaine himself put it
" We yawn at sermons, but we gladly turn
To moral tales, and so amused we learn".
WALTER JERROLD.
cojfrdj/rs
A Peacock and a Crane
The Lion and the Hunter
..----
------
PAGE
i
Two
A Countryman and a Snake -----
Travellers and a Bag of
-----
Money - - - - 4
6
A Huntsman and a Currier-
A Hen and Golden Eggs
The Hornets and the Bees
------
- - - - - -
8
10
12
The Wolf accusing the Fox before the Monkey -
15
A Fly upon the Wheel - - - - - - 17
------
Love Stung by a Bee - -19
-
----.--22
A Countryman and a River
- - - -
20
A Wolf and a Crane
The Two Pots -------- xi
25
co:j^Te\Ts
PAGE
The Dairywoman and the Pot of Milk - - - 26
The Lion in Love - - - - - - -28
A Young Man and a Swallow - - - - - 31
The Two Bulls and the Frog
Fortune and the Beggar ------
------
- ~ " * - 33
34
A Wolf in
The Council Held
a Sheepskin
------41
by the Rats
37
39
A Fox AND A Leopard -
Mercury and a Carpenter .---..
-
-----.-4^
- - - -
42
A Dog and a Shadow
The Cock and the Pearl ---...
-------47 46
Two Sides of a Story
The Boy and the Schoolmaster -----
------ ^o
A Fowler and a Partridge
A Maid and a Needle ----.--^4 ^2
The Bat and the Two Weasels -
A Countryman and a Hawk -----
-----
- - - - 55
^^
The Hare and the Tortoise
Two Cocks Fighting -------62
-------64
60
A Frog and a Mouse
The Lion Going to War ...... 66
A -----
A Dog and a Cock upon a Journey
-------73
Peacock complaining to Juno
- - - - 68
69
A
Two
Mouse and a Kite
-----
--------76
Frogs that Wanted Water 74
A Bear and Bees
The Man and his ------
Image 78
Trees Straight and Crooked
The Raven and the Swan
A Lad Robbing an Orchard
------
-----
- - - - - 81
83
84
An
Many Tails
Ass, a Lion,
--------86
The Dragon with Many Heads, and the Dragon with
...
and a Cock - - 89
xli
CO^(Te!A(TS
The Peach, Apple, and Blackberry - - - - 9c
-91
The Raven - -
The Man and a Satyr
-
-.----.94
- -
----,..^6
- - -
Industry and Sloth
An Eagle and Rabbits
A Wolf and a Lamb
-------99
- - - - - - - 100
The Fisherman and the Little Fish - - - . 102
The Fox and the Grapes - - - - - -104
The Cockerel, the Cat, and the Young Mouse - - 105
The Bear and the Amateur Gardener - - - 108
The Crows and a Mussel - - - - - - 112
Jupiter and a Herdsman - - - - - -114
The Cat, the Weasel, and the Young Rabbit - - 115
A Man that carried His Plough to ease his Oxen - 118
The Heron - - - - - - - - -120
The Cat and the Rat - - - - - - - 122
The Stag, the Horse, and his Rider - - - - 126
The Fishes and the Frying-pan - - - - - 129
The Frogs choose a King -
An Ape and a Dolphin
The Two Buckets - -
.--.__
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-134
130
j^^
The Use of Knowledge - - - - - - 136
A Countryman and a Boar - - - - - -138
The Monkey and the Cat
A Lion and a Bear
A Wolf Turned Shepherd
----...
------
140
i^^
144
Two Travellers Find an Oyster - - - - - 146
The Foolish Chicken - - - - - - . 147
The Little Pine Tree - - - - - - -151
A Swallow and a Spider - - - - -
-153
A Swallow and Other Birds - - - - - 155
A Stag Drinking - - - - . - - -156
A Merchant and a Seaman - - - - - - 158
Xlll
CO\TS!J^TS
PAGE
A Fox AND A Goat i6i
An Oak and a Willow 162
The Fox and the Turkeys 163
The Beasts and a Boot 165
^^^^
An Ass and a Lion
A Snake and a File 170
A Bee that went over to the Drones- - - - 171
The Brier and the Gardener 172
The Tortoise and the Two Ducks - - - - ^75
A Jackdaw and Borrowed Feathers - - - - 178
The Mountain and the Squirrel I79
^^^
The Two Statues
An Eagle sets up for a Beauty 182
The Thrush and the Jay 185
A Satyr and Fire ^^^
The Ant and the Cricket 190
A Boy and False Alarms I93
The Crab and its Mother - - - - - - I94
The Ploughshare and the Sword - - - - ^95
A Fox AND A Cat ^9^
The Heifer, Goat, and Sheep in Company with the
Lion 200
The Phcenix chosen King 201
A Fop
Silly -^^S
The Sheep Leagued against the Wolves - - - 206
A Wolf, Kid, and Goat 208
Two Laden Asses - " -211
The Chameleon ^^^
A Mountain and a Mouse 214
A Dog and a Thief ^^7
The Pig and the Hen ^^^
An Eagle and other Birds ^^^
The Eclipse - - 223
XIV
co\Ts\rs
A Father and his Sons------ PAGE
226
------
The Ass wearing the Lion's Skin
A Farmer and his Servant
- - - . 229
230
-----
The Ass, the Dog, and the Master
------
A Gardener and his Landlord
- - - - 231
234
The Cat and the Mouse
-----
-------
The Husbandman and the Stork
237
238
A Fox and a Raven
-----
The North Wind and the Sun
240
242
An Ant and a Pigeon
A Horse and an Ass -------
------
243
245
--_--.
The Eagle, Cat, and Sow
----,.
The Mouse and the Bull
The Discontented Dog
246
249
250
A Lion and a Mouse-------
A Fig Tree and a Thorn - - - - - -251
252
Boys and Frogs
A
A
Skittish Horse-
-
---....
- -
Consultation about Securing a City
- - -
-
-
-
-254
-
257
258
A
A
Fox AND A Stork
Fox AND A Sick Lion-.-.-.
-
261
262
Two Laden Asses
The Man and the Fox
-----.-.
The Kite, Hawk, and Pigeons
--..,.
- - - . .
263
264
267
A -----.
The Fox that Lost His Tail
Laden Ass and a Horse
The Fir Tree and the Bramble - - - - -
268
269
271
A Frog and an Ox
An Old Lion ----.-..
- -
------
- - - . .
273
274
A Woman and her Hen
An Old Man and an Ass------ 276
279
The Dog in a ---.._
A City Mouse and a Country Mouse
Manger
XV
- - - - 280
282
CO^T€:^(TS
PAGE
Mercury and a Sculptor 285
The Fly and the Ant - 287
288
The Cheese - - -
Against the Hard to Suit 291
/z z asTf^s^r/oAfs
COLOURED PLATES
Facing
Page
__
A Peacock and a Crane
The Hornets and
The Hare and
the Bees
the Tortoise
—
________(^
—
— ---
—
— -24
— — _ —
— —
g
A Dog and a Cock upon a Journey — — — — — — -25
A Bear and Bees — — — — — — — — — — -.2
An Eagle and Rabbits - - - - - - - - -7I
-gg
The Eox and the
The Frogs Choose
Grapes
A Wolf turned Shepherd
King ------
—
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
—
-
—
-
—
--89
- _i^2
vvii 2
ILL US TT(A riO!N^
Page
A Swallow and a Spider - - - — — — - -'53
A Swallow and Other Birds - - - - - - - -i68
An Oak and a Willow - - - - - - - - -169
The Thrush and the Jay - - - - - - - -184
The Ant and
The Crab and
A Mountain and a Mouse
the Cricket
its Mother ________ -
—
-
—
-
-
-
-
-
—
-
-
-
—
-185
-201
200
The Cat and
A Fox and a
the
Raven
Mouse
_________
-
_________
- - - - - - - -232
233
An Ant and
The
a Pigeon
Eagle, Cat, and Sow ________
_____ ___
248
249
The Discontented Dog
A Lion and a Mouse
A City Mouse and a
_________
Country Mouse — — —
_
— — - —
264
265
280
The Dog in a Manger — — — — — — — — — 281
BLACK-AND-WHITE PLATES
" The Braggart, prompt his flight to take-----
_>_--- "
3
Two Travellers Find a
The Countryman Finds
" And mounted a tree
,__.--
Bag of Money
----------9
a Snake
5
" She cut it up -11
to search for treasure " - - - - -
" And brought before a vi^asp the suit " - - - - - -^S
" A bee pricked his finger '* - - - - - - - -18
" Shallowest w^here
" The Crane did him
it
-------
made most
----------24
the good office
noise " - - - - - -21
23
The Two Pots
" Upon the sight of a -------
swallow
"
30
"
"
Two
A beggar
bulls engaged
------
in
was going slowly along
shocking battle "
a road
- - - - - - 32
35
" Old Rodilard, a certain cat "
Mercury and the Carpenter --------43
-
--------44
- - - - - - - 3^
The Dog sees
"How was may I ask?"
"
it,
His Shadow
A fowler had taken a partridge
--------49
--------53 xviii
ILL usr%A rio^s
"
"A
The Weasel let the creature go "
country fellow had the luck to capture a
-------57
-58 hawk" - - -
Page
The
^<
"
Tortoise
Two
Down
Wins
cocks fought a duel
comes a kite
the
"-----___
Wager -61
"-.-----65
upon them
- - - - - -
63
The Peacock Complaining
The Ungrateful Kite
" They discovered a very deep
-_--_____-71
-75
-
well
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
72
" Brought them out
The Straight and Crooked Trees
in
-_--_-_ -77
whole troops
--------82
- - - - -
80
The Raven Envies the Swan
" Threw a handful of grass at him -__,__
-___-___ " - 85
" Climb'd
The Satyr
like a squirrel
is Surprised --->-_-__
"
---------
^-j
^5
A
"
Lazy Young Fellow
And carried them away "-----___
-----
t^l
^8
"Once caught with horsehair line a tiny
" The other screamed and off I fled"
"A garden was
—
his favourite care
--_-__
------- "
fish" 103
107
109
" The royston-crow took his advice - - - - - -113
'"
" Said Clapperclaw :
' My kits, approach - - - - -117
"Thou mayest carry me well enough, when I carry the plough " - - 119
" The noose did suddenly surprise her " - - - - - - 123
" Thus they pursued the stag - - - - •= - -127
"Made a prey of his subjects - - - - -. - -131
The Dolphin and the Ape
"Two
The
buckets in an ancient well "
Discussion - -
-
-
-------
^
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-132
-139
135
"Sly Bertrand and Ratto
The
"Why
Crafty Wolf turns Shepherd
in company sat"
should I not swim, then, as well as a duck?"
___-_. - -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
141
145
149
" Saw the leaves of gold - - - - - - - -150
" Called a company of little birds together '' - - - - - 154
"A stag was drinking upon the bank of a clear stream " - « -157
The Merchant and the Seaman - ^ - - - - -159
Reynard Laughs at the Goat - - ^ - - - - -160
" They chased the poor old owl out of the wood " - - - - 167
xix
ILL USTT^TIO:]^
Page
"In old times a lion shook hands with an ass" - - - - - 169
" Hark ye, Honest John - - - - - - - -173
" It made the people gape and stare - - - - - -176
The Rival Sculptors - - - - - - - - -180
"The Eagle gave her voice for herself" - - - - - -183
The Thrush and the Jay - - - - - - - -184
"* Have a care of your beard "
', says Prometheus - - - - 189
"Away he set off to a hardworking ant " - - - •- - -191
" The ploughshare and the sword met one another " - - - - 197
" The cat presently takes a tree " - - - - - - -199
" Couriers were immediately dispatched " - - - - - - 203
" Up stands one of the company with a challenge " - - - - 204
The
"
"
Up
And
Sheep Run Away on
comes a wolf to the door --------
the Appearance of the
that which eased the one drowned the other "
Wolf
-
_
-
_
-
_
-
207
209
210
" Out came at last a ridiculous mouse " - - - - - -215
"Would have stopped his barking by giving him food " _ - _ 216
" The pig and the hen, both got in one pen " - - - - -219
"Went and placed herself between us and Phoebus" - - - _ 225
" They turned
" In lion's skin
it
an ass -------
up over and over "-
once went about
- - - - - - 227
228
**
" The garden-stuff goes all
" Came sniffing round
------
Loaded him with heavier burdens than before"
----------
to wreck "
- - _ - 232
235
236
" And him a limping stork "
began to pray - _ _ _ _ 239
" But upon the opening of
The Proud
" So she went with her
------
Horse and the Humble Ass
his mouth he drops
tale to the eagle " -
his breakfast"
- - -
-
-
-
-
241
244
247
" In pain he tried to catch it"- - - - - - - - 248
"A
"A
mouse ran out to see what
company of boys were watching frogs"
it
-----
was
--------
all about" - _ - - 253
255
" Flying out at his
The Council of Mechanics
own shadow
-------- 256
259
" The collation was served up in glasses
" Out comes a band of highwaymen "--_--- with long narrow necks
" - 260
265
" Applied a light, and sent it forth " -
" A fir tree and a bramble disagreed " ------ XX
- •• - - - - 266
270
ILL usr%driou^
Page
" And see if I don't make myself now the bigger of the two - 272
" "
He was a miserable creature to all intents and purposes - 275
" So she gave the bird more and more food " - - - 277
" An old man and a little boy were driving an "
ass - 278
" A churlish, envious cur was gotten into a manger " - - 283
Mercury and the Sculptor
The Fly and the Ant
" 'We sit here to do justice
------
',
_
says he
_
"
_ _ _ -
-
284
286
289
"O^-Vtu-xlA—'U--'.^
a peacock anb a Crane
As and a crane were in company together,
a peacock
the peacock spread his tail, and challenged the other to
show him such a fan of feathers. The crane, upon this,
sprang up into the air, and calls to the peacock to follow
him if he could.
"You brag of your plumes," says he, ''that are fair
indeed to the eye, but no way useful or fit for any manner
of service."
Moral. — TAa^ which is useful is of more importance than
that which is merely ornamental.
{C429)
rne lio?^ ^!]\(p
W^t lion anb tije blunter
A braggart, lover of the chase,
Had lost a dog of valued race,
And thought him in a lion's maw.
He ask'd a shepherd whom he saw:
Pray show me, man, the robber's
**
place.
And I '11 have justice in the case."
'"Tis on this mountainside,"
The shepherd man replied.
"The tribute of a sheep I pay,
Each month, and where I please I stray."
Out leap'd the lion as he spake.
And came that way with agile feet.
The braggart, prom.pt his flight to take.
Cried: "Jove, Oh, grant a safe retreat!"
Moral. —
A danger close at hand
Of courage is the test.
It shows us who will stand —
Whose legs will run their best.
rne Hu:h{re\
THE BRAGGART, PROMPT HIS FLIGHT TO TAKE'
TfFO r^AVSLLST^ ^J^
®too CrabelletiBi anb a iBag of iMonep
As two travellers were upon the way together, one of
them stooped, and took up something.
**
Look ye here," said he, "I've found a bag of
money."
**
No," said the other; "when two friends are together,
you may not say / have found it, but we have found it."
The word was no sooner out, but immediately comes
a hue and cry after a gang of thieves that had taken a
purse upon the road.
" Lord, brother," says he that had the bag, " we shall
be utterly undone!"
"Oh, fie!" "you must not say we shall
says the other;
be undone, but / shall be undone; for if I'm to have no
part in the finding, sure I '11 never go halves in the punish-
ment."
Moral. — // is necessary to take the bad as well as the
good of a bargain.
^ n^q OF mouiSY
TWO TRAVELLERS FIND A BAG OF MONEY
5
.A COU?^T(YM^?^
^ Countrpman anb a ^nafee
A countryman happened in a hard winter to spy under
a hedge a snake that was half-frozen to death. The man
was good-natured and took it up, and kept it in his bosom
till warmth brought it to life again; and so soon as ever
it was in condition to do mischief it bit the very man that
saved the life of it.
"Ah, thou ungrateful wretch!" says he; "is that venom-
ous ill-nature of thine to be satisfied with nothing less than
the ruin of thy preserver?"
Moral. —Discrimination should be used even in benefactions.
^:>(p ^ s:h^¥^
THE COUNTRYMAN FINDS A SNAKE
7
^ Hu^rs^^:js(^
^ ^unteman anJ) a Currier
A bought a bearskin of a huntsman, and paid
currier
him ready money for it. The huntsman told him that he
would kill a bear next day, and he should have the skin.
The currier, for his curiosity, went out with the huntsman
to the chase, and mounted a tree, whence he might see
the sport. The huntsman advanced very bravely up to the
den where the bear lay, and sent in the dogs upon him.
The bear rushed out immediately, and, the man missing
his aim, the bear overturned him. So the fellow held his
breath, and lay stone still, as if he were dead. The bear
snuffed and smelt him, took him for a carcass, and so left
him. When the bear was gone, and the danger over,
down came the currier from the tree, and bade the hunts-
man rise.
"Hark ye, my friend," says the currier, "the bear
whispered somewhat in your ear. What was it, I prithee?"
"Oh," says the huntsman, "he bade me have a care,
for the future, to make sure of the bear, before I sell his
skin!"
Moral. — // is not good for a man to undertake more
than he can fulfil.
.
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A Peacock and a Crane
.^ ^-x^ f^-n.^-. /^^-^--^ :^^y^\^:^^"<^^^]^^P^
"^7^ ^C^C^^^
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/vtr ^'-^
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r/ie Hornets and the Bees
)
^:hP ^ cuT^iei^^
AM) MOUNTED A TREE'
( 429
(
9
^ H6U^ ^!^(P
^ J|en anb (Solben Cggsi
A certain good woman had a hen
that laid her golden eggs, and so she
thought that the bird must have a
gold mine in it. Upon this presump-
tion she cut it up to search for hidden
treasure; but upon the dissection found
her just like other hens, and that the
hope of getting more had betrayed her to the loss of that
which she had possessed.
Moral. — To be content may be rich, while covetousness may
bring a 7nan to beggary.
goLTts:^ eggs
"SHE CUT IT UP TO SKARCH FOR TREASURE
[I
rns HOT^NSTs
W(^t ^ornetg anb tfje Peeg
"^^HE by his work is known."
artist
A piece of honeycomb, one day,
Discovered as a waif and stray,
The hornets treated as their own.
Their title did the bees dispute,
And brought before a wasp the
suit.
The judge was puzzled to decide,
For nothing could be testified
Save that around this honeycomb
There had been seen, as if at home.
Some longish, brownish, buzzing creatures,
Much like the bees in wings and features.
But what of that? for marks the same
The hornets, too, could truly claim.
Between assertion and denial,
The wasp, in doubt, proclaim'd new trial;
And, hearing what an anthill .swore.
Could see no clearer than before.
"What use, I pray, of this expense?"
At last exclaim'd a bee of sense.
" We've months in this affair.
labour'd
And now are only where we were.
Meanwhile the honey runs to waste:
'T is time the judge should show some haste.
The parties, sure, have had sufficient bleeding.
Without more fuss of scrawls and pleading.
^:j^ ths Bses
AND BROUGHT BEFORE A WASP THE SUIT"
13
Let 's set ourselves to work, these drones and we,
And then all eyes the truth may plainly see.
Whose art it is that can produce
The magic cells, the nectar juice."
The hornets, flinching on their part.
Show that the work transcends their art.
The wasp at length their title sees.
And gives the honey to the bees.
Moral. —
Would that all suits at laws with us
Might each be managed thus:
That we might, in the Turkish m.ode,
Have simple common sense for code'.
They then were short and cheap affairs,
Instead of stretching on like ditches,
Ingulfing in their course all riches,
The parties leaving for their shares
The shells (and shells their might be moister)
From which the court had suck'd the oyster.
H
IVOLF, FOX, ^:h(p M0^I{6Y
tKfje Molf accusing tfje jFox
before ti)e iMonfeep
A wolf, affirming his belief
That he had suffer d by a thief,
Brought up his neighbour fox
Of whom it was by all confessed,
His character was not the best
To fill the prisoner's box.
As judge between these vermin,
A monkey graced the ermine;
And truly other gifts of Themis
Did scarcely seem his;
For while each party pled his cause,
Appealing boldly to the laws,
And much the question vex'd,
Our monkey sat perplex'd.
15
WOLF, FOX, ^:HP MO:h(K§Y
Their words and wrath expended,
Their strife at length was ended;
When, by their malice taught.
The judge this judgment brought:
" Your characters, my friends, I long have known,
As on this trial clearly shown;
And hence I fine you both the grounds — at large
To state would little profit
You, wolf, in short, as bringing groundless charge,
You, fox, as guilty of it."
Come at it right or wrong, the judge opined
No other than a villain could be fined.
Moral. —A man should be S7tre of his oivn innocence before
acctising another.
i6
^4 FLY UTO^Nl TH8 H
IV SSL
% Jflp upon rtje Mfjcel
"What a dust I do raise!" says the flyupon the coach
wheel. "And what a rate I do drive at," says the same fly
again, upon the horse's back.
Moral. —// is ve^y easy to exaggerate our own importance.
(C42Q) X7
LOVS STC/MV
A BEE PRICKED HIS FINGER"
i8
sy j: "Bee
Hofae ^tuns bp a Pee
As Cupid was amusing himself among the flowers
and the roses, a bee pricked his finger, and away goes he
with a lamentable story to his mother of a serpent that
had stung him.
Alas for thee, poor simple wretch," cries the mother,
**
"to make such a business of a pricked finger, and at the
same time to be so insensible of the anguish of so many
wounded hearts!"
Moral. —None are so unmerciful to other people as those
that are the most indulgent to themselves.
19
^ cou?irT(YM^:Nl^
^ Countrpman anb a Eiber
A countryman that was to pass a river, sounded it up
and down to try where it was most fordable, and upon trial
he made this observation on it: where the water ran smooth
he found it deepest, and, on the contrary, shallowest where
it made most noise.
Moral, —A silent enemy is more danger oils than one zvko
babbles much.
20
e^^AGD ^ 'KI'08\
SHALLOWEST WHERE IT MADE MOST NOISE"
21
^ W^OLF
% WM anti a Crane
A wolf had got a bone in his throat, and could think
of no better instrument to ease him of it than the bill of a
crane; so he went and treated w4th a crane to help him
out with upon condition of a very considerable reward
it,
for his pains. The crane did him the good office, and then
claimed his promise.
"Why, how now, Impudence!" says the other; "do
you put your head into the mouth of a wolf, and then,
when you've brought it out again safe and sound, do you
talk of a reward? Why, sirrah,you have your head again,
and is not that a sufficient recompense?"
Moral. —He that has to deal with a villain may be glad to
escape with his skin.
^5\(o A ciy:}(€
"THE CRANE DID HIM THE GOOD OFFICE"
23
rH8 rivo Tors
THE TWO POTS
24
L
U0\A^^
'^i><^di<^zf^i^. ^^^ ay
- H'^ & ' V
;(*/
a0-
— 71. '1 ,
i^-
A Dog and a Cock upon a Journey
^^C^^^^ ^C^ &' ^
IP
rne tjvo tots
t^de Wmti $otsi
^HERE were two pots that stood near
one another by the side of a river,
the one of brass and the other of
clay. The water overflowed the banks
and carried them both away. The
earthen vessel kept aloof from the
other as much as possible.
*'
Fear nothing," says the brass
pot; ** I'll do you no hurt."
No, no," says the other, " not
"
willingly; but if we should happen
toknock by chance, it w^ould be the
same thing to me, so that you and I shall never do
well together."
Moral. — Un equal alliances are dangerous to the weaker.
'/. —'• /'J
( C 420 ) 2S
T7/(? TOr OF MILK^
W^t ©airptooman anb ti)e ^ot of jWilfe
A pot of milk upon her cushion'd crown,
Good Peggy hasten'd to the market town;
Short clad and light, with speed she went,
Not fearing any accident;
Indeed, to be the nimbler tripper,
Her dress that day.
The truth to say.
Was simple petticoat and slipper.
And, thus bedight.
Good Peggy, light
Her gains already counted
Laid out the cash
At single dash,
Which hundred eggs amounted.
to a
Three nests she made.
Which, by the aid
Of diligence and care were hatch'd.
"To raise the chicks,
I'll easy fix,"
Said she, "beside our cottage thatch'd.
The fox must get
More cunning yet.
Or leave enough to buy a pig.
With little care
And any fare.
He'll grow quite fat and big;
And then the price
Will be so nice,
26
THS TOT OF MILt^
For which the pork will sell!
Twill go quite hard
But in our yard
I '11 bring a cow and calf to dwell
A among the flock!"
calf to frisk
The thought made Peggy do the same;
And down at once the milk-pot came,
And perish'd with the shock.
Calf, cow, and pig, and chicks, adieu!
Your mistress' face is sad to view;
She gives a tear to fortune spilt;
Then with the downcast look of guilt
Home to her husband empty goes,
Somewhat in danger of his blows.
Moral. —
Who buildeth not, sometimes, in air
His cots, or seats, or castles fair:
From, kings to dairywomen —all—
The wise, the foolish, great and sviall-
Each thinks his ivaking dream the best.
Some flattering error fills the breast:
The world zvith all its wealth is ours,
Its honours, dames, and loveliest bowers.
Instinct with valour, when alone,
I hurl the monarch from his throne;
The people, glad to see him dead.
Elect me monarch in his stead.
And diadems rain on my head.
Some accident then calls me back,
And Tm no more than simple Jack.
27
rHs Liou\^ /^ Love
W^t Hion in ILobe
LION fell in love with a country lass,
and desired her father's consent to have
her in marriage. The answer the man
gave was churlish enough; he'd never
agree to it, he said, upon any terms, to marry his daughter
to a beast. Upon this the lion gave him a severe look, which
brought the bumpkin, on second thoughts, to strike a bargain
with him, upon these conditions: that his teeth should be
drawn, and his nails pared; for those were things, he said, of
which the foolish girl was terribly afraid. The lion sends
for a surgeon immediately to do the work. (What will not
love make a body do?) And so soon as the operation was
28
rne lio^^ i:ni lovs
over, he goes and claims fulfilment of the father's promise.
The countryman, seeing the lion disarmed, plucked up a
good heart, and with a swinging cudgel so ordered the
matter, that he broke off the match.
Moral. — Strength viay be overcome by cunning.
29
^ YOUNg M^:Ni
"UPON THE SIGHT OF A SWALLOW
30
AU^ ^ SIV^LLOW
^ ^oung iWan anb a ^toalloto
A prodigal young fellow who had sold his clothes to
his very shirt, upon the sight of a swallow that came before
her time, made sure that summer was now at hand, and
away that went too. There happened after this a fit of
bitter cold weather that almost starved both the bird and
the spendthrift.
"Well," says the fellow to himself, "this sort of a
swallow has been the ruin of us both."
Moral. — One swallow does not make a summer.
31
THS TfVO 'BULLS
^SS>
"TWO BULLS ENGAGED IN SHOCKING BATTLE'
32
^^p THS Fi^og
(E^lje tKtoo PuUg anir tlje Jfrog
Two bulls engaged in shocking battle,
Both for a certain heifer's sake,
And lordship over certain cattle;
A frog began to groan and quake.
"
But what is this to you?"
Enquired another of the croaking crew.
" Why, sister, don't you see.
The end of this will be.
That one of these big brutes will yield,
And then be exiled from the field?
No more permitted on the grass to feed.
He'll forage through our marsh, on rush and reed;
And while he eats, or chews the cud,
Will trample on us mud. in the
Alas! to think how frogs must suffer
By means of this proud lady heifer!"
This fear was not without good sense.
One bull was beat, and much to their expense;
For, quick retreating to their reedy bower,
He trod on twenty of them in an hour.
Moral. —
Of little folks it oft has been the fate
To suffer for the follies of the great.
(c 429 33
F0T^U:^(6 ji:h(T>
Jfortune anb tije Peggar
Abeggar was going slowly along a road, grumbling
because he was so poor. Yet he thought it strange that so
many other people were not contented with their lot.
"Why," said he, "there is a man across the street who
is worth hundreds of pounds, yet he is working like a slave
to get more. I heard some men talking yesterday about
a man who had lost all his money in his desire to become
richer than his neighbours. What a silly man he must be!
Now would be contented with a very small sum."
I
He had not gone many steps farther, when Dame
Fortune all at once met him.
" I have long wished to help you," she said. " Hold
out your hat and I will fill it with gold. But bear this in
mind: if a single coin falls out of it, all the gold will turn
to dust."
The beggar was almost beside himself with joy. He
took off his hat —a very old one —and Fortune poured into
it such a stream of golden coins that the hat soon became
very heavy.
"Is that enough?" asked Fortune.
" Not quite enough," said the beggar.
"The hat is beginning to break."
" Never mind, I will risk it."
"Think a moment; have you not enough now?"
" Pour in just a little more."
"There, 'tis quite full. Take care."
"Just one more."
34
THs Begg^ii
"A BEGGAR WAS GOING SLOWLY ALONG A ROAD'
35
FOT^uo^ ^3\[p THs Begg^\
"The strain upon the hat was too seam ingreat. A
it burst. The coins fell through the opening and turned
to dust. Fortune went away, and the beggar was as poor
as before.
"Well, I call that a mean trick," he said. "She might
have left me the price of a new hat." And he went on
grumbling to the end of his days.
Moral. — Those who seek to grasp overmuch often end by
losing all.
36
A fVOLF /^ ^ SHSSTSKJ^C
^ Molf in a ^^ttpMn
There is a story of a wolf that wrapped himself up in
a sheepskin, and worried lambs for a good while under
that disguise; but the shepherd met with him at last, and
hung him up, sheepskin and all, for a spectacle and an
example. The neighbours made a wonderment of it, and
asked him what he meant to hang up his sheep.
" Oh," says he, " that's only the skin of a sheep that
was made use of to cover the heart, malice, and body of a
wolf that shrouded himself under it!"
Moral. — Appearances are sometimes deceptive.
37
THS COU:^IL H6LT>
OLD RODILARD, A CERTAIN CAT'
38
BY THe T^TS
^f)t Council ijelb bp tf)e Eats
Old Rodilard, a certain cat,
Such havoc of the rats had made,
'Twas difficult to find a rat
With nature's debt unpaid.
The few that did remain.
To leave their holes afraid,
From usual food abstain.
Not eating half their fill;
No wonder no one will.
That one who made of rats his revel,
With rats pass'd not for cat, but devil.
Now, on a day, this dread rat-eater.
Who had a wife, went out to meet her;
And while he held his caterwauling.
The unkill'd rats, their chapter telling,
Discuss'd the point, in grave debate.
How they might shun impending fate.
Their dean, a prudent rat.
Thought best, and better soon than late,
To bell the fatal cat;
That, when he took his hunting round,
The rats, by the sound,
well caution'd
Might hide in safety underground;
Indeed he knew no other means.
And all the rest
At once confess'd
Their minds were with the dean's.
39
rne t^ts' council
No better plan, they all believed,
Could possibly have been conceived;
No doubt the thing would work right well,
If anyone would hang the bell.
But, one by one, said every rat,
" I *m not so big a fool as that."
The plan, knock'd up in their respect,
The council closed without effect.
And many a council I have seen,
Or reverend chapter with its dean,
That, thus resolving wisely.
Fell through like this precisely.
Moral. —
To argue or refute
Wise counsellors abound;
The 7nan
'
to execute
Is harder to be found.
40
^ FOX ^^(p ^ LSOT^T(p
^ jTox anb a Heoparb
S a leopard was valuing himself upon
the lustre of his parti-coloured skin, a
fox gave him a jog, and whispered
him, -that the beauty of the mind was
an excellence infinitely above that of a painted outside.
Moral. —External beauty is not to be valued for itself.
{ c 429 41
MST^UT^ ^:h(p
illercurp anb a Carpenter
A carpenter dropped his axe into a river, and put up
a prayer to Mercury to help him to it again. Mercury
dived for it, and brought him up a golden one; but that
was not it, the fellow said, and so he plunged a second
time, and fetched up another of silver. Once more he said
that was not it. Mercury tried again, and then up comes
an axe with a wooden handle, which, the carpenter said,
was the very tool he had lost.
"Well," says Mercury, "thou art so just a poor wretch
that I'll give thee all three now for thy honesty."
This story was got into everybody's mouth, and the
rumour being spread, it came into a knave's head to try
the same experiment over again. And so away goes he,
and down he sits, snivelling and yelping, upon the bank of
a river, that he had dropped his axe into the water there.
Mercury, who was at hand, heard his lamentation, and
dipping once again for his axe, as he had done for the
other, up he brings him a golden axe, and asks the fellow
if that were it.
"Yes, yes," says he, "this is it."
"Oh, thou impudent sot," cries Mercury, "to thmk of
putting tricks upon him that sees through the very heart
of thee!"
Moral. —Honesty is the best policy.
42
^ c^T^e3^e\
MERCURY AND THE CARPENTER
43
^ T>og ^:h(p
THE DOG SEES HIS SHADOW
44
^ SH^T>OJV
^ ISos anb a ^tabotu
As a dog was crossing a river, with a morsel of good
meat in his mouth, he saw, as he thought, another dog
under the water upon the very same adventure. He never
considered that this was only the reflection of himself, but,
out of a greediness to get both pieces of meat, he bites at
the shadow, and loses the substance.
Moral. —If you covet all you may lose all.
45
rHe cocF^ ^:nj:> ths ts^t^l
Cije Cocfe anb tfie ^earl
COCK scratch 'd up, one day,
A pearl of purest ray,
Which to a jeweller he bore.
"I think it fine," he said;
" But yet a crumb of bread
To me were worth a great
deal more."
So did a dunce inherit
A manuscript of merit.
Which to a publisher he bore.
"Tis good," said he, "I'm
told.
Yet any crown of gold
To me were worth a great
deal more."
Moral. —A thing may be worthless to one, which is of great
value to others.
46
rwo siT>es of ^ stoi^y
b!>^
tirtDO ^ihtsi of a ^torp
"What the matter?" said Growler to the tabby cat,
is
as she sat moping on the step by the kitchen door.
"Matter enough!" said the cat, turning her head the
other way; " our cook talks of hanging me. I wish very
much someone would hang her."
" Why, what is the matter?" again asked Growler.
" Has she not beaten me, and called me a thief, and said
she would kill me?"
"Dear, dear!" said Growler. "Pray, what has brought
that about?"
"Oh, nothing at all! It is her temper. I wonder the
mistress does not send her away."
"Well, you see," replied Growler, "she is very useful
in the house. might be spared much more easily."
You and I
" Not a drop of milk have I had this day," said the cat,
"and such a pain in my side!"
" But what is the cause?" asked Growler.
47
TlVO SIT>8S
" Have I not told you?" said the cat crossly. *'
It's her
temper —oh, what I have had to suffer from it! She blames
me for everything that is stolen. Really, I cannot bear it."
Growler was quite angry; but after a little while he
asked: "But was there really no cause for her being cross
this morning?"
" She was angry because I hurt her feelings," said
the cat.
Growler said: " How was it, may I ask?"
"Oh, nothing worth telling a mere mistake of mine!" —
replied the cat.
Growler looked at her so strangely that she added:
" I took the wrong thing for my breakfast."
"Oh!" said Growler, beginning to understand. "Why,
the fact is," continued the cat, "while springing at a mouse,
I knocked down a dish, and, not knowing exactly what was
"
in it, I smelt it, and it was rather nice, and
"You finished it?" hinted Growler.
"Well, I think I should have done so, if that meddle-
some cook had not come in. As it was, I left the head."
"The head of what?" asked Growler.
"What a number of questions you ask!" said the cat.
" Nay, but I should like to know," said Growler.
" Well, then, it was the head of the fish that was meant
for dinner."
"Then," said Growler, "say what you please; but since
I have heard both sides of the story, I only wonder that the
cook did not hang you."
Moral. —It is necessary to see both sides in a quarrel.
48
OF ^ STOTIY
"HOW WAS IT, MAY I ASK?'
( c 429 49
rne "boy ji^d
Ciie llSop anb ttie ^ctoolmasiter
BOY, that frolick'd on the banks of
Seine,
Fell in, and would have found a watery
grave.
Had not that hand that planteth ne'er
in vain
A willow planted there, his life to
save.
While hanging by its branches as he might,
A certain sage preceptor came in sight;
To whom the urchin cried: "Save, or I'm drown'd!"
The master, turning gravely at the sound.
Thought proper for a while to stand aloof,
And give the boy some seasonable reproof.
"You little wretch! this comes of foolish playing.
Commands and px*-ecepts disobeying.
A naughty rogue, no doubt, you are,
Who thus requite your parents' care.
Alas! their lot I pity much,
Whom fate condemns to watch o'er such."
This having coolly said, and more.
He pulled the drowning lad ashore.
This story hits more marks than you suppose.
All critics, pedants, men of endless prose
Three sorts, so richly bless'd with progeny,
The house is bless'd that doth not lodge any
50
THE SCHOOLM^STe\
May in it see themselves from head to toes.
No matter what the task,
Their precious tongues much teach;
Their help in need you ask,
You first must hear them preach.
Moral. —
Wise counsel is not always wise.
This little tale exemplifies.
SI
^ F0JVL6\
^ Jf otoler anb a ^artribge
A fowler had taken a partridge, and the bird offered
herself to decoy as many of her companions into the snare
as she could, upon condition that he would spare her life.
*' No," says he, "you shall die the rather for that very
reason, because you would be so base as to betray your
friends to save yourself."
Moral. —A traitoi" cannot hope to prosper.
^:hP ^ T^i^\iT>g€
A FOWLER HAD TAKEN A PARTRIDGE^
53
^ M^IT> ^:h(p ^ ^SeDLS
ia iWaib anb a i^eeble
A maid picked a quarrel with her needle, for pricking
her fingers.
" Nay," says the needle, was none of my
" it fault,
neither was it any act of mine; for you forced me to do
what I did, and I could not help it."
Moral. — We are too often inclined to lay the blame upon
others when we hurt ourselves.
54
THS B^T ^:a(p h^s^ssls
trfie ?Bat anb tije Wm Mea£(els(
A blundering bat once stuck her head
Into a wakeful weasel's bed;
Whereat the mistress of the house,
A deadly foe of rats and mice,
Was making ready in a trice
To eat the stranger as a mouse.
"What! do you dare," she said "to creep in
The very bed I sometimes sleep in,
Now, after all the provocation
I Ve suffer'd from your thievish nation?
Are you not really then a mouse,
That gnawing pest of every house.
Your special aim to do the cheese ill?
Aye, that you are, or I 'm no weasel."
" Ibeg your pardon," said the bat,
" My kind is very far from that.
55
THE B^T ^^p WS^SSLS
What! I a mouse! Who told you such a lie?
Why, ma'am, I am a bird;
And, you doubt my word,
if
Just see the wings with which I fly.
Long live the mice that cleave the sky!"
These reasons had so fair a show.
The weasel let the creature go.
By some strange fancy led,
The same wise blunderhead,
But two or three days later,
Had chosen for her rest
Another weasel's nest.
This last, of birds a special hater.
New peril brought this step absurd:
Without a moment's thought or puzzle.
Dame weasel oped her peaked muzzle
To eat th' intruder as a bird.
''Hold! do not wrong me," cried the bat;
" I 'm truly no such thing as that.
Your eyesight strange conclusions gathers.
What makes a bird, I pray? Its feathers.
I 'm cousin of the mice and rats.
Great Jupiter confound the cats!"
The by such adroit replying.
bat,
Twice saved herself from dying;
Moral. —
There 's many a human stranger
Thus turns his coat in danger;
And sings, as suits, where er he goes,
'' God save the king!'' — or, ''save his foes!''
56
THS "B^T ^3ip WSASSLS
THE WEASEL LET THE CREATURE GO'
( c 429 57 10
ex/ COUU^'I(Y^A?^
A COUNTRY FELLOW HAD THE LUCK TO CAPTURE A ILWYK'
.S8
c^^z) j: h^jvf^
^ Countrpman anb a ?|atDfe
A country fellow had the luck to capture a hawk in the
pursuit of a pigeon. The hawk pleaded for herself that she
never did countryman any harm, " and
the therefore, I
hope," says she, " that you'll do me none."
"Well," says the countryman, "and pray what wrong
did the pigeon ever do you? Now, by the reason of your
own argument, you must e'en expect to be treated yourself
as you yourself would have treated this pigeon."
Moral. —By speaking without thinking we may condemn ourselves
out of our own mouths.
ij^C,^..
S9
THS H^T(6 ^:h(p
Wi)t Hare anb tlie Woxtoisit
HAT a dull, heavy creature,"
says a hare, " is this same
tortoise!"
"And yet," says the tor-
toise, "I'll run with you for
a wager."
No sooner said than done,
and the fox, by consent, was
to be the judge. They started
together,and the tortoise kept
jogging on still till he came to
the end of the course. The hare laid himself down about
midway, and took a nap. " For," says he, " I can fetch up
the tortoisewhen I please." But, as it happened, he overslept
himself, for when he awakened, though he scudded away as
fast as it was possible, the tortoise got to the post before
him, and won the wager.
Moral. —Do not be over confident.
60
THe T0 1^01S6
THE TORTOISE WINS THE WAGER
6i
rivo coci^s
^too Cocfeg Jf isfjtins
Two cocks fought a duel for the
mastery of a poultry yard. He that
was worsted slunk away into a corner
and hid himself; the other takes his
flight up to the top of the house, and
there, with crowing and clapping of
his wings, makes proclamation of his
victory. An eagle made a stoop at
him in the middle of his exultation,
and carried him away. By this acci-
dent, the other cock had a good rid-
dance of his rival, took possession of
the yard they contended for, and had
all his mistresses to himself again.
Moral. —A and generous enemy
wise
will behave modestly over his victory for —
fortune is variable.
62
FignriNg
JHF
TWO COCKS FOUGHT A DUKL '
6;^
j: F'^pg ^:h(p
^ Jf ros anb a jHousie
There fell out a quarrel once betwixt the frogs and the
mice about the sovereignty of the fens, and whilst two of
their companions were disputing it at sword's point, down
comes a kite upon them and gobbles up both together, to
part the fray.
Moral. — When fools quarrel, knaves win.
64
j: mouse
"DOWN COMES A KITE UPON THEM"
( c 429 65 11
THe LIOU^
W^t ILim (going to Mar
HE lion had an enterprise
in hand,
Held a war council,
sent his provost-
marshal,
And gave the animals a call impartial
Each, in his way, to serve his high command.
The elephant should carry on his
back
The tools of war, the mighty
public pack.
And fight in elephantine way and
form
66
goiNg TO w^\
^^L The bear should hold himself pre-
T^j^^^^ pared to storm;
^^^
J^^Bl^^^^ The fox all secret stratagems should
HF^^ The monkey should amuse the foe
^ jP by tricks.
" Dismiss," said one, ''
the block-
head asses,
And hares, too cowardly and fleet."
"No," said the king, "I use all classes;
Without their aid my force were incom-
plete.
The ass shall be our
trumpeter, to scare
Our enemy. And then
the nimble hare
Our royal bulletins shall homeward bear."
Moral. —
A monarch provident
and wise
Will hold his subjects
all of consequence,
And know in each what talent
lies.
There 's nothing useless to a
man of sense.
67
J[ T>Og Ji^p ^ COCK^
^ 29os anb a Cocfe upon a Jfournep
Adog and a cock took a journey together. The dog
kennelled in the body of a hollow tree, and the cock roosted
at night upon the boughs. The cock crowed about mid-
night, at his usual hour, which brought a fox that was
abroad upon the hunt immediately to the tree; and there he
stood licking his lips at the cock, and wheedling to get him
down. He protested he never heard so angelical a voice
sing since he was born, and what would not he do now to
hug the creature that had given him so admirable a serenade.
"Pray," says the cock, "speak to the porter below to
open the door, and come down to you."
I'll
The fox did as he was directed, and the dog promptly
seized' and worried him.
Moral. — It will often be fo2Lnd that those who try to trick others
are tricked themselves.
^ TS^cocK^ A:h[p ju:>{p
v:b:
^ peacock complaining to 5uno
The peacock to the queen of heaven
Complain'd in some such words:
" Great goddess, you have given
To me, the laughing-stock of birds,
A voice which fills, by taste quite just,
All nature with disgust;
Whereas that little paltry thing.
The nightingale, pours from her throat
So sweet and ravishing a note,
She bears alone the honours of the spring.
69
^ TS^COCK^
In anger Juno heard,
And cried: "Shame on you, jealous bird!
Grudge you the nightingale her voice.
Who in the rainbow neck rejoice,
Than more richly tinted,
costliest silks
In charms of grace and form unstinted,
Who strut in kingly pride,
Your glorious tail spread wide
With brilliants which in sheen do
Outshine the jeweller's bow window?
Is there a bird beneath the blue
That has more charms than you?
No animal in everything can shine.
By just partition of our gifts divine,
Each has its full and pr-oper share;
Among the birds that cleave the air,
The hawk's a swift, the eagle is a brave one,
For omens serves the hoarse old raven,
The rook's of coming ills the prophet;
And if there's any discontent,
I 've heard not of it.
Cease, then, your envious complaint;
Or I, making up your lack.
instead of
Will take your boasted plumage from your back."
Moral. —Make use of the gifts you have instead of envying
those of others.
70
COMTUAI^I^G TO yU^Cp
THE PEACOCK COMPLAINING
7»
^ 040 use
THE UNGRATEFUL KITE
72
—
-V^7
^.
<^<^'^'0^h>^
r^ c^
^"-^c^ ^^v^^^^<f<^m
/'
\ /'
3
r- ^-^x
-5 \
>
u\
^
.^-^^
\
Yf \\ //" . A
M
,^_ 4L... **Lab -n
/^
& *'
<^ ^><^ r£]<;y^^^^^^c.i#^.^
k3
jf^^^ v.
V7
I » » o " . <
- a\i
Au^ ^ Kire
in i¥{ou£(e anb a %Xit
A simple mouse had the fortune to be near at hand
when a kite was taken in a net. The kite begged of her
to try if she could help her out. The mouse gnawed a hole
•in the net, and set her at liberty, —and the kite ate up the
mouse for her pains.
Moral. —Save a thief and you may suffer for doing so.
(C429) 73
12
TH^O FT^OgS TH^T
(KtDO jFrogsi tijat OTanteJj
Mater
Upon the drying of a lake, two
frogs were forced to quit it,and seek
for water elsewhere. As they were
upon the search they discovered a very
deep well.
"
Come," says one to the other,
" let us e'en go down here without
looking any farther."
" You say well," says his com-
panion; "but what if the water should
fail us here, too? How shall we get
out again?"
Moral. -/^ is good advice to look
before we leap.
s.no
74
iv^^HTBT) w^re\
THEY DISCOVERED A VERY DEEP WELL"
75
^ BS^T^^
^ pear anb pee^ei
A bear was so enraged once at the stinging of a bee,
that he ran like mad into the bee-garden, and overturned
all the hives in revenge. This outrage brought them out
in whole troops upon him, and he came afterwards to be-
think himself how much more advisable it had been to pass
over one injury than by an unprofitable passion to provoke
a thousand.
Moral. —// is foolish to avenge one injury by making
many enemies.
76
^5\(p "Bess
BkOUGIlT THEM OUT IN WllOLr: TKOOI'S"
77
THe MA:Ni ^^p
tCfje ilan anb ijisi image
MAN, who had no rivals in
the love
Which to himself he
bore,
Esteem'd his own dear
beauty far above
What earth had seen
before.
More than contented in
his error,
He lived the foe of every mirror.
Officious fate, resolved our lover
From such an illness should recover.
Presented always to his eyes
The mute advisers which the ladies prize;
Mirrors in parlours, inns, and shops,
Mirrors the pocket furniture of fops,
Mirrors on every lady's zone.
From which his face reflected shone.
What could our dear Narcissus do?
From haunts of men he now withdrew,
On purpose that his precious shape
From every mirror might escape.
But in his forest glen alone.
Apart from human trace,
A watercourse.
Of purest source.
While with unconscious gaze
78
HIS iMAge
He pierced its waveless face,
Reflected back his own.
Incensed with mingied rage and fright,
He seeks to shun the odious sight;
But yet that mirror sheet, so clear and still,
He cannot leave, do what he will.
Moral. —
Ere this, my story s drift you plainly see.
From, such mistake there is no m,ortal free.
That obstinate self lover
The human soul doth cover;
The mirror s follies are of other's,
ht which, as all are genuine brothers^
Each soul may see to life depicted
Itself with just such faults afflicted.
TTises sriiJigHT^
TREES
THE STRAIGHT AND CROOKED
80
^:acd ct^ook^d
tKreeg ^traigfit anb Croofeeb
There was a delicate plantation of
trees that were all well-grown, fair, and
smooth, save only one dwarf among them
that was knotty and crooked; and the
rest therefore held it in derision. When
the master of the wood had to build a
house, he appointed his workmen to
supply the timber out of that grove, and
to cut down every stick of it that they
found fit for service. They did as they
'^'^r
were ordered, and did it so well that this
ill-favoured tree was left alone.
^l~i -^
Moral. — Good fortune does not always f^} f^^
wait upon the beautiful.
./'•
\!
( c 429 81 13
THS %AV6:Ni
THE RAVEN ENVIES THE SWAN
82
.AJ\(P rne sw^?^
W(^t Eatien anb tfje ^toan
A raven had a great wish to be as white as a swan,
and fancied to himself that the swan's beauty proceeded
chiefly from his frequent washing and diet. The raven,
upon this, quitted his former course of life, and betook
himself to the lakes and rivers. But as the water did him
no good at all for his complexion, so the experiment cost
him his life too for want of proper food.
Moral. —Black is black and white is white.
J: LAT> T^p'B'BINq
^ ILab i^oWing an (I^rcijarb
An old man found a boy robbing his orchard.
"Sirrah," says he, "come down the tree, and don't
steal my apples."
The lad never minded him, but went on with his work.
" Well," says the master of the ground, " they say there
are charms in herbs, as well as in words," and so he threw
a handful of grass at him, which was so ridiculous that the
young thief took the old man to be silly.
" But, in conclusion, if neither words nor herbs will
do," says he, " I'll what may be done with stones, for
try
they say there's virtue in them too," and that way he did
his work.
Moral. — Those zvho will not amend through instruction must
be made to do so by punishment.
JH^ O'^CH.AT^
"THREW A JIANDKUL OK GRASS AT HIM
85
rHS rWO T>T(^GOUiS
W^t ©ragon tuitf) jUanp i|eabg, anb ttje
©ragon toitfj JWanp tKaite
An envoy of the Porte Sublime,
As history says, once on a time,
Before th' imperial German Court
Did rather boastfully report
The troops commanded by his master's
firman
As being a stronger army than the
German.
To which replied a Dutch attendant:
" Our prince has more than one dependant
Who keeps an army at his own expense."
The Turk, a man of sense,
Rejoin'd: *' I am aware
What power your emperor's servants share.
It brings to mind a tale both strange and true,
A thing which once, myself, I chanced to view.
86
I saw come darting through a hedge,
Which fortified a rocky ledge,
A hydras hundred heads; and in a trice
My blood was turning into ice.
But less the harm than terror;
The body came no nearer,
Nor could, unless it had been sunder'd
To parts at least a hundred.
While musing deeply on this sight,
Another dragon came to light.
rne two T>T(AGO0is
Who single head avails
To lead a hundred tails;
And, seized with juster fright,
I saw him pass into the hedge,
Head, body, tails a wedge —
Of living and resistless powers.
The other was your emperor's force; this ours."
Moral. — One leader is stronger than many leaders.
88
,ca c5^v „^
J^<^ ^v-^•'^ W^\?^tf^'<^iM x;
W
The Fox and the Grapes
I,/^ ;..- \ ^. -. 7 A> r
,
/r^ y .. >-'
&?
^<^.^>'^d:i<7^<?s
%f
K\
\^'
>H 1
-^v -«:si-^,-
^1A.\,
Ui I
^
\
^
The Frogs Choose a King
r
{>
A rU'x T^.v-^v
r.\'^\y^\'i^-' -H^ l}" n~J
r^
) ^
^^ .^6^6^ Jl LIO?^ ^ ^ COCF^
^n i^gg, a Hion, anb a Cock
As a cock and an ass were feeding together, up comes
a lion open mouthed toward the ass. The cock presently
cries out; away scours the lion, and the ass after him. Now
it was the crowing of the cock that frightened the lion, not
the braying of the ass, as that stupid animal vainly fancied
to himself; for so soon as ever they were out of the hearing
of the cock, the lion turned short upon him, and tore him
to pieces, with these words in his mouth: "Let never any
creature hereafter that has not the courage of a hare provoke
1»>
ion.
Moral. — The fool is wise and brave only in his own conceit
and suffers accordingly.
(
c 429 89 14
Te^CH ^TTLS &" "BL^CK^ST^Y
There happened a controversy once betwixt a peach
and an apple which was the fairer fruit of the two. They
were so loud in their discourse that a blackberry from the
next hedge overheard them.
" Come," says the blackberry, " we are all friends, and
pray let's have no jangling among ourselves."
Moral. —// is idle to dispute about trival matters.
90
rH6 %AV6^^
A raven, while with glossy breast
Her new-laid eggs she fondly pressed,
And on her wickerwork high mounted,
Her chickens prematurely counted
(A fault philosophersmight blame
If quite exempted from the same),
Enjoy'd at ease the genial day.
'Twas April as the bumpkins say:
The legislature called it May.
But suddenly a wind as high
As ever swept a wintry sky
Shook the young leaves about her
ears,
And filled her with a thousand fears.
Lest the rude blast should snap the
bow.
And spread her golden hopes below.
But just at eve the blowing weather
And all her fears were hushed to-
gether.
And now, quoth poor unthinking
Ralph,
'Tis over and the brood is safe;
(For Ravens — though, as birds of
omen,
They teach both conj'rers and old
women
91
ths %Ave:N^
To tell us what is to befall
Can't prophesy themselves at all).
The morning came, when neighbour Hodge,
Who long had marked her airy lodge,
And destin'd all the treasure there
A gift to his expecting fair,
Climb'd like a squirrel to his dray,
And bore the worthless prize away.
Moral. —
'
Tis providence alone secures
In every change, but mine and yours.
Safety consists not in escape
From dangers of a frightful shape;
An earthquake may be bid to spare
A man that's strangled by a hair.
Fate steals along with silent tread,
Found oft'nest in what least we dread.
Frowns in the storm, with angry brow.
But in the sunshine strikes the blow.
THS ^Ave^^
"CLIMB'D LIKE A SgUIRKEL"
93
TH8 MA^Ni
Cije iWan anb a ^atpr
THERE was a man and a
satyr that keptmuch
together. The man
put his fingers one
day to his mouth and blew upon
them.
''What's that for?" says the
satyr.
''Why," says he, "my hands
are extremely cold, and I do it to
warm them."
The satyr, at another time,
found this man blowing his por-
ridge.
"And, pray," says he, "what's
the meaning of that now?"
" Oh," says the man, " my
porridge is hot, and I do it to
cool it!"
" Nay," says the you satyr, " if
have a trick of blowing hot and
cold out of the same mouth, I have
done with you."
Moral. — It is foolish to judge
hastily.
94
e^^Z) ^ S^TYT^
THE SATYR IS SURPRISED
95
I!?(pi7ST7(Y
Snlrusitrp anb ^lotf)
A man
was asking a lazy-
young fellow what made him
lie in bed so long?
"Why," says he, "I am
hearing of causes every
morning; that is to say, I
have two lasses at my bed-
side so soon as ever I wake.
Their names are Industry
and Sloth. One bids me
get up, the other bids me
lie still, and so they give
me twenty reasons why I
should rise, and why I
should not. It is the part
in meantime of a just
the
judge to hear what can be
said on both sides; and be-
fore the cause is over, it is
time to go to dinner."
Moral. —/^ zs idle to ivaste in deliberation time ivkicli should
be spent in doing.
9»
^:hP sloth
uiUjI_,//LjJuki'
A LAZV YOUNG FELLOW
( c 429 )
Q7 16
^^ S^QLe
"AND CARRIED THEM AWAY^
98
^:j\(P '^jBBirs
^n Cagle anb Eabtiitg
There was an eagle that took a number of young
rabbits and carried them away to her young. The mother
followed her with tears in her eyes, begging her in the
name of all those powers that take care of the innocent
and oppressed to have upon her miserable
compassion
children. But she, in an outrage of pride and indignation,
tore them to pieces. The rabbit, upon this, convenes a
whole warren, tells her story, and advises upon a revenge.
**
For Justice," says she, will never suffer so barbarous a
'*
cruelty to escape unpunished." They debated the matter,
and came to a unanimous resolve upon the question, that
there was no way of paying the eagle in her kind but by
undermining the tree in the top of which she dwelt. So
they all fell to work at the roots of the tree, and left it so
little foothold, that the first blast of wind laid it flat upon
the ground, nest, eagles, and all. Some of them were
killed with the fall, others were eaten up by birds and
beasts of prey, and the rabbit had the comfort at last of
destroying the eagle's children in revenge for her own.
Moral. — The weak combined may overthrow the powerful.
99
^A IVOLF
% WM anb a Hamb
As a wolf was lapping at the head of a fountain, he
spied a lamb, paddling at the same time, a good way off
down the stream. The wolf had no sooner the prey in his
eye than away he runs openmouth to it.
"Villain," says he, "how dare you lie muddling the
water that I'm a-drinking?"
" Indeed," says the poor lamb, " I did not think that
my drinking there below could have fouled your water so
far above."
"Nay," says the other, "you'll never leave your chop-
ping of logic till your skin is turned over your ears, as
your father's was, a matter of six months ago, for prating
at this saucy rate. You remember it full well, sirrah!"
^^ip ^ UAOl'B
" If you'll believe me, sir," quoth the innocent lamb,
with fear and trembling, " I was not come into the world
then."
"Why, thou impudence," cries the wolf, "hast thou
neither shame nor conscience? But it runs in the blood of
your whole race, sirrah, to hate our family; and therefore,
since Fortune has brought us together so conveniently, you
shall e'en pay some of your forefathers' scores before you
and I part;" and so, without more ado, he leapt at the
throat of the miserable, helpless lamb, and tore him imme-
diately to pieces.
Moral. — Innocence is no protection against the cruelty
of a tyrant
THS FISHeT^A:Ni ^A?ip
Cfie Jfigfjerman anb tfie Hittle jFisii)
A fisherman, who all the seashore drain'd,
While he with slender rod sweet life maintained,
Once caught with horsehair line a tiny fish.
Ill-suited for the frying-pan or dish.
The gasping fish its captor thus besought:
"What am I worth? For what shall I be bought?
I'm not half-grown ! whom on yon rocky shore
My mother in the seaweed lately bore.
Now let me go; oh, kill me not in vain!
And you shall catch me when you come again,
On seaweed good ere then grown large and fine,
And meet to grace a board where rich men dine."
As thus she prayed, she raised a piteous moan.
And panted much; but the old man was stone.
Vain was her hope with winning words to plead;
He said, while piercing her with ruthless reed:
" Who holds not fast a small but certain prize
Is but a fool, to seek uncertainties!'
THS LITTLS FISH
"ONCE CAUGHT WITH HORSEHAIR LINE A TINY FISH"
103
THS FOX ^Xp THS g^ATSS
W^t jFox anb tije (drapes!
There was a time when a fox would have ventured as
far for a bunch of grapes as for a shoulder of mutton, and
it was a fox of those days, and of that taste, that stood
gaping under a vine, and licking his lips at a most delicious
cluster of grapes that he had spied out there; he tried a
hundred and a hundred leaps at it, till at last, when he
was weary, and found that there was no good to be done,
"Hang 'em," said he, "they are sour," and so away he
went, turning off the disappointment with a jest.
Moral. —// is easy to find an excuse for disappointment
104
cocF^T^L c^r ^:np Mouse
Zift Cocfeerel, tije Cat, anb tfie goung Monit
A youthful mouse, not up to trap,
Had almost met a sad mishap.
The story hear him thus relate,
With great importance, to his mother:
" I pass'd the mountain
bounds of this estate,
And off was trotting on another.
Like some young rat with naught to do
But see things wonderful and new.
When two strange creatures came in view.
The one was mild, benign, and gracious;
The other, turbulent, rapacious.
With voice terrific, shrill, and rough.
And on his head a bit of stuff
That look'd like raw and bloody meat,
Raised up a sort of arms, and beat
The air, as if he meant to fly,
And bore his plumy tail on high."
A cock, that just began to crow.
As if some nondescript,
From far New Holland shipp'd,
Was what our mouseling pictured so.
"He beat his arms," said he, **and raised his voice,
And made so terrible a noise.
That I, who, thanks to Heaven, may justly boast
Myself as bold as any mouse,
Scud off (his voice would even scare a ghost!),
And cursed himself and all his house;
( c 429 105 16
TH6 COCK§T(eL THS CAT
For, but for him, I should have stayed,
And doubtless an acquaintance made
With her who seem'd so mild and good.
Like us, in velvet cloak and hood.
She wears a tail that 's full of grace,
A very sweet and humble face,
No mouse more kindness could desire,
And yet her eye is full of fire.
Ido believe the lovely creature
A friend of rats and mice by nature.
Her ears, though, like herself, they're bigger.
Are and figure.
just like ours in form
To her I was approaching, when,
Aloft on what appear d his den,
—
The other scream'd and off I fled."
" My son," his cautious mother said,
" That sweet one was the cat,
The mortal foe of mouse and rat.
Who seeks, by smooth deceit,
Her appetite to treat.
So far the other is from that,
We yet may eat
His dainty meat;
Whereas the cruel cat,
When'er she can, devours
No other meat than ours."
Moral. —
Remember, while you live,
It is by looks that men deceive.
io6
^:h(p THS YOuuiG Mouse
"THE OTHER SCREAMED— AND OFF I FLED"
107
THe BS^Tl ^NT> TH6
W^t pear anb tije Amateur (garbener
A certain mountain and rude,
bear, unlick'd
By fate confined within a lonely wood,
A new Bellerophon, whose life
Knew neither comrade, friend, nor wife,
Became insane; for reason, as we term it,
Dwells never long with any hermit.
'T good to mix in good society.
is
Obeying laws of due propriety;
And better yet to be alone;
But both are ills when overdone.
No animal had business where
All grimly dwelt our hermit bear;
Hence, bearish as he was, he grew
Heartsick, and long'd for something new.
While he to sadness was addicted,
An aged man, not far from there.
Was by the same disease afflicted.
A garden was his favourite care
Sweet Flora's priesthood, light and fair,
And eke Pomona's — ripe and red
The presents that her fingers shed.
These two employments, true, are sweet
When made so by some friend discreet.
The gardens, gaily as they look,
Talk not (except in this my book);
So, tiring of the deaf and dumb.
Our man each morning left his home
1 08
AM^r6u\ g^Tip6?^\
"A GARDEN WAS HIS FAVOURITE CARE"
109
THS "BSATi^ ^NT> THS
Some company to seek,
That had the power to speak.
The bear, with thoughts the same,
Down from his mountain came;
And in a solitary place.
They met each other, face to face.
It would have made the boldest tremble;
What did our man? To play the Gascon
The safest seem'd. He put the mask on,
His fear contriving to dissemble.
The bear, unused to compliment,
Growl'd bluntly, but with good intent,
*'Come home with me." The man replied:
**Sir Bear, my lodgings, nearer by,
In yonder garden you may spy,
Where, if you '11 honour me the
while.
We'll break our fast in rural style.
—
I've fruits and milk unworthy fare.
It may be, for a wealthy bear;
But then I offer what I have."
The bear accepts, with visage grave.
But not unpleased; and on their way,
They grow familiar, friendly, gay.
Arrived, you see them side by side,
As if their friendship had been tried.
To a companion so absurd
Blank solitude were well preferr'd;
Yet, as the bear scarce spoke a word,
The man was left quite at his leisure
To trim his garden at his pleasure.
Sir Bruin hunted —always brought
His friend whatever game he caught;
But chiefly aim'd at driving flies
Those bold and shameless parasites,
That vex us with their ceaseless bites
From off our gardener's face and eyes.
One day, while stretch'd upon the ground
The old man lay, in sleep profound,
A fly that buzz'd around his nose
And bit it sometimes, I suppose
Put Bruin sadly to his trumps.
At last, determined, up he jumps;
" I'll stop thy noisy buzzing now,"
Says he; "I know precisely how."
No sooner said than done.
He seized a paving-stone;
And by his modus operandi
Did both the fly and man die.
Moral. —
A foolish friend may cause more woe
Than could, indeed, the wisest foe.
Ill
THS CT^WS A!J\(P
®i)e Crotog anir a iWuggel
There was once a Royston-crow that was battering
upon a mussel, and could not break the shell to get at
the fish. A carrion crow comes up and tells him that
what he could not do by force he might do by stratagem.
"Take this mussel up in the air," says the crow, "as
high as you can carry it, and then let him fall upon that
rock there. His own weight, you shall see, will break him."
The Royston-crow took his advice, and it succeeded
accordingly. But while the one was up in the air, the other
stood waiting upon the ground, and flew away with the
fish.
Moral. —Some people are kind to their neighbours for
their own sakes.
112
^ MUSSSL
"THE ROYSTON-CROW TOOK HIS ADVICE"
( c 429
IT
JUTIT6T{^ .A?ip J: H6T^SM^!M^
Jupiter anb a ilerbsman
A herdsman that had lost a calf out of his grounds,
sent up and down after it; and when he could get no
tidings of it he betook himself at last to his prayers.
" Great Jupiter," says he, **
do but show me the thief
that stole my and I'll give thee a kid for a sacrifice."
calf,
The word was no sooner passed but the thief appeared;
which was indeed a lion. This discovery put him to his
prayers once again.
" I have not forgotten my vow," says he, " but now
thou hast brought me to the thief I'll make that kid a bull
if thou wilt but set me quit of him again."
Moral. — We cannot be too careful in the making of vows
and promises.
114
C^r WS^SSL ^J{p RABBIT
W^t Cat, t!)e Meascl, anb tijc goung
aaabbtt
John Rabbit's palace underground
Was once by Goody Weasel found.
She, sly of heart, resolved to seize
The place, and did so at her ease.
She took possession while its lord
Was absent on the dewy sward,
Intent upon his usual sport,
A courtier at Aurora's Court.
When he had browsed his fill of clover
And cut his pranks all nicely over.
Home Johny came to take his drowse,
All snug within his cellar-house.
The weasel's nose he came to see,
Outsticking through the open door.
^'Ye gods of hospitality!"
Exclaim'd the creature, vex^d sore,
" Must I give up my father's lodge?
Ho, Madam Weasel, please to budge,
Or, quicker than a weasel's dodge,
I'll call the rats to pay their grudge!"
The sharp-nosed lady made reply,
That she was first to occupy.
The cause of war was surely small
A house where only one could crawl!
And though it were a vast domain,
Said she, " I'd like to know what will
Could grant to John perpetual reign,
115
THS CAT THS JVSASSL
The son of Peter or of Bill,
More than to Paul, or even me."
John Rabbit spoke —great lawyer he
Of custom, usage, as the law,
Whereby the house, from sire to son,
As well as all its store of straw.
From Peter came at length to John.
Who could present a claim so good
As he, the first possessor, could?
" Now," said the dame, " let 's drop dispute.
And go before Raminagrobis;
Who'll judge, not only in this suit,
But tell us truly whose the globe is."
This person was a hermit cat,
A cat that played the hypocrite,
A saintly mouser, sleek and fat,
An arbiter of keenest wit.
John Rabbit in the judge concurr d,
And off went both their case to broach
Before his majesty, the furr'd.
Said Clapperclaw: "My kits, approach,
And put your noses to my ears:
I 'm deaf, almost, by weight of years."
And so they did, not fearing aught.
The good apostle, Clapperclaw,
Then laid on each a well-arm'd paw,
And both to an agreement brought,
By virtue of his tusked jaw.
This brings to mind the fate
Of little kings before the great.
ii6
A^p THS Y0U:HG T^'BBir
"SAID CLAPPERCLAW: 'MY KITS, APPROACH'"
117
A MAJ^ THAT
^ iWan tiiat catrietr fjig ^lougi) to ease
Ijisi <J^xen
A peasant that had ploughed himself and his oxen quite
a-weary mounted an ass, with the plough before him, and
sent the oxen to dinner. The poor ass, he found, was ready
to sink under the load, and so he took up the plough, and
laid it upon his own shoulders.
" Now," says he to the ass, " thou may est carry me well
enough, when I carry the plough."
Moral. —// is better to reason carefully than quickly.
ri8
CAT^eT> HIS TLOUQH
"THOU MAYEST CARRY ME WELL ENOUGH, WHEN I CARRY THE PLOUGH"
119
rne hst^o:}^
One day — no matter when or where
A long-legg'd heron chanced to fare
By a certain river's brink,
With his long, sharp beak
Helved on his slender neck:
Twas a fish-spear, you might think.
The water was clear and still.
The carp and the pike there at will
Pursued their silent fun,
Turning up, ever and anon,
A
golden side to the sun.
With ease might the heron have made
Great profits in his fishing trade.
So near came the scaly fry,
They might be caught by the passer-by.
But he thought he better might
Wait for a better appetite
For he lived by rule, and could not eat,
Except at his hours, the best of meat.
Anon his appetite return'd once more;
So, approaching again the shore.
He saw some tench taking their leaps,
Now and then, from their lowest deeps.
With as dainty taste as Horace's rat,
He turn'd away from such food as that.
''What, tench for a heron! poh!
I scorn the thought, and let them go."
The tench refused, there came a gudgeon;
" For all that," said the bird, " I budge on.
THE H6'^p:Ni
I '11 ne'er open my beak, if the gods please,
For such mean little fishes as these."
He did it for less;
For it came to pass.
That not another fish could he see;
And, at last, so hungry was he.
That he thought it of some avail
To find on the bank a single snail.
Moral. —
Such is the sure result
Of being too difficult.
Would you be strong, and great.
Learn to accommodate.
Get what you can, and trust for the rest;
The whole is oft lost by seeking the best.
Above all things, beware of disdain;
Where, at most, you have little to gain.
The people are fnany that make
Every day this sad mistake.
'Tis not for the herons I put the case,
Ye featherless people, of human race.
— List to another tale as true.
And you' II hear the lesson brought home to you.
(C429) 18
THS CAT
tirte Cat anb tfje Eat
Four creatures, wont to prowl
Sly Grab-and-scratch, the cat,
Grave Evil-bode, the owl,
Thief Nibble-stitch, the rat,
And Madam Weasel, prim and
fine
Inhabited a rotten pine.
A man their home discover'd there.
And set, one night, a cunning
snare.
The cat, a noted early riser,
Went forth, at break of day.
To hunt her usual prey.
Not much the wiser
For morning's feeble ray,
The noose did suddenly surprise
her.
Waked by her strangling cry,
Grey Nibble-stitch drew nigh:
As full of joy was he
As of despair was she;
For in the noose he saw
His foe of mortal paw.
"Dear friend," said Mrs. Grab-
and-scratch,
" Do, pray, this cursed cord de-
tach.
I Ve always known your skill,
a:^(P ths t(at
«'THE NOOSE DID SUDDENLY SURPRISE HER"
123
THS CAT
And often your goodwill;
Now help me from this worst of snares,
In which I fell at unawares.
Tis by a sacred right,
You, sole of all your race,
By special love and grace,
Have been my favourite
The darling of my eyes.
'Twas order'd by celestial cares,
No doubt; I thank the blessed skies,
That, going out to say my prayers,
As cats devout each morning do,
This net has made me pray to you.
Come, work upon the cord."
fall to
Replied the rat: "And what reward
Shall pay me, if I dare?"
"Why," said the cat, "I swear
To be your firm ally:
Henceforth, eternally.
These powerful claws are yours.
Which safe your life insures.
I'll guard from quadruped and fowl;
I '11 eat the weasel and the owl."
"Ah," cried the rat, "you fool!
I'm quite too wise to be your tool."
He said, and sought his snug retreat.
Close at the rotten pine tree's feet,
Where plump he did the weasel meet;
Whom shunning by a happy dodge.
He climb'd the hollow trunk to lodge;
124
A:NP TH6 T(AT
And there the savage owl he saw.
Necessity became his law,
And down he went, the rope to gnaw.
Strand after strand in two he bit,
And freed, at last, the hypocrite.
That moment came the man in sight;
The new allies took hasty flight.
A good while after that,
Our liberated cat
Espied her favourite rat.
Quite out of reach, and on his guard.
"My friend," said she, *' I take your shyness hard;
Your caution wrongs my gratitude;
Approach, and greet your stanch all}'.
Do you suppose, dear rat, that I
Forget the solemn oath I mew'd!"
"Do I forget," the rat replied,
"To what your nature is allied?
To thankfulness, or even pity,
Can cats be ever bound by treaty?"
Moral. —
Alliance from necessity
Is safe just while it has to be.
"5
THS Sr^q TH6 HOT^S
W^t ^tas, ttie ^orsie anti f)ig M\itx
HORSE, who had never
yet been ridden, was feed-
I~\ ing in freedom in a grassy
plain, when he observed
that a broad-horned stag was
grazing by him. He thought
he had no reason to fear, but
that the plainwould produce
grass enough for them both,
and that he had this advan-
tage over the stag, that he
might find his food in the
thickets or woods, where the
horns of the other would not
permit him to look for his;
yet desiring to have both plain
and woods to himself, he be-
sought a man to get up on
his back, and to pursue and
kill the swift-footed stag. This
the man readily consented to
do, but told the horse that,
for their greater ease and
pleasure, would be neces-
it
sary for him to be bridled and
saddled. The horse, hoping
the more certainly to kill the
stag, and thereby to range sole
126
^:^(P HIS li/'DS'Il
"THUS THEY PURSUED THE STAG
127
THS H0T(S6 ^NT> HIS 1iIT>6T{
lord and master over all the grassy soil, willingly yielded
to it, and opened his mouth to receive the bit, and offered
his back to the saddle. Thus they pursued the stag, and
the poor beast was caught and slain. Then the horse,
believing the rider had obtained his ends as well as him-
self, desired him to alight and ease him of his heavy
weight. But the man answered, That he had not killed
the stag only for his interest, but to make himself merry
with it among his friends, and that he must be contented
to carry him and the stag too home to his house. The
horse, though loath, was forced\to do so, and then desired
the man a second time to get off his back. But he replied
again, That he must carry him to fetch some bread to eat
with his venison; adding withal, that he now saw how
serviceable a beast a horse was to man, either for carrying
or drawing their heavy burdens, but that they were chiefly
necessary in horse-mills; and that, in short, it was very
reasonable that beasts should be tamed, and taught to obey
men. Upon this the horse began to kick and fling as he
had been mad, thinking to throw his rider; but he sate
fast in the saddle, and plied him so furiously with whip
and spur, that the horse was forced to submit, and suffered
himself to be harnessed in a horse-mill, where ever after-
wards he was kept to hard labour, and had no more food
allowed him than so much as that man, his then master,
thought fit.
Moral. —It is foolish to enlist a stronger ally to help
one to attain a selfish end.
12S
THS F/SHSS ^A^p FT^INg-T^^J^
W^t jFigljes! anb l^t Jf rpinspan
A cook was frying a dish of and so soon as
live fish,
ever they felt the heat of the pan, "There's no enduring
of this," cried one, and so they all leapt into the fire, and
instead of mending the matter they were worse now than
before.
Moral. —It is easy to go from bad to ivorse.
(C429) 129 19
THS FT(pgS
ZKfje Jf rogg cijoosie a l^ixiSL
In days of old, when the frogs were all at liberty in
the lakes, and grown quite weary of living without govern-
ment, they petitioned Jupiter for a king, to the end that
there might be some distinctiongood and evil, by
of
certain equitable rules and methods of reward and punish-
ment. Jupiter, who knew the vanity of their hearts, threw
them down a log for their governor; which, upon the first
dash, frightened all of them into the mud for the very
fear of it. This panic terror kept them in awe for a
while, till in good time one frog, bolder than the rest, put
up his head, and looked about him, to see how matters
went with their new king. Upon this, he calls his fellow
subjects together, opens the truth of the case, and nothing
would serve them then but riding a-top of him; insomuch
that the dread they were in before is now turned into
insolence and tumult. This king, they said, was too tame
for them, and Jupiter must needs be entreated to send
them another. He did so, but authors are divided upon
it, whether was a stork or a serpent; though whichever
it
of the two it was, he left them neither liberty nor pro-
perty, but made a prey of his subjects. Such was their
condition in fine, that they sent Mercury to Jupiter yet
once again for another king, whose answer was this:
"They that will not be contented when they are well,
must be patient when things are amiss with them; and
people had better rest where they are, than go farther, and
fare worse."
Moral. —In changing for the sake of changing we may
easily go from bad to worse.
130
CH00S6 ^ JQNg
"MADE A PREY OF HIS SUBJECTS"
131
^^ ^TS ^U^
THE DOLPHIN AND THE APE
132
^ T>OLTHI0\(i
^n ^pe anb a BoIpi)tn
In days of old, when people carried apes and puppies
with them to sea for their entertainment, there was an ape
aboard a vessel that was wrecked in a very bad storm. As
the crew were struggling in the water, a dolphin, mistaking
the ape for a man, offered to take him to the land. As
they were travelling along, the dolphin asked the ape whether
he was an Athenian or not. Yes, answered the ape, saying
that he was of a very ancient family there.
*'Why, then," says the dolphin, "you know Piraeus."
"Oh, exceedingly well!" says the ape, mistaking the
name of a place for the name of a man. "Why, Piraeus
is my very particular good friend."
The dolphin was at this so indignant at the impudence
of the pretender that he let him slip off and left him to
drown.
Moral. —Idle bragging is likely to have an ill ending.
\ y
•33
TH6 TJVO "BUCKETS
Two buckets in an ancient well
Got talking once together,
And aftersundry wise remarks
No doubt about the weather
"Look here!" quoth one; "this life we lead
I don't exactly like;
Upon my word, I 'm half-inclined
To venture on a strike.
For —do —
you mind? however full
We both come up the well.
—
We go down empty always shall,
For ought that I can tell."
''That's true," the other said; "but then—
The way it looks to me
However empty we go down
We come up full, you see."
Wise little bucket! If we each
Would look at life that way,
Would dwarf its and magnify
ills,
Its blessings day by day,
The world would be a happier place,
Since we should all decide
Only the buckets full to count.
And let the empty slide.
Moral. —Look upon the bright side of things.
134
THS TfTO BUCKETS
"TWO BUCKETS IN AN ANCIENT WELL"
135
THS use OF K^0fVL6T>g6
tli)t Wist of Unotuletise
Between two citizens
A controversy grew.
The one was poor, but much he knew:
The other, rich, with little sense,
Claim'd that, in point of excellence,
The merely wise should bow the knee
To all such money'd men as he.
The merely fools, he should have said;
For why should wealth hold up its head
When merit from its side hath fled?
" My friend," quoth Bloated-purse,
To his reverse,
*'
You think yourself considerable.
Pray, tell me, do you keep a table?
What comes of this incessant reading,
In point of lodging, clothing, feeding?
It gives one, true, the highest chamber,
One coat for June and for December,
His shadow for his sole attendant,
And hunger always in th' ascendant.
What profits he his country, too.
Who scarcely ever spends a sou
Will, haply, be a public charge?
Who more the state at large.
profits
Than he whose luxuries dispense
Among the people wealth immense?
We set the streams of life a-flowing;
We set all sorts of trades a-going,
n6
THe use OF i{N0JVL6T>ge
The spinner, weaver, sewer, vendor,
And many a wearer, fair and tender,
All live and flourish on the spender—
As do, indeed, the reverend rooks
Who waste their time in making books."
These words, so full of impudence,
Received their proper recompense.
The man of letters held his peace.
Though much he might have said with ease.
A war avenged him soon and well;
In it their common city fell.
Both abroad; the ignorant.
fled
By fortune thus brought down to want,
Was treated everywhere with scorn,
And roamed about, a wretch forlorn;
Whereas the scholar, everywhere.
Was nourish'd by the public care.
Moral. —
Let fools the studious despise;
There's nothing lost by being wise.
(C429) ,37
j: couo\(rRYMAu^
^ Countrj^man anb a l^oar
COUNTRYMAN caught
a boar in his corn once,
and cut off one of his
ears. He caught him a
second time, and cut off
the other. He caught
him a third time, and
made a present of him
to his landlord. Upon
the opening of his head
they found he had no
brains,and everybody fell
a wondering and dis-
coursing upon it.
" Sir," says the clown,
'*
if this boar had had any
brains, hewould have taken the loss of both his ears for a
warning never to come into my corn again."
Moral. —He must be a fool who will take no warning.
138
^JA(p ^ ^0^\
THE DISCUSSION
'39
THS MOU^SY
Wf)t iWonfeep anb ti)e Cat
LY Bertrand and Ratto in com-
pany sat
(The one was a monkey, the
other a cat),
Co-servants and lodgers:
More mischievous codgers
Ne'er mess'd from a platter,
since platters were flat.
Was anything wrong in the
house or about it,
The neighbours were blameless
— no mortal could doubt it;
For Bertrand was thievish,and Ratto so nice,
More attentive to cheese than he was to the mice.
One day the two plunderers sat by the fire.
Where chestnuts were roasting, with looks of desire.
To steal them would be a right noble affair.
A double inducement our heroes drew there
'T would benefit them, could they swallow their fill.
And then 'twould occasion to somebody ill.
Said Bertrand to Ratto: "My brother, to-day
Exhibit your powers in a masterly way,
And take me these chestnuts, I pray.
Which were I but otherwise fitted
(As I am ingeniously witted)
For pulling things out of the flame,
Would stand but a pitiful game."
140
c^JA^D THS C^T
SLY BERTRAND AND RATTO IN COMPANY SAT"
141
rns MO^K^Y .A:h(p ths cat
"Tis done," replied Ratto, all prompt to obey,
And thrust out his paw in a delicate way.
First giving the ashes a scratch.
He open'd the coveted batch;
Then lightly and quickly impinging.
He drew out, in spite of the singeing.
One after another, the chestnuts at last
While Bertrand contrived to devour them as fast.
A servant girl enters. Adieu to the fun.
Our Ratto was hardly contented, says one.
Moral. —
No more are the princes, by flattery paid
For furnishing help in a difl^erent trade.
And burning their fingers to bring
More power to some mightier king.
142
^ LIO:Ni ^ANT> ^ BS^T^^
^ Hunt anb a pear
NCE a lion and a bear had a fawn be-
twixt them, and were at it tooth and
which of the two should carry it
nail
off. They fought it out till they were
glad to lie down and take breath. In which instant, a fox
passing that way, and finding how the case stood with the
combatants, seized upon the fawn for his own use, and
scampered away with it. The lion and the bear saw the
whole action, but, not being in condition to rise and hinder
it, they passed this reflection upon the whole matter: Here
have we been worrying one another who should have the
booty, till this fox has robbed us both of it.
Moral. — It is the foolishness of others that gives the knave
his opportunity.
U3
A WOLF TU'I^6T>
There was a crafty wolf that
dressed himself up like a shepherd,
with his crook, and all his trade
about him, to the very pipe and
posture. This masquerade succeeded
so well that in the dead of the night
once, when the men and their dogs
were all fast asleep, he would be
offering at the shepherd's voice and
call too. But there was something
of a howl in the tone that the
country presently took an alarm at,
and so they upon him in his
fell in
disguise, when he was so shackled
and hampered that he could neither
fight nor fly.
Moral. — The cleverest disguise is
liable to discovery.
144
SHSTHST^
THE CRAFTY WOLF TURNS SHEPHERD
{C429) 145 21
riVO r^AVSLLST^
Ctoo tICrabeUetsi Jfinb an 0v^itx
As two men were walking
by the seaside at low water,
they saw an oyster, and they
both pointed at it together.
The one stoops to pick it up,
the other gives him a push,
and tells him: "Tis not yet
decided whether it shall be
yours or mine."
While they were disputing
their title to it, a third man
comes that way, and to him
they referred the matter which
of the two had the better right to the oyster. The arbi-
trator very gravely takes out his knife, and opens it; the
plaintiffand defendant at the same time gaping
at the
man to see what would come of it: He loosens the fish,
gulps it down, and, so soon as ever the morsel was gone,
wipes his mouth and pronounces judgment.
" My masters," says he, with the voice of authority,
" the Court has ordered each of you a shell, without costs,
and so pray go home again and live peaceably among
your neighbours."
Moral. —If two cannot agree, they may readily be despoiled
by a third.
146
rue FOOLISH chicf^o^
Cfie Jfoolisii) Cijicfeen
HERE was a round pond, and a
pretty pond too;
About it white daisies and violets
grew,
And dark weeping willows, that
stoop to the ground,
Dipped in their long branches,
and shaded it round.
A party of ducks to this pond
would repair,
To feast on the green waterweeds that grew there;
Indeed, the assembly would frequently meet
To discuss their affairs in this pleasant retreat.
Now the subjects on which they were wont to converse
I'm sorry I cannot include in my verse;
For, though I 've oft listened in hopes of discerning,
I own 'tis a matter that baffles my learning.
One day a young chicken, that lived thereabout,
Stood watching to see the ducks pass in and out.
Now standing tail upward, now diving below.
She thought: "Of all things I should like to do so."
So the poor silly chick was determined to try;
She thought 'twas as easy to swim as to fly.
147
THS FOOLISH CHICJ^BJ^
Though her mother had told her she must not go near,
She foolishly thought there was nothing to fear.
" My feet, wings, and feathers, for aught I can see.
As good as the ducks are for swimming," said she;
Though my beak is pointed, and their beaks are round,
'*
Is that any reason that I should be drowned?
"Why should I not swim, then, as well as a duck?
I think I shall venture, and e'en try my luck.
For," said she, spite of all that her mother had taught her,
" I 'm really remarkably fond of the water."
So in this poor ignorant animal flew.
But soon found her dear mother's warnings were true.
She splashed, and she dashed, and she turned herself round,
And heartily wished herself safe on the ground.
But now 'twas too late to begin to repent;
The harder she struggled the deeper she went.
And when every effort had vainly been tried.
She slowly sank down to the bottom and died.
The ducks, I perceived, began loudly to quack
When they saw the poor fowl floating dead on its back;
And, by their grave gestures and looks, 'twas apparent
They discoursed on the sin of not minding a parent.
Moral. —It is foolish not to learn from the experience of others.
148
rns FOOLISH chick^^c
"WHY SHOULD I NOT SWIM, THEN, AS WELL AS A DUCK?"
149
THS LITTLS
SAW THE LEAVES OF GOLD"
150
Ti:?(6 TT^ee
Wift mttlt ^int tCtee
Far down where the warm sun and the
in the forest,
fresh air made a sweet resting place, grew a little pine tree.
It had needles that were green all the year round, and yet
it was not happy.
"I do not like needles," said the little tree; "they are
not even so pretty as leaves. I should like to be the most
lovely tree in the forest. I wish I had golden leaves." And
lo! when the morning came, it found that its wish had been
granted. It had leaves of gold that shone in the sunlight.
How happy it was!
After a while a man, walking through the forest, saw
the leaves of gold, and cried: "I'll be rich to-day!" He ran
at once to the tree, and began to pluck the leaves, so that
when he went away the little tree was quite bare, and was
as vexed as a tree could be.
" I see it is not well to have gold leaves," said the little
pine. " They are very pretty, but I should like something
that people would not take from me. I wish I had leaves
of glass. They would be pretty, and yet no one would want
to take them."
The next morning, when the little tree awoke, it was
covered with leaves of glass, that shone brightly in the sun-
light. " Now, am I not gay?" But presently the
it said.
wind began to blow, and the glass leaves were dashed against
one another. Soon they were all broken to pieces. When
night came, the little tree was again without a leaf.
" Leaves of gold and glass are pretty," it said, " but they
151
are not the best. I should like to have green leaves like
other trees." The next morning, when the little tree awoke,
it had green leaves like other trees, and, " After all,"
it said,
"green leaves are best. Now I am like the other trees, only-
even more lovely." But after a while a hungry goat came
by, and the leaves of the little tree were fresh and sweet, so
that he soon ate them all.
That night the little tree was again without a leaf. It
was very sad, and said: "Gold leaves are fine, glass leaves
are pretty, and green leaves are good for other trees; but,
after all, I think my needles were best for me. How I wish
I could have them back again!"
The next morning, when the little tree awoke, it had its
needles once again.
Moral. — The thing you are is always the thing that you had
better be.
152
tV-
Cf?
-,'-v
&' ^' ,Ki
;^^ >,
cv-
^^(^ m(y^'''^%mih.
A Wolf turned Shepherd
h J*^:^.£?^£}^[?'^-
^
^<^:-^T]%,fr<
L-A
C^t;^[^^y^^'^^'^ <.
->
<{:^
J^'<>^ %^ -^ c^^y^^-^ «
^ SW^LLOIV ^:h(p ^ STIT>e7l
^ ^toallob) anb a
A
upon
her right.
it
SPIDER
fell
upon a
as an encroachment
But the
that
a swallow catching
net
swallows, for she looked
observed
immediately to work
to
flies
catch
upon
birds, without
any difficulty, broke through her
work, and flew away with the very
net itself.
"Well," says the spider, ''bird-
catching is not one of my talents
I perceive," and so she returned
to her old trade of catching flies
again.
Moral. —// is well to learn
by experience.
( r 429 ^ 153 22
^ SJV^LLOTF
"CALLED A COMPANY OF LITTLE BIRDS TOGETHER
154
^:h(p OTHS\ m^^ps
%, ^tpaaotu anb dottier ptrb£e
There was a country fellow at work sowing flax seeds,
and a swallow (being a bird famous for providence and fore-
sight) called a company of little birds about her, and bade
them take good notice what the man was doing.
''You must know," says the swallow, "that all the
fowler's nets made of hemp,
or snares are or flax; and
that's the seed that he is now sowing. Pick it up in time,
for fear of what may come of it."
But despite the swallow's advice the other birds put
it off, till it took root; and then again, till it was sprung
up into the blade. Upon this, the swallow told them, once
for all, that it was not yet too late to prevent the mischief,
if they would but bestir themselves, and set heartily about
it. But finding no heed was given to what she said,
that
she bade adieu to her old companions in the woods, and
betook herself to a city life, and the company of men. This
flax came in time to be gathered, and wrought into hemp,
and it was this swallow's fortune to see several of the very
same birds that she had forewarned taken in nets made
of the very stuff she told them of. They came at last to
be sensible of the folly of slipping their opportunity, but
not until after they were lost.
Moral. —Fools will not believe in the effects of causes
until it is too late to prevent them.
155
^ sr^g T>'^I;^(J{I:^(G
^ ^tag Brinfeing
S a stag was drinking upon the bank
of a clear stream, he saw his image
in the water, and entered upon
this contemplation upon it:
''Well," says he, "if these
pitiful legs of mine were but
answerable to this branching head,
I can but think how I should defy
all my enemies!"
The words were hardly out
of his mouth, when he discovered
a pack of dogs coming full cry
towards him. Away he scours
across the fields, casts off the dogs,
and gains a wood; but pressing
through a thicket, the bushes held
him by the horns, till the hounds
came in and plucked him down.
The last thing he said was:
"What an unhappy fool was
I, to take my friends for my
enemies, and my enemies for my
friends! I trusted to my head,
that has betrayed me, and I found
fault with my legs, that would
otherwise have brought me off
safely."
Moral. —Handsome is as handsome does.
156
^ sT^g T>1^:J^I{I!^(G
"A STAG WAS DRINKING UF'ON THE 15ANK OF A CLEAR STREAM^
J 57
j: M6T^H^o\(r
^ iHerctant anb a teaman
MERCHANT was ask-
at sea
ing the ship's master what death
his father died. He told him
that his father, his grandfather,
and his great-grandfather were
all drowned.
"Well," says the merchant,
"and are not you yourself afraid
of being drowned, too?"
" No, not I," says the skip-
per. "
But pray," adds he, " what death did your father,
grandfather, and great-grandfather die?"
"Why, they died all in their beds," says the merchant.
"Very good," says the skipper, "and why should I be
any more afraid of going to sea than you are of going to
bed?"
Moral. —Do not judge the feelings of others by your own.
15^
^:^(p ^ se^M^^^
THE MERCHANT AND THE SEAMAN
A FOX ^^p
REYNARD LAUGHS AT THE GOAT
i6o
j: go^r
^ Jfox anb a (goat
FOX and a goat went down by
consent into a well to drink; and
when they had quenched their
thirst, the goat fell to hunting
up and down which way to get
back again.
" Oh," says Reynard, " never
trouble your head how to get
back, but leave that to me! Do
you but raise yourself upon your
hinder legs with your forefeet close to the wall, and then
stretch out your head. I can easily whip up to your horns,
and so out of the well, and draw you after me."
The goat puts himself in a posture immediately, as he
was directed, gives the fox a lift, and so out he springs;
but Reynard's business was only to make sport with his
companion, instead of helping him. Some hard words the
goat gave him, but the fox puts off all with a jest.
you had but half so much brain as beard," says
" If
he, "you would have bethought yourself how to get up
again before you went down."
Moral. —A wise man should consider well before resolving
upon any serious action.
( c 429 161 23
^:Ni OJF^ AUip A WILLOW
!Kn #afe anb a MiUob)
HERE happened a controversy
between an oak and a willow
upon the subject of strength, con-
stancy, and patience, and which of
the two should have the preference.
The oak upbraided the willow, that
it was weak and wavering, and gave
way to every blast. The willow made
no other reply than that the next tem-
pest should resolve that question. Some very little while
after this dispute there came a violent storm. The willow
bent and gave way to and still recovered itself
the gust,
again without receiving any damage; but the oak was stub-
born, and chose rather to break than bend.
Moral. —A wise and steady man bends only with the prospect
of rising again.
162
"THS FOX ^^O TH6 TURKEYS
Cfie Jfox anb tfje ^urfeeps
Against a robber fox, a tree
Some turkeys served as citadel.
That villain, much provoked to see
Each standing there as sentinel.
Cried out: "Such witless birds
At me stretch out their necks, and gobble!
No, by the powers, I'll give them trouble!"
He verified his words.
>63
rne fox jj^ ths turkeys
The moon, that shone full on the oak,
Seem'd then to help the turkey folk.
But fox, in arts of siege well versed,
Ransack'd his bag of tricks accursed.
He feign'd himself about to climb;
Walk'd on his hinder legs sublime;
Then death most aptly counterfeited,
And seem'd anon resuscitated.
A practiser of wizard arts
Could not have fill'd so many parts.
In moonlight he contrived to raise
His tail, and make it seem a blaze:
And countless other tricks like that.
Meanwhile, no turkey slept or sat.
Their constant vigilance at length.
As hoped the fox, wore out their strength.
Bewilder'd by the rigs he run.
They lost their balance one by one.
As Reynard slew, he laid aside,
Till nearly half of them had died;
Then proudly to his larder bore,
And laid them up, an ample store.
Moral. —
A foe, by being over-heeded,
Has often in his plan succeeded.
164
rne bs^sts au^ j: boot
W^t ^tdiiXi anb a poot
In a dark wood, where wild beasts lived, there once
lay a man's boot. How it came there it would be difficult
to say. No man had been there; at least the wild beasts
had not seen one in all their lives. But there the boot
lay, and when the beasts saw it they all came round to
talk about it. Though they had never seen such a thing
before, they were all quite sure that they knew what
it was.
"Why, there is no doubt at all, I say," said the bear.
"Of course it is the rind of some kind of fruit —the fruit
of the cork, I fancy. This is cork, it is plain to see,"
and he showed the sole of the boot.
"It's not that at all," said the wolf. "Of course it
is some kind of nest. Look! here is the hole for the bird
to go in, and here is the deep part where the eggs and
young ones may be safe. No doubt at all, of course not!"
" It is not that at all," said the goat. " How can you
be so silly! Look at this long root!" and he pointed to
the bootlace: "it is the root of the plant, of course." Thus
165
rne 'Bs^srs
they went on talking, until by and by they began to get
angry with one another.
" If I might speak," said an old owl, who had been
sitting silent in a tree near, " I think I could tell you what
it is. I have been where there are more of
in a land
such things than you could count. It is a man's boot."
"A what?" cried all the beasts and birds. "What is
a man, and what is a boot?"
"A man," said the owl, is a thing with two legs '*
but no feathers. He can walk, and eat, and talk like us;
but he can do more than we can."
"That can't be true," said the beasts. "How can a
thing with two legs do more than we can, who have four?
It is false, of course." " Of course it is, if they have no
wings," added the birds.
"Well," went on the owl, "they have no wings, and
yet it is true. And they can make things like this. They
call them boots, and put them on their feet."
"Not true! not true!" they all cried. "We know
that such things are not worn on the feet. How could
they be? You have
what you know is false. You
said
are not fit to live with us. You must leave the wood."
They chased the poor old owl out of the wood, and would
not let him come back.
"It is true for all that," said the owl; and of course
it was.
Moral. —II is foolish to say that is untrue which does not
happen to have come within our own experience.
1 66
AJ^ ^ 'BOOT
TIIEY CHASED THE POOR OLD OWL OUT OF THE WOOD"
167
^:ac ^ss A:h(p
^n ^siiBf anb a Uton
N old times a lion shook hands
with an ass, and they agreed to
jog on up and down in the woods,
lovingly and peaceably together.
As they were upon this adven-
ture they discovered a pack of
wolves. The ass immediately set
up a hideous bray, and ran at
them open mouthed, as if he
would have eaten them. The wolves only sneered at him
scampered away, however, as hard as they
for his. pains, but
could drive. By and by the ass comes back again, pufhng
and blowing, from the chase.
*'Well," says the lion, "and what was that horrid
scream for, I prithee?"
"Why," says the other, "I frightened them all away,
you see."
"And did they run away from you," says the lion,
"or from me, do you think?"
Moral. — Vanity thinks itself important when it is
only laughable.
i68
^fi?0iio<^
^^ ^><^ di<^d^M2>'^m^^ff<^^^4^^
A Swallow and Other Birds
'"^y^ {? ^
l^^U^^^
'VV>?^^
^ Lio:Ni
"IN OLD TIMES A LION SHOOK HANDS WITH AN ASS'
( c 429 ) 169 24
^ S!J^F^ ^%(P ^ FIL6
^ ^nafee anb a jFile
There once was a snake that,having got into a smith's
shop, fell to licking a file. After a time she saw that on
the file there was blood, and the more blood appeared on
it the more eagerly she licked, having a foolish fancy that
it was the file that bled, and that she felt the better for it.
At the conclusion, when she could lick no longer, she
fell to biting; but finding at last she could do no more
upon it with her teeth than with her tongue, she fairly
left it.
Moral. —In seeking to hurt another we frequently only
wound ourselves.
170
Ji B6S A:h(p THS T>7(p^(SS
^ Pee tfiat toent otier to tl\t ^xonti
"To what end," says a bee, "should I toil and moil
myself out of my life for a poor subsistence, when the drones
that do nothing at all live in as much plenty every jot as I
do?" Upon this thought the bee resolved after their example
to work no longer.
The master, it seems, called her to account for it; the
bee was offended, and, without any more to-do, went over
to the drones* party, where she passed the summer easily
enough, and to her satisfaction. But upon winter's coming
on, when the drones were all dispersed into their several
holes, the bee would fain have gone home again; but the
cells of the combs were all closed, so that there was no
entrance, and the poor bee starved to death betwixt cold and
hunger.
Moral. — TAa^ nobody has a right to be idle.
171
r//<? s2^/65^ ji:h[p
Cfte priet anb tije (Sarbener
Says the brier, one day, to the gardener:
"Hark, ye, honest John; what is it I have done to
you that you should use me after this manner? Do you
think now that I am in my right place? What is the
matter that I must not have the same respect and treat-
ment as the other fruit trees? On my conscience, John,
you don't use me with common civility.
"Why, now, what signifies it for me to stand staring
up in a hedge, as if I had nothing else to do but to be a
porter to your enclosure? No, no, prithee put me into
your garden; for I have as good blood in my veins as
any plant of them all, though they hold their noses so
high. Do as I bid you, if you have any regard to the
interest of yourself and family. You'll never know what
advantage it will be to you. Only try for once, and, I
promise you, you'll gain by it.
" Besides, I require the least attendance of any plant
alive.Why, man, thou hast nothing to do but to water
me now and then, and cover me a little from the north
wind or so, and I'll engage to reward your care with fruits
of the most excellent and delicious flavour and then, for ;
flowers, your roses ^nd lilies must not pretend to go
beyond me. I could say a great deal more, if modesty
would permit me, but I hate to praise myself; only make
the experiment, and I am well satisfied in a little time
you'll come and tell me that my words bear no proportion
with my actions."
172
THe gAT^S^S\
HARK YE, HONEST JOHN"
173
In these terms the pride and self-love of a useless
plant were expressed, and poor John was so silly as to give
entire credit to every syllable; for you must understand in
those times, when plants could speak, gardeners were not
so cunning as they are now.
Well, the brier was transplanted, and spread out against
a wall, and watered three or four times a day at least, for
John was big with expectation of mighty things, and there-
fore could not trust to the dew. In short, the favourite
brierwas the gardener's only care; and, indeed, she was
as good as her word, for she grew to a miracle, spreading
wide her root and branches.
But, alas! these prickly branches were destruction to
the neighbouring plants; everything within their reach
withered away, fruits and pot herbs expired, and the gayest
flowers drooped, and hung down their heads and died.
Poor John was then convinced of his folly, and would
never afterwards give credit to any plant whatsoever on
its own bare word.
Moral. —Everything that a boaster says should not be believed.
174
rOT^OISS ^A!J\(p T>UCK^
A light-brain'd tortoise, anciently,
Tired of her hole, the world would see.
Prone are all such, self-banish'd, to roam
Prone are. all cripples to abhor their home.
Two ducks, to whom the gossip told
The secret of her purpose bold,
Profess'd to have the means whereby
They could her wishes gratify.
"Our boundless road," said they, "behold!
It is the open air;
And through it we will bear
You safe o'er land and ocean.
Republics, kingdoms, you will view,
And famous cities, old and new;
And get of customs, laws, a notion
Of various wisdom various pieces.
As did, indeed the safe Ulysses."
175
rns roi^oise ^^p
"IT MADE THE PEOPLE GAPE AND STARE"
176
THS TWO T>UCK§
The eager tortoise waited not
To question what Ulysses got,
But closed the bargain on the spot.
A nice machine the birds devise
To bear their pilgrim through the skies.
Athwart her mouth a stick they throw.
" Now bite it hard, and don't let go,"
They say, and seize each duck an end.
And, swiftly flying, upward tend.
It made the people gape and stare
Beyond the expressive power of words,
To see a tortoise cut the air.
Exactly poised between two birds.
*'A miracle," they cried, "is seen!
There goes the flying tortoise queen!"
"The queen!" ('twas thus the tortoise spoke);
" I 'm truly that, without a joke."
Much had she held her tongue
better
For, opening that whereby she clung.
Before the gazing crowd she fell,
And dashed to bits her brittle shell.
Moral. —
Imprudence, vanity, and babble.
And idle curiosity,
An ever-undivided rabble.
Have all the same paternity.
( c 429 '^n «•
'BOT(I(pWeT> FSATHST^S
^ Jacfebato anb portotoeb jFeatfjetg
A jackdaw, that had a mind to appear grand, tricked
himself up with all the gay feathers he could muster together;
and upon the credit of these stolen or borrowed ornaments
valued himself above all the birds in the air beside. The
pride of this vanity got him the envy of all his companions,
who, upon a discovery of the truth of the case, fell to
plucking him by consent; and when every bird had taken
his own feather the silly jackdaw had nothing left him to
cover his nakedness.
Moral. —It is foolish to take pride in borrowed plumes.
mou:>(T^i:m^ .dj^p squii^l
W^t iWountain anb tJje Squirrel
The mountain and the squirrel
Had a quarrel,
And the former called the latter
''Little Prig";
Bun replied:
"You are doubtless very big;
But all sorts of things and weather
Must be taken in together
•^ To make up a year,
And a sphere.
And I think it no disgrace
fi-V
f&''k
' h;
To occupy my place.
If I 'm not so large as you.
You are not so small as I,
And not half so spry.
I '11 not deny you make
A very pretty squirrel track;
Talents differ; all is well and wisely
put;
If I cannot carry forests on my back,
Neither can you crack a nut."
—
Moral. Each man should do that
work for which he is fitted.
f79
THS TWO sr^ATUSS
THE RIVAL SCULPTORS
iSo
THS TWO sr^ATues
^f)e tE^ttio ^tatueiei
N a certain great city in old times,
the people were resolved to set up
the statue of Pallas upon the top of
a magnificent temple. To this great
work the whole city contributed, and
the two Phidiases were pitched upon
to make each of them one, and he that
made the best was to have the price,
which was no small one. The people
were to judge. One only was to have
the money, and consequently the
honour, and the other nothing.
Well, to work they went with
all possible expedition, and the hopes
of gain and reputation had so fired our two artists, that in
a little time their work was finished and brought to the
porch of the temple. The whole town ran thither, and
judgment was soon given for one of them, and the other
treated with contempt. Well, this was a beautiful piece; it
had a thousand graces: how soft and delicate were the lines
and features, the limbs round and lively; nothing could
possibly come up to it; criticism itself could find no fault
with it.
The other statue was nothing but a rough, shapeless
piece of marble, nothing finished, the features big and ugly,
the limbs monstrous, and shape frightful. Well, we must
send this back again, that's certain; this man is only a
i8i
^:AC SAQLe S€TS
learner, we see, a mere novice, the other a perfect master,
and he must have the money.
They were going to give it him, when the despised
sculptor steps up. " Hold, gentlemen," says he, " this must
be tried. Do you think I made my statue for the porch?
Let them both be put on the top of the temple, as they were
intended, and then you'll see which is most perfect."
This was done, though with a great deal of grumbling
at the unnecessary expense. But, alas! how things were then
changed! The statue so much before admired lost all its
charms; they entirely vanished at such a distance, which
gave the other all those beauties no one imagined it could
have when they surveyed it near.
Moral. — IVe must look at everything in its proper place.
^n Cagle sets up for a peautp
It was once put to the question among the birds which
of the whole tribe of them was the greatest beauty. The
eagle gave her voice for herself, and carried it.
"Yes," says a peacock in a soft voice, ''you are a
great beauty indeed, but it lies in your beak and in your
talons, that make it death to dispute it."
Moral. —Homage is more often paid by fear than by love.
182
UT F0\ ^ BS^UTY
THE EAGLE GAVE HER VOICE FOR HERSELF^
183
TH6 THT^USH
THE THRUSH AND THE JAY
184
^ '.^^§>ip^^^^^#^ '^^
SiS
K'
P
'^^^ Thrush and the Jay
ri2\ ;>:^ ^^^<%2'
/li
^--'
<^<^ i^^^>^ ^v
•.\~^'
r^J A,"^. ;
.{^— <^^.-- /\, -^x'>>^.-,^n f^^C^> &^'^:
^:HP TH6 J^Y
W(^t Cfjrugf) anb ti)e Jap
"When shall you build your nest?" said a thrush to a
jay one fine day in spring.
"Oh, by and by!" said the jay. "It is so fine now,
I must hop, and fly, and sing, and have fun while I can."
"One can sing while one works," said the thrush;
" there is surely no need to stop work for that."
"When shall you build your nest?" asked the jay.
"Mine! Oh, I have built some of it! Look!" And
the thrush, with a glad chirp, showed the bush where she
had laid moss, and twigs, and twined them so as to make
a nest. "And now," said she, "I must be off to get some
hay, or wool, or some more moss to go on with."
" Oh, come and have a bit of play!" said the jay. " Why
don't you rest a bit."
"Oh, that will come by and by!" said the thrush. And
she sang her song:
"When I've done, I'll have my fun;
Then in my nest I '11 take my rest;
That I know will be the best."
(C429) 185 26
THS THI^USH
" Well, well," said the jay, " if you like to slave the
best part of your life, pray do."
"Of course," said the thrush; "the best part of my
life is the time for work."
"There will be time for work by and by," said the
jay."
"There will be time for play and by and by,"
rest
said the thrush. And off she flew and sang her short,
gay song.
" I don't like that song," said the jay.
Day by day it was just the same. The thrush had
built her nest, and laid five eggs in and yet the jay it,
had not brought one stick to make hers. At last, in great
haste, she got some twigs and grass and laid them on a
branch in a high tree. But she did not place them well,
and when she had worked for an hour or two, she left off,
and went to see the thrush, who sat on a bush close by.
"When will your nest be done?" said the thrush.
"Oh, by and by!" said the jay. "I must rest now.
Have you found time to rest yet?"
"Oh dear no!" said the thrush. "Just look. I have
fivt dear little ones here. How could I leave them or find
time to play? I bring them food, or else sit here to keep
them warm all day and all night."
"How dull you must be!" said the jay.
"Not at all," said the thrush; "they are such dear,
sweet, little things. But I must be off to get them some
food," and away she flew.
The jay's nest was not done when one day she saw
the thrush with all her young ones on the soft grass.
" Have you built your nest yet?" cried the thrush.
186
^J{p THS J^Y
"No," said the jay. "At least it is not done yet.
But I have laid my eggs, and the rest of the nest I can
build by and by, when they are hatched."
"That will not do," thought the thrush, but she did
not say That night came a great storm. It rocked the
so.
tree where the jay had laid her eggs on the loose twigs
and grass, and one by one they slipped from the nest and
fell to the ground. When the jay woke next day, all her
eggs were gone, and bits of shell lay on the ground at the
foot of the tree. And
was what came of the jay's "by
that
and by". But the thrush and her five young ones, all safe
and well, had time for rest, and also for play.
Moral. — There is a proper time for work and a proper
time for play.
^co,'^S^
187
A s^rY\
^ ^atpr anb Jfite
HE poets tell Prometheus
us that
stole some of Jupiter's fire, and
brought it down to us from heaven,
and that was our original of it. A
satyr was so transported with the
glory and splendour of this spirit
that down on his knees he falls, and
would needs kiss and embrace it.
" Have a care of your beard," says
Prometheus; "nay, and of your chin
too; for it will both singe and burn you."
'"And why," says the satyr, "would you bring down
so glorious a temptation then to plague the world withal?"
"Why," says Prometheus, "there were no living with-
out it, only the mischief lies in the abuse. It burns, 'tis
true, but then consider the heat and the light that come
along with it, and you shall find it serves us to all manner
of profitable, delightful, and necessary purposes, provided
only that we make a right use of it."
Moral. — That which is good for use may be made bad by abuse.
i88
^:^(p Fi7^
"'HAVE A CARE OF YOUR BEARD,' SAYS PROMETHEUS"
i8q
THE ^U^ AO^
tCfjc ^nt anb ttie Cricket
j[ J^ Through the warm sunny months of the
summer and spring,
Began to complain when he found
that at home
His cupboard was empty and winter was come.
Not a crumb to be found
On the snow-covered ground;
Not a flower could he see,
Nor a leaf on a tree;
"Oh, what will become," said the cricket, "of me?"
At by starvation and famine made bold,
last,
All dripping with wet and trembling with cold,
Away he set off to a hardworking ant
To see if, to keep him alive, he would grant
A shelter from rain
And a mouthful of grain;
He wished only to borrow
And repay it to-morrow.
If not, he must die of starvation and sorrow.
190
THS CT^ICK^T
AWAY HE SET OFF TO A HARDWORKING ANT"
191
THs c^^r ^:Np ci(icj<^T
Said the ant to the cricket: "I'm your servant and
friend ;
But we ants never borrow, we ants never lend.
But tell me, dear sir, did you lay nothing by
When the weather was warm?" Said the cricket:
"Not I."
My was so light
heart
That I sang day and night;
For all nature was gay."
"You sang, sir, you say?
Go then," said the ant, "and dance winter away.
Moral. — There is one time for work and another time for play
192
A SOY ^5\(p F^LSe ^LAT^S
^ ^op anb jFalse jaiarms
yt—J\ SHEPHERD'S boy had a roguish trick of
^f m.' crying " A wolf ! a wolf!" when there was
no such animal about, and fooling the country
people with false alarms. He had been at this sport so
many times in jest, that they would not believe him at
last when he was in earnest; and so the wolves brake in
upon the flock, and worried the sheep at their pleasure.
Moral. —// is foolish to jest about serious things.
( c 429 193 27
rH6 CT^B ^:n^ its moths^
tKije Crab anb ite iWotber
" Don't walk aslant, nor o'er the moist rock draw
Crosswise," its dam said to the crab, " thy claw."
" Nay, first," cried he, Mother and mentor too,
'*
" Walk straight yourself; I '11 watch and follow you."
Moral. —Example is better than precept.
194
TLOUgHSH^T^ e^^Z) SPFO^D
W()t ^lousfjgiiare anb tije ^toorb
Once upon a time, a great many years since, the plough-
share and the sword met one another in the fields. The
sword, it seems, being a person of quality, had his head so
full of nobility, that he would hardly look at anyone beneath
his rank.
The ploughshare him after his way, and made
saluted
a bow, but the sword took no manner of notice.
" Pray, good sir," says he, " whence comes this stately
carriage?"
"And don't you know?" says the sword; "a very pretty
question truly. Why, you are a country bumpkin, and I of
quality, that's all."
"Aye, say you so," says the ploughshare; "and how, in
the name of goodness, did you come by your gentility? You
do nothing but mischief, while my whole being is employed
in doing good to the world; my labour and industry is the
support of mankind; they can't live without me. You take
away lives by dozens, and very often for nothing at all."
"Poor creeping thing," says the sword, "what a mean
soul hast thou! And dost think great men are of thy silly
opinion?"
"Yes, indeed," replies the ploughshare; "we have seen
mighty conquerors retire, and lay their triumphant hands
again to the plough. Witness the Romans, our lords and
masters."
"But dost thou think, blockhead, that these Romans
could, without my help, have subdued the world. Rome
195
THE TLOUgHSH^I^
had been only a small village, and no one would have talked
of her, if my power had not made mankind her slaves."
" So much the worse," says the ploughshare. " She had
much better have been quiet. A very fine necessity, truly,
that whole world should become slaves to one town,
the
which by her prodigious cruelties frightened all Europe,
Africa, and Asia into subjection! And why, for what end,
good your honour? Only to please a restless ambition
which is never satisfied. And do you think this deserves
such commendation?"
The sword was now at the end of his logic, and, very
much like a gentleman, challenged Gaffer Ploughshare.
"Come," says he, "let us fight it out, for I'll have
satisfaction."
"That's your trade," says the ploughshare, "but it is
not mine. I am one of the rude country bumpkins, as
your honour is pleased to call me, who never practised
the gentleman-like way of cutting one another's throats for
trifles. I work, sir, and never fight. But I tell you what
I'll do with you; let a third person decide the controversy.
Let us choose the mole for our arbitrator. She is like
Themis, she has no eyes, has a very grave air, and wears
a black furred gown; you cannot choose better." This was
agreed upon, and each told his story.
Our new Themis heard all distinctly in her hole, and,
having very judiciously weighed all circumstances, pro-
nounced sentence in this proverb: He that forged the
ploughshare was a wise man, but he that made the sword
was a fool.
Moral. —It is better to cultivate than to destroy.
196
^J\(P THS SWOT(p
"THE PLOUGHSHARE AND THE SWORD MET ONE ANOTHER"
197
^ FOX
!a jFox anb a Cat
There was a question started betwixt a fox and a cat,
which of the two could make the best shift in the world
if put to a pinch.
" For my own part," says Reynard, " when the worst
comes to the worst, I have a number of tricks to save
myself with at last."
At up comes a pack of dogs full cry
that very instant
towards them. The cat presently takes a tree, and sees
the poor fox torn to pieces upon the very spot.
Moral. — One sure trick is better than a hundred slippery ones.
198
^JA(Z) ^ C^T
'THE CAT PRESENTLY TAKES A TREE"
199
H6IF611 gO^AT ^^p SH86T
W)t ileifer, (§oat, anb ^l^eep in Companp
toitii tije iLion
The heifer, the goat, and their sister the sheep
Compacted their earnings in common to keep,
'Tis said, in time past, with a lion, who sway'd
Full lordship o'er neighbours, of whatever grade.
The goat, as it happen'd, a stag having snared.
Sent might be shared.
off to the rest, that the beast
All gather'd; the lion first counts on his claws,
And says: "We'll proceed to divide with our paws
The stag into pieces, as fix'd by our laws."
This done, he announces part first as his own.
*''Tis mine," he says, **
truly, as lion alone."
To such a decision there's naught to be said.
As he who has made it is doubtless the head.
"Well, also, the second to me should belong;
'Tis mine, be known, by the right of the strong.
it
Again, as the bravest, the third must be mine.
To touch but the fourth whoso maketh a sign,
I '11 choke him to death
In the space of a breath!"
Moral. — Those who go into partnership with a lion must
expect hint to take the lions share.
200
"M
-^3
V
ft
r/ie Crfl^ «/t^ /r5 Mother
c^#^I><V^^^V^^^
^ Mountain and a Mouse
^
^7 »> A =^^"'
/N^<A>
-/e^ r-X^-r^-x^.'^v„
S^
rne thce^ix chossj^ kjnq
The government of the birds was in olden times an
monarchy, and there happened once a notable debate
elective
among their representatives about the choice of a new king.
They put upon the first place the eagles, vultures, goshawks,
falcons, and, in short, all the birds of prey; for a prince,
they cried, must be martial, strong, and resolute, else he
can never govern as he should. It was then objected, on
the other side, that no true lover of his country's liberty
would give his vote for a ruler that lived upon rapine and
the very heart's blood of his people. This single stroke
quite dashed the first motion.
The next that pretended were the ostriches, the jays,
the peacocks, and other birds that value themselves upon
a sparkish outside, and the beauty of their plumes. But
kings, they said, were not for show, but business, and it
was not the feather in the cap but the brains in the head
of a man that qualified him for government; so that the
second candidates succeeded no better than the former.
There came on in the third place the parrots and the
starlings, and the rest of that fantastical crew, that value
themselves upon the faculty of excellent ready speakers;
but they were answered with the sentence of the wise man:
In many words there is much folly. And it was then re-
solved upon the question, that to have the tongue run
before the wit is the quality of a buffoon, not of a governor;
so that these blades came off not one jot better than their
fellows.
(C429) 201 98
rHS THCE^NJX
The fourth that stood in nomination was the crow,
a bird in high reputation for wisdom, experience, and fore-
sight. His friends in the council stuck so close to him that
he was within a hairbreadth of carrying it; but yet after
a long discussion the vote passed against him. His very
adversaries could not in truth deny him to be so qualified
as his friends rendered him; but then his wisdom, they
said, was a wisdom of interest, and a sagacity that only led
him to his prey and to the gratifying of a depraved appetite;
for carrion was his daily food: but it was unlucky still, and
ill-boding.
With that, up stood an eminent member at the Board
and moved for the Phoenix. "If you'll have a king,"
says he, " beyond expression —a king to your very wish
and liking — apply yourselves to the Phoenix, a creature,
that for a generous bravery of mind, a gracious person,
a charming elocution, a consummate wisdom and insight
into the darkest secrets and intrigues of reason or state, is
as much beyond all the rest of the competitors as an
angelical perfection is beyond the common frailties of flesh
and blood. He has neither wife nor children to divert him
from attending to his charge; no passions to transport him;
but you may live easily under him, without the burden
either of laws or taxes."
As the member was going on, the assembly interrupted
him in the middle of his harangue, crying out unanimously:
"A Phoenix a Phoenix!" and couriers were immediately
I
dispatched away through all quarters of the earth to try to
find him out, and to give him an invitation, in the name
of the freeborn subjects of the woods, to take possession
of his new government. In one word, when they had
CHOSSJ^ I(J\G
'COURIERS WERE IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED"
^ SILLY FOT
"UP STANDS ONE OF THE COMPANY WITH A CHALLENGE"
204
^ SILLY FOT
searched every corner of the world without getting any
tidings of him, they came back again just as wise as they
set out.
Moral. — There is nothing perfect under the sun^ and if nothing
imperfect will satisfy us we must never be satisfied.
As a number of gambolling young fellows were to-
gether trying feats of activity, up stands one of the
company with a challenge.
"Look ye, my masters," says he; "you shall see me
stand upon one leg now, a whole hour together, and I
defy any man of the club to do it after me."
" Nay," says one of the gang, " there's none of this
company will pretend to it, sure, but I'll show you a
goose that can."
Moral. —He that prides himself upon the faculties of a
goose is likely to live and die a goose.
ao5
rne shsst Le^gueT>
^f)e ^fieep Heagueb asamsit tte Molbe^;
A shepherd found his flock so infested with wolves
that he called his sheep together, and reasoned the matter
with them in a formal speech:
"You "and your heads
are a great number," says he,
are armed; the wolves not near so many, and they have
no horns; so that if you would but pluck up your hearts,
and stand upon your guards, they would not dare to meddle
with you."
The sheep were then one and all for putting it to a
push; but when the first wolf appeared, they were one and
all again for betaking themselves to their heels.
Moral. —Sheep will be sheep.
206
jig^ivisr THS woLves
THE SHEEP RUN AWAY ON THE APPEARANCE OF THE WOLF
207
^ WOLF
% Wm, Etb, antr <{^oat
GOAT that was going out one mor-
ning for a mouthful of fresh grass,
\ charged her kid not to open the
\\ door, till she came back, to any
^"^ creature that had not a beard. The
goat was no sooner out of sight
but up comes a wolf to the door, that
had overheard the charge, and in a
small pipe calls to the kid to let her
mother come in. The kid smelt the
roguery, and bade the wolf show his
beard, and the door should be open
to him.
Moral. —However a hypocrite may be disguised, there is
always some mark by which he may be known.
208
i{iT> AU^ go^T
UP COMES A WOLF TO THE DOOR'
( c 429 209 29
TWO UAT)e^^ ^ssss
"AND THAT WHICH EASED THE ONE DROWNED THE OTHER"
2IO
rwo uAT>e:Ni .assss
t^Uio Haben 'Mm
As two asses were fording a river, the one laden with
salt, the other with sponge, the salt ass fell down under
his burden, but quickly got up again, and went on the
merrier for The sponge ass found it agreed so well
it.
with his companion that down lies he too, upon the same
experiment but the water that dissolved the salt made
;
the sponge forty times heavier than it was before, and that
which eased the one drowned the other.
Moral. — That ivhich is good in one case may be bad in another.
rH6 CH^346L60:J^
W^t Cfjameleon
Two of those sort of gentlemen who would see every-
thing, though they travelled all over the world, who for
the sake of saying: I have seen it and ought to know it,"
**
have (if you'll believe them) traversed the whole globe; in
short, two travellers (no matter for their names) were once
upon a time trotting on in the plains of Africa, and dis-
coursing of the nature of the chameleon.
"A wonderful creature, this chameleon," says one of
them, "and very particular! I never saw the like in my
life; his head shaped like a fish, his little body perfect
lizard, with his long tail, his four little paws with three
fingers, motion so slow, he can scarce travel a foot in
his
a month's time, and, above all, his colour deep mazarine
"
blue and
" Hold there, I beseech you. I must here beg your
pardon indeed, sir, for it is a beautiful green. I have
seen him with these two eyes of mine very plain, and as
long as I pleased. He was then basking in the sun with
his mouth wide open, sucking in the pure air for his
dinner."
"Don't be angry," replied the other; "he is blue. I
observed him at better advantage than you did, for he was
then in the shade."
" He is green, I say."
"Blue, I tell you."
"You lie!"
And so they went at it, when there came by a third.
THe CH^3^8L€O0^
"Hey day, gentlemenl" says he; "what, are you both
mad? Stop a little, and let me know the cause of this
difference."
"With all my soul," says one of the combatants,
"and be you judge of the quarrel. Our dispute was about
the chameleon, and what colour he was. Monsieur here
says he is green, and I say he is blue. Now, pray,
sir
"Agree, agree," says our grave judge, "for to tell you
the truth he is neither; he is coal black. Last night, I
am sure, I examined him very carefully, and here I have
him in my handkerchief."
" No, no, that is impossible," says one of the con-
tenders; "he is green, I'll give you my word and honour."
" He is blue," says the other, " and I'll lay my life
on't."
you not a couple of silly fellows, when
" Gentlemen, are
I know he is black; and to confute you both, look here,"
and he opened his handkerchief, and the poor creature, to
the astonishment of both judge and parties, appeared as
white as snow.
" Get you about your business, " says the chameleon,
" like three childish creatures as you are. You are all
right, and all in the wrong. Believe henceforward there
are eyes as good Speak your own senti-
as your own.
ments, but don't be such fools as to imagine you can
make every man's judgment submit to yours."
Moral —Do not insist upon others being wrong because you
believe yourself to be right.
213
^ MOUO^^TAIJ^
^ illountain anb a iHouisie
HEN mountains cry out, people may
well be excused the fear of some
prodigious birth. This was the case
in the fable. The neighbourhood
were all at their wits' end to con-
sider what would come forth after
the roaring of the mountain; when,
instead of the dreadful monster that
they expected, out came at last a
ridiculous mouse.
Moral. — There is often much ado about
nothing.
d
2T4
^:}{p ^ 3^0 use
"OUT CAME AT LAST A RIDICULOUS MOUSE"
215
a T>Og AV^
"WOULD HAVE STOPPED HIS BARKING BY GIVING HIM FOOD"
216
e// rHisF
^ Bog mh a Wt^iti
As a gang of thieves were at work to rob a house, a
mastiff took the alarm, and fell a-baying. One of the com-
pany spoke to him, and would have stopped his barking by
giving him food.
" No," says the dog, *'
this will not do, for several
reasons. First, Til take no bribes to betray my master.
Secondly, I'm not such a fool as to sell the ease and liberty
of my whole life to come, for a piece of bread in hand; for
when you have rifled my master, pray who shall maintain
>"
mer
Moral. — jFazr words and flattery are sometimes the tools
of treason.
( c 429 217 so
rH6 Tig ^!^(p
tE^e $ts anb tfie ^en
HE pig and the hen,
Both got one pen,
in
And the hen said she wouldn't go
out.
" Mistress
Hen," says the pig,
"Don't you be quite so bigl"
And he gave her a push with his
snout.
"You are rough and you 're fat,
But who cares for all that:
I will stay if I choose," says the hen.
"No, mistress no longer!"
Says pig: "I'm the stronger;
And master I'll be of my pen!"
Then the hen cackled out
Just as close to his snout
As she dare: "You're an ill-natured pig;
And if I had the corn,
J list as sure as I 'm born,
I would send you to starve or to dig!"
"But you don't own the cribs;
So I think that my ribs
218
THS H6:J^
"THE PIG AND THE HEN, BOTH GOT IN ONE PEN
219
ths Tig ^Jip
Will be never the leaner for you.
This trough is my trough,
And the sooner you're off,"
Says the pig, "why, the better you'll dol"
"You're not a bit fair,
And you're cross as a bear.
What harm do I do in your pen?
But a pig is a pig,
And I don't care a ^g
For the worst you can say," says the hen.
Says the pig, "You will care
If I act like a bear.
And tear your two wings from your neck."
"What a nice little pen
You have got!" says the hen.
Beginning to scratch and to peck.
Now the pig stood amazed.
And the bristles upraised
A moment past, fell down so sleek,
" Neighbour Biddy," says he,
" If you '11 just allow me,
I will show you a nice place to pick."
So she followed him off.
And they ate from one trough
THS H6!Ml
They had quarrelled for nothing, they saw;
And when they had fed,
"Neighbour Hen," the pig said,
"Won't you stay here and roost in my straw?"
"No, I thank you; you see
That I sleep in a tree,"
Says the hen; "but I must go away;
So a grateful goodbye."
" Make your home in my sty,"
Says the pig, "and come in every day.'*
Moral. —
Now my child will not miss
The true meaning of this
Little story of anger and strife;
For a word spoken soft
Will turn enemies oft
Into friends— that will stay friends for Ufe.
'^imi^mmMi^^mm^^^m'Si^m^^^'^m^m^^m.
221
THS e^QLe ^AO\(p
^n €asle anb otter Ptrbsi
A company of birds were chattering together in a
congregation, every one of them
up for itself, and
setting
its own kind, some in one way, and some in another.
The hawk valued herself upon a rank wing; the crow, upon
her skill in augury; the nightingale, upon her delicate
singing; the peacock, upon its beauty; the partridge, upon
its craft; the wren, upon his mettle; the duck, upon her
faculty in paddling; and the heron, upon the credit of
being reputed weatherwise.
"Weill" says the eagle; "and what is all this now to
a sharp, piercing eye, which, without vanity, is my talent
in perfection. Or if any one of you make a doubt on't, let
me but carry him up into the air and he shall see the
experiment."
The wren, upon mounts the eagle, and the eagle,
this,
with the wren upon her back, works herself up to her
pitch; and when she was now at lessening, she called to
the wren to look down and tell her what she saw below?
"Alas," says the wren, *' I have much ado to discern
the very earth, at this distance!"
" But yet same time," says the eagle, "do I
at the
see a black sheep yonder without a tail, and you shall see
me immediately make a stoop at it, and seize it."
And what was this black sheep at last, but a fowler's
bait for some bird of prey. The eagle pushed at it, and
fell into the snare herself.
"Ah!" says the wren; "if you had been but as quick-
222
orHs\ Bn^ps
sighted to discover the danger, as you were to spy out
the quarry, you would much more easily have found out
the man with his birding-tackle, on the one side, than the
sheep without a tail, on the other."
Moral. —Even the keenest sighted may be caught in a trap.
W^t Ccltpf^e
^^'^^^^^^^^^'^^'^HE sun was one day travelling over the
azure plains of heaven in his glittering
car, preceded by the Hours. His radi-
i^ ant glories pierced through the regions
of the and from the high realms of
air,
Olympus displayed the finest day that
ever the world beheld.
The earth grew more beautiful, fertile,
and luxuriant; Flora shone in every climate in her em-
broidery and tissue, and Ceres, with her golden tresses,
displayed her treasures in the scattered plains. A thousand
young suns sparkled in the water. In short, all nature
smiled, and seemed as if the whole world had a mind
it
by her beauties to engage him to look on and admire her.
"Ah," says the moon, "this is too much! So much
splendour offends my eyes. Does the sun pretend to have
the sole dominion of heaven, and reign Lord Paramount
there? I must destroy that pompous importunate lustre;
so much glory is injurious to my person. I have a thought
in my head, which when executed will teach the world what
223
THE 6CLITSS
I am. It has ever belonged to us to make beautiful and
pleasant nights; let us now, by right of conquest, show we
can make fine days too. The sun gives too much light;
what I bestow is just enough."
What she had projected the silly fool put in execution,
and went and placed herself between us and Phoebus, and
gave him battle. But, alas! what was the event of all this
struggle? Did she shine more for that? No, on the con-
trary, this adventure, which spread a horrid darkness over
the whole horizon, teaches us that my Lady Moon was only
an obscure planet, and only borrowed her light from the sun
her brother.
Moral. —It well to make sure that you have light of your own
is
before you try to make the world admire your shining.
224
THE 6CLITS6
"WENT AND PLACED HERSELF BETWEEN US AND PHCEBUS"
(C429) 225 31
^ F^THS\
!9 Jfattier anb ^& ^ons;
COUNTRYMAN that lived
well in the world himself,
upon the results of his honest
labour and industry, was
desirous that his sons should
do so after him; and being
upon his deathbed:
" My dear children," says
he, "I reckon myself bound
to tell you, before I depart,
that there is a considerable
treasure hid in my vine-
yard. Wherefore pray be
sure to dig, and search narrowly for it when I am gone."
The father died, and the sons fell immediately to work
upon the vineyard. They turned it up over and over, and
not one penny of money to be found there but the profit —
of the next vintage expounded the riddle.
Moral. —A good example and good counsel form the best
legacy that a man can leave his children.
226
^0^ HIS SOJ^
••THEV TURNED IT UP OVER AND OVER"
227
ths ^ss wejiT(i?iG
IN LION'S SKIN AN ASS ONCE WENT ABOUT"
22S
rne Lio:hQS sjqv^
Wtit ^9si tpeadns ttie %iorCsi Min
In lion's skin an ass once went about,
And threw the brute creation into rout;
They thought him a true lion, not an ass.
He therefore tried, when Reynard chanced to pass.
If, like the rest, a fox would yield to fright.
But when he met that wily creature's sight
(Now she, by chance, that moment heard him bray),
Quoth she to him: "Be sure of what I say:
Had I not just now mark'd you when you bray'd,
I, like my fellow brutes, had been afraid."
Moral. — £ven in a lions skin an ass will betray that he
is an ass.
229
^ FAT(M6\ ^^p HIS SET^A?s(r
S Jfannet anb tiifii ^erbant
A country farmer missed an ox out of his grounds,
and sent his man abroad one day to look after him. The
simpleton went hunting up and down, till at last he found
him in a wood; but upon three birds coming near, away
goes he scampering after them. He stayed so long upon
the errand, that his master wondered what had become
of him, and so abroad he goes to look for his man, and
there was he in a field hard by, running as hard as he
could drive, and staring up into the air.
"Well," says the master, *'what news?"
" Why, master," says the man, " I have found them."
"Aye, but," says the farmer again, "where are they?
And what have you found?"
"Why, look you, there they are," says the fellow. "I
have found three birds here, and I'm trying if I can catch
them."
Moral. —// is necessary to keep to the work in hand, and
not go off after other things.
250
^SS T>Og ^?ip THE MjtSl'STi^
Wi^t ^ii, ttie Bos» anb tiit 0asittt
N observing that his master was
ass,
very kind to a little dog, who did
him no service, but only leaped up
and fawned upon him, and that never-
theless he spoke kindly to him, and
made much him in his
of him, took
arms and stroked him, gave him many
a good bit from his own table, while
he, poor soul, worked hard, ate but little, and was beaten
much, resolved to follow the dog's example, in hopes to
fare for the future as well as he. The next time, therefore,
that master came near him, he leaped upon him, as
his
he had often seen the dog do before. But the master, not
wont to receive such rough salutation from his ass, and
finding his weight something heavy, nor knowing how inno-
231
THS jtSS TH6 T>Og
LOADED HIM WITH HEAVIER BURDENS THAN BEFORE!'
232
r-l I f-Jr-
iQO<s
,^,<?.-"'^cC?^Ve^^<
cCr
'A
<?
"^-^^
\
/
I ^^\ \
S/
^V'
ir^^
lO^ilSv'-
^.-'
/'
'ill ii i- \
' t, 1
*:.
yi.J^^
Vv > '
i' 1
/ ;
•V^^ _-:^<d^ r
: 11 ' '
¥ i1
r^'^ r / \ \
The Cat and the Mouse
VJx^'-
^ Fojc and a Raven
;^^ r> T / ^^Ij
'
^!^(p rns mAsre\
cently the poor creature meant it, feared no less than that
he intended to kill him. He therefore called his servants
to his assistance,who, coming with cudgels in their hands,
belaboured the ass full sore, and at length got him off.
In short, they concluded, that too much ease had made him
restive,and therefore they loaded him with heavier burdens
than before, and at length sent him to the corn mill, where
he ended his days in great shame and sorrow, the laughing-
stock of the dogs and other asses.
Moral. —// is foolish to affect that which is unnatural.
(c 429 233 8S
j: gAi(p6ii6\
^ (gattrener anb \s\& ILanblorb
A man who had made himself a very fine garden was
so pestered with the damage done by a hare among his
plants, that away went he immediately to his landlord, and
told him a lamentable story of the havoc that this poor
hare had made in his grounds. The gentleman takes pity
of his tenant, and early the next morning goes over to him
with all his people and his dogs about him. They call in
the first place for breakfast, eat up his victuals, and drink
him dry. So soon as they have done all the mischief they
can within doors, out they march into the gardens to beat
for this hare, and then —
down with the hedges; the garden-
stuff goes all to wreck, and not so much as a leaf that
would go toward the picking of a salad escapes them.
"Well," says the gardener, "this is the way of the
world, when the poor sue for relief from the great. My
noble friend here has done me more damage in the civility
and respect of these two hours than the uttermost spite
of the hare could .have done me in twice as many ages."
Moral. —// is sometimes dangerous for the iveak to appeal
for assistance to the strong.
234
^^p HIS L^J\(pLO'I(p
"THE GARDEN-STUFF GOES ALL TO WRECK
235
THe CAT ^tNp
"CAME SNIFFING ROUND"
236
rne Mouse
^f)e Cat anb tije iWou£(e
A gentle mouse happened one day to be decoyed into
a trap, and lost her liberty for a bit of bacon. A cat, who
had a delicate nose, came sniffing round, and viewed both
bait and prisoner; and now all his wit was made use of
to obtain these delicious morsels.
"Gossip," says he, in a whining, hypocritical tone,
" let us lay aside all animosity. We have lived long enough
at variance; I'm quite weary of it for my part. Now, if
you are as sick of contention as I am, let us live in strict
amity and friendship for the future; and I do assure you,
though I say it that should not, you shall never know
how much I am at your service."
"With all my heart," says the mouse.
"And you are in earnest?" says the cat.
"As I hope for mercy, am I," says the mouse, "and
"
if I am not, may
" No imprecations, good madam, I beseech you,"
replied the cat. " But to ratify this treaty in all its forms,
pray be so good as to open your lodging, that we may
shake hands and embrace like sincere friends."
" I desire nothing more," says the mouse. "You have
nothing else to do but to lift up that board at the entry,
which is done by pulling down that long piece of wood
there that sticks out like a barber's pole; that's all!"
The cat accordingly falls to work; and scarce had she
set her two paws upon it, but up flew the trapdoor, and
237
rHS HUS'BA:h(pMA:J^
the mouse scampered away into her hole with the bacon,
which she soon gobbled up. Puss followed, but came too
late. "Well," says he, it
'*
is no great matter; the bacon
was rusty, and the mouse lean."
Moral. — Those who seek to cheat often find themselves outwitted.
Wc^t ^ugftanbman anb tfje ^totfe
HIN nets a farmer oer his furrows
spread.
And caught the cranes that on his
tillage fed.
And him a limping stork began
to pray,
Who fell with them into the
farmer's way:
"I am no crane: I don't consume
the grain:
That I'm a stork is from my colour plain;
A stork, than which no better bird doth live;
I to my father aid and succour give."
The man replied: "Good stork, I cannot tell
Your ways of life; but this I know full well:
I caught you with the spoilers of my seed;
With them, with whom I found you, you must bleed."
Moral. —
Walk with the bad, and hate will be as strong
'Gainst you as them, een though you no man wrong.
238
e^jA(X) rne storf^
AND HIM A LIMPING STORK BEGAN TO PRAY"
239
^ FOX ^^p
^ Jfox anb a l^atien
CERTAIN fox spied a raven upon
a tree with a morsel in his beak.
This set his mouth a-watering.
But how to come at it was the
question.
"Oh, thou blessed bird," says
he, "the delight of gods, and of
men!" and so he lays himself forth
upon the gracefulness of the raven's
person and the beauty of his
plumes, his admirable gift of augury, and so forth. "And
now," says the fox, " if thou hadst but a voice answerable
to the rest of thy excellent qualities, the sun in the firma-
ment could not show the world such another creature."
This flattery set the raven immediately opening his
beak as wide as ever he could stretch, to give the fox
a taste of his singing; but upon the opening of his mouth
he drops his breakfast, which the fox at once snapped up,
and then bade him remember that, whatever he had said of
his beauty, he had spoken nothing yet of his brains.
Moral. —Extravagant flatterers may be suspected of wishing
to gain something by their flattery.
240
^ i^ven^
"BUT UPON THL OPENING OF HIS MOUTH HE DROPS HIS BREAKFAST'
(C429) 241 33
:A(p7iTH wi:hP ^HP ^^K
(E^ije i^orti) Wiiv(i^ anb ti)e ^un
ETWIXT the North Wind and the
Sun arose
A contest, which would soonest of
his clothes
Strip a wayfaring clown, so runs
the tale.
First Boreas blows an almost Thra-
cian gale,
Thinking perforce to steal the man's
capote.
He loos'd it not; but as the coldwind smote
More sharply, tighter round him drew the folds,
And sheltered by a crag his station holds.
And now the Sun at first peer'd gently forth,
And thaw'd the chills of the uncanny north.
Then in their turn his beams more amply plied.
Till sud3en heat the clown's endurance tried:
Stripping himself, away his cloak he flung
The Sun from Boreas thus a triumph wrung.
Moral. —
The fable means: ''My son, at mildnessaim;
Persuasion m^ore results than force may claim^
242
^:n^ c^^r ^^p ^ Tigeo:Ni
^n ^nt anb a pigeon
An ant dropped unluckily into the water as she was
drinking at the side of a brook, so a wood pigeon, taking
pity on her, bough to catch hold of. The
threw her a little
ant saved herself by this bough, and directly after spied a
fellow with a gun, making a shot at the pigeon. Upon
this discovery, she presently runs up to him and stings
him. The fowler starts, and breaks his aim, and away
flies the pigeon.
Moral. —A good service done may bring an unexpected reward.
«41
^ HOT^e
THE PROUD HORSE AND THE HUMBLE ASS
244
c/iV© ^N J[SS
^ ^orfie anb an ^gs
In the days of old, when horses spoke Greek and Latin,
and asses made syllogisms, there happened an encounter
upon the road betwixt a proud pampered jade in the full
course of his career, and a poor creeping ass under a heavy
burden.
"Why, how now, sirrah," says the horse; "do you not
see by these arms and trappings to what master I belong?
And do you not understand that when I have that master
of mine upon my back, the whole weight of the State rests
upon my shoulders? Out of the way, thou slavish animal,
or I'll tread thee to dirt!"
The wretched ass immediately slunk aside, with this
envious reflection betwixt his teeth:
"What would I give to change conditions with that
happy creature there!"
This fancy would not pass away, till it was his hap,
some few days after, to see this very horse doing drudgery
in a common cart.
"Why, how now, friend," says the ass; "how comes
this about?"
"Only the chance of the war," says the other. "I was
a soldier's horse, and my master carried me into a battle,
where I was shot, hacked, and maimed; and you have here
before your eyes the catastrophe of my fortune."
Moral. — Better to be free in a mean estate than subject
to the sudden fluctuations of fortune.
245
rHs s^gLs
West Casle, Cat, anb ^otu
There was an eagle, a and a sow, that bred in a
cat,
wood together. The eagle nested upon the top of a high
oak, and the cat in the hollow trunk of it, while the sow lay
at the bottom. The cat's heart was set upon mischief, and
so she went with her tale to the eagle.
"Your Majesty had best look to yourself," says Puss,
*'
for there is most certainly a upon you, and perchance
plot
upon poor me too; for yonder's a sow lying grubbing every
day at the root of this tree. She'll bring it down at last,
and then your little ones and mine are all at her mercy."
So soon as ever she had hammered a jealousy into the
head of the eagle, away to the sow she goes, and tells her
another story.
do you think what a danger your litter is in!
''Little
There's an eagle watching constantly up on this tree to
make a prey of your piglings, and so soon as ever you
are out of the way, she will certainly execute her design."
The upon this goes presently to her kittens again,
cat
keeping herself upon her guard all day, as if she were
afraid, and steals out still at night to provide for her
family. In one word, the eagle durst not stir for fear of
the sow, and the sow durst not budge for fear of the eagle.
So that they kept themselves upon their guard till they
were starved, and left the care of their children to puss
and her kittens.
Moral. — There can be no peace where talebearers are
listened to.
246
C^T ^ND SO IT
"SO SHE WENT WITH HER TALE TO THE EAGLE"
247
ths 3^0 use
"IN PAIN HE TRIED TO CATCH IT'
248
i?. 1.^ '--<.'
,& „^ 2^^-
Mj ^ Ve^^><^##^^<:?^^rf^/^
^^t'l-i-f^i
-
:,y€^^pi^-v'
^
y":'
.i^i^^tJLf
.V
\ H, ^^t,
,^
.^'M
\iy \\
^--A
M
_>:
D
An Ant and a Pigeon
-'V\ ^. ^.....^ r-M .^^
<^r^.-a>^v^i
I ,
fNs
\ -v
.> A,r
.^-'^^ ..
¥•! fftllf
.'JVvjv,
r/ie Efl^/e, Cflf, fln(i 5'(9w
p.. ^ <^7 A. r.^'>r ^ t.
^NT> THS BULL
Zi)t Mou^t anb tfie PuU
A bull was bitten by a mouse. In
pain
He tried to catch it; but 'twas first
to gain
The mouse-hole. With his horns, to
raze its walls,
The bull essays, until asleep he falls,
Sinking, fatigued, hard by. Forth
straightway hies
The peeping mouse, bites him again,
and flies.
Uprose the bull, perplext what now
to do.
And the mouse squeak'd to him
this moral true:
" Nof always mighty are the great. 'Tis seen
Sometimes, that stronger are the small and mean!
( c 420 249 84
rHs T>isco:>{reo^eT> nog
XEMt BtiBicontenteb 2^og
A on the top of a high wall, and said:
dog saw a cat
**
I wish I could get up there! It must be so nice to sit
up so high! But I cannot climb."
And he was cross, and would not wag his tail. Then
he came to a pond, and saw a fish in it. And he said:
"I wish I could live in a pond all day! I should not then
be so hot as I am now." And he would not look at the
happy fish, but shut his eyes, and lay down on the grass.
By and by he heard the fish say: "Oh, I wish I could
lie down on the fresh green grass like that dog! It does
look so nice and warm out there!"
The dog sat up, and went back by the road he had
come. As he went, he saw a bird flying in the air.
'*
I wish," said the bird, " I could play all day long,
like that dog, and have a house made for me to live in.
I have to make a nest, and my wings are so tired! Yet
I must fly to and fro, day by day, till the work is done."
The dog went back to the high wall, and did not look
at the cat.
But he heard her say: "There goes that spoilt old dog
home to get his plate of meat. I wish I was as well off,
and could get meat as he does. I have had no food all
this hot day. I wish I was like that dog."
Moral. — It is foolish to envy others, forgetting our own advantages.
250
^ Fig ri^s ^NT> ^ rHOT(N
^ jTig %xtt anb a tCfiotn
A fig and a thorn were valuing themselves once
tree
upon the advantage that the one had over the other.
"Well," says the thorn, "what would you give for such
flowers as these?"
"Very good," says the fig tree, "and what would you
give for such fruit as this?"
"Well," says the other, "it would be against nature for
a thorn to bring forth figs."
"Well," says the other again, "and it would be against
nature too for a fig tree to bring forth flowers. Beside that,
I have fruit, you see; that is much better."
Moral. — Boasting is not a virtue but a vanity.
251
^ LIO!Mi ^NT>
^ Him anb a iWouge
upon hearing the roaring of a beast in the wood, a
mouse ran out to see what it was all about, and saw a lion
hampered in a net. This accident brought to her mind
how that she herself, but some few days before, had fallen
under the paw of a certain generous lion, that let her go
again. Upon enquiry, she found this to be that very
lion, and so set herself presently to work upon the net
gnawed the threads to pieces —and in gratitude delivered her
preserver.
Moral. — Little folks who have been kindly treated may be
of great service to the powerful in their hour of need.
252
^ Mouse
"A MOUSE RAN OUT TO SEE WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT'
^53
BOYS ^^p FT^OgS
|5ops! anb jFross!
A company of boys were watch-
ing frogs at the side of a pond, and
as soon asany of them put up
their heads, kept pelting them down
again with stones.
" Children," says one of the
frogs, "you never consider that
though this may be play to you,
'tis death to us."
Moral. —Bvt/ is wrought by want of
thought as well as want of heart.
"SRw
254
BOYS ^:np Fi^gs
mm
A COMPANY OF BOYS WERE WATCHING FROGS"
*5S
^ SKITTISH H01^€
"FLYING OUT AT HIS OWN SHADOW"
256
^ SKjrriSH HOT^SS
^ Mitti^ Horn
HERE goes a story of a restive,
skittish jade, that had such a trick
of rising, starting, and flying out
at his own shadow, that he was
not to be endured, for the dis-
cipline of the spur and the bit
was wholly lost upon him. When
his master found there was no
reclaiming of him by the ordi-
nary methods of horsemanship, he
took him to task, saying:
*''Tis only a shadow that you boggle at, and what is
that shadow but so much air that the light cannot come
at? It has neither teeth nor claws, you see, nor anything
else to hurt you. Twill neither break your shins nor block
up your passage, and what are you afraid of then?"
"Well," says the horse, who it seems had more wit
than his master, " 'tis no new thing in the world even
for the greatest heroes to shrink under the impression of
panic terrors. What are all the sprites, ghosts, and goblins,
that you yourselves tremble at, but phantoms and chimeras
that are bred and shaped in your own brain?"
Moral. — Until we are better ourselves we should not
blame others.
( c 429 aS7 36
^ COU^ULT^riO!)^ ^'BOUT
^ Con£(ultatton about Securing
a Citp
HERE was a council of mechanics
called to advise about the fortifying
of a city. A bricklayer was for walling
it with stone; a carpenter was of
opinion that timber would be worth
forty times as much; and after them
up starts a currier. " Gentlemen," says
he, "when youVe said all that can
be said, there's nothing in the world
like leather."
Moral. —Each man thinks his own work of the chief importance
in the world.
258
SSCUI^J^ ^ CITY
THE COUNCIL OF MECHANICS
259
^ FOX ^:np
"THE COLLATION WAS SERVED UP IN GLASSES WITH LONG NARROW NECKS
260
^A STOT^
% jFox anb a ^torfe
There was a great friendship once betwixt a fox and
a stork, and the former would needs invite the other to a
treat. They had several soups served up in broad dishes
and plates, and so the fox fell to lapping himself, and bade
his guest heartily welcome to what was before him. The
stork found he was put upon, but set so good a face, how-
ever, upon his entertainment, that his friend by all means
must take a supper with him that night in revenge. The
fox made several excuses upon the matter of trouble and
expense, but the stork would not be said Nay to, so that
at last he promised him to come. The collation was served
up in glasses with long narrow necks, and the best of every-
thing that was to be had.
" Come," says the stork to his friend, " pray be as
free as if you were at home," and so fell to very readily
himself. The fox quickly found this to be a trick, though
he could not but allow the justice of the revenge. For
such a glass of sweetmeats to the one was just as much to
the purpose as a plate of porridge to the other.
Moral. — Those who try tricks on others must expect to
be made victims themselves.
261
ji FOX a:j\(P ^ sicj^ lio:j^
^ Jfox anb a ^vd^ Hion
CERTAIN lion, that pretended a fit of
sickness, made it his observation, that
of all the beasts in the forest, the fox
never came near him; and so he wrote
him word how ill he was, and how
mighty glad he should be of his com-
pany, upon the score of ancient friend-
ship and acquaintance. The fox re-
turned the compliment with a thousand
prayers for his recovery; but as for
waiting upon him, he desired to be
excused. " For," says he, " I find the
traces of abundance of feet going to
Your Majesty's palace, and not one that comes back again."
Moral. — The kindness of the ill-natured may well be suspected.
202
Kjre HJIWJ^ A!]\[p Tig60!^(S
Ws^t Eite, ^atofe, anb pigeons!
The pigeons, finding themselves persecuted by the kite,
made choice of the hawk for their guardian. The hawk
sets up for their protector, but, under countenance of their
authority, makes more havoc in the dovehouse in two
days than the kite could have done in twice as many
months.
Moral. — // is no good trying to drive out one evil by a greater.
263
rivo lat>6:j^ ^ssss
HERE'S an old story of two asses travel-
ling upon the road, the one laden with
oats, the other with money. The money
merchant was so proud of his trust and
of his bell that he went jerking and
tossing his head, as if no ground would
hold him. The other plodded on with
his nose in the breech of his leader
as gravely as one foot could follow
While they are jogging on
another.
thus upon the way, out comes a band of highwaymen from
the next wood, and falls upon the ass that carried the
treasure. They beat, wound, and rifle him, and so leave
him, without so much as taking the least notice of his
fellow.
"Well," says the king's ass, ''and for all this mischief
I may e'en thank my money."
"Right!" says the other; "and it has been my happi-
ness that I was not thought worth the robbing."
Moral. — The way of riches is a way beset by dangers.
264
<^.
:& .. ,^
'-'<-<? .^n!^ ca<v' VvXX^;^<^^s^-^<^^^,^S5^iP
'^
'1 c
7-
-- Hi
'^!v.
:*-
--
H
r/?^ Discontented Dog
rsp ^^^:5^ M -^IP
V-- t
',
1 r)
A Lion and a Mouse
h^.
^
r^
n> ^^
rwo LAT>€!^ asses
"OUT COMES A BAND OF HIGHWAYMEN
( c 429 26s 36
THe mA:Ni
"APPLIED A LIGHT, AND SENT IT FORTH
266
^0\(P rH€ FOX
Wdt iilan anb tfje jFox
A man, that on his vines' and orchards' foe,
The fox, a strange affront design'd to throw,
Bandag'd its tail with tow, applied a light.
And sent it forth. Now Heaven's just oversight
Led the flame-bearer to its captor's fields.
It was the time for crops, when harvest yields
A hopeful prospect of abundant share.
The man pursued, deploring wasted care;
And Ceres did not bless his threshing-floor
Moral. —
One should be meek, and neer be vexed sore.
Anger a vengeance worth avoidance hath,
That bringeth damage to the quick-to-wrath.
207
THS FOX THJiT LOST HIS TAIL
Cije jFox tfjat Host \s\i Cail
HERE was a fox that was caught in
a trap, and was glad to save his life
by leaving his tail behind him. It
was so uncouth a sight for a fox to
appear without a tail, that the very
thought of it made him weary of his
life, for it was a loss never to be
repaired. But, however, for the better
countenance of the scandal, he called
a meeting of foxes at which he him-
self appeared and made a learned discourse upon the trouble,
the uselessness, and the indecency of foxes wearing tails.
He had no sooner had his up rises another
say, than
cunning fox, who desired to be informed, whether the worthy
member that moved against the wearing of tails, gave his
advice for the advantage of those that had tails, or to palliate
the deformity and disgrace of those that had none.
yioKAL.-^Interested advice needs careful examination.
268
.A L^AT>S?^ ^ASS A!\p ^ HOT^S
a Haben ^gs anb a florae
As a horse and an ass were upon the way together,
the ass cried out to his companion to ease him of his
burden, though never so little; he should fall down dead
else. The horse would
and so his fellow servant sank
not;
under his load. His master, upon this, had the ass flayed,
and laid his whole pack, skin and all, upon the horse.
"Well," says he, "this judgment is befallen me for
my ill nature in refusing to help my brother in the depth
of his distress."
Moral. — Unkindness to another brings sure punishment
at some time.
269
rne fi\ tt^s
"A FIR TREE AND A BRAMBLE DISAGREED"
270
^NT> THS "BT^AMBLS
W(^t jFir ZKree anb tfie pramftle
P^IR TREE and a bramble disagreed,
For the fir always paid to self the
meed
Of praise. " I 'm fine, well-grown in
point of size,
And my straight top is neighbour to
the skies.
'T is I am roof of mansions, keel of
ships:
So much my comeliness all trees
outstrips,"
To whom the bramble said: "Keep
well in view
The axe, whose business is thy trunk to hew,
And saws, that cut thee: haply thou 'It prefer
To be the bramble, rather than the fir."
Moral. —
All men of mark m,ore rank and credit gain
Than meaner folks, but still more risks sustain.
271
jt FT(pq
AND SEE IF I DON'T MAKE MYSELF NOW THE BIGGER OF THE TWO"
272
e^^iD ^:Ni ox
^ Jfrog anb an 0x
As a huge overgrown ox was grazing in a meadow,
an old envious frog that stood gaping at him hard by-
called out to her little ones to take notice of the bulk of
that monstrous beast; "and see," says she, "if I don't
make myself now the bigger of the two." So she strained
once, and twice, and went still swelling on and on, till
in the end she burst.
Moral. — // is make
foolish to try to ourselves appear
greater than we are.
( c 429 ) 273 87
e^^AC OLT> LIO:\^
^Xi 0Vts Hion
A lion, days of his youth and strength
that in the
had been very outrageous and cruel, came in the end to
be reduced by old age and infirmity to the last degree of
misery and contempt insomuch that all the beasts of the
;
forest —
some out of insolence, others in revenge, some
upon one pretence, some upon another fell upon him by —
consent. He was a miserable creature to all intents and
purposes ; but nothing went so near the heart of him in
his distress, as to find himself battered by the heel of
an ass.
Moral. — Those who behave as tyrants in their strength must
expect to be treated with contempt in their weakness.
274
AJ^ OLT> LIO^C
HE WAS A MISERABLE CREATURE TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES"
275
j: wom^n
^ Moman anb tier ^en
A good country woman having a hen that every day
laid for her a nice large &g^y fancied that if she gave it
yet more corn the hen might be made to lay twice a day.
So she gave the bird more and more food until it grew so
fat that it quite gave up laying eggs at all.
Moral. —// is good to let well alone.
276
.4NT> He\ H€J^
"SO SHE GAVE THE BIRD MORE AND MORE FOOD'
277
^0^ OLT> 3V[A0\(^
O oo o o
o o
o O
o O
-cL
"AN OLD MAN AND A LITTLE BOY WERE DRIVING AN ASS"
278
^NT> ^N ^SS
an (!^lb iHan anb an ilsis
An old man and a little boy were driving an ass before
them market to sell.
to the next
"Why, have you no more wit," says one to the man
upon the way, that you and your son trudge it afoot, and
''
let the ass go light?" So the man set the boy upon the
ass, and footed it himself.
"Why, sirrah," says another after this, to the boy, "you
lazy rogue you, must you ride, and let your ancient father
go afoot?" The man upon this took down his boy, and
got up himself.
" Do you see," says a third, " how the lazy old knave
rides himself, and the poor little child has much ado to
creep after him!" The father, upon this, took up his son
behind him. The next they met asked the old man whether
his ass were his own or no. He said: "Yes."
"Troth, there's little sign of it," says the other, "by your
loading him thus."
" Well," says the fellow to himself, " what am I to do
now? For I am laughed at if either the ass be empty, or if
one of us rides, or both," and so in the conclusion he bound
the ass's legs together with a cord, and they tried to carry
him tomarket with a pole upon their shoulders betwixt
them. This was such sport to everybody who saw it that
the old fellow in great wrath threw down the ass into a
river, and so went his way home again. The good man,
in fine, was willing to please everybody, but had the ill
fortune to please nobody, and lost his ass into the bargain.
Moral. —// is foolish trying to please everybody.
279
^ CITY mouse ^^p
^ Citp iHoufite anb a Country iHousfe
There goes an old story of a country mouse that invited
a city sister of hers to a country collation, where she spared
for nothing that the place afforded, putting before her crusts
and cheese-parings, oatmeal and bacon, and the like. Now
the city dame was so well-bred as seemingly to take all
in good part, but yet at last
"Sister," says she, after the civilest fashion, "why will
you be miserable when you may be happy? Why will you
lie pining and pinching yourself in such a lonesome starv-
ing course of life as this, when 'tis but going to town
along with me to enjoy all the pleasures and plenty that
your heart can wish?"
This was a temptation the country mouse was not
able to resist ;so that away they trudged together, and
about midnight got to their journey's end. The city mouse
showed her friend the larder, the pantry, the kitchen, and
other offices where she laid her stores and after this;
carried her into the parlour, where they found, yet upon
the table, the relics of a mighty entertainment of that very
night. The city mouse carved her companion of what she
liked best, and so to it they fell upon a velvet couch to-
gether. The poor bumpkin that had never seen nor heard
of such doings before blessed herself at the change of her
condition, when (as ill luck would have it) all on a sudden
the doors flew open, and in comes many people with their
dogs, and put the poor mice to their wits' end how to save
their skins. The stranger made a shift for the present to
280
K^r'^s\'^^-t^^]'
A City Mouse and a Country Mouse
w
^ ^ .^
^^^ ^^
^^ w^
^^
7C^
'^^' ^"Cpn ^
..ki
f^
v^
^ couuiri(Y Mouse
slink into a corner,where she lay trembling and panting
till the company went their way. So soon as ever the
house was quiet again
" Well, my Court sister," says she, " if this be the
way of your town gambols, I'll e'en back to my cottage
and my mouldy cheese again; for I had much rather
nibble crusts without fear or danger in my own hole,
than be mistress of the whole world with perpetual cares
and alarms."
Moral. —Better is it to have plain fare and peace than
luxury and many dangers.
(C429 281 38
THe T>og lu^
W^t ©og in a JHanger
A churlish, envious cur was gotten into a manger,
and there lay growling and snarling so as to keep the
horses from their provender. The dog could eat none of
it himself, and yet rather ventured the starving of his
own carcass than he would suffer anything else to be the
better for it.
Moral. — To prevent others using what we cannot use
ourselves is currish.
282
^ MAUiGe\
"A CHURLISH, ENVIOUS CUR WAS GOTTEN INTO A MANGER"
283
mST^UT^Y ^^p
MERCURY AND THE SCULPTOR
284
j: scuupro\
iHercurp anb a Sculptor
ERCURY had a desire once to learn
what credit he had in the world, and
he knew no better way than to put on
the shape of a man, and take occasion
to discuss the matter with a sculptor.
So away he went to the house of a
great master, where among other curious
figures he saw several excellent statues
of the gods. The first of which he
asked the price was a Jupiter.
"Well," says Mercury, *'and what's
the price of that Juno there?"
The carver set that a little higher. The next figure
was a Mercury, with his rod and his wings, and all the
ensigns of his commission.
"Why, this is as it should be," says he to himself,
" for here am I in the quality of Jupiter's messenger, and
the patron of artisans, with all my trade about me. And
now will this fellow ask me fifteen times as much for this
as he did for the other," and so he put it to him, what
he valued that piece at.
"Why, truly," says the sculptor, "you seem to be a civil
gentleman; give me but my price for the other two, and
you shall e'en have that into the bargain."
Moral. — Those who set too high a value upon themselves are
often but little valued by others.
285
THS FLY ^^(p THS jI^HT'
THE FLY AND THE ANT
286
rne FLY ^o^ rne ^ah^t^
tKfje Jflp anb tf)e i^nt
A fly said thus to an ant, whom she met in the summer:
" Thou art for certain a poor and despicable beast, who,
though thou hast wings to fly on high, yet, like a mean-
spirited wretch, creepest always on the earth, and labourest
hard to get a sordid livelihood, eating only a little corn, and
drinking only a little on the contrary, soar aloft,
water. I,
and without any labour take my place at the most costly
feasts, where I feed on the most delicious morsels, and drink
from gold and silver vessels the most exquisite liquors. I
sleep in purple beds, and there kiss the ruddy cheeks of the
most beautiful women."
To which the ant answered:
" Full dearly thou payest for all the delights which
thou enjoyest, by living, as thou dost, in continual dread of
being crushed to by fans and fly- flaps, of being
pieces
caught by clammy sweets, or drowned in feastful bowls.
But say the best that can befall thee, thy short-lived days
and pleasures soon will end, when the first winter comes
thou certainly must die, and leave for ever these mistaken
joys. These are the thoughts that convince me how much
my happiness surpasses thine, and that make me and the
dear companions of my labours employ ourselves with great
satisfaction and content in hoarding up in the summer a
sufficient quantity of food to support us in quiet and security
all the winter."
Moral. — Thrift and industry lead to settled happiness denied
to idleness and luxury.
287
rne chssss
Two by some means or other, got a cheese
cats had,
between them, to which they had undoubtedly an equal
right. Disputes (as they often happen on ill-gotten goods)
arose between them how to make an equal division, and
to end the controversy they agreed Dame Justice should
decide it.
Well, away these contenders go to a monkey, a neigh-
bour of theirs, who was chief clerk to a judge that lived in
the village, and whom one would take for my lord himself,
especiallywhen he had his furs and cornered cap on.
The cheese was brought into court before my Lord
Pug, who, sitting on the bench with a very serious and
demure countenance (you must think), coughed, put his
thumbs into his girdle, and commanded silence.
This done, he very gravely divides it into two parts,
and, holding up the scales with one hand, puts in the two
pieces with the other.
"We sit here to do justice," says he, "and therefore
let us weigh this matter with circumspection. Let equity *
always prevail', say L So; but a ——
this piece here out-
weighs the other a little, methinks," and bites off a large bit.
" On my conscience," says he, " I believenow this
will do." But it happened the other piece the drew down
scale. "So, so," says he; "now this piece is the heavier.
But I'll make both equal by and by, as you shall see, for
I love to do the thing that is right," and bites off another
piece for the same weighty reason.
288
THS CHsese
WE SIT HERE TO DO JUSTICE,' SAYS HE"
( c 429 i 289 39
rne CHsese
When he had made a third trial, one scale only just
drew down the other.
"'Tis mighty well, my lord, now," said the cats; "pray
give it us, we are very well satisfied."
"Satisfiedl why aye, you may be so, indeed," quoth
the monkey; "but if you are satisfied. Justice is not. You
are a couple of ignorant fellows; why, how can you imagine
that we will let things be decided after such a gross manner
as you would have it. No, no, this is a nice point, and
we may perhaps direct a special and began gently
verdict,"
to nibble away from the larger piece what he thought it
might exceed the other in, and thus by strict rules of
Justice he had pretty well devoured good part of both
pieces.
The two antagonists, seeing this, desired, however, that
they might have the rest for their share.
"Soft and good gentlemen," says the monkey;
fair,
"you may retire if you please, for what remains belongs
to me for my fees; for we must do justice to ourselves
as well as other people. So you may go about your busi-
ness, and be thankful it is no worse."
Moral : A knave can always find an excuse for
his knavery.
290
^QAij^^sr rne h^tjd ro suir
^gainsit ti)e ||atb to ^uit
ERE I a pet of fair Calliope,
I would devote the gifts conferr'd
on me
To dress in verse old ^sop's lies
divine;
For and they, and truth, do
verse,
well combine;
But, not a favourite on the Muses'
hill,
I dare not arrogate the magic
skill,
To ornament these charming stories.
A bard might brighten up their glories.
—
No doubt. I try what one more wise must do.
Thus much I have accomplish'd hitherto:
By help of my translation,
The beasts hold conversation,
In French, as ne'er they did before,
Indeed, to claim a little more.
The plants and trees, with smiling features.
Are turn'd by me to talking creatures.
Who says, that this is not enchanting?
•*Ah," say the critics, "hear what vaunting!
From one whose work, all told, no more is
Than half a dozen baby stories."
Would you a theme more credible, my censors.
In graver tone, and style which now and then soars?
291
^gAi:h(ST THS
Then list I For ten long years the men of Troy,
By means that only heroes can employ,
Had held the allied hosts of Greece at bay
Their minings, batterings, stormings day by day,
Their hundred battles on the crimson plain,
Their blood of thousand heroes, all in vain
When, by Minerva's art, a horse of wood.
Of lofty size, before their city stood,
Whose immense the sage Ulysses hold,
flanks
Brave Diomed, and Ajax fierce and bold,
Whom, with their myrmidons, the huge machine
Would bear within the fated town unseen.
To wreak upon its very gods their rage
Unheard-of stratagem, in any age,
Which well its crafty authors did repay. ...
" Enough, enough," our critic folks will say;
"Your period excites alarm.
Lest you should do your lungs some harm;
And then your monstrous wooden horse.
With squadrons in it at their ease,
Is even harder to endorse
Than Reynard cheating Raven of his cheese.
And, more than that, it fits you ill
To wield the old heroic quill."
Well, then, a humbler tone, if such your will is:
Long sigh'd and pined the jealous Amaryllis
For her Alcippus, in the sad belief,
None, save her sheep and dog, would know^ her grief.
Thyrsis, who knows, among the willow slips,
And hears the gentle shepherdess's lips
Beseech the kind and gentle zephyr
292
H^T(P ro suir
To bear these accents to her lover. . . .
"Stop!" says my censor:
"To laws of rhyme quite irreducible,
That couplet needs again the crucible;
Poetic men, sir,
Must nicely shun the shocks
Of rhymes unorthodox."
A curse on critics! hold your tongue!
Know I now how to end my song?
Of time and strength what greater waste
Than my attempt to suit your taste?
Moral. —
Some men, more nice than wise^
There's naught that satisfies.
293
The En-a
i:'-^i-.;s^?piiiiiiiw^
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