Fable 4.-The Two Mules.

Two mules bore various burdens on a road,
Tax-money one, the other oats for load.
The first one, proud of such a precious charge,
Had rather bear it much than be at large;
So he stepped with lordly pace,

And sounded loud his bell

When a sudden foe filled up the place,

Who on the gold-bags fell.

The tax-charged mule one troop attacked,

And stopped it by its rein;

The mule bit, kicked, and plunged, and backed;

At last by numerous wounds was hacked,

And groaned and sighed in pain.

I was not promised this!" he said,
"While safe retires my brother mule;
In danger fallen, I'm nearly dead!”
"Friend," said his comrade, "a good rule
Is, that it is not always best
Such high employments to obtain ;
Were you, like me, a miller's beast,
You would not now be suffering pain."

Fable 5.-Le Loup et le Chien.

UN loup n'avait que les os et la peau,

Tant les chiens faisaient bonne garde :

Ce loup recontre un dogue aussi puissant que beau, Gras, poli, qui s'était fourvoyé par mégarde, L'attaquer, le mettre en quartiers,

Sire loup l'eût fait volontiers:

Mais il fallait livrer bataille ;

Et le mâtin était de taille

A se défendre hardiment.

Le loup donc l'aborde humblement,
Entre en propos, et lui fait compliment
Sur son embonpoint qu'il admire.

Il ne tiendra qu'à vous, beau sire,
D'être aussi gras que moi, lui repartit le chien.
Quittez les bois, vous ferez bien :

Vos pareils y sont misérables,

Cancres, héres, et pauvres diables,

Dont la condition est de mourir de faim.

Fable 5.-The Wolf and the Dog.

A WOLF found nought but skin and bone to eat,
So well the house-dogs guarded all the meat;
This wolf a fine and strong dog met one day,
Which inadvertently had got astray-
A handsome, fat, polite dog in his way.
The wolf would gladly have attacked
And torn and quartered such a foe,
But out of a pitched fight he backed;
The dog's strong frame did plainly show
That his would be a tough defence:
The wolf, being a beast of sense,
Sidled up humbly, 'gan to speak,
And praised the dog for being so sleek ;
Admired his fatness, "Any hour,"
Remarked the dog, “'tis in your power
To grow as round as I, my gallant swell;
If you but leave the woods you will do well.
Look at your brother-wolves, I pray,
Thin, miserable wretches they,

Of famine the predestined prey!

Car, quoi! rien d'assuré ! point de franche lipée!
Tout à la pointe de l'épée !

Suivez-moi, vous aurez un bien meilleur destin.

Le loup reprit: Que me faudra-t-faire ?
Presque rien, dit le chien: donner la chasse au gens
Portant bâtons et mendiants;

Flatter ceux du logis, à son maître complaire :
Moyennant quoi votre salaire

Sera force reliefs de toutes les façons,
Os de poulets, os de pigeons,

Sans parler de maintes caresse.

Le loup déjà se forge une félicité

Qui le fait pleurer de tendresse.

Chemin faisant, il vit le cou du chien pelé:

Qu'est cela? lui dit-il. Rien. Quoi! rien ! Peu de chose.
Mais encore? Le collier dont je suis attaché

De ce que vous voyez est peut-être la cause.
Attaché! dit le loup: vous ne courez donc pas

Où vous voulez ? Pas toujours: mais qu'importe ? Il importe si bien, que de tous vos repas

Je ne veux en aucune sorte,

Et ne voudrais pas même à ce prix un trésor.
Cela dit, maître loup s'enfuit, et court encore.

For why? They get just nought for board
Taken without asking, nought assured,

For fear of the pursuing sword!

But come with me, you'll find an easier fate."

"What must I do," the wolf asked, "for my ease?"
"Oh, drive all roughs and beggars from the gate,
Nought else," replied the dog, "but master please,
And flatter all the household; then for food
No end of scraps, and everything that's good!
Chickens' and pigeons' bones to any extent,
With many a caress and tender action blent!"
The wolf, imagining such happiness,

Let fall in plenty tears of tenderness;

But as he went the dog's neck rubbed he saw.

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"Hallo! what's that? Oh, nothing! perhaps the raw !

Quite a small matter! Come now," then he paused

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Perhaps the raw is by my collar caused!"

"So you're tied up? you can't go where you will ?"

"Not always, but what can that matter still?
"It matters thus much, that I quite refuse
Of any of your promised feasts the use.
I would not take a treasure at this price."
So saying, fled the wolf off in a trice;
And still, in freedom joyous, ever flies.