Fable 121
Snake and Crab
There was a familiarity contracted betwixt a snake and a crab.
The crab was a plain-dealing creature, that advised his companion to give over shuffling
and to practise good faith.
The snake went on in his old way; So that the crab broke acquaintance with him,
and soon after found him dead, stretched out at his length; and then looking upon him
said, this had never befallen you, my old crooked acquaintance, if you had but lived as
straight as you died.
MORAL
There is nothing more agreeable in conversation, than a frank open way of dealing,
and a simplicity of manners.
Fable 122
Shepherd and young Wolf
A Shepherd took a wolf's sucking whelp, and trained it up with his dogs.
The whelp fed with them, grew up with them, and whensoever they went out upon the
chace of a wolf, the whelp would be sure to make one.
It fell out sometimes that the wolf escaped; but this domestic wolf would be still hunting
on, after the dogs had given over the chace, till he came up to his true brethren, where
he took part of the prey with them, and then went back again to his master.
And when he could come in for no snacks with the wolves, he would now-and-then make
free, by-the-bye, with a straggling sheep out of the flock.
He carried on this trade for a while; but at last was caught in the fact, and hanged by his
injured master.
MORAL
Men naturally false and treacherous are no mere to be reclaimed than volves.
Benefits but augment their power to do mischief, and they never fail to make use of it to
the prejudice of their benefaclors.
Fable 123
Lion, Fox and Wolf
The king of beasts being grown old and sickly, all the subjects of the forest saving only
the fox, went to pay their duties to him.
The wolf took this occasion to do the fox a good ossice: I can assure your majesty, says
he, it is nothing but pride and insolence that keeps the fox from shewing himself at court.
The fox coming to know this, presented himself before the lion, and assured him that the
reason of his absence was only owing to his being engaged in deep study to find a
remedy for his majesty's illness; and that he had been so happy as to hit upon an
infallible one.
What is it? says the lion, very eagerly.
Why, says the fox, it is the skin of a flayed wolf wrapped reeking warm round your
majesty's body; and my life for it, it will prove an absolute cure.
The wolf finding the lion hearken to the advice was sneaking off; but the fox was not
wanting to assist the royal officers in waiting to pull his skin over his ears; and whilst it
was doing, sneering, told poor Isgrim, that he was now a sit warning-piece to all
malicious backbiters, how they irritated a prince against their absent fellow-subjects.
MORAL
Backbiters and pickthanks are the basest of men, and it cannot fail of giving pleasure to
every one when they are detected, and meet with their deserts.
Fable 124
Drunkard and Wife
A Woman who had the misfortune to have a fuddling husband, laid him once, when he
was dead-drunk, in a charnel-house.
By the time she thought he might be come to himself again, away goes she, and knocks
at the door.
Who is there? says the toper.
One, says the woman, with a hoarse voice, that brings meat for the dead.
Friend, says he, bring me drink rather: I wonder any body that knows me, should bring
me one without the other.
Nay, then, says she, in a voice much better known to him, I find thou art quite
irreclaimable; I must even give thee up to thy own evil destiny; for what thou lovest will
certainly shorten thy days; all I fear is, thou wilt first beggar me and thy family.
MORAL
Inveterate ill habits become another nature to us, and when they have got possession of
us, we may almost as well be taken to pieces, and new put together again, as minded.
Fable 125
Raven and Swan
A Raven fancying to himself that the swan's beauty proceeded principally from his often
washing and diet, quitted his former course of life and food, 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, he being utterly unsitted to gather his sustenance from the
waters.
MORAL
Natural inclinations may be wrought upon by good counsel and discipline; but there are
certain specific properties and impressions, that art never to be altered or defaced.
Fable 126
Swallow and Crow
A Crow disputing with a swallow for the prize of beauty, said, Yours, at best, is only a spring
beauty; mine lasts all the year round.
MORAL
A durable good is infinitely to he preferred to a transitory one.
Fable 127
Nightingale and Bat
A Nightingale singing in a cage at a window at midnight, a bat asked her why she did not
sing in the day, as well as in the night? Why, says the nightingale, I was catched singing
in the day, and so I took it for a warning:
You should have thought of this then, says the other, before you were taken: As the case
stands now, you are in no danger to be snapt singing again; for you cannot well be worse
than you are.
MORAL
After-wit is seldom good.
Fable 128
Roasted Cockles
Some people were roasting of cockles, and they hissed in the fire. Well, says one,
who stood ready to devour his share, these are very merry creatures sure, to sing when
their houses are on fire over their heads.
MORAL
To be able to make a jest of the misfortunes of others, shews a very vile and abandoned
nature.
Fable 129
Two Travellers and Money-bag
Two travellers being upon the way together, one of them stoops, and takes up
something.
Look ye here, says he, I have found a bag of money:
No, says the other; when two friends are together, you must not say, I have found it,
but, We have found it.
I beg your excuse for that, says the other; I found it, and I will keep it.
The word was no sooner out, but immediately comes a hue and cry after a gang of
thieves who had taken a purse upon the road.
Alas! Brother, says the finder, We shall be utterly undone. Oh sie! says the other,
you must not say, We shall be undone, but I stall be undone; for if I am to have no part
in the finding, I will never go halves in the hanging.
MORAL
Men are willing enough to have partners in loss, but not in profit; but they that will enter
into leagues and partnerships must take the good and the bad, one with another.
Fable 130
Two Neighbour Frogs
There were two frogs; one of which lived in a pond, and the other in a shallow ditch hard
by, on the other side of the highway.
The pond frog finding the water begin to fail upon the road, would sain have gotten the
other over to her in the pool, where she might have been safe; but she was used to the
place, she said, and would not remove.
And what was the end of it? Why, the wheel of a cart, when the ditch was just dry and
hard at bottom, drove over her a while after, and crushed her to pieces.
MORAL
Some people are so listless and slothful, that they will rather lie still, and in a manner die
in a ditch, than stir one soot to help themselves cut of it.
Fable 131
A Bee-master
A Thief came into a bee-garden in the absence of the master, and robbed the hives.
The ownerdiscovered it upon his return, and stood pausing how it should come to pass.
The bees in the interim came laden home out of the fields from feeding, and, missing
their combs, they fell powdering down in swarms upon their master.
Well, says he, you are a company of senseless and ungrateful wretches, to let a stranger
go away quietly, that has rifled you, and to bend all your spite against your master,
who at this instant is beating his brains how he may repair your loss and preserve you.
MORAL
People often mistake their friends for their foes, and use them accordingly.
Fable 132
A Kingsfisher
A Kingsfisher built her nest in a hollow bank by the river side, that she might be out of
the reach of the fowlers; and while she happened to be foraging abroad for her young
ones, a raging torrent washed away nest, birds and all.
Upon her return, finding how it was with her, she broke out into this exclamation:
Unhappy creature that I am! to fly from the bare apprehension of one enemy, into the
mouth of another.
MORAL
Many people apprehend danger where there is none, and fancy themselves to be out of
danger, where there is most of all.
Fable 133
Fishing in troubled Waters
A Fisherman had ordered his net for a draught; and still as he was gathering it up,
he dashed the water to fright the fish into the bag. Some of the neighbourhood,
looking on, told him he did ill to muddle the water so, and spoil their drink.
Well, says he, but I must either spoil your drink, or have nothing to eat myself.
MORAL
It is an unhappy dilemma to which a man is driven, when his own necessary subsistence
compels him to offend another.
Fable 134
Ape and Dolphin
An ape happened to be aboard a vessel, which was cast away in a very great storm.
As the men were paddling for their lives, and the ape for company, a dolphin taking him
for a man, got him upon his back, and was making towards land with him.
Being got with him into a safe road called the Pyrĉus, he asked the ape, If he was an
Athenian? He told him, Yes, and of a very ancient family there.
Why then, says the dolphin, you know Pyrĉus.
Oh! exceeding well, says the other, taking it for the name of a man: Why, Pyrĉus is my
particular good friend.
The dolphin, upon this, had such an indignation for the impudence of the buffoonape,
that he slipt from between his legs, and there was an end of the pretended Athenian.
MORAL
Contempt, hazard, and infamy, are generally the deserved lot of a detected impostor.
Fable 135
Mercury and Statuary
Mercury, in order to know what credit he had in the world, put on the shape of a man,
and away he went to the house of a famous statuary, where he cheapened a Jupiter,
and then a Juno.
The carver told him the respective prices, which were easy enough: He then seeing a
Mercury with all his symbols, here am I, said he to himself, in the quality of Jupiter's
messenger, and the patron of Tizians, with all my trade about me: And now will this
fellow ask me fifteen times as much for this, as he did for the others; and so he put it to
him, what he valued that piece at:
Why, truly, says the statuary, you seem to be a civil gentleman; give me but my price
for the other two, and you shall have that into the bargain.
MORAL
The vanity of those men seldom fails of a rebuff, who lay snares to come at other peoples
opinion of them.
Fable 136
Hound and Mastiff
A Man had two dogs; one for the chase, the other to look to the house;
and whatever the hound took abroad, the house-dog had his part of it at home.
The other grumbled at it, that when he took all the pains, the mastiff should reap the
fruit of his labours.
Ay, but says the house-dog, you ought to consider, that while you are purveying abroad
for our master's pleasure, and your own prosit as well as mine, I protect the house for
the good of all.
MORAL
Different persons in a commonwealth, as also in a great family, have different
employments; and though some may be more laborious than others, yet they are all
equally useful in a wise economy, as well to the principal, as to oat another.
Fable 137
Wolf and Kid
A Wolf pursued a straggling kid, which, finding no way to escape, turned and said,
I perceive I am to be eaten, and I would die as-pleasantly as I could: Wherefore pray
give me one song before I die.
The wolf began to howl by way of singing, and the noise brought the dogs in upon him.
Well, says the wolf, this it is when people will be meddling out of their prosession.
My business, was to play the butcher, and not to ape Farinelli.
MORAL
Let every one stick to his own part, and act whithin his own proper sphere.
Fable 138
Conceited Musician
A Man who had a very coarse voice, but an excellent music-room, would be still
practising in that chamber, for the advantage of the echo.
He admired himself so much upon it, that he must needs be shewing his parts upon
a public theatre, where he performed so very ill, that the auditory threw stones at him,
and hissed him off .the stage.
MORAL
Men are apt to be partial in their own favour; but there is no true reading of ourselves
but whith other mens eyes.
Fable 139
Thieves and Cock
A band of thieves broke into a house once, and found nothing in it to carry away,
but one poor cock.
The cock said as much for himself as a cock could say; but insisted chiefly upon the
services of his calling people up to their work, when it was time to rise.
Sirrah, says one of the thieves, you had better let that argument alone; for your waking
the family spoils our trade; and we are to be hanged, forsooth, for vour bawling, are we?
MORAL
That which is a good argument to an honest man, is net so to a thief.
Fable 140
Crow and Dog
A Crow on a time facrificing to Minerva, says a dog to him, in vain you pray to the
goddess; for she has such an aversion to you, that you are particularly excluded out of
all augeries. Ay, says the crow, but I will sacrisice the rather to her for that, to try if I can
make her my friend.
MORAL
Men often take up religion more for fear, reputation, and interest, than for true affection.
So the poor blinded Indians are said to worship the devil, that he may not hurt them.
Fable 141
Raven and Snake
As a snake lay lazying at his length, in the gleam of the sun, a raven took him up,
and flew away with him. The snake kept twisting and turning, till he mortally bit the
raven; and then the unhappy bird blamed himself for being such a fool, as to meddle
with a purchase that cost him his life.
MORAL
Nature has made all the necessaries of life safe and easy to us; but if we will be
hankering after things that we neither want nor understand, we must take our fortune,
let what will be the event.
Fable 142
Wolf and Sheep
A Wolf bit by a dog lay licking of his wounds; and being extremaly faint and ill upon it,
called out to a sheep that was passing by:
Hark ye, friend, says he, if thou wouldst but help me to a sup of water out of the same
brook there, I could make a shift to get myself somewhat to cat.
Yes, says the sheep, I make no doubt of it; for you intend to make him that brings you
drink, find you meat into the bargain; and my slaughtered carcase will pay for all.
MORAL
Civilities and good offices to cruel and ungrateful men are dangerous. That sheep has a
fine time of it, that runs upon a wolf's errand.
Fable 143
Hares, Foxes and Eagles
The hares were threatened with a bloody war by the eagles, and would fain have drawn
the foxes into their alliance; but very frankly they gave them this answer. That they
would serve them with all their hearts, if they did not perfectly understand both the
hares themselves, and the enemy they were to cope withal.
MORAL
There is no entering into any league, without well examining the faith and strength of the
parties to it.
Fable 144
A Man turned into a Pismire
A covetous husbandman, who was continually silching away his neighbours goods and
corn, and stored all up in his own barn, drew down a curse upon his head for it; and
Jupiter, as a punishment, turned him into a pismire: But this change of shape wrought no
alteration, either of mind or of manners; for he kept the same humour and nature still.
MORAL
Custom is a second nature; and when wicked inclinations come to be habitual, the evil is
desperate; for nature will be true to herself through all manner of forms and disguises.
Fable 145
Men and supposed Sea Wreck
A Company of people walking upon the sea-shore, saw somewhat come hulling towards
them a great way off at sea.
First they took it for a great ship, then a little one, and as it came still nearer, for a boat
only: But it proved at last to be no more than a float of weeds and rushes.
Whereupon they made this reflection among themselves. We have been waiting here for
a mighty business, truly, which at last comes to just nothing at all!
MORAL
We are apt to be led away by the distant appearance of things, of which, when brought
home to us, we see the vanity and emptiness.
Fable 146
A wild Ass and a tame
As a tame ass was airing himself in a pleasant meadow, with a coat and a carcase in very
good plight, up comes a wild one to him from the next wood, with this short greeting:
Brother, says he, I envy your happiness.
And so he left him.
It was his hap, some short time after, to see his tame brother groaning under an
unmerciful pack, and a fellow at his heels goading him forward.
He rounds him in the ear upon it: My friend, says he, your condition is not, I perceive,
what I took it to be; for I would not purchase your sleek coat and plump carcase at so
dear a rate as this.
MORAL
Betwixt envy and ingratitude we make ourselves twice miserable; out of an opinion,
first that our neighbour has too much; and secondly, that we ourself es have too little.
Fable 147
Asses petition Jupiter
The asses, on a time, joined in a petition to Jupiter, to ease them of their heavy burdens,
and arbitrary masters.
Jupiter gave them this answer, that the order of the world could not be preserved
without burdens being carried some way or other: But that, since they were so
dissatisfied with their lot, if they would but join and piss up a river, that the burdens
which they now carried by land might be carried by water, they should be eased of a
considerable part of that grievance.
This set them all at work immediately; and the humour, say the Mythologists, is kept up
to this day, that whenever one ass begins, the rest piss for company.
MORAL
Every man thinks his own lot hardest; but it becomes us to rest satisfied with the
designations of Providence, and to he contented with the condition in which God has
placed us.
Fable 148
Ass and Frogs
An ass once funk down into a bog among a shoal of frogs, with a burden of wood upon
his back; and there he lay, fighing and groaning, as if his heart would break: Hark ye,
friend, says one of the frogs to him, if you make such a business of a quagmire, when
you are but just fallen into it, what ought we to do, who find at least a hundred of our
nearest relations crushed to death by your unwieldy weight? For shame, don't lie
groaning here; but redouble your efforts, and free us and yourself from a condition that
is equally dangerous to both.
MORAL
Smaller evils are borne with less impatience, when toe see our neighbours suffering
under much greater.
In any misfortune that befals us, we should use our best resolution to extricate ourselves
from it, and not, by vain and fruitless complaints, aggravate the evil.
Fable 149
Galled Ass and Raven
As an ass with a galled back was feeding in a meadow, a raven pitched upon him,
and there sat, jobbing of the sore.
The ass fell a frisking and braying upon it; which set a groom, who saw it at a distance,
a laughing at it.
Well! says a wolf that was passing by, and thought the raven was devouring the ass,
to see the injustice of the world now! A poor wolf, in that raven's place, would have been
hunted to death presently; and it is made only a laughing-matter in the raven.
MORAL
Our partiality and ignorance often lead us into mistakes, and cause us te make wrong
inferences and conclusions.
Fable 150
Lion, Ass and Fox
An ass and a fox, upon the ramble together, met a lion by the way.
The fox's heart went pit-a-pat; but however, to make the best of a bad game, up he goes
to the lion. Sir, says he, I am come to offer your majesty a piece of service, and I'll cast
myself upon your honour for my own security. If you have a mind to my companion the
ass here, it is but a word speaking, and you shall have him immediately.
Let it be done, then, says the lion.
So the fox trepanned the ass into a pit; and the lion, when he found he had him sure,
begun with the fox himself; and after that, for his second course, went down into the pit,
and made up his meal out of the other.
But before he himself could get out of the pit, some men on the hunt for game, shot the
lion through the heart with their arrows.
MORAL
Bad princes love the treason, but hate the traitor: And he who encourages one piece of
treachery, not only practises, but promotes another; and lays the foundation of a
doctrine, wich often comes home to himself in the end.