Fable 1
Cock and Precious Stone
As a cock was scratching upon a dunghill, he turned up a
precious stone. Well, fays he,
this sparkling foolery to a jeweller would have been
something; but to me, a barley-corn
is worth an hundred diamonds.
MORAL
A wise man will always prefer things necessary before
matters of curiofty, ornament,
or pleasure.
Fable 2
A Fox and a Cock
It was the hard fortune once of a cock, to fall into the
clutches of a fox.
Reynard wanted to be upon his bones, but yet was desirous of
some plausible colour
some it.
Sirrah, says he, what do you keep such a screaming o'nights
for, that no body can sleep
hear you? Alas! says the cock, I seldom wake any body, but
when it is time for them to
rise and go about their business.
This is a sorry excuse for me, says the fox; for dost; thou
not alarm the whole
neighbourhood so, that my lise is continually in danger
whenever I prowl this way
in a morning? In truth, says the cock, that's not my
intention when I crow, which is only
to shew my joy for the dawn of the day, and to revive the
hearts of my wives.
Come, come, says Reynard, foxes don't live upon dialogues;
and it is time for me to go
to breakfast. At which word he gave him a gripe, and so made
an end both of the cock
and the story.
Fable 3
A Wolf and a Lamb
As a wolf was lapping at the head of a fountain, he spy'd a
kmb paddling at the same
time a good way off down the stream, and away he runs
openmouth to it.
Villain! says he, how dare you lie muddling the water that
I'm drinking? Indeed, says the
poor lamb, I did not think that my drinking here below,
could have foul'd your water so
far above.
Nay, says t'other, you'll never leave your chopping of logic
till your skin's tum'd over your
ears, as your father's was six month's ago, for prating at
this saucy rate;
you remember it full well, Sirrah! 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 con science? But it
runs into the blood of your whole race, Sirrah, to hate our
family; and therefore you shall
e'en pay some of your forefather's scores.
And so, without any more ado, he tore the poor lamb in
pieces.
MORAL of the two Fables
Innocence is no protection against the arbitrary cruelty
of a tyrannical pomier;
but reason and conscience are, however, such sacred things,
that the greatest villanies
are generally cloaked under the shadow of those names.
Fable 4
A Frog, Mouse and Kite
There happened once a terrible quarrel betwixt the frogs and
the mice, about the
sovereignty of the fens; and whilst two of their champions
were disputing it with their
utmost might, down comes a kite powdering upon them, and
gobbles up both together.
Fable 5
A Lion, Bear and Fox
A lion and a bear had so long fought over a fawn which they
had killed, that they were
glad to lie down and take breath.
In which instant a fox passed that way; and sinding how the
case stood with the two
combatants, he seized upon the dead fawn, and scampered
quite away with him.
The lion and the bear, not being in condition to rise and
hinder it, pass'd this reflection
upon the matter: Here we have been worrying one another who
should have the booty,
till this treacherous fox has robb'd us both.
MORAL of the two Fables
When fools go together by the ears, knaves generally run
away with the slakes.
Fable 6
A Dog and a Shadow
As a dog was crossing a river with a piece of flesh in his
mouth, he faw, as he thought,
another dog under the water upon the very same adventure.
He never considered, that the one was only the image of the
other; but, out of a
greediness to get both, he chops at the shadow, and loses
the substance.
MORAL
This is the case of unreasonable and insatiable defires,
grasping at what is out of their
reach, till they lose the good they had in possession. All
covet all lose, says the proverb.
Fable 7
A Lion and
other beasts a hunting
A lion, a wolf, a bear, and a fox went a hunting one day;
and every one was to go share
and share alike in what they took.
They plucked down a stag, and divided him into four parts;
but as they were entering
each upon his dividend, Hands off, says the lion, this
part is mine, by reason of my
quality; this, because I took most pains for it;
this again, because I have occasion for it;
and if you dispute the fourth, we must even pluck a
crow about it:
So the mouths of the confederates were all stopt, and they
went away as mute as sishes.
MORAL
Unequal leagues or alliances are generally to be avoided;
for he who has the knife, that
is to say, the power, in his band, will commonly be his own
carver.
Fable 8
A Wolf and a Crane
A wolf had got a bone in his throat, and promised a crane a
very confiderable reward to
help him out with it.
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 have 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 do with wild beasts (as some men are no
better) and escapes tuith
a whole skin, let him think himself well of.
Fable 9
A Countryman and Snake
A countryman happened one hard winter to espy a snake under
a hedge, that was half
frozen to death. The good-natured man 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 its life.
Ah, thou ungrateful wretch! says he, is that venemous
ill-nature of thine to be satisfied
with nothing else than the ruin of thy preserver!
MORAL
He that takes an ungrateful man into his bosom, is well
nigh sure to be betrayed; and it
is not charity, but folly, to think of obliging the common
enemies of mankind.
Fable 10
A Lion and a Ass
A ass was so hardy once, as to fall a mocking and braying at
a lion.
The lion began at first to shew his teeth, and to stomach
the affront; but upon second
thoughts. Well, says he, jeer on, and be an ass still; take
notice only by the way, that it
is the baseness of your character that has saved your
carcase.
MORAL
It is below the dignity of a great mind to hold contests
with people that have neither
quality nor courage; to say nothing of the folly of
contending with a miserable wretch,
where the very competition is a scandal.
Fable 11
City Mouse and
Country Mouse
A country mouse invited a city sister mouse of her's to a
collation, where me spared for
nothing that the place afforded; as mouldy crusts,
cheese-parings, musty oat-meal,
rusty bacon, and the like.
The city dame was too well bred to sind fault with her
entertainment; but yet
represented, that such a lise was unworthy of a merit like
hers; and letting her know how
splendidly she lived, invited her to accompany her to town.
The country mouse consented, and away they trudged together,
and about midnight got
to their journey's end. The city mouse shewed 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 earved her companion of what me liked best,
and so to it they sell upon
a velvet couch. The country mouse, who 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 oh a
sudden the doors flew open, and in comes a crew of noisy
servants of both sexes,
to seast upon the dainties that were left.
This put the poor mice to their wits end how to fave their
skins; the stranger especially,
who had never been in such danger before: But she made a
shift however for the present
to flink into a corner, where she lay trembling and panting
till the company went away.
As soon as e'er the house was quiet again: Well! my court
sister, says she, if this be the
sauce to your rich meats, I will, even back to my cottage,
and my mouldy cheese again;
for I had much rather lie nibbling of crusts, without sear
or hazard in my own hole,
than be mistress of all the delicates in the world, and
subject to such terrifying
alarms and dangers.
MORAL
This fable she-ivs the difference betiveen a court and a
country life: The delights,
innocence, and security of the one, compared with the
anxiety, voluptuousness,
and hazards of the other.
Fable 12
Crow and Mussel
One of your royston crows lay battering upon a mussel, and
could not for his heart break
the shell to come at the sish.
A carrion crow in the interim comes up, and advises him to
take the mussel up in the air
as high as he could carry it, and then let it fall upon a
neighbouring rock, and its own
weight, says he, shall break it.
The roystoner took his advice, and it succeeded accordingly;
but while the one was upon
the wing, the other stood lurching upon the rock, and flew
away with, the fish.
MORAL
If a selfish man gives his neighbour good advice, it is
ten to one but he has some end in it.
Fable 13
Fox and Raven
A Fox espied out a raven upon a tree with a morsel in his
mouth, that sets his chops 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, &c. And
now, says the fox, if thou hast but a voice answerable to
the rest of thy excellent
qualities, the fun in, the sirmament could not mew the world
such another creature.
This nauseous flattery set the raven a gaping as wide as
ever he could stretch, to give
the fox a taste of his quail-pipe; but, upon the opening of
his mouth, he drops his
breakfast; which the fox presently chopt up, and then bade
him remember, that
whatever he had said of his beauty, he had spoken nothing
yet of his brains.
MORAL
There is hardly any man living that may not be wrought
upon more or less by flattery;
for we do all of us naturally overween in our own favour.
But twhen it comes to be
applied once to a vain fool, there is no end then can be
proposed to be attained by it,
but may be effected.
Fable 14
The old Lion
A Lion that in the days of his youth and strength had been
very outrageous and cruel,
came in the end to be reduced, by old age and infirmity, to
the last degree of contempt;
insomuch that all the beasts of the forest, some out of
insolence, others in revenge,
sell 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 sind himself battered by
the heel of an ass.
MORAL
A prince who does not secure friends to himself while be
is in power and condition to
oblige them, must never expect to find friends when be is no
longer ableito do them any
good.
Fable 15
Ass and Whelp
A Gentleman had a favourite spaniel, that would be still
toying and leaping upon him,
and playing a thousand gambols, which the master was well
enough pleased withal;
insomuch that an ass in the house, that thought himself
coarsely used, would needs
go the same gamesome way to work, to curry favour for
himself; but he was quickly
given to understand with a good cudgel, the difference
betwixt the one play-sellow and
the other.
MORAL
People who five by example, shov.ld do 'well to look very
-narrowly into the force aud
authority of the precedent: For that may become one man,
which would be insufferable
in another, under different circumstances.
Fable 16
Lion and Mouse
A generous lion, having got into his clutches a poor mouse,
at her earnest supplication
let her go.
A sew days after, the lion being hampered in a net, found
the benesit of his former
meroy; for this very mouse, in his distress, remembering the
favour done her, set herself
to work upon the couplings of the net, gnawed the threads to
pieces, and so delivered
her preserver.
MORAL
It holds through the whole scale of the creation, that
the great and little have need of
one another.
Fable 17
Sick Kite and her
Mother
Pray, mother, says a sick kite, give over these idle
lamentations, and let me rather have
your prayers. Alas! my child, says the dam, to which of the
gods shall pray, for a wretch
that has robbed all their altars?
MORAL
Nothing but the conscience of a virtuous life can make
death easy to us; therefore there
is no trusting to the distraction of an agonizing and
death-bed repentance.
Fable 18
Swallow and other Birds
A Swallow (a bird famous for foresight) seeing a
country-fellow sowing hemp in his
grounds, called a company of little birds about her; and
telling them what the man was
about, and that the fowlers nets and snares were made with
hemp or flax, advised them
to pick it up in time, for fear of the consequence.
They neglected the advice till it took root; and then again,
till it was sprung up into the
blade. Upon this, the swallow told them, that it was not yet
too late to prevent the
mischief, if they would but set heartily about it; but
finding that no heed was given to
what she said, she even bade adieu to her old companions in
the woods, and betook
herself to a city life, and to the conversation of men.
This flax and hemp came in time to be gathered and wrought;
and it was this swallow's
fortune to see several of the very birds she had forewarned,
taken in nets made of the
stuff; and then, too late, they became sensible of the folly
of slipping their opportunity.
MORAL
Wise men read effects in their causes; but fools will not
believe them till it is too late to
prevent the mischief.
Fable 19
Frogs desire a King
The frogs, grown weary of liberty, petitioned Jupiter for a
king.
Jupiter, to try them, threw them down a log for their
governor; which, upon the first
dash, frighted them all into the mud; nor durst they for
some time look out, till one frog,
bolder than the rest, put up his head, and looking about
him, beheld how quiet their new
prince lay.
Upon this he calls his fellowsubjects together, tells them
the cafe, 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 intreated to send
them another.
He did so, and lent among them a stork, who soon revenged
the cause of king Log,
and devoured as many of his new subjects as came in his way.
The remainder of the miserable crew petitioned again fora
new king, or to be restored to
their former state; but were told, that they had brought all
these evils upon themselves;
and as the stork was sent for their punishment, they must
bear it as well as they could;
for there was no remedy but patience.
MORAL
No state of life can please a discontented mind. Such
people as know not when they are
well, and co vet change, can only blame themselves, if that
change makes their condition
worse.
Fable 20
The Kite, Hawk and
Pigeons
The pigeons, sinding themselves persecuted by the kite, made
choice of the hawk for
their guardian. The hawk sets up for their protector; but,
under the countenance of that
authority, instead of carrying on a war with the kite, makes
more havock in the
dove-house in two days, than the kite could have done in as
many months.
MORAL
It is a dangerous thing for people to call in a powerful
and ambitious man for their
protector.
Fable 21
Dog and Thief
As a gang of thieves were at work to rob a house, a
mastiff took the alarm, and sell a
barking: One of the company spoke him fair, and would have
stopt his mouth with a
crust. No, says the dog, this will not do, for I will take
no bribes to betray my master;
nor will I, for a piece of bread in hand, forseit the ease,
satisfaction, and liberty of my
whole life.
MORAL
Fair words, presents, and fatteries, are always to be
suspected to cover a base and
wicked intent.
Fable 22
Wolf and Sow
A Wolf very kindly offered to take care of the litter of a
sow that was just ready to lie
down. The sow as civilly thanked her for her love, and
defired she would be pleased to
stand off a little, and do her the good office at a
distance, the greater the better.
MORAL
There are no snares so dangerous as those which are laid
for us under the name os good
offices.
Fable 23
Mountain in Labour
A Rumour went that the mountain was in labour, and all the
neighbourhood got together
to see what a monstrous issue so great a mother would bring
forth; when, behold! of a
sudden, out run a ridiculous mouse.
MORAL
Nothing so much exposes man to ridicule, as when, by vain
blusters, he raises the
expectation of all around him, and falls short in his
performances.
Fable 24
Ass and ungrateful
Master
A Poor ass that, what with age and hard labour, was worn to
the stumps, had the ill-hap
one day to make a false step, and to fall down under his
load: His driver immediately
falls upon him, and beats him almost to death for it. This,
says the ass, is according to
the course of the ungrateful world; one casual flip is
enough to weigh down the faithful
service of a long life.
Fable 25
An old Dog and his
Master
An old dog, that in his youth had led his master many a
merry chace, and done him all
the offices of a trusty servant, came at last, upon falling
from his speed and vigour, to be
loadon at every turn with blows and reproaches for it, and
at last turned quite out of
doors. Why, Sir, say the dog, my will is as good as ever,
but my strength is gone;
and you might with as much justice hang me up because I am
old, as beat me because
I am impotent.
MORAL of the two Fables
It is a barbarous inhumanity in great men to old
servants, not to allow the past services
of their strength and youth capable of atoning for the
failings natural to age; and to an
age perhaps that has been hastened on by hard labour and
zeal in their service.
Fable 26
Ass, Ape and Mole
An ass and an ape were conferring on grievances. The ass
complained mightily for want
of horns, and the ape was much troubled for want of a tail.
Hold your tongues, both of
ye, says the mole, and be thankful for what you have; for
the poor blind moles are in a
worse condition than either of ye.
Fable 27
Hares and Frogs
Once upon a time the hares found themselves mightily
unfatsfied with the miserable
condition they lived in.
Here we live, says one of them, at the mercy of men, dogs,
eagles, and I know not how
many other creatures, which prey upon us at pleasure;
perpetually in frights, perpetually
in danger; aod therefore I am absolutely of opinion, that we
had better die once for all,
than live at this rate in a continual dread that is worse
than death itself.
The motion was seconded and debated, and a resolution
immediately taken, one and all,
to drown themselves.
The vote was no sooner passed, but away they scudded with
that determination to the
next lake.
Upon this hurry there leapt a whole shoal of frogs from the
bank into the water, for sear
of the hares. Nay then, my masters, says one of the gravest
of the company, pray let us
have a little patience.
Our condition, I find, is not altogether so bad as we
fancied it; for there are those,
you see, that are as much afraid of us as we are of others.
MORAL of the two Fables
There is no contending with the orders and decrees of
Providence. He that made us,
knows what is fittest for us; and every man's own lot (well
understood and managed)
is undoubtedly the best.
Fable 28
Wolf, Kid and Goat
A Coat going out one morning, charged her kid, upon her
blessing, 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 over-heard
the charge, and in a small
pipe calls to the kid to let her mother come in. The kid
smelt out the roguery, and bade
the wolf shew his beard, and the door should be open to him.
MORAL
There never was a hypocrite so disguised, but he had some
mark or other to be known by.
Fable 29
Dog, Sheep and Wolf
A Dog brought an action of the case against a sheep, for
some certain measures of
wheat, that he had lent him. The plaintiff proved the debt
by three positive witnesses,
the wolf, the kite, and the vulture. The defendant was cast
in costs and damages,
and forced to sell the wool from his back to satisfy the
creditor.
MORAL
It is not a straw matter, whether the main cause be right
or wrong, or the charge true or
false, where the bench, jury, and witnesses are in a
conspiracy against the prisoner.
Fable 30
Countryman and a Snake
A Snake had bedded himself under the threshold of a
country-house: A child of the
family happened to set his foot upon it; the snake bit him,
and he died of the bite.
The father of the child made a blow at the snake, but missed
his aim, and only left a
mark behind him upon the stone where he struck. The
countryman offered the snake,
some time after this, to be friends again. No, says the
snake, so long as I have this flaw
upon the stone in my eye, and you the death of the child in
your thoughts, there is no
trusting of you.
MORAL
There is a great difference betwixt charity and facility.
We may hope well in marry cases,
but let it be without venturing our all upon it.
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