Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse Part 19

When every petty clerk in place, To prove his taste, and seem polite, Will feed on Geese both noon and night."

MORAL.

Those flatter the plunderer who share in the spoil.

FABLE XCVII.

THE ONE-EYED DOE.

A DOE, that had but one eye, used to graze near the sea, and that she might be the more secure from harm, she kept her blind side toward the water, from whence she had no apprehension of danger, and with the other surveyed the country as she fed.

By this vigilance and precaution she thought herself in the utmost security; when a sly fellow, with two or three of his companions, who had been poaching after her several days to no purpose, at last took a boat, and, fetching a compa.s.s upon the sea, came gently down upon her, and shot her. The Doe, in the agonies of death, breathed out this doleful complaint:--"Oh, hard fate! that I should receive my death wound from that side whence I expected no ill; and be safe in that part where I looked for the most danger."

MORAL.

Our troubles and dangers frequently arise from the direction we least expect them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE ONE-EYED DOE.]

FABLE XCVIII.

THE FOX, THE RAVEN, AND THE DOVE.

A FOX, who was half-starved with hunger, stretched himself all along upon the ground, and lay as if he were dead, that he might entice the harmless birds to come within his reach, and then leap of a sudden upon them, and make them his prey; but it happened that a Raven, who was hovering near him, observed that he fetched his breath; and, by consequence, found it to be only a trick in him to catch the birds. She, therefore, instantly gave them notice of it; and forewarned them, as they valued their own lives, not to come within reach of the Fox, who only feigned himself to be dead.

The Fox, finding his plot to be discovered, was obliged to go away hungry; but soon bethought himself of another invention: which was, to go and kennel himself in a hollow tree, upon which a Dove had her nest, and was breeding up her young ones. Having done this, he called to her, that, unless she would throw down to him sometimes one of her eggs, and sometimes one of her young ones, he would climb up the tree, take away all her eggs, kill both her and her young, and break her nest to pieces.

The harmless Dove, thinking of two ills to choose the least, did as the Fox required her; and threw him down now one of her eggs, and then one of her young ones. Having done so, for some time, with a great deal of grief and sorrow, and the Fox continuing still to demand it of her, she, at last, made her complaint to the Raven, who chanced to come and perch herself on the same tree; grievously bemoaning her fate, that she, like a good mother, to provide for her children, was at last obliged to make them a sacrifice to such a villain. But the Raven, who was not so timorous as she, advised her, whenever the Fox threatened her again, that he would kill both her and her young, if she would not throw one of them down to him, to answer him roundly,--"If you could have flown or climbed up the tree, you would not have been so often contented with one of my eggs, or of my young; but would, long since, according to your ravenous and blood-thirsty nature, have devoured both me and them." In short, the next time the Fox came, and threatened her as before, she replied as the Raven had instructed her.

The Fox, hearing her answer, and knowing very well that she was not so wise and cunning of herself, resolved to find out the truth of the matter; and, at length, came to understand that it was the Raven who had been her counsellor. He, therefore, vowed to be revenged on her, who had now, the second time, hindered him from getting his prey. Not long after, he espied her sitting on a high thorn-tree; and, going to her, began to praise her at a mighty rate,--magnifying her good fortune above that of all beasts, who could neither fly like her, nor tread the ground with so majestical a gait: adding, withal, that it would be a great pleasure to him to see her lordly walk; that he might from thence, be certain whether she were indeed so divine and prophetic a bird as men had always held her to be.

The Raven, transported to hear herself thus praised to the skies, flew down; and, pitching upon the ground, walked to and fro, in mighty pomp and state. The Fox seemed highly delighted; and said, that he extremely wondered how the Raven could keep upon the ground, when the wind blew her feathers over her eyes, and hindered her sight; but chiefly when it blew before, behind, and on all sides of her. "I can very well provide against that," said the Raven; "for then I hide my head under my left wing." "How!"

cried the Fox; "hide your head under your left wing! So wonderful a thing I can never believe, till I see it." Immediately the Raven put her head under her left wing, and held it there so long that the Fox caught hold of her and killed her for his prey.

MORAL.

So must they fare who give good advice to others, but have not discretion enough to follow it themselves.

FABLE XCIX.

THE TWO POTS.

Two Pots, of different size and matter made, Were swiftly down a rolling stream convey'd.

The larger vessel, form'd of solid bra.s.s, Did boldly o'er the rapid water pa.s.s; While that whose substance was but brittle clay, Would, for his safety, give the stronger way.

Him the Bra.s.s Pot invited to draw near, And said, "His frailty need not cause his fear; For he, with just precaution would prevent The danger of their jostling as they went."

The Earthen Pot, that knew his weaker frame, Excused himself, that he no nearer came; And said, "My friend, if the impetuous tide Should dash my clay against your brazen side, By the hard fate of that unequal stroke, While you are whole, I shall be surely broke."

MORAL.

Men safest still in equal friends.h.i.+p live, Where they can do no harm, and none receive; The strong, by power led to insult the weak, With every touch the brittle vessels break; While they, abused and injured by the strong, Must, without remedy, sustain the wrong.

FABLE C.

THE TWO FROGS.

One hot, sultry summer, the lakes and ponds being almost everywhere dried up, a couple of Frogs agreed to travel together in search of water. At last they came to a deep well, and, sitting on the brink of it, began to consult whether they should leap in or no. One of them was so inclined, urging that there was plenty of clear, spring water, and no danger of being disturbed.

"Well," says the other, "all this may be true, and yet I cannot come into your opinion for my life; for if the water should happen to dry up here too, how should we get out again."

MORAL.

Skilful generals always secure a way for retreat. "Look before you leap" is an old and trite proverb. We should not undertake any action of importance without considering what may be the result, in all its aspects.

FABLE CI.

THE FOX AND THE MASK.

A FOX, being in a shop where Masks were sold, laid his foot upon one of them, and considering it awhile attentively, at last broke out into this exclamation:--"Bless me!" says he, "what a handsome face this is! What a pity it is that it should want brains!"

MORAL.

Beauty without sense is of little value. A fair outside is but a poor subst.i.tute for inward worth.