Fable 211
Wolf and sick Ass
A Wolf made a visit to an ass, that lay ill of a violent fever.
He felt his pulse very gingerly: And pray, my good friend, says he, whereabouts is your
greatest pain? Oh, gently, says the ass; for it pricks me just there still where you lay
your singer!
MORAL
The charity of death-bed visits, from marry persons, is much at a rate with that of a
carrion-crew to sheep; they smell a carcase.
Fable 212
The discontented Ass
An ass in a hard winter, wished for a little warm weather, and a mouthful of fresh, grass
to nap upon, in exchange for a heartless truss of straw, and a cold lodging.
In good time the warm weather and the fresh grass came on; but so much toil and
business along with it, that the ass grows quickly as sick of the spring as he was of the winter.
He next longs for summer; and when that comes, finds his toils and drudgery greater
than in the spring; and then he fancies he shall never be well till autumn comes:
But there again, what with carrying apples, grapes, feul, winter provisions, and such like,
he finds himself in a greater hurry than ever.
In sine, when he has trod the circle of the year in a course of restless labour,
his last prayer is for winter again, and that he may but take up his rest where he began
his complaint.
MORAL
The life of an unsteady man runs away in a course of vain whishes and unprofitable
discontent: An unsettled mind can never be at rest. There is no season without its
business.
Fable 213
Boar and Fox
As a Boar was whetting his teeth against a tree, up cumes a fox to him.
Pray, what do you mean by that? says he.
I do it, says the boar, to be in readiness in case of an attack by an enemy.
But, replies the fox, I see no occasion for it, for there is no enemy near you.
Well, says the boar, but I see occasion for it; for when I come once to be set upon, it will
be too late for me to be whetting when I should be sighting.
Fable 214
Wolf and Porcupine
A Wolf had a mind to be dealing with a porcupine, if he could but get him disarmed first
of his prickles or quills, which he can dart at his enemy; and so he told the porcupine,
That it did not look well for people, in a time of peace, to go armed, as if they were in
a state of war.
Lay, therefore, says he, your bristles aside, for you may take them up at pleasure.
Do you talk of a state of war? says the porcupine: Why, that's my present case, and the
very reason why I should stand to my arms; for am I not in the company of a wolf?
MORAL of the two Fables
No man, or state, can be safe in peace, that is not always upon guard, and in readiness
to encounter an enemy in case of war.
Fable 215
Impertinent and Philosopher
A certain pragmatical, gay, fluttering coxcomb, would needs make a visit to a
philosopher. He found him al ne in his study, and fell a wondering how he could endure
to lead so solitary a life.
Sir, says the philosopher, you are exceedingly mistaken, for I was in very good company
till you came in.
MORAL
What the noisy and most numerous part of the world calls good company, is generally
the most irksome and insipid thing in the world to a wise man; a mere round of folly and
impertinence, and void of any kind of instruction or benest to a reftectling mind.
How preferable to such a man must it be, to converse with the learned dead, rather than
the unedifying and nosy living.
Fable 216
The splenetic Traveller
A splenetic and a facetious man were once upon a journey: The former went slugging on
ith a thousand cares and troubles in his head, exclaiming over and over, Lord, what shall
I do to live? The other jogged merrily away, and left his matters to Providence and good fortune.
Well, brother, says the sorrowful wight, how can you be so frolic now? As I am a sinner,
my heart is even ready to break for sear I should want bread. Come, come, says the
other, fall back, fall edge, I have fixed my resolution, and my mind is at rest.
Ay, but for all that, says the other, I have known the confidence of as resolute people as
yourself has deceived them in the conclusion; and so the poor man fell into another fit of
doubting and musing, till he started out of it all on a sudden:
Good sirs! says he, what if I should fall blind? And so he walked a good way before his
companion with his eyes shut, to try how it would be, if that misfortune should befall
him. In this interim, his fellowtraveller, who followed him, found a purse of money upon
the way, which rewarded his trust in Providence; whereas the other missed that
encounter as a punishment of his distrust: for the purse had been his, as he went first,
if he had not put himself out of condition of seeing it.
MORAL
He that commits himself so Providence, is sure of a friend in time of need; while an
anxious distrust of the divine Goodness, makes a man more and more unworthy of it;
and miserable before-hand, for fear of being so afterwards.
Fable 217
The undutiful young Lion
Among other good counsels that an old experienced lion gave to his whelp, this was one;
That he should never contend with a man:
For, says he, if ever you do, you will be worsted.
The little lion gave his father the hearing, and kept the advice in his thought, buy it never
went near his heart.
When he came to be grown up afterward, and in the flower of his strength and vigour,
about he ranges to look for a man to grapple with. In his ramble he met with a yoke of
oxen, and then wth a horse, saddled and bridled, and severally asked them is they were
men; but they saying they were not, he goes after this to one that was cleaving of
blocks: Do ye hear? says the lion, you seem to be a man.
And a man I am, says the fellow.
That is well, quoth the lion; and dare you fight with me? Yes, says the man, I dare:
Why, I can tear all these blocks to pieces, you see. Put your feet now into this gap,
where you see an iron thing there, and try what you can do.
The lion presently put his paws into the gaping of the wood, and with one lusty pluck,
made it give way, and out drops the wedge; the wood immediately closing upon it,
there was the lion caught by the toes.
The wood-man presently upon this raises the country, and the lion finding what a strait
he was in, gave one hearty twitch, and got his feet out of the trap, but left his claws
behind him. So away he goes back to his father, all lame and bloody, with this
confession in his mouth; Alas! my dear Father, says he, this had never been, if I had
followed your advice.
MORAL
The vengeance of Heaven, sooner or later, treads upon the heels of wilful disobedience
to parents.
Fable 218
Jupiter and Farmer
A Farmer supplicated Jupiter, that he might have the ordering of the air and the seasons
in his own grounds as he thought sit.
Jupiter, to punish him for his presumption, granted his request; and he had heat and
cold, calms and winds, wet and dry, as he pleased: But he ordered the matter so ill,
having sometimes too little, and sometimes too much of the one fort or the other,
that hardly any thing prospered with him, and he had ten times worse crops than his
neighbours, though he took ten times the pains that they did:
So that at last, being being quite tired out with changing his seasons, and watching the
effects thereof night and day, he petitioned Jupiter to relieve him from his cares, and to
take back again the conduct of the seasons into his own hands.
MORAL
We ought to make it a petition, that in many cases Heaven would be so gracious to us,
as not to hear our prayers; for we are otherwise in danger to be undone by our own wishes.
Fable 219
Joy and Sorrow
Joy and Sorrow, two twin-sisters, once quarrelled vehemently who should have the
preference; and being unable to decide the matter, left it to Minos to determine.
He tried all means to make them agree, and go hand in hand together, as loving sisters
ought; but finding his counsel had no effect upon them, he decreed that they should be
linked together in a chain; and each of them in turn should be perpetually treading upon
the heel of the other; and not a pin matter then, says he, which goes foremost.
MORAL
No man is to presume in prosperity, or to despair in adversity; for good and ill fortune do
as naturally succeed one another, at day and night.
Fable 220
Countryman and Ass
As a countryman, in time of war, was grazing his ass in a meadow, comes a hot alarm,
that the enemy was just at hand.
The man calls presently to his ass, in a terrible fright, to scour away as fast as he could:
For, says he, we shall be taken else.
Well, quoth the ass, and what if we should be taken?
I can but be a slave wherever I am: so that, taken or not taken, it is all a case to me.
MORAL
Men in a fright, or alarmed with the apprehensions of some imminent danger to
themselves, often fly for succour to those from whom they have not deserved any.
It is prudent so to behave in our prosperity, as that we may make every one our friend in
times of adversity: For no one is exempted from the mutability of fortune.
Fable 221
Seamen praying to Saints
In a terrible tempest at sea, one seaman took notice, that the rest of his fellows were
praying severally to so many saints. Have a care, my masters, says he, what you do;
for what if we should all be drowned now before the messenger can deliver his errand?
Would it not be better, without going so far about, to pray to him that can save us
without help?
MORAL
A wise man will take the nearest and surest way to obtain bis end, and to commit no
business of importance to a proxy, where he may do it himself.
Fable 222
Impracticable League
The beasts entered into a league with the sishes against the birds. The war was declared;
but the sishes, instead of their quota, send their excuse, that they were not able to
march by land.
MORAL
There is no contracting of alliances with those who are out of possibility of assisting in
a time of need. And those contrasts are void in themselves, that pretend to oblige us
against nature.
Fable 223
Age to be honoured
A pert and inconsiderate young man happened to meet an old man, whose age and
infirmity had brought his body almost to the shape of a bent bow.
Pray, father, says he, will you sell your bow? Save your money, you fool, says the other;
for when you come to my years, you shall have such a bow for nothing.
MORAL
There cannot be a greater folly and impertience, than that of young men scoffing at the
infirmities of age, which cannot be avoided but by dying young; and such may be said
not to deserve to live to long life.
Fable 224
Bear and Bees
A Bear was so enraged at the stinging of a bee, that he ran like mad into the bee-garden,
and over-turned all the hives in revenge. This outrage brought them out in troops upon
him; and when he was almost stung to death, she came to bethink himself, how much
more adviseable it had been to pass over one injury, than by an unprofit able passion to
provoke a thousand.
MORAL
It is better to pass over an affront from one scoundrel, than to draw the whole herd of
the mobile about a man's ears.
Fable 225
Huntsman and Currier
A Huntsman told a currier, That he should go out next day and kill a bear, and he would
sell him the skin.
The currier agreed to pay him his price, and went out next day with the huntsman to the
chace; and mounted a tree, where he might see the sport.
The huntsman advanced very bravely up to the den where the bear lay, and threw in his
dogs upon him. He 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 snuffled, and smelt to him, and took him for a carcase, and so left him.
When the bear was gone and the danger over, down comes the currier from the tree, and
bade the huntsman rise.
Hark ye, my friend, says the currier, the bear whispered somewhat in your ear:
What was it, I pr'ythee? 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
Let no man undertake for what is cut of his power; for there is no depending upon
uncertainties, or upon what a tomorrow may bring forth.
Fable 226
No pleasing everybody
An old man and a little boy were driving an ass before them to the next market to sell.
Why, have you no more wit, says one to the man upon the way, than you and your son
to trudge it a-foot, and let the ass go light? So the man set the boy upon the ass, and
sooted it himself.
Why, sirrah, says another after this, to the boy, you lazy rogue you, must you ride, and
let your ancient father go a-foot? The man, upon this, took down his: boy, and got up
himself.
D'ye 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 theymet, asked the old man, whether the 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 light, or if one of us rides, er both; and so, in the conclusion, he bound the ass's legs
together with a cord, and they tried to carry him to market with a pole upon their
shoulders betwixt them. This was sport to everybody that saw it; insomuch 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
He that resolves not to go to bed till ell the world is pleased, shall be troubled with the
head-ach.
Fable 227
Jupiter's two Wallets
When Jupiter first made man, he gave him two satchels, one for his neighbour's faults,
which he directed should be thrown behind him; the other for his own, which he ordered
him to carry always in view before him. But the new-made man perversely inverted the
direction; for he threw his own behind, and carried his neighbour's before him; and so
became quicksighted to his neighbour's failings, and blind to his own.
MORAL
Every man living is partial in his own case; but it is the humour of mankind to have our neighbour's
faults always in our eyes, and to cast our own over our shoulders, out of sight.
Fable 228
Merchant and Mariner
A Merchant at sea asked 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? Pray, says the skipper,
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
He that troubles his head whith drawing frightful consequences from mere contingencies,
shall never be at rest: And this is farther to mind us, that in an honest course of life,
we are not to fear death.
Fable 229
Eagle, Cat and Sow
An eagle, a cat, and a sow, bred in a wood together. The eagle timbered upon the top
of an high oak; the cat kittened in the hollow trunk of it; and the sow lay pigging at the
bottom.
The cat, set upon mischief, went with her tale to the eagle: Your majesty had best look
to yourself, says puss; for there is most certainly a plot against you, and, perchance,
upon poor me too; for yonder is a sow lies grubbing every day at the root of this tree;
she will bring it down at last, and then your little ones and mine are all at mercy.
So soon as ever she had hammered a jealousy into the head of the eagle, away to the
sow she goes: Little do you think, says me, what danger your litter is in; there is an
eagle watching constantly upon this tree to make a prey of your pigs, and so soon as
ever you are out of the way, she will certainly execute her design.
The cat, upon this, goes presently to her kittens again, 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 sear 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 in any state or family, where whisperers and tale-bearers are
encouraged.
Fable 230
Rustic and River
A stupid rustic, sent to market with butter and cheese, by the good old woman his
mother, made a stop at a river in the way, and laid himself down upon the bank,
in expectation that it would soon run, out.
About midnight home he goes to his mother, with all his markettrade, back again.
Why, how now, son, says she, what have we here to do? Why, mother, says the booby,
yonder is a scurvy river that has been running all this day, and I staid till just now for the
running of it out, and there it is running still!
MORAL
We are not to expect that nature will change her course to accommodate us, or to gratify
the sickly freak of every fantastical humour.
Fable 231
Arbitrary Eagle
It was once put to the question among the birds, which of them was the greatest beauty.
The eagle gave her voice for herself, and carried it: Yes, says a disappointed peacock,
in a soft voice, by the bye, you are a great beauty indeed! but it lies in your beak and
your talons, which make it death to dispute it.
MORAL
The veneration that is usually paid to great and powerful men, who at the same time are
not good men, is but from the teeth outward; and more out of fear or flattery than love.
Fable 232
An Imprudent young Landlord
A foolish heir, that was just come to the possession of a wise man's estate, caused all the
bushes and hedges about his vineyard to be grubbed up, because they brought him no
grapes. The throwing down of this hedge laid his ground open to man and beast, and all
his plants were presently destroyed. My simple young master eame now to be convinced
of his folly, in taking away the guard that preserved his vines, and in expecting grapes
from brambles.
MORAL
There needs as much tare and industry to the preserving of things, as there does to the
acquiring of them; and the ventinel is as necessary to the common safety, as be that fights
the battle.
Fable 233
Bull and Gnat
A Gnat that had placed himself upon the horn of a bull, very civily begged the bull's
pardon for, the liberty he took; but rather than incommode you, says he, by my weight,
I will remove. Oh, never trouble your head for that, says the bull; for I never felt you
when you sat down, and I shall not miss you when you rise.
MORAL
The vanity of this fly strikes at an humour that we meet with every day in the world,
in an hundred tristing idle people, that will be still making themselves more consideable
than they are.
Fable 234
Traveller and Grasshoppers
A petulant traveller one sultry day, as he rode along, was so offended with the noise of
grasshoppers in his ears, that in great wrath, he alighted from his horse to kill them all.
He fell a stamping upon some, and whipping at others, as long as the day lasted; and by
that time had so satigued himself, that he was forced to tie his horse to a tree, and lie
down among the stillchirping insects, with whose noise he had been so grie-vously
offended.
MORAL
Petulant and fretful men will be uneasy at the most trifling accidents; as the peevish
traveller here quarrelled even at the effects of that summer sun, which enlivened all
vegetable nature, and made birds, beasts, and insects, down to the very grasshopper, rejoice.
Fable 235
Eagle and Rabbits
An eagle drew a nest of rabbits, and carried them away to her young.
The mother rabbit adjured her, in the name of all those powers that take care of the
innocent and oppressed, to have compassion upon her miserable children: But she, in an
outrage of pride and indignation, tears them presently to pieces.
All the rabbits upon this made a common cause of it, and fell to undermining the tree
where the eagle timbered, which upon the first blast of wind fell flat to the ground,
nest, and eagles, and all. Some of them were killed by the fall, the rest were devoured
by birds and beasts of prey, insight of the injured mother rabbit.
MORAL
It is highly imprudent, even in the greatest of men, unnecessarily to provoke the
meanest, when the pride of Pharaoh himself was brought down by miserable frogs and
lice.
Fable 236
Partridges and Setting-Dog
A Covey of partridges in fear of poachers, made interest with a setticg-dog to engage all
others of his species to do them acts of friendship.
He undertook upon his honour, that not a dog of his kind should hurt them:
For, says he, we are resolved, so soon as ever we have any of your people in the wind,
to fall down flat upon the ground, and look another way, without advancing one step
further. Some few days after, the covey happened to spy this very spaniel abroad with
his master a-setting.
The dog stopt all of a sudden, and made his point, and the poor birds were overjoyed to
see the cur so true to his articles: But they did not consider, that the same signal served
the falconer, as well as the partridges, who, drawing his net over them, took the whole covey.
MORAL
This is the way of the world, and a great part of the business of it too. The knaves
impose upon the fools, and the weaker are a prey to the stronger.
Fable 237
A lame Man and a Blind
A blind man and a lame man, who were neighbours, had occasions which called them to
the some place, some miles distance from their habitations; and agreed to answer the
common end, the blind man by finding legs and shoulders to carry the lame, who, having
his fight, could direct the other which way to go. By this means they comfortably
supplied each other's defect, and safely got to their journey's end, and home again when
their businesswas done.
MORAL
Providence has so wisely ordered matters in this life, that we may be serviceable to one
another in almost every instance of it.
Fable 238
Three pretended Penitents
A wolf, a fox, and an ass, had got once into a strong sit of repentance for all the evils
they had committed, and were resolved to confess their sins to one another.
I do confess, says the wolf, that once in hot blood I killed a goodly, fat sow: Indeed she
deserved it; for the unnatural brute had twelve pigs, which she left starving in the sty,
while she was stuffing her guts with acorns in a neighbouring wood:
And when the dam was dead, it was the greatest charity in the world, as I then thought,
to put the poor pigs out of their pain; and upon that consideration only, I dispatched
them likewise. This, says the wolf, with tears in his eyes, I did, more's my grief.
Comfort thy tender heart, honest Isgrim, says the fox, for thou hadst a good intention in
punishing the sow for leaving her young, and no less afterwards in putting an end to the
misery of the poor motherless pigs.
For my part, says the fox, I have been a wicked sinner truly; for, among other
depradations, I once seized upon a stately cock, as he was crowing among his
mistresses, and snapt his head off. Indeed he provoked me to it by his insufferable
insolence and noisiness; for he was always strutting, crowing, and making such a
disturbance, that not one of his neighbours could sleep for him.
But what added to my fault, if a fault it was, the foolish hens made such a cackling and
screaming, that, in my own defence, Jupiter forgive me! I was forced to serve them with
the same sauce. And then he likewise set up a howl of lamentation for his misdeeds.
Peace, peace, good Reynard, says the wolf, I don't see but you did justice upon the
rascally cock; and what you did by the hens, as you say, was in your own defence;
and, for my part, I cannot see how an honest fox could do otherwise.
Thus the wolf and the fox, wolf and fox-like, acquitted each other.
The ass's confession came next.
I do confess, says he, that I nibbled a little straw out of the saddle of my master, who
was a groom, and the man got cold upon it: But I was ready to starve for hunger: Pray
deal mercifully by me.
Dost thou talk of mercy, cried the wolf? Why, it might have cost the man his life,
villain as thou art! Very true, says the fox, I never knew a more flagrant wickedness in
my life! — — — —
And so they both fell on, and tore the miserable ass in pieces.
MORAL
When highwaymen and robbers sit in judgment upon one another's wickedness, such
determination may be expectet as the wolf and the fox pronounced upon each other's
crimes; while the poor ass, that fell into their clutches, with a thousand times their
innocence, was sure to be made a victim to their predetermined malice and selfishness.
Fable 239
Disappointed Milkmaid
As a country lass was carrying a pail of milk to market upon her head, she fell to casting
up, all the way, what a pretty account that stock of her's might come to in a short time,
with a little good management. This milk, says she, will bring me so much ready money;
That money will buy me so many eggs: Those eggs so much poultry; and, with the fox's
leave, that poultry will make me mistress of a pig; which pig may be improved into a fat
hog; and that hog will bring me so much money in my purse. Now with that money,
I shall quickly strike into a cow and a calf: And then, says she, comes a sweetheart!
Upon the transport of that thought, down comes the pail of milk; which put an end to
the whole story of the eggs, the poultry, the pig, the hog, the cow, the calf and all the
whimsies that went along with it.
MORAL
We should not, as the proverb says, reckon up our chickens before they are hatched;
that is not build our happiness upon a foundation so slippery as remote contingencies.
Fable 240
There's no tomorrow
A man who had lived a very profligate life, at length being awakened by the lively
representations of a sober friend on the apprehensions of a feverish indisposition
promised. That he would heartily set about his reformation, and that To-morrow he
would seriously begin it.
But the symptoms going off, and that To-morrow coming, he still put it off till the next,
and so he went on from one To-morrow to another; but still he continued his reprobate
life. This his friend observing to him, said, I am very much concerned to find how little
effect my disinterested advice has upon you: But, my friend, let me tell you, that since
your To-morrow never comes, nor do you seem to intend it shall, I will believe you no
more, except you set about your repentance and amendment this very moment: For, to
say nothing of your repeated broken promises, you must consider, that the time that is
past is no more; that To-morrow is not OURS; and the present NOW is all we have to
boast of.
MORAL
That compunction of heart cannot he sincere, which takes not immediate effect, and can
be put off till To-morrow. The friend's closing observation in the fable it so good a moral,
that we need add nothing to it.