A Lyon, Ass and Fox
As an Ass and a Fox were together upon the Ramble, a Lyon meets him by the Way. The Fox’s Heart went Pit-a-Pat; but however, to make the Best of a bad Game, he sets a good Face on’t, and up he sets a good Face on’t, and up he goes to the Lyon; Sir, says he, I am come to offer your Majesty a piece of Service, and I’ll cast my self upon your Honour for my own Security. If you have a Mind to my companion the Ass here, ‘tis but a Word speaking, and you shall have him Immediately. Let it be done then, says the Lyon. So the Fox Trepann’d the Ass into the Toyl, and the Lyon, when he found he had him sure, began with the Fox himself, and after that, for his Second course, made up his Meal with the Other.
We love the Treason, but we hate the Traytor.
A Gourd and a Pine
There was a Gourd planted close by a large well-spread Pine: The Season was kindly, and the Gourd shot itself upon in a short time, climbing by the Boughs, and twining about 'em, till it topp'd and cover'd the Tree itself. The Leaves were large, and the Flowers and the Fruit fair; insomuch, that the Gourd had the Confidence to value itself above the Pine, upon the Comparison. Why, says the Gourd, you have been more Years a growing to this Stature, than I have been Days. Well, says the Pine again, but after so many Winters and Summers as I have endur'd, after so many Blasting Colds, and Parching Heats you see me the very same thing still that I was so long ago. But when you come to the Proof once, the first Blight or Frost shall most infallibly bring down that Stomach of yours, and strip ye of all your Glory.
Nothing so Insoldent and Intolerable as a Proud Upstart that's rais'd from a Hunghill; he forgets both his Master and his Maker.
A League of Beasts and Fishes
The Beasts enter'd into a League with the Fishes against the Birds. The War was declar'd; but the Fishes, instead of their Quota, send their Excuse, that they were not able to march by Land.
The Vanity of helpless Alliance.
A Fowler and a Chaffinch
A Fowler that had bent his Net, and laid his Bait, planted himself in the Bird-Catcher's Place, to watch for a Draught. There came a great many Birds one after another, that lighted, and peck'd a while, and so away again. At this rate they kept coming and going all the Day long; but so few at a time, that the Man did not think them worth a Pluck. At last, when he had slipt all his Opportunities in hope a better Hit, the Evening came on, and the Birds were gone to Bed, so that he must either Draw then or not at all; and in the conclusion, he was e'en fain to content himself with the one single Chaffinch, that had the Misfortune to be later abroad than her Fellows.
Men are so greedy after what's to come, which is uncertain, that the slip present Opportunities, which are never to be recover'd.
A Hen and a Swallow
There was a foolish Hen that sat Brooding upon a Nest of Snake’s Eggs. A Swallow that observ’d it, went and told her the Danger on’t, Little do you think, says she, what you at this Instant are a doing, and that you are now Hatching your own Destruction; for this good Office will be your Ruin.
‘Tis the hard fortune of many a good Natur’d Man to breed up a Bird to Pick out his own Eyes, in despite of all Cautions to the contrary.
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