Roger L'Estrange (32)

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.

An Ant and a Pigeon

An Ant dropt, unluckily, into the Water as she was drinking at the Side of a Brook: A Wood-Pigeon took Pity of her, and threw her a little Bough to lay hold on. The Ant sav'd herself by that Bough, and in that very Instant, spies a Fellow with a Birding-Piece, making a Shoot at the Pigeon. Upon this Discovery, she presently runs up to him and stings him. The Fowler starts, and breaks his Aim, and away flies the Pigeon.

All Creatures have a Sense of good Offices, and Providence itself takes care, where other Means fail, that they may not pass unrewarded.

illustration by Billinghurst

A Fool and a Hot Iron

A Smith threw down a Horse-Shoe in his Shop that was but just come out of the Fire: A Fool took it up; it burnt his Fingers, and he cast it down again. Why ye Blockhead you says the Workman, could not you have try'd whether 'twas Hot or no before you Meddled with it? How try? says the Fool. Why a Hot Iron would have Hiss'd if you had but Spit upon't. The Fool carry'd this Philosophy away with him, and took an Occasion afterward to Spit in his Porridge, to try if they'd Hiss. They did not Hiss it seems, and so he Guttled 'em up, and Scalt his Chops. Well, says one that was by, and could not you have stay'd till they were Cold? Why I thought they had been Cold, says the Fool. You might have known they were Hot says t'other by their Smoaking. The Fool carried this in his Mind too; and going a while after to a Spring-Head to quench his Thirst, he fancy'd that the Fountain Smoak'd too; and there he staid 'till he was almost Choak'd, for fear of Burning his Chops once again.

The very Innocent may serve to Teach Wise Men Caution, that they Examine Matters before they pass a Judgment upon them; for otherwise we live at a kind of Hap Hazard, and without any Insight into Causes and Effects.

A Mountebank and a Bear

As a Quack was Exposing his Bills and his med'cines upon a Stage, in the Quality both of a Doctor and a Jack-Pudding, Thousands and Thousands of People Gaping and Staring at him with as much Reverence and Attention, as if every Word that came out of his Mouth had dropt from the Lips of an Oracle: It happen'd just in the Nick of this Interim, that an Officer of Paris-Garden was Leading one of his Majesties Bears, that way, with a Ring through the Nose of him. The Rabble immediately upon the Novelty of this Adventure, quitted the Mountebank, and Gather'd in Multitudes about the Bear, Shouting and Huzzaing along with him, as if it had been a Procession to a Pope-burning, or peradventure some more Pompous Spectacle. The Bear upon this Noise and Bussle (though none of the Quickest-Witted Animals) made a Speech to the Crowd after the best manner. Heark ye my Friends, says he, I'm Glad to see you so Merry at my being led like a Sot by the Nose thus; but pray let's Laugh at one another by Turns, for you are every Jot as Ridiculous to Me, as I am to You, the Mobile are led by the Ears just as the Bears are led by the Noses; and that's all the Difference in the Case betwixt us.

The Mobile are altogether for Noise and Novelty, and One New Thing drives out another: Nay, we take Pleasure in the very Spectacle that Effectually Abuses us; as a Bear with a Ring in his Nose, is no more then an Emblem of every Man of us, for we are led as much as He, some by the Ear or Eye; others by our Lusts and Affections: But in fine, every Soul of us some way or other.

A Miller and a Rat
A Miller took a huge Over-grown Rat in his Meal Tub; and there was He laying the Law to him about the Lewdness of his Life and Conversation, and the Abominable Sin of Stealing; but your Thieving says he, is now come Home to ye, and I shall e'en leave Honest Puss here to reckon with ye for all your Rogueries. Alas Sir, says the Poor Rat, I make no Trade on't; and the Miserable Pittance that I take, is only from Hand to Mouth, and out of Pure Necessity to keep Life and Soul together: As the Rat Pleaded Hunger on the One Hand, the Miller threw the Matter of Conscience and Honesty in his Teeth on the Other, and Preach'd to him upon the Topick of a Political Convenience, in making such Pilfering Knave Examples for the Publick Good. Well, Sir, says the Rat once again, but pray will you Consider for your own sake, that this is your own Case; and that You and I are both Corn Merchants, and of the same Fraternity; Nay, and that for One Grain that I take, you take a Thousand. This is not Language, cries the Miller, in a Rage, for an Honest Man to Bear; but the best on't is Sirrah, Your Tongue's no Slander: So he turn'd the Cat Loose upon him to do that which we call in the World an Execution of Justice.

'Tis a piece of Market Policy, for People of a Trade to bear hard One upon another, when it comes once to the Question betwixt a Couple of Knaves which is the Honester Man of the Two.

A Pigeon and a Picture

A Pigeon saw the Picture of a Glass with Water in’t, and taking it to be Water indeed, flew rashly and eagerly up to’t for a Soup to quench her Thirst. She broke her Feathers against the Frame of the Picture, and falling to the Ground upon’t, was taken up by the By-Standers.

Rash Men do many Things in Haste that they Repent of at Leisure.

illustration from the Medici Aesop