A Fox and a Crab
A Fox that was sharp-set, Surpriz’d a Crab, as he lay out of the Sea upon the Sands, and carried him away. The Crab, when he found that he was to be Eaten, Well (says he) this comes of Meddling where we have Nothing to do; for my Bus’ness lay at Sea, not upon the Land.
No Body Pities a Man for any Misfortune that Befals him, in Matters out of his Way, Bus’ness, or Calling.
A Stag with One Eye
A one ey’d Stag was afraid of the Huntsmen at Land, kept a Watch that Way with T’other Eye, and fed with his blind-side toward an Arm of the Sea, where he thought there was no Danger. In this Prospect of Security, he was Struck with an Arrow from a Boat, and so ended his Days with this Lamentation: Here am I destroy’d, says he, where I reckon’d my Self to be Safe on the One Hand; and no Evil has befall’n me, where I most Dreaded it, on the Other.
We are liable to Many Unlucky Accidents that no care or Foresight can Prevent: But we are to provide the Best we can against them, and leave the Rest to Providence.
A Sow and a Dog
There pass'd some hard Words betwixt a sow and a Dog, and the Sow swore by Venus, that she'd tear his Guts out, if he did not mend his Manners. Ay, says the Dog, you do well to call upon her for your Patroness, that will not so much as endure any Creature about her that Eat Swine's Flesh. Well (says the Sow) and that's a Token of her Love, to hate any Thing that hurts me; but for Dog's Flesh, 'tis good neither Dead, nor Living.
Where the Matter in Controversy will not bear an Argument, 'tis a Turn of Art to bring it off with a Paradox.
A Swan and a Goose
The Master of a House brought up a Swan and a Goose both together; the One for his Ear, and the Other for his Belly. He gave Orders for the Goose to be taken up and Dress’d for Dinner. But the Place was so Dark, that the Cook took One for T’other. This Mistake had Cost the Swan her Life, if she had not Sung in that very Instant, and discover’d her self; by which Means she both sav’d her Life and Express’d her Nature.
A Man cannot be too Careful of what he does, where the Life of any Creature is in Question.
Mercury and a Statuary
Mercury had a great Mind once to Learn what Credit he had in the World, and he knew no better Way, than to Put on the Shape of a Man, and take Occasion to Discourse the Matter as by the Bye, with a Statuary: So he went to the House of a Great Master, where, among other Curious Figures, he saw several Excellent Pieces of the Gods. The first he Cheapen’d was a Jupiter, which would have come at a very easy Rate. Well (says Mercury) and what’s the Price of that Juno over there? The Carver set it a little Higher. The next Figure was a Mercury, with his Rod and Wings, and all the Ensigns of his Commission. Why this is as it should be, says he to himself: For here am I in the Quality of Jupiter’s Messenger, and the Patron of Artizans, with all my Trade about me: And now will this Fellow ask me Fifteen Times as much for this as the did t’other: And so he put it to him, what he valued that Piece at: Why truly, says the Statuary, you seem to be a Civil Gentleman, give me but my Price for the other Two, and you shall e’en have That into the Bargain.
This is to put the Vanity of those Men out of Countenance, that by Setting too high a Value upon themselves, appear by so much the more Despicable to Others.
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