"
On this, said the Raven to the Rat, " Remember now, O excellent Zirac !
On this, said the Raven to the Rat, " Remember now, O excellent Zirac !
Universal Anthology - v01
The Partridge, overjoyed to see herself so caressed, gave her tongue more liberty than she had done before, and talked much of the cruelty and savage temper of the birds of prey.
This began to offend the Falcon ; though for the present he dissembled it.
One day, however, he unfortunately fell ill, which hindered him from going abroad in search of prey, so that he grew hungry ; and wanting victuals, he soon became melancholy, morose, and churlish.
His being out of humor quickly alarmed the Partridge, who kept herself, very prudently, close in a corner, with a very modest countenance.
But the Falcon, soon after, no longer able to endure the importunities of his stomach, resolved to pick a quarrel with the poor Par tridge.
To which purpose, 'It is not proper,' said he, 'that you should lie lurking there in the shade, while all the world is exposed to the heat of the sun.
'
" The Partridge, trembling every joint of her, replied, ' King of birds, it is now night, and all the world is in the shade as well as I, nor do I know what sun you mean. ' ' Insolent bag gage,' replied the Falcon, ' then you will make me either a liar or mad : ' and so saying, he fell upon her, and tore her to pieces.
" Do not believe," pursued the Rat, " that upon the faith of your promises, I will lay myself at your mercy. "
" Recollect yourself," answered the Raven, " and consider that it is not worth my while to fool my stomach with such a diminutive body as thine ; it is therefore with no such intent I am talking with thee, but I know thy friendship may be bene ficial to me ; scruple not, therefore, to grant me this favor. "
" The sages of old," replied the Rat, " admonish us to take care of being deluded by the fair words of our enemies, as was a certain unfortunate Man, whose story, if you please, I will relate to you. "
PILPAY'S FABLES. 259
Fable III.
THE MAN AND THE ADDER.
A Man mounted upon a Camel once rode into a thicket, and went to rest himself in that part of it from whence a caravan was just departed, and where the people having left a fire, some sparks of it, being driven by the wind, had set a bush, wherein lay an Adder, all in a flame. The fire environed the Adder in such a manner that he knew not how to escape, and was just giving himself over to destruction, when he perceived the Man already mentioned, and with a thousand mournful conjurations begged of him to save his life. The Man, on this, being natu rally compassionate, said to himself, " It is true these creatures are enemies to mankind ; however, good actions are of great value, even of the very greatest when done to our enemies ; and whoever sows the seed of good works, shall reap the fruit of blessings. " After he had made this reflection, he took a sack, and tying it to the end of his lance, reached it over the flame to the Adder, who flung himself into it ; and when he was safe in, the traveler pulled back the bag, and gave the Adder leave to come forth, telling him he might go about his business ; but hoped he would have the gratitude to make him a promise, never to do any more harm to men, since a man had done him so great a piece of service. "
To this the ungrateful creature answered,
take both yourself and me : think not that I intend to be gone so calmly ; no, my design is first to leave thee a parting bless ing, and throw my venom upon thee and thy Camel. "
" Monster of ingratitude ! " replied the Traveler, " desist a moment at least, and tell me whether it be lawful to recompense good with evil. "
" No," replied the Adder, " it certainly is not ; but in acting in that manner I shall do no more than what yourselves do every day ; that is to say, retaliate good deeds with wicked actions, and requite benefits with ingratitude. "
" You cannot prove this slanderous and wicked aspersion," replied the Traveler : " nay, I will venture to say that if you can show me any one other creature in the world that is of your opinion, I will consent to whatever punishment you think fit to inflict on me for the faults of my fellow-creatures. "
" I agree to this willingly," answered the Adder ; and at
You much mis
260
PILPAY'S FABLES.
the same time spying a Cow, " Let us propound our question," said he, "to this creature before us, and we shall see what answer she will make. " The Man consented ; and so both of them accosting the Cow, the Adder put the question to her, how a good turn was to be requited. "By its contrary," replied the Cow, "if you mean according to the custom of men ; and this I know by sad experience. I belong," said she, "to a man, to whom I have long been several ways ex
I have been used to bring him a calf every year, and to supply his house with milk, butter, and cheese;
On this, the Adder, taking upon him to speak, said to the Man, " What say you now ? are not your own customs a suffi cient warrant for me to treat you as I intend to do ? "
The Traveler, not a little confounded at this ill-timed story, was cunning enough, however, to answer, " This is a particular case only, and give me leave to say, one witness is not sufficient to convict me ; therefore pray let me have another. "
"With all my heart," replied the Adder; "let us address ourselves to this Tree that stands here before us. " The Tree, having heard the subject of their dispute, gave his opinion in the following words : " Among men, benefits are never requited but with ungrateful actions. I protect travelers from the heat of the sun, and yield them fruit to eat, and a delightful liquor to drink ; nevertheless, forgetting the delight and benefit of my shade, they barbarously cut down my branches to make sticks, and handles for hatchets, and saw my body to make planks and rafters. Is not this requiting good with evil ? "
The Adder, on this, looking upon the Traveler, asked if he was satisfied. But he was in such a confusion that he knew not what to answer. However, in hopes to free himself from the danger that threatened him, he said to the Adder, " I desire only one favor more ; let us be judged by the next beast we meet ; give me but that satisfaction, it is all I crave : you know life is sweet ; suffer me therefore to beg for the means of continuing it. " While they were thus parleying together, a Fox passing by was stopped by the Adder, who conjured him to put an end to their controversy.
tremely beneficial :
but now I am grown old, and no longer in a condition to serve him as formerly I did, he has put me in this pasture to fat me, with a design to sell me to a butcher, who is to cut my throat, and he and his friends are to eat my flesh : and is not this requiting good with evil? "
PILPAY'S FABLES. 261
The Fox, upon this, desiring to know the subject of their dispute, said the Traveler, " I have done this Adder a signal piece of service, and he would fain persuade me that, for my reward, he ought to do me a mischief. " "If he means to act by you as you men do by others, he speaks nothing but what is true," replied the Fox ; " but, that I may be better able to judge between you, let me understand what service it is that you have done him. "
The Traveler was very glad of this opportunity of speak ing for himself, and recounted the whole affair to him : he told him after what manner he had rescued him out of the flames with that little sack, which he showed him.
" How ! " said the Fox, laughing outright, " would you pre tend to make me believe that so large an Adder as this could get into such a little sack? It is impossible ! " Both the Man and the Adder, on this, assured him of the truth of that part of the story ; but the Fox positively refused to believe it. At length said he, "Words will never convince me of this monstrous improbability ; but if the Adder will go into it again, to con vince me of the truth of what you say, I shall then be able to judge of the rest of this affair. "
" That I will do most willingly," replied the Adder ; and, at the same time, put himself into the sack.
Then said the Fox to the Traveler, "Now you are the mas ter of your enemy's life : and, I believe, you need not be long in resolving what treatment such a monster of ingratitude deserves of you. " With that the Traveler tied up the mouth of the sack, and, with a great stone, never left off beating it till he had pounded the Adder to death ; and, by that means, put an end to his fears and the dispute at once.
" This Fable," pursued the Rat, " informs us that there is no trusting to the fair words of an enemy, for fear of falling into the like misfortunes. " "
"You say very true," replied the Raven, in all this; but what I have to answer to it is that we ought to understand how to distinguish friends from enemies : and, when you have learned that art, you will know I am no terrible or treacherous foe, but a sincere and hearty friend : for I protest to thee, in the most solemn manner, that what I have seen thee do for thy friend the Pigeon and his companions has taken such root in me that I cannot live without an acquaintance with thee ;
262 PILPAY'S FABLES.
and I swear I will not depart from hence till thou hast granted me thy friendship. "
Zirac perceiving, at length, that the Raven really dealt frankly and cordially with him, replied, " I am happy to find that you are sincere in all this ; pardon my fears, and now hear me acknowledge that I think it is an honor for me to wear the title of thy friend ; and, if I have so long withstood thy im portunities, it was only to try thee, and to show thee that I want neither wit nor policy, that thou mayst know hereafter how far I may be able to serve thee. " And so saying, he came forward ; but even now he did not venture fairly out, but stopped at the entrance of his hole. "
" Why dost thou not come boldly forth ?
Raven. " Is it because thou art not yet assured of my affec tion? "
"That is not the reason," answered the Rat; "but I am afraid of thy companions upon the trees. "
demanded the
" Set thy heart at rest for that," replied the Raven ; " they shall respect thee as their friend : for it is a custom among us that, when one of us enters into a league of friendship with a creature of another species, we all esteem and love that creature. " The Rat, upon the faith of these words, came out to the Raven, who caressed him with extraordinary demonstra tions of friendship, swearing to him an inviolable amity, and requesting him to go and live with him near the habitation of a certain neighboring Tortoise, of whom he gave a very noble character.
" Command me henceforward in all things," replied Zirac, " for I have so great an inclination for you, that from hence forward I will forever follow you as your shadow : and, to tell you the truth, this is not the proper place of my residence ; I was only compelled some time since to take sanctuary in this hole, by reason of an accident, of which I would give you the relation, if I thought it might not be offensive to you. "
" My dear friend," replied the Raven, " can you have any such fears ? or rather are you not convinced that I share in all your concerns? But the Tortoise," added he, "whose friend ship is a very considerable acquisition, which you cannot fail of, will be no less glad to hear the recital of your adventures : come, therefore, away with me to her," continued he ; and, at the same time, he took the rat in his bill, and carried him to the Tortoise's dwelling, to whom he related what he had seen
PILPAY'S FABLES. 263
Zirac do. She congratulated the Raven for having acquired so perfect a friend, and caressed the Rat at a very high rate ; who, for his part, was too much a courtier not to testify how sensible he was of all her civilities. After many compliments on all sides, they went all three to walk by the banks of a purl ing rivulet ; and, having made choice of a place somewhat dis tant from the highway, the Raven desired Zirac there to relate his adventures, which he did in the following manner.
Fable IV.
THE ADVENTURES OP ZIRAC.
"I was born," said Zirac, "and lived many years in the city of India called Marout, where I made choice of a place to reside in that seemed to be the habitation of silence itself, that I might live without disturbance. Here I enjoyed long the greatest earthly felicity, and tasted the sweets of a quiet life, in company of some other Rats, honest creatures, of my own humor. There was also in our neighborhood, I must inform you, a certain Dervise, who every day remained idly in his habitation while his companion went a begging. He con stantly, however, ate a part of what the other brought home, and kept the remainder for his supper. But, when he sat down to his second meal, he never found his dish in the same condition that he left it : for while he was in his garden I always filled my belly, and constantly called my companions to partake with me, who were no less mindful of their duty to nature than myself. The Dervise, on this, constantly finding his pittance diminished, flew out at length into a great rage, and looked into his books for some receipt or some engine to apprehend us : but all that availed him nothing, I was still more cunning than he. One unfortunate day, however, one of his friends, who had been a long journey, entered into his cell
to visit him ; and, after they had dined, they fell into a dis course concerning travel. This Dervise, our good purveyor, among other things asked his friend what he had seen that was most rare and curious in his travels. To whom the Traveler began to recount what he had observed most worthy remark ; but, as he was studying to give him a description of the most delightful places through which he had passed, the Dervise still interrupted him from time to time, with the noise
264 PILPAY'S FABLES.
which he made, by clapping his hands one against the other, and stamping with his foot against the ground, to fright us away : for, indeed, we made frequent sallies upon his provision, never regarding his presence nor his company. At length the Traveler, taking it in dudgeon that the Dervise gave so little ear to him, told him, in downright terms, that he did ill to detain him there, to trouble him with telling stories he did not attend to, and make a fool of him.
" ' Heaven forbid ! ' replied the Dervise, altogether sur prised, ' that I should make a fool of a person of your merit : I beg your pardon for interrupting you, but there is in this place a nest of rats that will eat me up to the very ears before they have done ; and there is one above the rest so bold, that he even has the impudence to come and bite me by the toes as I lie asleep, and I know not how to catch the felonious devil. ' The Traveler, on this, was satisfied with the Dervise's excuses ; and replied, ' Certainly there is some mystery in this : this accident brings to my mind a remarkable story, which I will relate to you, provided you will hearken to me with a little better attention. ' "
Fable V.
A HUSBAND AND HIS WIPE.
" One day," continued the Traveler, " as I was on my jour ney, the bad weather constrained me to stop at a town where I had several acquaintances of different ranks ; and, being unable to proceed on my journey for the continuance of the rain, I went to lodge with one of my friends, who received me very civilly. After supper he put me to bed in a chamber that was parted from his own by a very thin wainscot only ; so that, in despite of my ears, I heard all his private conversation with his Wife.
"'To-morrow,' said he, 'I intend to invite the principal burghers of the town to divert my friend who has done me the honor to come and see me. '
" ' You have not sufficient wherewithal to support your fam ily,' answered his Wife, ' and yet you talk of being at great expenses : rather think of sparing that little you have for the good of your children, and let feasting alone. '
" ' This is a man of great religion and piety,' replied the Husband ; ' and I ought to testify my joy on seeing him, and
PILPAY'S FABLES. 265
to give my other friends an opportunity of hearing his pious conversation ; nor be you in care for the small expense that will attend this. The providence of God is very great ; and we ought not to take too much care for to-morrow, lest what befell the Wolf befall us. ' "
Fable VI.
THE HUNTER AND THE WOLF.
" One day," continued the Husband, " a great Hunter, re turning from the chase of a deer, which he had killed, unex pectedly espied a wild boar coming out of a wood, and making directly towards him. ' Very good,' cried the Hunter, ' this beast comes very opportunely ; he will not a little augment my provision. ' With that he bent his bow, and let fly his arrow with so good an aim that he wounded the boar to death. Such, however, are the unforeseen events that attend too covet ous a care for the necessaries of life, that this fair beginning was but a prelude to a very fatal catastrophe. For the beast, feeling himself wounded, ran with so much fury at the Hunter, that he ripped up his belly with his tusks in such a manner that they both fell dead upon the place.
" At the very moment when this happened, there passed by a Wolf, half-famished, who, seeing so much victuals lying upon the ground, was in an ecstasy of joy. ' However,' said he to himself, ' I must not be prodigal of all this good food ; but it behooves me to husband my good fortune, to make my provision hold out the longer. ' Being very hungry, however, he very prudently resolved to fill his belly first, and make his store for the future afterwards. Not willing, however, to waste any part of his treasure, he was for eating his meat, and, if possible, having it too ; he therefore resolved to fill his belly with what was least delicate, and accordingly began with the string of the bow, which was made of gut ; but he had no sooner snapped the string, but the bow, which was highly bent, gave him such a terrible thump upon the breast that he fell stone-dead upon the other bodies.
" ' This Fable,' said the Husband, pursuing his discourse 'instructs us that we ought not to be too greedily covetous. '
"'Nay,' said the Wife, 'if this be the effect of saving, even invite whom you please to-morrow. '
266 PILPAY'S FABLES.
" The company was accordingly invited ; but the next day, as the Wife was getting the dinner ready, and making a sort of sauce with honey, she saw a rat fall into the honey pot, which turned her stomach, and stopped the making of that part of the entertainment. Unwilling, therefore, to make use of the honey, she carried it to the market, and when she parted with it, took pitch in exchange. I was then, by accident, by her, and asked her why she made such a disadvantageous exchange for her honey.
" ' Because,' said she, in my ear, ' it is not worth so much to me as the pitch. ' Then I presently perceived there was some mystery in the affair, which was beyond my comprehension. It is the same with this rat : he would never be so bold, had he not some reason for it which we are ignorant of. The rats," continued he, " in this part of the world, are a cunning, covet ous, and proud generation ; they heap money as much as the misers of our own species ; and when one of them is possessed of a considerable sum, he becomes a prince among them, and has his set of comrades, who would die to serve him, as they live by him ; for he disburses money for their purchases of food, etc. , of one another, and they live his slaves in perfect idleness. And for my part, I am apt to believe that this is the case with this impudent rat ; that he has a number of slaves of his own species at command, to defend and uphold him in his audacious tricks, and that there is money hidden in his hole. "
The Dervise no sooner heard the Traveler talk of money, than he took a hatchet, and so bestirred himself, that having cleft the wall, he soon discovered my treasure, to the value of a thousand deniers in gold, which I had heaped together with great labor and toil. These had long been my whole pleasure ;
I took delight to handle them, and tumble upon them, placing all my happiness in that exercise.
I told them every day ;
But to return to the story. When the gold tumbled out, ' Very good,' said the Traveler ; ' had I not reason to attrib ute the insolence of these rats to some unknown cause ? '
" I leave you to judge in what a desperate condition I was, when I saw my habitation ransacked after this manner. I re solved on this to change my lodging ; but all my companions left me ; so that I had a thorough experience of the truth of the proverb, 'No money, no friend. ' Friends, nowadays, love us no longer than our friendship turns to their advantage. I
PILPAY'S FABLES. 267
have heard among men, that one day a wealthy and a witty man was asked how many friends he had. 'As for friends alamode,' said he, ' I have as many as I have crowns ; but as for real friends, I must stay till I come to be in want, and then I shall know. '
" While I was pondering, however, upon the accident that had befallen me, I saw a rat pass along, who had been hereto fore used to profess himself so much devoted to my service, that you would have thought he could not have lived a moment out of my company. I called to him, and asked him why he shunned me like the rest.
" ' Thinkest thou,' said the ungrateful and impudent villain, ' that we are such fools as to serve thee for nothing ? When thou wast rich, we were thy servants ; but now thou art poor, believe me, we will not be the companions of thy poverty. '
" ' Alas ! thou oughtest not to despise the poor,' said I, 'because they are the beloved of Providence. '
" ' It is very true,' answered he ; ' but not such poor as thou art. For Providence takes care of those among men who have, for the sake of religion, forsaken the world ; not those whom the world has forsaken. ' Miserably angry was I with myself for my former generosities to such a wretch ; but I could not tell what to answer to such a cutting expression. I stayed, however, notwithstanding my misfortunes, with the Dervise, to see how he would dispose of the money he had taken from me ; and I observed that he gave one half to his friend, and that each of them laid their shares under their pillows. On seeing this, an immediate thought came into my mind to go and regain this money. To this purpose I stole softly to the Dervise's bedside, and was just going to carry back my treasure ; but unfortu nately his friend, who, unperceived by me, observed all my actions, threw his bed staff at me with so good a will that he had almost broke my foot, which obliged me to recover my hole with all the speed I could, though not without some difficulty. About an hour after, I crept out again, believing by this time the Traveler might be asleep also. But he was too diligent a sentinel, and too much afraid of losing his good fortune. How ever, I plucked up a good heart, went forward, and was already got to the Dervise's bed's head, when my rashness had like to have cost me my life. For the Traveler gave me a second blow upon the head, that stunned me in such a manner that I could hardly find my hole again. At the same instant he also threw
268 PILPAY'S FABLES.
his bed staff at me a third time ; but missing me, I recovered my sanctuary ; where I was no sooner set down in safety, than I protested that I would never more pursue the recovery of a thing which had cost me so much pains and jeopardy. In pur suance of this resolution, I left the Dervise's habitation, and retired to that place where you saw me with the Pigeon. "
The Tortoise was extremely well pleased with the recital of the Rat's adventures ; and at the same time embracing him, " You have done well," said she, " to quit the world, and the intrigues of it, since they afford us no perfect satisfaction. All those who are turmoiled with avarice and ambition do but labor for their own ruin, like a certain Cat which I once knew, whose adventures you will not be displeased to hear. "
Fable VII.
THE RAVENOUS CAT.
" A certain Person whom I have often seen," continued the Tortoise, " bred up a Cat very frugally in his own house. He gave her enough to suffice nature, though nothing superfluous : and she might, if she pleased, have lived very happily with him ; but she was very ravenous, and, not content with her ordinary food, hunted about in every corner for more. One day, passing by a dove house, she saw some young pigeons that were hardly fledged ; and presently her teeth watered for a taste of those delicate viands. With this resolution, up she boldly mounted into the dove house, never minding whether the master were there or no, and was presently with great joy pre paring to satisfy her voluptuous desires. But the master of the place no sooner saw the epicure of a Cat enter, than he shut up the doors, and stopped up all the holes at which it was possible for her to get out again, and so bestirred himself that he caught the felonious baggage, and hanged her up at the corner of the pigeon house. Soon after this, the owner of the Cat passing that way, and seeing his Cat hanged, ' Unfortunate greedy-gut,' said he, 'hadst thou been contented with thy meaner food, thou hadst not been now in this condition ! Thus,' continued he, moralizing on the spectacle, ' insatiable gluttons are the procurers of their own untimely ends. Alas ! the felicities of this world are uncertain, and of no continu ance. Wise men, I well remember, say there is no reliance
PILPAY'S FABLES. 269
upon these six things, nor anything of fidelity to be expected from them : —
" ' 1. From a cloud ; for it disperses in an instant.
" ' 2. From feigned friendship ; for it passes away like a flash of lightning.
" ' 3. From a woman's love ; for it changes upon every frivolous fancy.
" ' 4. From beauty ; for the least injury of time, misfortune, or disease destroys it.
" ' 5. From false prayers ; for they are but smoke.
" ' 6. And from the enjoyments of the world ; for they all vanish in a moment. ' "
"Men of judgment," replied the Rat, "are all of this opinion : they never labor after these vain things ; there is nothing but the acquisition of a real friend can tempt us to the expectation of a lasting happiness. " "
The Raven then spoke in his turn :
pleasure or advantage," said he, " like a true friend ; which I shall endeavor to prove, by the recital of the following story. "
Fable VIII. THE TWO FRIENDS.
A certain Person, of a truly noble and generous disposition, once heard, as he lay in bed, somebody knocking at his door at an unseasonable hour. Somewhat surprised at it, he, without stirring out of his place, first asked who was there. But when by the answer he understood that it was one of his best friends, he immediately rose, put on his clothes, and ordering his ser vant to light a candle, went and opened the door.
So soon as he saw him, " Dear Friend," said he, " I at all times rejoice to see you, but doubly now, because I promise myself, from this extraordinary visit, that I can be of some service to you. I cannot imagine your coming so late to be for any other reason, but either to borrow money, or to desire me to be your second, and I am very happy in that I can assure you that I am provided to serve you in either of these requests. If you want money, my purse is full, and it is open to all your occasions. If you are to meet with your enemy, my arm and sword are at your service. " "There is nothing I have less
There is no earthly
270 PILPAY'S FABLES.
occasion for," answered his Friend, " than these things which you proffer me. I only came to understand the condition of your health, fearing the truth of an unlucky and disastrous dream. "
While the Raven was reciting this Fable, our set of friends beheld at a distance a little wild Goat making towards them with an incredible swiftness.
They all took it for granted, by her speed, that she was pursued by some hunter ; and they immediately without cere mony separated, every one to take care of himself. The Tor toise slipped into the water, the Rat crept into a hole which he accidentally found there, and the Raven hid himself among the boughs of a very high tree. In the mean time the Goat stopped all of a sudden, and stood to rest itself by the side of the fountain ; when the Raven, who looked about every way, perceiving nobody, called to the Tortoise, who immediately peeped "up above the water ; and seeing" the Goat afraid to drink, " Drink boldly," said the Tortoise, for the water is very clear : which the Goat having done, " Pray tell me," cried the Tortoise, "what is the reason you seem to be in such a fright? " " Reason enough," replied the Goat, " for I have just made my escape from the hands of a Hunter, who pursued me with an eager chase. "
" Come," said the Tortoise, " I am glad you are safe, and I have an offer to make you : if you can like our company, stay here, and be one of our friends ; you will find, I assure you, our hearts honest and our conversation beneficial. Wise men," continued she, " say that the number of friends lessens trouble : and that if a man had a thousand friends, he ought to reckon them no more than as one ; but, on the other side, if a man has but one enemy, he ought to reckon that one for a thousand, so dangerous and so desperate a thing is an avowed enemy. " After this discourse, the Raven and the Rat entered into com pany with the Goat, and showed her a thousand civilities ; with which she was so taken that she promised to stay there as long as she lived.
These four friends, after this, lived in perfect harmony a long while, and spent their time very pleasantly together. But one day, as the Tortoise, the Rat, and the Raven had met, as they used to do, by the side of the fountain, the Goat was missing ; this very much troubled the other friends, as they knew not what accident might have befallen her. They soon
PILPAY'S FABLES. 271
came to a resolution, however, to seek for and assist her ; and presently the Raven mounted up into the air, to see what dis coveries he could make, and looking round about him, at length, to his great sorrow, saw at a distance the poor Goat entangled in a Hunter's net. He immediately dropped down, on this, to acquaint the Rat and Tortoise with what he had seen ; and you may be well assured these ill tidings extremely afflicted all the three friends.
" We have professed a strict friendship together, and long lived happily in it," said the Tortoise ; " and it will be shame ful now to break through it, and leave our innocent and good- natured friend to destruction : no, we must find some way," continued she, " to deliver the poor Goat out of captivity.
"
On this, said the Raven to the Rat, " Remember now, O excellent Zirac ! thy own talents, and exert them for the pub lic good : there is none but you can set our friend at liberty ; and the business must be quickly done, for fear the Huntsman lay his clutches upon her. "
" Doubt not but I will gladly do my endeavor," replied the Rat; "therefore let us go immediately, lest we lose time. " The Raven, on this, took up Zirac in his bill, and carried him to the place ; where being arrived, he fell without delay to gnawing the meshes that held the Goat's foot, and had almost set him at liberty by the time the Tortoise arrived. So soon as the Goat perceived this slow-moving friend, she sent forth a loud cry : " O ! " said she, " why have you ventured yourself to come hither? "
" Alas," replied the Tortoise, " I could no longer endure your absence. "
" Dear Friend," said the Goat, " your coming to this place troubles me more than the loss of my own liberty ; for if the Hunter should happen to come at this instant, what will you do to make your escape? For my part I am almost unbound, and my swift heels will prevent me from falling into his hands ; the Raven will find his safety in his wings ; the Rat will run into any hole ; only you, that are so slow of foot, will become the Hunter's prey. "
No sooner had the Goat spoken the words than the Hunter appeared ; but the Goat being loosened ran away ; the Raven mounted into the sky ; the Rat slipped into a hole ; and, as the Goat had said, only the slow-paced Tortoise remained without help.
272 PILPAY'S FABLES.
When the Hunter arrived, he was not a little surprised to find his net broken. This was no small vexation to him, and made him look narrowly about, to see if he could discover who had done him the injury ;" and, unfortunately, in searching, he spied the Tortoise. " O ! said he, " very well, I am very glad
I find I shall not go home empty-handed, how ever, at last : here's a plump Tortoise, and that's worth some
to see you here ;
thing, I'm sure. " With that he took the Tortoise up, put it in his sack, threw the sack over his shoulder, and so was trudging home.
When he was gone, the three friends came from their several places, and met together, when, missing the Tortoise, they easily judged what was become of her. Then sending forth a thousand sighs, they made most doleful lamentations, and shed a torrent of tears. At length the Raven, interrupting this sad harmony, " Dear friends," said he, " our moans and sorrows do the Tortoise no good ; we ought, instead of this, if it be possi ble, to think of a way to save her life. The sages of former ages have informed us that there are four sorts of persons that are never known but upon the proper occasions : men of cour age in fight ; men of honesty in business ; a wife in her hus band's misfortunes ; and a true friend in extreme necessity. We find, alas ! our dear friend the Tortoise is in a sad condi tion ; and therefore we must, if possible, succor her. "
"It is well advised," replied the Rat, "and now I think on't, an expedient is come into my head. Let the Goat go and show herself in the Hunter's eye, who will then be sure to lay down his sack to run after her. "
" Very well advised," replied the Goat, " I will pretend to be lame, and run limping at a little distance before him, which will encourage him to follow me, and so draw him a good way from his sack, which will give the Rat time to set our friend at liberty. " This stratagem had so good a face that it was soon approved by them all ; and immediately the Goat ran halting before the Hunter, and seemed to be so feeble and faint that he thought he had her safe in his clutches ; and so laying down his sack, ran after the Goat with all his might. That cunning creature suffered him ever and anon almost to come up to her, and then led him another green-goose chase, till in short she had fairly dragged him out of sight ; which the Rat perceiving, came and gnawed the string that tied the sack, and let out the Tortoise, who went and hid herself in a thick bush.
^SOP'S FABLES. 273
At length the Hunter, tired with running in vain after his prey, left off the chase, and returned to his sack. " Here," said he, " I have something safe however : thou art not quite so swift of foot as this plaguy Goat; and if thou wert, art too fast here to find the way to make thy legs of any use to thee. " So saying, he went to the bag, but there missing the Tortoise, he was in amaze, and thought himself in a region of hobgoblins and spirits. He could not but stand and bless himself, that a Goat should free herself out of his nets, and by and by run hop ping before him, and make a fool of him ; and that in the mean while a Tortoise, a poor feeble creature, should break the string of a sack, and make its escape. All these considerations struck him with such a panic fear, that he ran home as if a thousand robin goodfellows or rawhead and bloody bones had been at his heels. After which the four friends met together again, con gratulated each other on their escapes, made new protestations
of friendship, and swore never to separate till death parted them.
^SOP'S FABLES. Retold by PH3EDRUS.
[. flSsop is the imaginary author of a collection of fables, some of them dat ing back to archaic Egyptian times ; the dates, personal history, and description, etc. , set down to him are all fictitious, and some of them very late mediaeval in ventions. Phsedrus was a Macedonian slave who lived in Rome during the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula, and rewrote the . Aesopian fables in verse, adding some new ones, besides other stories with a moral not cast in fable
form. ]
The Wolf and the Lamb.
Driven by thirst, a Wolf and a Lamb had come to the same stream; the Wolf stood above, and the Lamb at a dis tance below. Then the spoiler, prompted by a ravenous maw, alleged a pretext for a quarrel. " Why," said he, " have you made the water muddy for me while " I am drinking ? " The Fleece bearer, trembling, answered : Prithee, Wolf, how can I do what you complain of ? The water is flowing downwards from you to where I am drinking. " The other, disconcerted by the force of truth, exclaimed, " Six months ago, you slan dered me. " "Indeed," answered the Lamb, "I was not born
274 iESOPS FABLES.
then. " " By Hercules," said the Wolf, " then 'twas your father slandered me ; " and so, snatching him up, he tore him to pieces, killing him unjustly.
The Frogs asking for a King.
The Frogs, roaming at large in their marshy fens, with loud clamor demanded of Jupiter a king, who, by his authority, might check their dissolute manners. The Father of the Gods smiled, and gave them a little Log, which, on being thrown among them, startled the timorous race by the noise and sudden commotion in the bog. When it had lain for some time im mersed in the mud, one of them by chance silently lifted his head above the water, and, having taken a peep at the king, called up all the rest. Having got the better of their fears, vying with each other, they swim towards him, and the inso lent mob leap upon the Log. After defiling it with every kind of insult, they sent to Jupiter, requesting another king, be cause the one that had been given them was useless. Upon this, he sent them a Water Snake, who with his sharp teeth began to gobble them up one after another. Helpless they strive in vain to escape death ; terror deprives them of voice. By stealth, therefore, they send through Mercury a request to Jupiter, to succor them in their distress. Then said the God in reply, "Since you would not be content with your good fortune, continue to endure your bad fortune. "
Fable for Parvenus.
A Jackdaw, swelling with empty pride, picked up some feathers which had fallen from a Peacock, and decked himself out therewith ; upon which, despising his own kind, he mingled with a beauteous flock of Peacocks. They tore his feathers from off the impudent bird, and put him to flight with their beaks. The Jackdaw, thus roughly handled, in grief hastened to return to his own kind ; repulsed by whom, he had to sub mit to sad disgrace. Then said one of those whom he had formerly despised, " If you had been content with our station, and had been ready to put up with what nature had given, you would neither have experienced the former affront, nor would your ill fortune have had to feel the additional pang of this repulse. "
. aSSOP'S FABLES. 275
Shadow and Substance.
As a Dog, crossing a bridge, was carrying a piece of meat, he saw his own shadow in the watery mirror ; and, thinking that it was another booty carried by another dog, attempted to snatch it away ; but his greediness was disappointed, he both dropped the food which he was holding in his mouth, and was after all unable to reach that at which he grasped.
The Alliance.
A Cow, a She-Goat, and a Sheep, patient under injuries, were partners in the forests with a Lion. When they had cap tured a Stag of vast bulk, thus spoke the Lion, after it had been divided into shares, "Because my name is Lion, I take the first ; the second you will yield to me because I am coura geous ; then, because I am the strongest, the third will fall to my lot; if any one touches the fourth, woe betide him. "
Never Help a Scoundrel out of a Scrape.
A bone that he had swallowed stuck in the jaws of a Wolf. Thereupon, overcome by extreme pain, he began to tempt all and sundry by great rewards to extract the cause of misery. At length, on his taking an oath, a Crane was prevailed on, and, trusting the length of her neck to his throat, she wrought, with danger to herself, a cure for the Wolf. When she de manded the promised reward for this service, " You are un grateful," replied the Wolf, " to have taken your head in safety out of my mouth, and then to ask for a reward. "
Your Turn may Come.
A Sparrow upbraided a Hare that had been pounced upon by an Eagle, and was sending forth piercing cries. " Where now," said he, " is that fleetness for which you are so remark able ? Why were your feet thus tardy ? " While he was speaking, a Hawk seizes him unawares, and kills him, shrieking aloud with vain complaints. The Hare, almost dead, as a con solation in his agony, exclaimed, "You, who so lately, free from care, were ridiculing my misfortunes, have now to deplore your own fate with as woful cause. "
276 . ESOFS FABLES.
A Bad Name is a Bad Investment.
A Wolf indicted a Fox upon a charge of theft ; the latter denied it. The Ape sat as judge between them ; and when each of them had pleaded his cause, is said to have pronounced this sentence : " You, Wolf, appear not to have lost what you ask the Fox to give back ; you, Fox, to have stolen from the Wolf what you deny taking. "
Brag only to Strangers.
A Lion having resolved to hunt in company with an Ass, concealed him in a thicket, and at the same time enjoined him to frighten the wild beasts with his voice, to which they were unused, while he himself was to catch them as they fled. Upon this, Longears, with all his might, suddenly raised a cry, and terrified the beasts with this new cause of astonishment. While in their alarm, they are flying to the well-known outlets, they are overpowered by the dread onset of the Lion ; who, after he was wearied with slaughter, called forth the Ass from his retreat, and bade him cease his clamor. On this the other in his insolence inquired, " What think you of the assistance given by my voice ? " " Excellent ! " said the Lion, " so much so that if I had not been acquainted with your spirit and your race, I should have fled in alarm like the rest. "
The Showiest Qualities not the Most Useful.
A Stag, when he had drunk at a stream, stood still, and gazed upon his likeness in the water. While there, in admira tion, he was praising his branching horns, and finding fault with the extreme thinness of his legs, suddenly roused by the cries of the huntsmen, he took to flight over the plain, and with nimble course escaped the dogs. Then a wood received the beast ; in which, being entangled and caught by his horns, the dogs began to tear him to pieces with savage bites. While dy ing, he is said to have uttered these words : " Oh, how un happy am I, who now too late find out how useful to me were the things I despised ; and what sorrow the things I used to praise have caused me. "
2ES0PS FABLES. 277
Flatterers Have Axes to Grind.
As a Raven, perched in a lofty tree, was about to eat a piece of cheese, stolen from a window, a Fox espied him, and there upon began thus to speak : " O Raven, what a glossiness there is upon those feathers of yours ! What grace you carry in
If you had a voice, no bird whatever would be superior to you. " On this, the other, attempting to show off his voice, let fall the cheese from his mouth, which
your shape and air !
the crafty Fox instantly snatched up.
All Governments alike to the Poor.
A timorous Old Man was feeding an Ass in a meadow. Frightened by a sudden alarm of the enemy, he tried to per suade the Ass to fly, lest they should be taken prisoners. But he leisurely replied : " Pray, do you suppose that the conqueror will place double panniers upon me? " The Old Man said, "No. " "Then what matters it to me, so long as I have to carry my panniers, whom I serve ? "
Avoid Straw Security.
A Stag asked a Sheep for a measure of wheat, a Wolf being his surety. The other, however, suspecting fraud, replied, "The Wolf has always been in the habit of plundering and absconding ; you, of rushing out of sight with rapid" flight :
where am I to look for you both when the day comes ? The Entering Wedge.
A She-Dog, ready to whelp, having entreated another that she might give birth to her offspring in her kennel, easily obtained the favor. Afterwards, on the other asking for her place back again, she renewed her entreaties, earnestly begging for a short time, until she might be enabled to lead forth her whelps when they had gained sufficient strength. This time being also expired, the other began more urgently to press for her abode. " If," said the tenant, "you are a match for me and my litter in a fight, I will leave. "
Kicking the Dying Lion.
As a Lion, worn out with years, and deserted by his strength, lay drawing his last breath, a Wild Boar came up
278 ^SOP'S FABLES.
to him, with flashing tusks, and with a blow revenged an old affront. Next, with hostile horns, a Bull pierced the body of his foe. An Ass, on seeing the wild beast maltreated with impunity, tore up his forehead with his heels. On this, expir
I have borne, with indignation, the insults of the brave; but in being inevitably forced to bear with you,
ing, he said : " disgrace to nature !
I seem to die a double death. "
Don't Spare One Curse for Fear of Another.
A Weasel, on being caught by a Man, wishing to escape impending death, " Pray," said she, " do spare me, for 'tis I who keep your"house clear of troublesome mice. " The Man made answer : If you did so for my sake, it would be a reason for thanking you, and I should have granted you the pardon you entreat. But as you eat up all they would, and them too, don't think of placing your pretended services to my account ; " and so saying, he put the wicked creature to death.
Suspect Sudden Conversions.
A Thief one night threw a crust of bread to a Dog,"to try whether he could be gained by the proffered victuals. Hark you," said the Dog, " do you think to stop my tongue so that I may not bark for my master's property ? You are greatly mis taken. For this sudden liberality bids me be on the watch, that you may not profit by my neglect. "
The Frog and the Ox.
Once on a time, a Frog espied an Ox in a meadow, and moved with envy at his vast bulk, puffed out her wrinkled skin, and then asked her young ones whether she was bigger than the Ox. They said, " No. " Again, with still greater efforts, she distended her skin, and in like manner inquired which was the bigger : they said, "The Ox. " At last, while, full of indig nation, she tried, with all her might, to puff herself out, she burst her body on the spot.
The Fox and the Stork.
A Fox is said to have given a Stork the first invitation to a banquet, and to have placed before her some thin broth in a flat dish, of which the hungry Stork could in no way get a taste.
iESOP'S FABLES. 279
Having invited the Fox in return, she set before him a narrow- mouthed jar, full of minced meat : and, thrusting her beak into it, satisfied herself, while she tormented her guest with hunger ; who, after having in vain licked the neck of the jar, as we have heard, thus addressed the foreign bird: "Everyone is bound to bear patiently the results of his own example. "
Revenge always Finds a Way.
An Eagle one day carried off the whelps of a Fox, and placed them in her nest before her young ones, for them to tear in pieces as food. The mother, following her, began to entreat that she would not cause such sorrow to her miserable suppli ant. The other despised her, as being safe in the very situation of the spot. The Fox snatched from an altar a burning torch, and surrounded the whole tree with flames, intending to mingle anguish to her foe with the loss of her offspring. The Eagle, that she might rescue her young ones from the peril of death, in a suppliant manner restored to the Fox her whelps in safety.
"Who shall Guard the Guardians? "
Some Pigeons, having often escaped from a Kite, and by their swiftness of wing avoided death, the spoiler had recourse to stratagem, and by a crafty device of this nature deceived the harmless race. " Why do you prefer to live a life of anx iety, rather than conclude a treaty, and make me your king, who can insure your safety from every injury ? " They, putting confidence in him, intrusted themselves to the Kite, who, on obtaining the sovereignty, began to devour them one by one, and to exercise authority with his cruel talons. Then said one of those that were left, " Deservedly are we smitten. "
The Man and the Two Women.
A Woman, not devoid of grace, held enthralled a certain Man of middle age, concealing her years by the arts of the toilet ; a lovely Young creature, too, had captivated the heart of the same person. Both, as they were desirous to appear of the same age with him, began, each in her turn, to pluck out the hair of the Man. While he imagined that he was made trim by the care of the women, he suddenly found himself
280 . SSOP'S FABLES.
bald ; for the Young Woman had entirely pulled out the white hairs, the Old Woman the black ones.
[This is a dubious piece of morality. The obvious moral would seem to be, Don't court two women at once ; but if one may take them as successive, it would be, Keep to your own sort: wide divergences mean unhappiness and injury. ]
Don't Buy Off Blackmailers.
A Man, torn by the bite of a savage Dog, threw a piece of bread, dipped in his blood, to the offender : a thing that he had heard was a remedy for the wound. Then said jEsop, " Don't do this before many dogs, lest they devour us alive, when they know that such is the reward of guilt. "
The Fly and the Mule.
" A Fly sat on the pole of a chariot, and rebuking the Mule : How slow you are," said she ; "will you not go faster? Take care that I don't prick your neck with my sting. " The Mule
I am not moved by your words, but I fear him
made answer : "
who, sitting on the next seat, guides my yoke with his pliant whip, and governs my mouth with the foam-covered reins. Therefore, cease your frivolous impertinence, for I well know when to go at a gentle pace, and when to run. "
Servile Riches versus Free Poverty.
A Wolf, quite starved with hunger, chanced to meet a well- fed Dog, and as they stopped to salute each other: " Pray," said the Wolf, " how is it that you are so sleek ? or on what food have you made so much flesh? I, who am far stronger, am perishing with hunger. " The Dog frankly replied, "You may enjoy the same condition, if you"can render the like ser vice to your master. " " What is it ? said the other. " To be the guardian of his threshold, and to protect the house from thieves at night. " " I am quite ready for that," said the Wolf ; " at present I have to endure snow and showers, dragging on a wretched existence in the woods. How much more pleasant for me to be living under a roof, and, at my ease, to be stuffed with plenty of victuals. " " Come along, then, with me," said
-5ISOPS FABLES. 281
the Dog. As they were going along, the Wolf observed the neck of the Dog, where it was worn with the chain. " Whence comes this, my friend? " "Oh, it is nothing. " "Do tell me, though. " "Because I appear to be fierce, they fasten me up in the daytime, that I may be quiet when it is light, and watch when night comes ; unchained at midnight, I wander wherever I please. Bread is brought me without my asking ; from his own table my master gives me bones ; the servants throw me bits, and whatever dainties each person leaves ; thus, without trouble on my part, is my belly filled. " " Well, if you have a mind to go anywhere, are you at liberty ? " " Certainly not," replied the Dog. " Then, Dog, enjoy what you boast of. I would not be a king, to lose my liberty. "
"Handsome is as Handsome Does. "
A certain Man had a very ugly Daughter, and also a Son, remarkable for his handsome features. These, diverting them selves as children do, chanced to look into a mirror, as it lay upon their mother's chair. He praises his own good looks ; she is vexed and cannot endure the raillery of her boasting brother, construing everything (and how could she do other wise ? ) as a reproach against herself. Accordingly, off she runs to her Father, to be avenged on him in her turn ; and with great rancor makes a charge against the Son, how that he, though a male, has been meddling with a thing that belongs to the women.
" The Partridge, trembling every joint of her, replied, ' King of birds, it is now night, and all the world is in the shade as well as I, nor do I know what sun you mean. ' ' Insolent bag gage,' replied the Falcon, ' then you will make me either a liar or mad : ' and so saying, he fell upon her, and tore her to pieces.
" Do not believe," pursued the Rat, " that upon the faith of your promises, I will lay myself at your mercy. "
" Recollect yourself," answered the Raven, " and consider that it is not worth my while to fool my stomach with such a diminutive body as thine ; it is therefore with no such intent I am talking with thee, but I know thy friendship may be bene ficial to me ; scruple not, therefore, to grant me this favor. "
" The sages of old," replied the Rat, " admonish us to take care of being deluded by the fair words of our enemies, as was a certain unfortunate Man, whose story, if you please, I will relate to you. "
PILPAY'S FABLES. 259
Fable III.
THE MAN AND THE ADDER.
A Man mounted upon a Camel once rode into a thicket, and went to rest himself in that part of it from whence a caravan was just departed, and where the people having left a fire, some sparks of it, being driven by the wind, had set a bush, wherein lay an Adder, all in a flame. The fire environed the Adder in such a manner that he knew not how to escape, and was just giving himself over to destruction, when he perceived the Man already mentioned, and with a thousand mournful conjurations begged of him to save his life. The Man, on this, being natu rally compassionate, said to himself, " It is true these creatures are enemies to mankind ; however, good actions are of great value, even of the very greatest when done to our enemies ; and whoever sows the seed of good works, shall reap the fruit of blessings. " After he had made this reflection, he took a sack, and tying it to the end of his lance, reached it over the flame to the Adder, who flung himself into it ; and when he was safe in, the traveler pulled back the bag, and gave the Adder leave to come forth, telling him he might go about his business ; but hoped he would have the gratitude to make him a promise, never to do any more harm to men, since a man had done him so great a piece of service. "
To this the ungrateful creature answered,
take both yourself and me : think not that I intend to be gone so calmly ; no, my design is first to leave thee a parting bless ing, and throw my venom upon thee and thy Camel. "
" Monster of ingratitude ! " replied the Traveler, " desist a moment at least, and tell me whether it be lawful to recompense good with evil. "
" No," replied the Adder, " it certainly is not ; but in acting in that manner I shall do no more than what yourselves do every day ; that is to say, retaliate good deeds with wicked actions, and requite benefits with ingratitude. "
" You cannot prove this slanderous and wicked aspersion," replied the Traveler : " nay, I will venture to say that if you can show me any one other creature in the world that is of your opinion, I will consent to whatever punishment you think fit to inflict on me for the faults of my fellow-creatures. "
" I agree to this willingly," answered the Adder ; and at
You much mis
260
PILPAY'S FABLES.
the same time spying a Cow, " Let us propound our question," said he, "to this creature before us, and we shall see what answer she will make. " The Man consented ; and so both of them accosting the Cow, the Adder put the question to her, how a good turn was to be requited. "By its contrary," replied the Cow, "if you mean according to the custom of men ; and this I know by sad experience. I belong," said she, "to a man, to whom I have long been several ways ex
I have been used to bring him a calf every year, and to supply his house with milk, butter, and cheese;
On this, the Adder, taking upon him to speak, said to the Man, " What say you now ? are not your own customs a suffi cient warrant for me to treat you as I intend to do ? "
The Traveler, not a little confounded at this ill-timed story, was cunning enough, however, to answer, " This is a particular case only, and give me leave to say, one witness is not sufficient to convict me ; therefore pray let me have another. "
"With all my heart," replied the Adder; "let us address ourselves to this Tree that stands here before us. " The Tree, having heard the subject of their dispute, gave his opinion in the following words : " Among men, benefits are never requited but with ungrateful actions. I protect travelers from the heat of the sun, and yield them fruit to eat, and a delightful liquor to drink ; nevertheless, forgetting the delight and benefit of my shade, they barbarously cut down my branches to make sticks, and handles for hatchets, and saw my body to make planks and rafters. Is not this requiting good with evil ? "
The Adder, on this, looking upon the Traveler, asked if he was satisfied. But he was in such a confusion that he knew not what to answer. However, in hopes to free himself from the danger that threatened him, he said to the Adder, " I desire only one favor more ; let us be judged by the next beast we meet ; give me but that satisfaction, it is all I crave : you know life is sweet ; suffer me therefore to beg for the means of continuing it. " While they were thus parleying together, a Fox passing by was stopped by the Adder, who conjured him to put an end to their controversy.
tremely beneficial :
but now I am grown old, and no longer in a condition to serve him as formerly I did, he has put me in this pasture to fat me, with a design to sell me to a butcher, who is to cut my throat, and he and his friends are to eat my flesh : and is not this requiting good with evil? "
PILPAY'S FABLES. 261
The Fox, upon this, desiring to know the subject of their dispute, said the Traveler, " I have done this Adder a signal piece of service, and he would fain persuade me that, for my reward, he ought to do me a mischief. " "If he means to act by you as you men do by others, he speaks nothing but what is true," replied the Fox ; " but, that I may be better able to judge between you, let me understand what service it is that you have done him. "
The Traveler was very glad of this opportunity of speak ing for himself, and recounted the whole affair to him : he told him after what manner he had rescued him out of the flames with that little sack, which he showed him.
" How ! " said the Fox, laughing outright, " would you pre tend to make me believe that so large an Adder as this could get into such a little sack? It is impossible ! " Both the Man and the Adder, on this, assured him of the truth of that part of the story ; but the Fox positively refused to believe it. At length said he, "Words will never convince me of this monstrous improbability ; but if the Adder will go into it again, to con vince me of the truth of what you say, I shall then be able to judge of the rest of this affair. "
" That I will do most willingly," replied the Adder ; and, at the same time, put himself into the sack.
Then said the Fox to the Traveler, "Now you are the mas ter of your enemy's life : and, I believe, you need not be long in resolving what treatment such a monster of ingratitude deserves of you. " With that the Traveler tied up the mouth of the sack, and, with a great stone, never left off beating it till he had pounded the Adder to death ; and, by that means, put an end to his fears and the dispute at once.
" This Fable," pursued the Rat, " informs us that there is no trusting to the fair words of an enemy, for fear of falling into the like misfortunes. " "
"You say very true," replied the Raven, in all this; but what I have to answer to it is that we ought to understand how to distinguish friends from enemies : and, when you have learned that art, you will know I am no terrible or treacherous foe, but a sincere and hearty friend : for I protest to thee, in the most solemn manner, that what I have seen thee do for thy friend the Pigeon and his companions has taken such root in me that I cannot live without an acquaintance with thee ;
262 PILPAY'S FABLES.
and I swear I will not depart from hence till thou hast granted me thy friendship. "
Zirac perceiving, at length, that the Raven really dealt frankly and cordially with him, replied, " I am happy to find that you are sincere in all this ; pardon my fears, and now hear me acknowledge that I think it is an honor for me to wear the title of thy friend ; and, if I have so long withstood thy im portunities, it was only to try thee, and to show thee that I want neither wit nor policy, that thou mayst know hereafter how far I may be able to serve thee. " And so saying, he came forward ; but even now he did not venture fairly out, but stopped at the entrance of his hole. "
" Why dost thou not come boldly forth ?
Raven. " Is it because thou art not yet assured of my affec tion? "
"That is not the reason," answered the Rat; "but I am afraid of thy companions upon the trees. "
demanded the
" Set thy heart at rest for that," replied the Raven ; " they shall respect thee as their friend : for it is a custom among us that, when one of us enters into a league of friendship with a creature of another species, we all esteem and love that creature. " The Rat, upon the faith of these words, came out to the Raven, who caressed him with extraordinary demonstra tions of friendship, swearing to him an inviolable amity, and requesting him to go and live with him near the habitation of a certain neighboring Tortoise, of whom he gave a very noble character.
" Command me henceforward in all things," replied Zirac, " for I have so great an inclination for you, that from hence forward I will forever follow you as your shadow : and, to tell you the truth, this is not the proper place of my residence ; I was only compelled some time since to take sanctuary in this hole, by reason of an accident, of which I would give you the relation, if I thought it might not be offensive to you. "
" My dear friend," replied the Raven, " can you have any such fears ? or rather are you not convinced that I share in all your concerns? But the Tortoise," added he, "whose friend ship is a very considerable acquisition, which you cannot fail of, will be no less glad to hear the recital of your adventures : come, therefore, away with me to her," continued he ; and, at the same time, he took the rat in his bill, and carried him to the Tortoise's dwelling, to whom he related what he had seen
PILPAY'S FABLES. 263
Zirac do. She congratulated the Raven for having acquired so perfect a friend, and caressed the Rat at a very high rate ; who, for his part, was too much a courtier not to testify how sensible he was of all her civilities. After many compliments on all sides, they went all three to walk by the banks of a purl ing rivulet ; and, having made choice of a place somewhat dis tant from the highway, the Raven desired Zirac there to relate his adventures, which he did in the following manner.
Fable IV.
THE ADVENTURES OP ZIRAC.
"I was born," said Zirac, "and lived many years in the city of India called Marout, where I made choice of a place to reside in that seemed to be the habitation of silence itself, that I might live without disturbance. Here I enjoyed long the greatest earthly felicity, and tasted the sweets of a quiet life, in company of some other Rats, honest creatures, of my own humor. There was also in our neighborhood, I must inform you, a certain Dervise, who every day remained idly in his habitation while his companion went a begging. He con stantly, however, ate a part of what the other brought home, and kept the remainder for his supper. But, when he sat down to his second meal, he never found his dish in the same condition that he left it : for while he was in his garden I always filled my belly, and constantly called my companions to partake with me, who were no less mindful of their duty to nature than myself. The Dervise, on this, constantly finding his pittance diminished, flew out at length into a great rage, and looked into his books for some receipt or some engine to apprehend us : but all that availed him nothing, I was still more cunning than he. One unfortunate day, however, one of his friends, who had been a long journey, entered into his cell
to visit him ; and, after they had dined, they fell into a dis course concerning travel. This Dervise, our good purveyor, among other things asked his friend what he had seen that was most rare and curious in his travels. To whom the Traveler began to recount what he had observed most worthy remark ; but, as he was studying to give him a description of the most delightful places through which he had passed, the Dervise still interrupted him from time to time, with the noise
264 PILPAY'S FABLES.
which he made, by clapping his hands one against the other, and stamping with his foot against the ground, to fright us away : for, indeed, we made frequent sallies upon his provision, never regarding his presence nor his company. At length the Traveler, taking it in dudgeon that the Dervise gave so little ear to him, told him, in downright terms, that he did ill to detain him there, to trouble him with telling stories he did not attend to, and make a fool of him.
" ' Heaven forbid ! ' replied the Dervise, altogether sur prised, ' that I should make a fool of a person of your merit : I beg your pardon for interrupting you, but there is in this place a nest of rats that will eat me up to the very ears before they have done ; and there is one above the rest so bold, that he even has the impudence to come and bite me by the toes as I lie asleep, and I know not how to catch the felonious devil. ' The Traveler, on this, was satisfied with the Dervise's excuses ; and replied, ' Certainly there is some mystery in this : this accident brings to my mind a remarkable story, which I will relate to you, provided you will hearken to me with a little better attention. ' "
Fable V.
A HUSBAND AND HIS WIPE.
" One day," continued the Traveler, " as I was on my jour ney, the bad weather constrained me to stop at a town where I had several acquaintances of different ranks ; and, being unable to proceed on my journey for the continuance of the rain, I went to lodge with one of my friends, who received me very civilly. After supper he put me to bed in a chamber that was parted from his own by a very thin wainscot only ; so that, in despite of my ears, I heard all his private conversation with his Wife.
"'To-morrow,' said he, 'I intend to invite the principal burghers of the town to divert my friend who has done me the honor to come and see me. '
" ' You have not sufficient wherewithal to support your fam ily,' answered his Wife, ' and yet you talk of being at great expenses : rather think of sparing that little you have for the good of your children, and let feasting alone. '
" ' This is a man of great religion and piety,' replied the Husband ; ' and I ought to testify my joy on seeing him, and
PILPAY'S FABLES. 265
to give my other friends an opportunity of hearing his pious conversation ; nor be you in care for the small expense that will attend this. The providence of God is very great ; and we ought not to take too much care for to-morrow, lest what befell the Wolf befall us. ' "
Fable VI.
THE HUNTER AND THE WOLF.
" One day," continued the Husband, " a great Hunter, re turning from the chase of a deer, which he had killed, unex pectedly espied a wild boar coming out of a wood, and making directly towards him. ' Very good,' cried the Hunter, ' this beast comes very opportunely ; he will not a little augment my provision. ' With that he bent his bow, and let fly his arrow with so good an aim that he wounded the boar to death. Such, however, are the unforeseen events that attend too covet ous a care for the necessaries of life, that this fair beginning was but a prelude to a very fatal catastrophe. For the beast, feeling himself wounded, ran with so much fury at the Hunter, that he ripped up his belly with his tusks in such a manner that they both fell dead upon the place.
" At the very moment when this happened, there passed by a Wolf, half-famished, who, seeing so much victuals lying upon the ground, was in an ecstasy of joy. ' However,' said he to himself, ' I must not be prodigal of all this good food ; but it behooves me to husband my good fortune, to make my provision hold out the longer. ' Being very hungry, however, he very prudently resolved to fill his belly first, and make his store for the future afterwards. Not willing, however, to waste any part of his treasure, he was for eating his meat, and, if possible, having it too ; he therefore resolved to fill his belly with what was least delicate, and accordingly began with the string of the bow, which was made of gut ; but he had no sooner snapped the string, but the bow, which was highly bent, gave him such a terrible thump upon the breast that he fell stone-dead upon the other bodies.
" ' This Fable,' said the Husband, pursuing his discourse 'instructs us that we ought not to be too greedily covetous. '
"'Nay,' said the Wife, 'if this be the effect of saving, even invite whom you please to-morrow. '
266 PILPAY'S FABLES.
" The company was accordingly invited ; but the next day, as the Wife was getting the dinner ready, and making a sort of sauce with honey, she saw a rat fall into the honey pot, which turned her stomach, and stopped the making of that part of the entertainment. Unwilling, therefore, to make use of the honey, she carried it to the market, and when she parted with it, took pitch in exchange. I was then, by accident, by her, and asked her why she made such a disadvantageous exchange for her honey.
" ' Because,' said she, in my ear, ' it is not worth so much to me as the pitch. ' Then I presently perceived there was some mystery in the affair, which was beyond my comprehension. It is the same with this rat : he would never be so bold, had he not some reason for it which we are ignorant of. The rats," continued he, " in this part of the world, are a cunning, covet ous, and proud generation ; they heap money as much as the misers of our own species ; and when one of them is possessed of a considerable sum, he becomes a prince among them, and has his set of comrades, who would die to serve him, as they live by him ; for he disburses money for their purchases of food, etc. , of one another, and they live his slaves in perfect idleness. And for my part, I am apt to believe that this is the case with this impudent rat ; that he has a number of slaves of his own species at command, to defend and uphold him in his audacious tricks, and that there is money hidden in his hole. "
The Dervise no sooner heard the Traveler talk of money, than he took a hatchet, and so bestirred himself, that having cleft the wall, he soon discovered my treasure, to the value of a thousand deniers in gold, which I had heaped together with great labor and toil. These had long been my whole pleasure ;
I took delight to handle them, and tumble upon them, placing all my happiness in that exercise.
I told them every day ;
But to return to the story. When the gold tumbled out, ' Very good,' said the Traveler ; ' had I not reason to attrib ute the insolence of these rats to some unknown cause ? '
" I leave you to judge in what a desperate condition I was, when I saw my habitation ransacked after this manner. I re solved on this to change my lodging ; but all my companions left me ; so that I had a thorough experience of the truth of the proverb, 'No money, no friend. ' Friends, nowadays, love us no longer than our friendship turns to their advantage. I
PILPAY'S FABLES. 267
have heard among men, that one day a wealthy and a witty man was asked how many friends he had. 'As for friends alamode,' said he, ' I have as many as I have crowns ; but as for real friends, I must stay till I come to be in want, and then I shall know. '
" While I was pondering, however, upon the accident that had befallen me, I saw a rat pass along, who had been hereto fore used to profess himself so much devoted to my service, that you would have thought he could not have lived a moment out of my company. I called to him, and asked him why he shunned me like the rest.
" ' Thinkest thou,' said the ungrateful and impudent villain, ' that we are such fools as to serve thee for nothing ? When thou wast rich, we were thy servants ; but now thou art poor, believe me, we will not be the companions of thy poverty. '
" ' Alas ! thou oughtest not to despise the poor,' said I, 'because they are the beloved of Providence. '
" ' It is very true,' answered he ; ' but not such poor as thou art. For Providence takes care of those among men who have, for the sake of religion, forsaken the world ; not those whom the world has forsaken. ' Miserably angry was I with myself for my former generosities to such a wretch ; but I could not tell what to answer to such a cutting expression. I stayed, however, notwithstanding my misfortunes, with the Dervise, to see how he would dispose of the money he had taken from me ; and I observed that he gave one half to his friend, and that each of them laid their shares under their pillows. On seeing this, an immediate thought came into my mind to go and regain this money. To this purpose I stole softly to the Dervise's bedside, and was just going to carry back my treasure ; but unfortu nately his friend, who, unperceived by me, observed all my actions, threw his bed staff at me with so good a will that he had almost broke my foot, which obliged me to recover my hole with all the speed I could, though not without some difficulty. About an hour after, I crept out again, believing by this time the Traveler might be asleep also. But he was too diligent a sentinel, and too much afraid of losing his good fortune. How ever, I plucked up a good heart, went forward, and was already got to the Dervise's bed's head, when my rashness had like to have cost me my life. For the Traveler gave me a second blow upon the head, that stunned me in such a manner that I could hardly find my hole again. At the same instant he also threw
268 PILPAY'S FABLES.
his bed staff at me a third time ; but missing me, I recovered my sanctuary ; where I was no sooner set down in safety, than I protested that I would never more pursue the recovery of a thing which had cost me so much pains and jeopardy. In pur suance of this resolution, I left the Dervise's habitation, and retired to that place where you saw me with the Pigeon. "
The Tortoise was extremely well pleased with the recital of the Rat's adventures ; and at the same time embracing him, " You have done well," said she, " to quit the world, and the intrigues of it, since they afford us no perfect satisfaction. All those who are turmoiled with avarice and ambition do but labor for their own ruin, like a certain Cat which I once knew, whose adventures you will not be displeased to hear. "
Fable VII.
THE RAVENOUS CAT.
" A certain Person whom I have often seen," continued the Tortoise, " bred up a Cat very frugally in his own house. He gave her enough to suffice nature, though nothing superfluous : and she might, if she pleased, have lived very happily with him ; but she was very ravenous, and, not content with her ordinary food, hunted about in every corner for more. One day, passing by a dove house, she saw some young pigeons that were hardly fledged ; and presently her teeth watered for a taste of those delicate viands. With this resolution, up she boldly mounted into the dove house, never minding whether the master were there or no, and was presently with great joy pre paring to satisfy her voluptuous desires. But the master of the place no sooner saw the epicure of a Cat enter, than he shut up the doors, and stopped up all the holes at which it was possible for her to get out again, and so bestirred himself that he caught the felonious baggage, and hanged her up at the corner of the pigeon house. Soon after this, the owner of the Cat passing that way, and seeing his Cat hanged, ' Unfortunate greedy-gut,' said he, 'hadst thou been contented with thy meaner food, thou hadst not been now in this condition ! Thus,' continued he, moralizing on the spectacle, ' insatiable gluttons are the procurers of their own untimely ends. Alas ! the felicities of this world are uncertain, and of no continu ance. Wise men, I well remember, say there is no reliance
PILPAY'S FABLES. 269
upon these six things, nor anything of fidelity to be expected from them : —
" ' 1. From a cloud ; for it disperses in an instant.
" ' 2. From feigned friendship ; for it passes away like a flash of lightning.
" ' 3. From a woman's love ; for it changes upon every frivolous fancy.
" ' 4. From beauty ; for the least injury of time, misfortune, or disease destroys it.
" ' 5. From false prayers ; for they are but smoke.
" ' 6. And from the enjoyments of the world ; for they all vanish in a moment. ' "
"Men of judgment," replied the Rat, "are all of this opinion : they never labor after these vain things ; there is nothing but the acquisition of a real friend can tempt us to the expectation of a lasting happiness. " "
The Raven then spoke in his turn :
pleasure or advantage," said he, " like a true friend ; which I shall endeavor to prove, by the recital of the following story. "
Fable VIII. THE TWO FRIENDS.
A certain Person, of a truly noble and generous disposition, once heard, as he lay in bed, somebody knocking at his door at an unseasonable hour. Somewhat surprised at it, he, without stirring out of his place, first asked who was there. But when by the answer he understood that it was one of his best friends, he immediately rose, put on his clothes, and ordering his ser vant to light a candle, went and opened the door.
So soon as he saw him, " Dear Friend," said he, " I at all times rejoice to see you, but doubly now, because I promise myself, from this extraordinary visit, that I can be of some service to you. I cannot imagine your coming so late to be for any other reason, but either to borrow money, or to desire me to be your second, and I am very happy in that I can assure you that I am provided to serve you in either of these requests. If you want money, my purse is full, and it is open to all your occasions. If you are to meet with your enemy, my arm and sword are at your service. " "There is nothing I have less
There is no earthly
270 PILPAY'S FABLES.
occasion for," answered his Friend, " than these things which you proffer me. I only came to understand the condition of your health, fearing the truth of an unlucky and disastrous dream. "
While the Raven was reciting this Fable, our set of friends beheld at a distance a little wild Goat making towards them with an incredible swiftness.
They all took it for granted, by her speed, that she was pursued by some hunter ; and they immediately without cere mony separated, every one to take care of himself. The Tor toise slipped into the water, the Rat crept into a hole which he accidentally found there, and the Raven hid himself among the boughs of a very high tree. In the mean time the Goat stopped all of a sudden, and stood to rest itself by the side of the fountain ; when the Raven, who looked about every way, perceiving nobody, called to the Tortoise, who immediately peeped "up above the water ; and seeing" the Goat afraid to drink, " Drink boldly," said the Tortoise, for the water is very clear : which the Goat having done, " Pray tell me," cried the Tortoise, "what is the reason you seem to be in such a fright? " " Reason enough," replied the Goat, " for I have just made my escape from the hands of a Hunter, who pursued me with an eager chase. "
" Come," said the Tortoise, " I am glad you are safe, and I have an offer to make you : if you can like our company, stay here, and be one of our friends ; you will find, I assure you, our hearts honest and our conversation beneficial. Wise men," continued she, " say that the number of friends lessens trouble : and that if a man had a thousand friends, he ought to reckon them no more than as one ; but, on the other side, if a man has but one enemy, he ought to reckon that one for a thousand, so dangerous and so desperate a thing is an avowed enemy. " After this discourse, the Raven and the Rat entered into com pany with the Goat, and showed her a thousand civilities ; with which she was so taken that she promised to stay there as long as she lived.
These four friends, after this, lived in perfect harmony a long while, and spent their time very pleasantly together. But one day, as the Tortoise, the Rat, and the Raven had met, as they used to do, by the side of the fountain, the Goat was missing ; this very much troubled the other friends, as they knew not what accident might have befallen her. They soon
PILPAY'S FABLES. 271
came to a resolution, however, to seek for and assist her ; and presently the Raven mounted up into the air, to see what dis coveries he could make, and looking round about him, at length, to his great sorrow, saw at a distance the poor Goat entangled in a Hunter's net. He immediately dropped down, on this, to acquaint the Rat and Tortoise with what he had seen ; and you may be well assured these ill tidings extremely afflicted all the three friends.
" We have professed a strict friendship together, and long lived happily in it," said the Tortoise ; " and it will be shame ful now to break through it, and leave our innocent and good- natured friend to destruction : no, we must find some way," continued she, " to deliver the poor Goat out of captivity.
"
On this, said the Raven to the Rat, " Remember now, O excellent Zirac ! thy own talents, and exert them for the pub lic good : there is none but you can set our friend at liberty ; and the business must be quickly done, for fear the Huntsman lay his clutches upon her. "
" Doubt not but I will gladly do my endeavor," replied the Rat; "therefore let us go immediately, lest we lose time. " The Raven, on this, took up Zirac in his bill, and carried him to the place ; where being arrived, he fell without delay to gnawing the meshes that held the Goat's foot, and had almost set him at liberty by the time the Tortoise arrived. So soon as the Goat perceived this slow-moving friend, she sent forth a loud cry : " O ! " said she, " why have you ventured yourself to come hither? "
" Alas," replied the Tortoise, " I could no longer endure your absence. "
" Dear Friend," said the Goat, " your coming to this place troubles me more than the loss of my own liberty ; for if the Hunter should happen to come at this instant, what will you do to make your escape? For my part I am almost unbound, and my swift heels will prevent me from falling into his hands ; the Raven will find his safety in his wings ; the Rat will run into any hole ; only you, that are so slow of foot, will become the Hunter's prey. "
No sooner had the Goat spoken the words than the Hunter appeared ; but the Goat being loosened ran away ; the Raven mounted into the sky ; the Rat slipped into a hole ; and, as the Goat had said, only the slow-paced Tortoise remained without help.
272 PILPAY'S FABLES.
When the Hunter arrived, he was not a little surprised to find his net broken. This was no small vexation to him, and made him look narrowly about, to see if he could discover who had done him the injury ;" and, unfortunately, in searching, he spied the Tortoise. " O ! said he, " very well, I am very glad
I find I shall not go home empty-handed, how ever, at last : here's a plump Tortoise, and that's worth some
to see you here ;
thing, I'm sure. " With that he took the Tortoise up, put it in his sack, threw the sack over his shoulder, and so was trudging home.
When he was gone, the three friends came from their several places, and met together, when, missing the Tortoise, they easily judged what was become of her. Then sending forth a thousand sighs, they made most doleful lamentations, and shed a torrent of tears. At length the Raven, interrupting this sad harmony, " Dear friends," said he, " our moans and sorrows do the Tortoise no good ; we ought, instead of this, if it be possi ble, to think of a way to save her life. The sages of former ages have informed us that there are four sorts of persons that are never known but upon the proper occasions : men of cour age in fight ; men of honesty in business ; a wife in her hus band's misfortunes ; and a true friend in extreme necessity. We find, alas ! our dear friend the Tortoise is in a sad condi tion ; and therefore we must, if possible, succor her. "
"It is well advised," replied the Rat, "and now I think on't, an expedient is come into my head. Let the Goat go and show herself in the Hunter's eye, who will then be sure to lay down his sack to run after her. "
" Very well advised," replied the Goat, " I will pretend to be lame, and run limping at a little distance before him, which will encourage him to follow me, and so draw him a good way from his sack, which will give the Rat time to set our friend at liberty. " This stratagem had so good a face that it was soon approved by them all ; and immediately the Goat ran halting before the Hunter, and seemed to be so feeble and faint that he thought he had her safe in his clutches ; and so laying down his sack, ran after the Goat with all his might. That cunning creature suffered him ever and anon almost to come up to her, and then led him another green-goose chase, till in short she had fairly dragged him out of sight ; which the Rat perceiving, came and gnawed the string that tied the sack, and let out the Tortoise, who went and hid herself in a thick bush.
^SOP'S FABLES. 273
At length the Hunter, tired with running in vain after his prey, left off the chase, and returned to his sack. " Here," said he, " I have something safe however : thou art not quite so swift of foot as this plaguy Goat; and if thou wert, art too fast here to find the way to make thy legs of any use to thee. " So saying, he went to the bag, but there missing the Tortoise, he was in amaze, and thought himself in a region of hobgoblins and spirits. He could not but stand and bless himself, that a Goat should free herself out of his nets, and by and by run hop ping before him, and make a fool of him ; and that in the mean while a Tortoise, a poor feeble creature, should break the string of a sack, and make its escape. All these considerations struck him with such a panic fear, that he ran home as if a thousand robin goodfellows or rawhead and bloody bones had been at his heels. After which the four friends met together again, con gratulated each other on their escapes, made new protestations
of friendship, and swore never to separate till death parted them.
^SOP'S FABLES. Retold by PH3EDRUS.
[. flSsop is the imaginary author of a collection of fables, some of them dat ing back to archaic Egyptian times ; the dates, personal history, and description, etc. , set down to him are all fictitious, and some of them very late mediaeval in ventions. Phsedrus was a Macedonian slave who lived in Rome during the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula, and rewrote the . Aesopian fables in verse, adding some new ones, besides other stories with a moral not cast in fable
form. ]
The Wolf and the Lamb.
Driven by thirst, a Wolf and a Lamb had come to the same stream; the Wolf stood above, and the Lamb at a dis tance below. Then the spoiler, prompted by a ravenous maw, alleged a pretext for a quarrel. " Why," said he, " have you made the water muddy for me while " I am drinking ? " The Fleece bearer, trembling, answered : Prithee, Wolf, how can I do what you complain of ? The water is flowing downwards from you to where I am drinking. " The other, disconcerted by the force of truth, exclaimed, " Six months ago, you slan dered me. " "Indeed," answered the Lamb, "I was not born
274 iESOPS FABLES.
then. " " By Hercules," said the Wolf, " then 'twas your father slandered me ; " and so, snatching him up, he tore him to pieces, killing him unjustly.
The Frogs asking for a King.
The Frogs, roaming at large in their marshy fens, with loud clamor demanded of Jupiter a king, who, by his authority, might check their dissolute manners. The Father of the Gods smiled, and gave them a little Log, which, on being thrown among them, startled the timorous race by the noise and sudden commotion in the bog. When it had lain for some time im mersed in the mud, one of them by chance silently lifted his head above the water, and, having taken a peep at the king, called up all the rest. Having got the better of their fears, vying with each other, they swim towards him, and the inso lent mob leap upon the Log. After defiling it with every kind of insult, they sent to Jupiter, requesting another king, be cause the one that had been given them was useless. Upon this, he sent them a Water Snake, who with his sharp teeth began to gobble them up one after another. Helpless they strive in vain to escape death ; terror deprives them of voice. By stealth, therefore, they send through Mercury a request to Jupiter, to succor them in their distress. Then said the God in reply, "Since you would not be content with your good fortune, continue to endure your bad fortune. "
Fable for Parvenus.
A Jackdaw, swelling with empty pride, picked up some feathers which had fallen from a Peacock, and decked himself out therewith ; upon which, despising his own kind, he mingled with a beauteous flock of Peacocks. They tore his feathers from off the impudent bird, and put him to flight with their beaks. The Jackdaw, thus roughly handled, in grief hastened to return to his own kind ; repulsed by whom, he had to sub mit to sad disgrace. Then said one of those whom he had formerly despised, " If you had been content with our station, and had been ready to put up with what nature had given, you would neither have experienced the former affront, nor would your ill fortune have had to feel the additional pang of this repulse. "
. aSSOP'S FABLES. 275
Shadow and Substance.
As a Dog, crossing a bridge, was carrying a piece of meat, he saw his own shadow in the watery mirror ; and, thinking that it was another booty carried by another dog, attempted to snatch it away ; but his greediness was disappointed, he both dropped the food which he was holding in his mouth, and was after all unable to reach that at which he grasped.
The Alliance.
A Cow, a She-Goat, and a Sheep, patient under injuries, were partners in the forests with a Lion. When they had cap tured a Stag of vast bulk, thus spoke the Lion, after it had been divided into shares, "Because my name is Lion, I take the first ; the second you will yield to me because I am coura geous ; then, because I am the strongest, the third will fall to my lot; if any one touches the fourth, woe betide him. "
Never Help a Scoundrel out of a Scrape.
A bone that he had swallowed stuck in the jaws of a Wolf. Thereupon, overcome by extreme pain, he began to tempt all and sundry by great rewards to extract the cause of misery. At length, on his taking an oath, a Crane was prevailed on, and, trusting the length of her neck to his throat, she wrought, with danger to herself, a cure for the Wolf. When she de manded the promised reward for this service, " You are un grateful," replied the Wolf, " to have taken your head in safety out of my mouth, and then to ask for a reward. "
Your Turn may Come.
A Sparrow upbraided a Hare that had been pounced upon by an Eagle, and was sending forth piercing cries. " Where now," said he, " is that fleetness for which you are so remark able ? Why were your feet thus tardy ? " While he was speaking, a Hawk seizes him unawares, and kills him, shrieking aloud with vain complaints. The Hare, almost dead, as a con solation in his agony, exclaimed, "You, who so lately, free from care, were ridiculing my misfortunes, have now to deplore your own fate with as woful cause. "
276 . ESOFS FABLES.
A Bad Name is a Bad Investment.
A Wolf indicted a Fox upon a charge of theft ; the latter denied it. The Ape sat as judge between them ; and when each of them had pleaded his cause, is said to have pronounced this sentence : " You, Wolf, appear not to have lost what you ask the Fox to give back ; you, Fox, to have stolen from the Wolf what you deny taking. "
Brag only to Strangers.
A Lion having resolved to hunt in company with an Ass, concealed him in a thicket, and at the same time enjoined him to frighten the wild beasts with his voice, to which they were unused, while he himself was to catch them as they fled. Upon this, Longears, with all his might, suddenly raised a cry, and terrified the beasts with this new cause of astonishment. While in their alarm, they are flying to the well-known outlets, they are overpowered by the dread onset of the Lion ; who, after he was wearied with slaughter, called forth the Ass from his retreat, and bade him cease his clamor. On this the other in his insolence inquired, " What think you of the assistance given by my voice ? " " Excellent ! " said the Lion, " so much so that if I had not been acquainted with your spirit and your race, I should have fled in alarm like the rest. "
The Showiest Qualities not the Most Useful.
A Stag, when he had drunk at a stream, stood still, and gazed upon his likeness in the water. While there, in admira tion, he was praising his branching horns, and finding fault with the extreme thinness of his legs, suddenly roused by the cries of the huntsmen, he took to flight over the plain, and with nimble course escaped the dogs. Then a wood received the beast ; in which, being entangled and caught by his horns, the dogs began to tear him to pieces with savage bites. While dy ing, he is said to have uttered these words : " Oh, how un happy am I, who now too late find out how useful to me were the things I despised ; and what sorrow the things I used to praise have caused me. "
2ES0PS FABLES. 277
Flatterers Have Axes to Grind.
As a Raven, perched in a lofty tree, was about to eat a piece of cheese, stolen from a window, a Fox espied him, and there upon began thus to speak : " O Raven, what a glossiness there is upon those feathers of yours ! What grace you carry in
If you had a voice, no bird whatever would be superior to you. " On this, the other, attempting to show off his voice, let fall the cheese from his mouth, which
your shape and air !
the crafty Fox instantly snatched up.
All Governments alike to the Poor.
A timorous Old Man was feeding an Ass in a meadow. Frightened by a sudden alarm of the enemy, he tried to per suade the Ass to fly, lest they should be taken prisoners. But he leisurely replied : " Pray, do you suppose that the conqueror will place double panniers upon me? " The Old Man said, "No. " "Then what matters it to me, so long as I have to carry my panniers, whom I serve ? "
Avoid Straw Security.
A Stag asked a Sheep for a measure of wheat, a Wolf being his surety. The other, however, suspecting fraud, replied, "The Wolf has always been in the habit of plundering and absconding ; you, of rushing out of sight with rapid" flight :
where am I to look for you both when the day comes ? The Entering Wedge.
A She-Dog, ready to whelp, having entreated another that she might give birth to her offspring in her kennel, easily obtained the favor. Afterwards, on the other asking for her place back again, she renewed her entreaties, earnestly begging for a short time, until she might be enabled to lead forth her whelps when they had gained sufficient strength. This time being also expired, the other began more urgently to press for her abode. " If," said the tenant, "you are a match for me and my litter in a fight, I will leave. "
Kicking the Dying Lion.
As a Lion, worn out with years, and deserted by his strength, lay drawing his last breath, a Wild Boar came up
278 ^SOP'S FABLES.
to him, with flashing tusks, and with a blow revenged an old affront. Next, with hostile horns, a Bull pierced the body of his foe. An Ass, on seeing the wild beast maltreated with impunity, tore up his forehead with his heels. On this, expir
I have borne, with indignation, the insults of the brave; but in being inevitably forced to bear with you,
ing, he said : " disgrace to nature !
I seem to die a double death. "
Don't Spare One Curse for Fear of Another.
A Weasel, on being caught by a Man, wishing to escape impending death, " Pray," said she, " do spare me, for 'tis I who keep your"house clear of troublesome mice. " The Man made answer : If you did so for my sake, it would be a reason for thanking you, and I should have granted you the pardon you entreat. But as you eat up all they would, and them too, don't think of placing your pretended services to my account ; " and so saying, he put the wicked creature to death.
Suspect Sudden Conversions.
A Thief one night threw a crust of bread to a Dog,"to try whether he could be gained by the proffered victuals. Hark you," said the Dog, " do you think to stop my tongue so that I may not bark for my master's property ? You are greatly mis taken. For this sudden liberality bids me be on the watch, that you may not profit by my neglect. "
The Frog and the Ox.
Once on a time, a Frog espied an Ox in a meadow, and moved with envy at his vast bulk, puffed out her wrinkled skin, and then asked her young ones whether she was bigger than the Ox. They said, " No. " Again, with still greater efforts, she distended her skin, and in like manner inquired which was the bigger : they said, "The Ox. " At last, while, full of indig nation, she tried, with all her might, to puff herself out, she burst her body on the spot.
The Fox and the Stork.
A Fox is said to have given a Stork the first invitation to a banquet, and to have placed before her some thin broth in a flat dish, of which the hungry Stork could in no way get a taste.
iESOP'S FABLES. 279
Having invited the Fox in return, she set before him a narrow- mouthed jar, full of minced meat : and, thrusting her beak into it, satisfied herself, while she tormented her guest with hunger ; who, after having in vain licked the neck of the jar, as we have heard, thus addressed the foreign bird: "Everyone is bound to bear patiently the results of his own example. "
Revenge always Finds a Way.
An Eagle one day carried off the whelps of a Fox, and placed them in her nest before her young ones, for them to tear in pieces as food. The mother, following her, began to entreat that she would not cause such sorrow to her miserable suppli ant. The other despised her, as being safe in the very situation of the spot. The Fox snatched from an altar a burning torch, and surrounded the whole tree with flames, intending to mingle anguish to her foe with the loss of her offspring. The Eagle, that she might rescue her young ones from the peril of death, in a suppliant manner restored to the Fox her whelps in safety.
"Who shall Guard the Guardians? "
Some Pigeons, having often escaped from a Kite, and by their swiftness of wing avoided death, the spoiler had recourse to stratagem, and by a crafty device of this nature deceived the harmless race. " Why do you prefer to live a life of anx iety, rather than conclude a treaty, and make me your king, who can insure your safety from every injury ? " They, putting confidence in him, intrusted themselves to the Kite, who, on obtaining the sovereignty, began to devour them one by one, and to exercise authority with his cruel talons. Then said one of those that were left, " Deservedly are we smitten. "
The Man and the Two Women.
A Woman, not devoid of grace, held enthralled a certain Man of middle age, concealing her years by the arts of the toilet ; a lovely Young creature, too, had captivated the heart of the same person. Both, as they were desirous to appear of the same age with him, began, each in her turn, to pluck out the hair of the Man. While he imagined that he was made trim by the care of the women, he suddenly found himself
280 . SSOP'S FABLES.
bald ; for the Young Woman had entirely pulled out the white hairs, the Old Woman the black ones.
[This is a dubious piece of morality. The obvious moral would seem to be, Don't court two women at once ; but if one may take them as successive, it would be, Keep to your own sort: wide divergences mean unhappiness and injury. ]
Don't Buy Off Blackmailers.
A Man, torn by the bite of a savage Dog, threw a piece of bread, dipped in his blood, to the offender : a thing that he had heard was a remedy for the wound. Then said jEsop, " Don't do this before many dogs, lest they devour us alive, when they know that such is the reward of guilt. "
The Fly and the Mule.
" A Fly sat on the pole of a chariot, and rebuking the Mule : How slow you are," said she ; "will you not go faster? Take care that I don't prick your neck with my sting. " The Mule
I am not moved by your words, but I fear him
made answer : "
who, sitting on the next seat, guides my yoke with his pliant whip, and governs my mouth with the foam-covered reins. Therefore, cease your frivolous impertinence, for I well know when to go at a gentle pace, and when to run. "
Servile Riches versus Free Poverty.
A Wolf, quite starved with hunger, chanced to meet a well- fed Dog, and as they stopped to salute each other: " Pray," said the Wolf, " how is it that you are so sleek ? or on what food have you made so much flesh? I, who am far stronger, am perishing with hunger. " The Dog frankly replied, "You may enjoy the same condition, if you"can render the like ser vice to your master. " " What is it ? said the other. " To be the guardian of his threshold, and to protect the house from thieves at night. " " I am quite ready for that," said the Wolf ; " at present I have to endure snow and showers, dragging on a wretched existence in the woods. How much more pleasant for me to be living under a roof, and, at my ease, to be stuffed with plenty of victuals. " " Come along, then, with me," said
-5ISOPS FABLES. 281
the Dog. As they were going along, the Wolf observed the neck of the Dog, where it was worn with the chain. " Whence comes this, my friend? " "Oh, it is nothing. " "Do tell me, though. " "Because I appear to be fierce, they fasten me up in the daytime, that I may be quiet when it is light, and watch when night comes ; unchained at midnight, I wander wherever I please. Bread is brought me without my asking ; from his own table my master gives me bones ; the servants throw me bits, and whatever dainties each person leaves ; thus, without trouble on my part, is my belly filled. " " Well, if you have a mind to go anywhere, are you at liberty ? " " Certainly not," replied the Dog. " Then, Dog, enjoy what you boast of. I would not be a king, to lose my liberty. "
"Handsome is as Handsome Does. "
A certain Man had a very ugly Daughter, and also a Son, remarkable for his handsome features. These, diverting them selves as children do, chanced to look into a mirror, as it lay upon their mother's chair. He praises his own good looks ; she is vexed and cannot endure the raillery of her boasting brother, construing everything (and how could she do other wise ? ) as a reproach against herself. Accordingly, off she runs to her Father, to be avenged on him in her turn ; and with great rancor makes a charge against the Son, how that he, though a male, has been meddling with a thing that belongs to the women.
