Roger L'Estrange (24)

Here are some more fables from Roger L'Estrange's Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists, and you can click here for all the L'Estrange fables at this blog.

A Crow and a Raven

Your Raven has a Reputation in the World for a Bird of Omen, and a kind of small Prophet. A Crow that had Observ’d the Raven’s manner and Way of Delivering his Predictions, sets up for a Foreboder too; nd so gets upon a Tree, and there stands Nodding and Croaking, just over the Heads of some People that were Passing by. They were a little Surpriz’d at first; but so soon as they saw how ‘twas. Come, my Masters (says One of the Company) let’s e’en go forward, for this is but the chattering of a foolish Crow, it signifies Nothing.

How are Superstitious Men Hagg’d out of their Wits and Senses, with the Fancy of Omens, Forebodings, Old Wives Tales and Visions; and upon a Final Examination of the Matter, nothing at all in the Bottom on’t.

illustration from the Medici Aesop

A Woman trusted with a Secret

There was a Good Woman (in the Days when Good Women were in Fashion) that valu'd her self Wonderfully upon the Faculty of Retention, or (for the sake of Good Manners) upon the Admirable Gift she had in the keeping of a Secret. The Toy took her Husband in the Head once, to make Tryal of her Vertue that way; and so he told her One Morning upon Waking, in the greatest Confidence Imaginable, one of the Strangest Things perhaps that ever was heard of, which had that Night Befall'n him: But my Dear, says he, if you should Speak on't again, I'm utterly Ruin'd; and Women are generally so Leaky, that in the whole Course of my Life, I have hardly met with any one of the Sex that could not hold her Breath longer then she should keep a Secret. Ah, my Life (says she) but your Woman I assure ye, is none of that Number. What? Betray my Husbands Secrets, I'd Dye a Thousand Deaths first. No my Heart, if ever I do, may..." Her Husband at that word, stop'd her Mouth, for fear of some Bloody Imprecation, and so told her. Come Wife, says he, They that will Swear will Lye, and so I'll rather tell you upon Honour. Look ye here what has befall'n me; I have laid an Egg to night; and so he took the Egg from his Backside, and bad her Feel on't; but if this should ever come to Light now, People would say that I was Hen-Trod, and the Disgrace of it would make me a Scandal to Mankin. This Secret lay Burning in the Breast of the Poor Woman, and kept her Waking, till she had Day-light enough to Rise by; and then softly out of the Bed she steals, for fear of Waking her Husband, and so away Post-hast to a Gossipping Neighbour of her Acquaintance; Hurries her out of her Bed; Charms and Swears her to Privacy; and then out comes the Secret, That her Husband had laid two Eggs that very Night. This Confident had another Confident; and there 'twas Three Eggs. The next made it Four; and so it went on (Encreasing still;) from one Gossip to another, till by Six a Clock in the Afternoon they had made it Forty Eggs.

Three may Keep Counsel, when Two are away.

A Country-man and a Kid

A Country-man that was hamper'd in a Law Suit, had a near Friend and Kinsman, it seems, that was a Lawyer, and to him he went again and again, for Advice upon the Point; but he was still so busy, and busy, that he must come another time. The poor Fellow took a delicate Fat Kid with him next Bout, and the Lawyers Clark, upon hearing the Voice of it at the Door; let the Man in, and carry'd him to his Master, where he laid Open his Case, Took his Opinion; made Two Legs, One to the Counsel for Receiving of him; T'other to the Kid for Introducing him, and so went his Way.

Money is a Passe-par-Tout.

Trees Straight and Crooked

There was a delicate Plantation of Trees that were all Well-grown, Fair and Smooth, save only One Dwarf among them that was Knotty, and Crooked, and the Rest had it in derision. The Master of the Wood, it seems, was to build a House, and appointed his Workmen to supply the Timber out of that Grove, and to cut down every Stick on't that they found fit for Service. They did as they were order'd, and this Ill-favour'd Piece was left alone.

Celebrated Beauties are seldom Fortunate.

An Ant Formerly a Man

The Ant, or Pismire, was formerly a Husband-man, that secretly Filch'd away his Neighbour's Goods and Corn, and stor'd up all in his own Barn. He drew a General Curse upon his Head for't, and Jupiter as a Punishment, and for the Credit of Mankind, turn'd him into a Pismire; but this Change of Shape wrought no Alteration, either of Mind, or of Manners; for he keeps the same Humour and Nature to this very Day.

That which Some call Good Husbandry, Industry and Providence, Others call Raking, Avarice, and Oppression: So that the Vertue and the Vice, in many Cases, are hardly Distinguishable but by the Name.

illustration from the Medici Aesop