being much impaired, and the road deep and uneven, he unfortunately made a trip, and unable to recover himself, fell down and broke. all the veffels to pieces. His Mafter tranfported with rage began to beat him most unmercifully. Against whom the poor Ass, lifting up his head as he lay on the ground, thus ftrongly remonftrated: Unfeeling wretch! to thy own avaricious cruelty, in first pinching me of food, and then loading me beyond my Arength, thou owest the misfortune which thou fo unjustly imputest to me. A FABLE XLVI.. The Cock and the Fox. N experienced old Cock was fettling himfelf to rooft upon a high bough, when a Fox appeared under the tree. I am come, faid the artful hypocrite, to acquaint you in the name of all my brethren, that a general peace is concluded between your whole family and ours. Defcend immediately I beseech you, that we may mutually embrace upon fo joyful and unexpected an event. My good friend, replied the Cock, nothing could be more F 3 agres. agreeable to me than this news: and to hear it from you increases my fatisfaction. But I perceive two hounds at a distance coming this way, who are probably dispatched as couriers with the treaty: as they run very swiftly, and will certainly be here in a few minutes, I will wait their arrival, that we may all four embrace together, Reynard well knew, if that was the cafe, it was no time for him to remain there any longer: pretending therefore to be in great hafte; Adieu, faid he, for the prefent; we will referve our rejoicings to another opportunity; upon which he darted into the woods with all imaginable expedition. Old Chanticleer no fooner faw him depart, than he crowed abundantly in the triumph of his artifice for by a harmless ftratagem to disappoint the malevolent intentions of thofe who are endeavouring to deceive us to our ruin, is not only innocent but laudable. Tom FABLE XLVII. The Eagle and the Crow. O mistake our own talents, or over-rate our abilities, is always ridiculous, and fometimes dangerous. An An Eagle, from the top of a high mountain, making a ftoop at a lamb, pounced it, and bore it away to her young. A Crow, who had built her neft in a cedar near the foot of the rock, obferving what paffed, was ambitious of performing the fame exploit: and darting from her neft, fixed her talons in the fleece of another lamb.. But neither able to move her prey, nor to difentangle her feet, fhe was taken by the fhepherd, and carried away for his children to play with: who eagerly enquiring what bird it was, An hour ago, faid he, fhe fancied herself an Eagle, however, I fuppofe fhe is by this time convinced that fhe is but a Crow. A FABLE XLVIII. The Farmer and the Stag. STAG, who had left at fome diftance a pack of hounds, came up to a farmer, and defired he would fuffer him to hide himfelf in a little coppice which joined to his house. The Farmer, on condition that he would forbear to enter a field of wheat, which lay before him, and was now ready for the fickle, J F4 fickle, immediately gave him leave, and promised not to betray him. The fquire with his train inftantly appeared, and enquired whether he had not feen the Stag; No, faid the Farmer, he has not passed this way, I affure you: but, in order to curry favour at the fame time with his worship, he pointed flily with his finger to the place where the poor beaft lay concealed. This however, the fportfman, intent on his game, did not observe, but passed on with his dogs across the very field. As foon as the Stag perceived they were gone, he prepared to steal off, without fpeaking a word. Methinks, cryed the Farmer, you might thank me, at least," for the refuge I have afforded you: Yes, faid the Stag, and had your hands been as honeft as your tongue, I certainly fhould; but all the return that a double dealer has to expect, is a just indignation and contempt. A FABLE XLIX. The Lion, the Tyger, and the Fox. LION and a Tyger jointly feized on a young fawn, which they immediately killed. This they had no fooner performed, than |