Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse Part 11

THE CUR, THE HORSE, AND THE SHEPHERD'S DOG.

A VILLAGE Cur, of snappish race, The pertest puppy in the place, Imagined that his treble throat Was blessed with music's sweetest note; In the mid road he basking lay, The yelping nuisance of the way; For not a creature pa.s.sed along, But had a sample of his song.

Soon as the trotting steed he hears, He starts, he c.o.c.ks his dapper ears; Away he scours, a.s.saults his hoof; Now near him snarls, now barks aloof; With shrill impertinence attends; Nor leaves him till the village ends.

It chanced, upon his evil day, A Pad came pacing down the way; The Cur, with never-ceasing tongue, Upon the pa.s.sing traveller sprung.

The Horse, from scorn provoked to ire, Flung backward; rolling in the mire, The Puppy howled, and bleeding lay; The Pad in peace pursued his way.

A Shepherd's Dog, who saw the deed, Detesting the vexatious breed, Bespoke him thus: "When c.o.xcombs prate, They kindle wrath, contempt, or hate; Thy teasing tongue, had judgment tied, Thou hadst not like a Puppy died."

MORAL.

Too late the forward youth will find That jokes are sometimes paid in kind; Or, if they canker in the breast, He makes a foe who makes a jest.

FABLE LVII.

THE JACKDAW AND THE EAGLE.

An Eagle flew down from the top of a high rock, and settled upon the back of a lamb, and then, instantly flying up into the air again, bore his bleating prize aloft in his talons. A Jackdaw, who sat upon an elm, and beheld his exploit, resolved to imitate it. So, flying upon the back of a ram, and entangling his claws in the wool, he fell a-chattering and attempting to fly; by which means he drew the observation of the shepherd upon him, who, finding his feet hampered in the fleece of the ram, easily took him, and gave him to his boys for their sport and diversion, saying, "The silly bird thought he was an Eagle; but, no doubt, by this time he has found out he is but a Jackdaw."

MORAL.

A false estimate of our own abilities ever exposes us to ridicule, and often to danger.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE JACKDAW AND THE EAGLE.]

FABLE LVIII.

THE a.s.s AND THE LION HUNTING.

The Lion took a fancy to hunt in company with the a.s.s; and, to make him the more useful, gave him instructions to hide himself in a thicket, and then to bray in the most frightful manner that he could possibly contrive. "By this means," says he, "you will rouse all the beasts within hearing of you, while I stand at the outlets and take them as they are making off." This was done; and the stratagem took effect accordingly. The a.s.s brayed most hideously, and the timorous beasts, not knowing what to make of it, began to scour off as fast as they could; when the Lion, who was posted at a convenient place, seized and devoured them as he pleased.

Having got his belly full, he called out to the a.s.s, and bid him leave off braying, as he had had enough. Upon this the lop-eared brute came out of his ambush, and, approaching the Lion, asked him, with an air of conceit, "how he liked his performance."

"Prodigiously," says he; "you did it so well, that I protest, had I not known your nature and temper, I might have been frightened myself."

MORAL.

Boastful cowards may impose upon those who do not know them, but are held to be only ridiculous by those who do. Pompous persons who would wish themselves thought perfect Lions, when known are mostly found arrant a.s.ses.

FABLE LIX.

THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.

A WOLF clothing himself in the skin of a Sheep, and getting in among the flock, by this means took the opportunity to devour many of them. At last, the Shepherd discovered him, and cunningly fastened a rope about his neck, tying him up to a tree which stood hard by.

Some other Shepherds happening to pa.s.s that way, and observing what he was about, drew near, and expressed their wonder at it.

"What," says one of them, "Brother, do you hang Sheep?" "No,"

replies the other; "I hang a Wolf whenever I catch him, though in the habit and garb of Sheep." Then he showed them their mistake, and they applauded the justice of the execution.

MORAL.

Those who try to seem what they are not will not always thereby escape the punishment of what they are.

FABLE LX.

THE TWO BEES.

On a fine morning in May, two Bees set forward in quest of honey; the one, wise and temperate; the other, careless and extravagant.

They soon arrived at a garden enriched with aromatic herbs, the most fragrant flowers, and the most delicious fruits. They regaled themselves for a time on the various dainties that were set before them: the one loading his thigh at intervals with provisions for the hive against the distant winter, the other revelling in sweets, without regard to anything but his present gratification.

At length, they found a wide-mouthed vial, that hung beneath the bough of a peach-tree, filled with honey ready tempered, and exposed to their taste in the most alluring manner. The thoughtless Epicure, spite of all his friend's remonstrances, plunged headlong into the vessel, resolving to indulge himself in all the pleasures of sensuality. The Philosopher, on the other hand, sipped a little with caution, but, being suspicious of danger, flew off to fruits and flowers; where, by the moderation of his meals, he improved his relish for the true enjoyment of them.

In the evening, however, he called upon his friend, to inquire whether he would return to the hive, but found him surfeited in sweets, which he was as unable to leave as to enjoy. Clogged in his wings, enfeebled in his feet, and his whole frame totally enervated, he was but just able to bid his friend adieu, and to lament, with his latest breath, that though a taste of pleasure may quicken the relish of life, an unrestrained indulgence is inevitable destruction.

MORAL.

Moderation rewards and intemperance punishes itself.

FABLE LXI.

THE TURKEY AND THE ANT.