Æsop's Fables, Embellished with One Hundred and Eleven Emblematical Devices.

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Æsop's Fables, Embellished with One Hundred and Eleven Emblematical Devices. Page 9

by Aesop


  FABLE LVIII.

  THE LEOPARD AND THE FOX.]

  The Leopard one day took it into his head to value himself upon thegreat variety and beauty of his spots, and truly he saw no reason whyeven the Lion should take place of him, since he could not show sobeautiful a skin. As for the rest of the wild beasts of the forest, hetreated them all, without distinction, in the most haughty disdainfulmanner. But the Fox being among them, went up to him with a great dealof spirit and resolution, and told him, that he was mistaken in thevalue he was pleased to set upon himself; since people of judgment werenot used to form their opinion of merit from an outside appearance, butby considering the good qualities and endowments with which the mind wasstored within.

  APPLICATION.

  How much more heavenly and powerful would beauty prove, if it were notso frequently impaired by the affectation and conceitedness of itspossessor! If some women were but as modest and unassuming as they arehandsome, they might command the hearts of all that behold them: butNature seemed to foresee, and has provided against such aninconvenience, by tempering its great master-pieces with a dueproportion of pride and vanity; so that their power, depending upon theduration of their beauty only, is like to be but of a short continuance;which, when they happen to prove tyrants, is no small comfort to us; andthen, even while it lasts, will abate much of its severity by the allayof those two prevailing ingredients. Wise men are chiefly captivatedwith the charms of the mind; and whenever they are infatuated with apassion for any thing else, it is generally observed that they cease,during that time at least, to be what they were, and are indeed lookedupon to be only playing the fool. If the fair ones we have been speakingof have a true ascendant over them, they will oblige them to divestthemselves of common sense, and to talk and act ridiculously, beforethey can think them worthy of the least regard. Should one of these finecreatures be addressed in the words of Juba,

  'Tis not a set of features, or complexion, The tincture of a skin, that I admire. Beauty soon grows familiar to the lover, Fades in his eye, and palls upon the sense. The virtuous Marcia towers above her sex. True, she is fair; oh, how divinely fair! But still the lovely maid improves her charms With inward greatness, unaffected wisdom, And sanctity of manners.----

  The man that should venture the success of a strong passion upon theconstruction she would put upon such a compliment, might have reason torepent of his conduct.

  FABLE LIX.

  THE SHEPHERD'S BOY.]

  A certain Shepherd's Boy kept his Sheep upon a common, and, in sport andwantonness, would often cry out, The Wolf! The Wolf! By this means heseveral times drew the Husbandmen, in an adjoining field, from theirwork; who, finding themselves deluded, resolved for the future to takeno notice of his alarm. Soon after the Wolf came indeed. The Boy criedout in earnest: but no heed being given to his cries, the Sheep weredevoured by the Wolf.

  APPLICATION.

  He that is detected for being a notorious liar, besides the ignominy andreproach of the thing, incurs this mischief, that he will scarce be ableto get any one to believe him again as long as he lives. However trueour complaint may be, or how much soever it may be for our interest tohave it believed, yet, if we have been frequently caught trippingbefore, we shall hardly be able to gain credit to what we relateafterwards. Though mankind are generally stupid enough to be oftenimposed upon, yet few are so senseless as to believe a notorious liar,or to trust a cheat upon record. These little shams, when found out, aresufficiently prejudicial to the interest of every private person whopractises them. But, when we are alarmed with imaginary dangers inrespect of the public, till the cry grows quite stale and threadbare,how can it be expected we should know when to guard ourselves againstreal ones.

  FABLE LX.

  THE FOX AND THE GOAT.]

  A Fox, having tumbled by chance into a Well, had been casting about along while, to no purpose, how he should get out again; when at last aGoat came to the place, and, wanting to drink, asked Reynard whether thewater was good. 'Good!' says he; 'ay, so sweet, that I am afraid I havesurfeited myself, I have drank so abundantly.' The Goat upon this,without any more ado, leaped in; and the Fox, taking the advantage ofhis horns, by the assistance of them as nimbly leaped out, leaving thepoor Goat at the bottom of the Well to shift for himself.

  APPLICATION.

  The doctrine taught us by this fable is no more than this, that we oughtto consider who it is that advises us before we follow the advice: for,however plausible the counsel may seem, if the person that gives it is acrafty knave, we may be assured that he intends to serve himself in itmore than us, if not to erect something to his own advantage out of ourruin.

  The little, poor, country attorney, ready to perish, and sunk to thelowest depth of poverty for want of employment, by such arts as thesedraws the esquire, his neighbour, into the gulf of the law; till, layinghold on the branches of his revenue, he lifts himself out of obscurity,and leaves the other immured in the bottom of a mortgage.

  FABLE LXI.

  CUPID AND DEATH.]

  Cupid, one sultry summer's noon, tired with play, and faint with heat,went into a cool grotto to repose himself, which happened to be the caveof Death. He threw himself carelessly down on the floor, and his quiverturning topsy-turvy, all the arrows fell out, and mingled with those ofDeath, which lay scattered up and down the place. When he awoke, hegathered them up as well as he could; but they were so intermingledthat, though he knew the certain number, he could not rightlydistinguish them; from which it happened that he took up some of thearrows which belonged to Death, and left several of his own in the roomof them. This is the cause that we, now and then, see the hearts of theold and decrepit transfixed with the bolts of Love; and with equal griefand surprise behold the youthful blooming part of our species smittenwith the darts of Death.

  APPLICATION.

  If we allow for this fable's being written by a heathen, and accordingto the scheme of the ancient pagan theology, it will appear to be apretty probable solution of some parts of the dispensation ofProvidence, which otherwise seem to be obscure and unaccountable. For,when we see the young and the old fall promiscuously by the hand ofDeath, and at the same time consider that the world is governed by anall-wise Providence, we are puzzled how to account for so seeminglypreposterous and unnatural a way of working. We should look upon agardener to be mad, or at least very capricious, who, when his youngtrees are just arrived to a degree of bearing, should cut them down forfuel, and choose out old, rotten, decayed, sapless stocks to graft andinoculate upon: yet the irregular proceedings of those two levellers,Love and Death, appear to be every jot as odd and unreasonable. However,we must take it for granted that these things, though the method of themis hidden from our eyes, are transacted after the most just and fitmanner imaginable: but, humanly speaking, it is strange that Deathshould be suffered to make such undistinguished havoc in the world; and,at the same time, just as shocking and unnatural to see old age laidbetwixt a pair of wedding sheets, as it is for youth and beauty to belocked up in the cold embraces of the grave.

  FABLE LXII.

  THE OLD MAN AND HIS SONS.]

  An Old Man had many Sons, who were often falling out with one another.When the Father had exerted his authority, and used other means in orderto reconcile them, and all to no purpose, at last he had recourse tothis expedient: he ordered his Sons to be called before him, and a shortbundle of sticks to be brought; and then commanded them, one by one, totry if, with all their might and strength, they could any of them breakit. They all tried, but to no purpose; for the sticks being closely andcompactly bound up together, it was impossible for the force of man todo it. After this the Father ordered the bundle to be untied, and gave asingle stick to each of his Sons; at the same time bidding him try tobreak it: which, when each did with all imaginable ease, the Fatheraddressed himself to them to this effect--'O my Sons, behold the powerof unity! For if you, in like manner, would but keep yourselves strictlyconjoined in the bonds of friendship, it would
not be in the power ofany mortal to hurt you; but when once the ties of brotherly affectionare dissolved, how soon do you fall to pieces, and are liable to beviolated by every injurious hand that assaults you!'

  APPLICATION.

  Nothing is more necessary towards completing and continuing thewell-being of mankind, than their entering into and preservingfriendships and alliances. The safety of a government depends chieflyupon this; and therefore it is weakened and exposed to its enemies, inproportion as it is divided by parties. "A kingdom divided againstitself, is brought to desolation:" and the same holds good among allsocieties and corporations of men, from the constitution of the nationdown to every little parochial vestry. But the necessity of friendshipextends itself to all sorts of relations in life, as it conducesmightily to the advantage of particular clans and families. Those of thesame blood and lineage have a natural disposition to unite together,which they ought by all means to cultivate and improve. It must be agreat comfort to people, when they fall under any calamity, to knowthere are many others who sympathize with them; a great load of grief ismightily lessened, when it is parcelled out into many shares. And thenjoy, of all our passions, loves to be communicative, and generallyincreases in proportion to the number of those who partake of it withus. We defy the threats and malice of an enemy, when we are assured thathe cannot attack us single, but must encounter a bundle of allies at thesame time. But they that behave themselves so as to have few or nofriends in the world, live in perpetual fear and jealousy of mankind,because they are sensible of their own weakness, and know themselvesliable to be crushed, or broken to pieces, by the first aggressor.

  FABLE LXIII.

  THE STAG AND THE FAWN.]

  A Stag, grown old and mischievous, was, according to custom, stampingwith his foot, making offers with his head, and bellowing so terribly,that the whole herd quaked for fear of him: when one of the little Fawnscoming up, addressed him to this purpose--'Pray, what is the reason thatyou, who are so stout and formidable at all other times, if you do buthear the cry of the hounds, are ready to fly out of your skin forfear?'--'What you observe is true,' replied the Stag, 'though I know nothow to account for it: I am indeed vigorous, and able enough, I think,to make my party good any where, and often resolve with myself, thatnothing shall ever dismay my courage for the future; but, alas! I nosooner hear the voice of a hound but all my spirits fail me, and Icannot help making off as fast as ever my legs can carry me.'

  APPLICATION.

  This is the case of many a cowardly bully in the world. He is disposedto be imperious and tyrannical, and to insult his companions, and takesall opportunities of acting according to his inclination; but yet iscautious where he makes his haunts, and takes care to have to do onlywith a herd of rascally people, as vile and mean as himself. A man ofcourage quashes him with a word; and he who has threatened death inevery sentence, for a twelvemonth together, to those whom he knew itwould affright, at the very frown of an intrepid man has leaped out of awindow. It is no unpleasant sight to be present when any of thesegentlemen happen to be disarmed of their terror before the face of theirhumble admirers: there is a strange boisterous struggle betwixt fear,shame, and revenge, which blinds them with confusion; and, though theywould fain exert a little courage, and show themselves men, yet, theyknow not how; there is something within which will not suffer them to doit. The predominance of nature will show itself, upon occasion, in itstrue colours, through all the disguises which artful men endeavour tothrow over it. Cowardice, particularly, gives us but the more suspicionwhen it would conceal itself under an affected fierceness; as they whowould smother an ill smell by a cloud of perfume, are imagined to bebut the more offensive. When we have done all, Nature will remain whatshe was, and show herself whenever she is called upon; thereforewhatever we do in contradiction to her laws, is so forced and affected,that it must needs expose and make us ridiculous. We talk nonsense whenwe would argue against it: like Teague, who being asked why he fled fromhis colours, said, his heart was as good as any in the regiment; butprotested his cowardly legs would run away with him whatever he coulddo.

  FABLE LXIV.

  THE OLD HOUND.]

  An Old Hound, who had been an excellent good one in his time, and givenhis master great sport and satisfaction in many a chase, at last, by theeffect of years, became feeble and unserviceable. However, being in thefield one day, when the stag was almost run down, he happened to be thefirst that came in with him, and seized him by one of his haunches; but,his decayed and broken teeth not being able to keep their hold, the deerescaped, and threw him quite out. Upon which his master, being in agreat passion, and going to strike him, the honest old creature is saidto have barked out his apology--'Ah! do not strike your poor oldservant; it is not my heart and inclination, but my strength and speed,that fail me. If what I now am displeases, pray don't forget what I havebeen.'

  APPLICATION.

  This fable may serve to give us a general view of the ingratitude ofthe greatest part of mankind. Notwithstanding all the civility andcomplaisance that is used among people where there is a commonintercourse of business, yet let the main spring, the probability oftheir being serviceable to each other, either in point of pleasure orprofit, be but once broken, and farewell courtesy: so far fromcontinuing any regard in behalf of past favours, it is very well if theyforbear doing any thing that is injurious. If the master had only ceasedto caress and make much of the Old Hound, when he was past doing anyservice, it had not been very strange; but to treat a poor creature ill,not for a failure of inclination, but merely a defect of nature, must,notwithstanding the crowd of examples there are to countenance it, bepronounced inhuman and unreasonable.

  There are two accounts upon which people that have been useful arefrequently neglected. One, when they are so decayed, either through ageor some accident, that they are no longer able to do the services theyhave formerly done; the other, when the occasion or emergency whichrequired such talents no longer exists. Phaedrus, who more than oncecomplains of the bad consequences of age, makes no other application tothis fable than by telling his friend Philetus, with some regret, thathe wrote it with such a view; having, it seems, been repaid withneglect, or worse usage, for services done in his youth to those whowere then able to afford him a better recompense.

  FABLE LXV.

  JUPITER AND THE CAMEL.]

  The Camel presented a petition to Jupiter, complaining of the hardshipof his case in not having, like bulls and other creatures, horns, or anyweapons of defence, to protect himself from the attacks of his enemies,and praying that relief might be given him in such manner as might bethought most expedient. Jupiter could not help smiling at theimpertinent address of the great silly beast, but, however, rejected thepetition; and told him that, so far from granting his unreasonablerequest, henceforward he would take care his ears should be shortened,as a punishment for his presumptuous importunity.

  APPLICATION.

  The nature of things is so fixed in every particular, that they are veryweak superstitious people who dream it is to be altered. But, besidesthe impossibility of producing a change by addresses of this nature,they who employ much of their time upon such accounts, instead ofgetting, are sure to lose in the end. When any man is so frivolous andvexatious as to make unreasonable complaints, and to harbour unduerepinings in his heart, his peevishness will lessen the real good whichhe possesses, and the sourness of his temper shorten that allowance ofcomfort which he already thinks too scanty. Thus, in truth, it is notProvidence, but ourselves who punish our own importunity in solicitingfor impossibilities, with a sharp corroding care, which abridges us ofsome part of that little pleasure which Providence has cast into ourlot.

  FABLE LXVI.

  THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.]

  A Fox, being caught in a steel trap by his tail, was glad to compoundfor his escape with the loss of it; but, upon coming abroad into theworld, began to be so sensible of the disgrace such a defect would bringupon him, that he almost wished he had died rather th
an left it behindhim. However, to make the best of a bad matter, he formed a project inhis head to call an assembly of the rest of the Foxes, and propose itfor their imitation, as a fashion which would be very agreeable andbecoming. He did so, and made a long harangue upon the unprofitablenessof tails in general, and endeavoured chiefly to show the awkwardness andinconvenience of a Fox's tail in particular: adding, that it would beboth more graceful and more expeditious to be altogether without them;and that, for his part, what he had only imagined and conjecturedbefore, he now found by experience; for that he never enjoyed himself sowell, and found himself so easy as he had done since he cut off histail. He said no more, but looked about with a brisk air, to see whatproselytes he had gained; when a sly old thief in the company, whounderstood trap, answered him with a leer--'I believe you may have founda conveniency in parting with your tail, and when we are in the samecircumstances, perhaps we may do so too.'

  APPLICATION.

  If men were but generally as prudent as Foxes, they would not suffer somany silly fashions to obtain as are daily brought in vogue, for whichscarce any reason can be assigned besides the humour of some conceitedvain creature; unless, which is full as bad, they are intended topalliate some defect in the person that introduces them. The petticoatof a whole sex has been sometimes swelled to such a prodigious extent,to screen an enormity of which only one of them has been guilty. And itis no wonder that Alexander the Great could bring a wry-neck intofashion, in a nation of slaves, when we consider what power of thisnature some little, insignificant, dapper fellows have had among a freepeople.

 

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