SECOND LESSON. The FABLE of the WILD BOAR and the Ass. Un Ane ayant par accident rencontré un Sanglier, eut l'impudence de fe moquer de lui & de l'infulter. Le Sanglier frémissant de courroux, & grinçant les dents, eut d'abord grande envie de le mettre en pièces; mais, fefant auffitôt réflexion qu'un tel animal n'étoit pas digne de fa colère, & de fa vengeance, il fe retint. Miférable que tu es, lui dit-il, je te punirois févèrement, fi tu en valois la peine; mais je ne veux pas me fouiller du fang d'une auffi vile bête. Tu n'es qu'un Ane, et ta lacheté te met à couvert de mes coups, & te fauve la vie. Après lui avoir fait ces reproches, il le laiffa aller. 1 "An Afs having accidentally met with a Wild Boar, had the impudence to deride and infult him. The Wild Boar foaming with rage, and grinding his teeth, had, at first, a great mind to tear him in pieces; but immediately reflecting that fuch an animal was not worthy his anger and revenge, he refrained from doing him any harm. Poor wretch, faid he to him, I could feverely punish thee for thy audacioufnefs, if thou wert worthy my notice but I will not ftain myself with the blood of jo mean a beast. Thou art but an Afs, and thy cowardice fecures thee against my revenge. After having upbraided him fo, he let him go away. MORAL. Le mépris eft l'unique Contempt is the only revenge vengeance que l'on doive which we ought to take of a prendre d'un fot, ou d'un mal- filly fellow, or of an impudent heureux. D'ailleurs, la vic-wretch. Befides, the victory toire que l'on remporte fur un ennemi vil et foible, eft trop aifée, et ne fait pas honneur. which is gained over a weak and paltry enemy, is too easy, and does not procure honour. THIRD 1 THIRD LESSON, In Italic Letters. The FABLE of the LION and the RAT. Un Lion, fatigué de la chaleur, & abattu de laffitude, dormoit à l'ombre d'un arbre. Un Rat, qui le vit, lui monta fur le corps pour fe divertir. Le Lion fe reveilla, étendit la patte, et s'en faifit; le Rat fe voyant pris, et fans efpérance d'échaper, demanda pardon au Lion de fon incivilité & de fa hardieffe; et le fuplia trèshumblement de lui fauver la vie. Le Lion, touché de cette foumiffion, le laiffa aller. Ce bienfait ne fut pas perdu; car, le Lion étant tombé, quel ques jours après, dans un filet, dont il ne pouvoit fe débarraffer, il fe mit à rugir de toute la force: le Rat reconnoiffant aux rugiffemens du Lion qu'il étoit pris, accourut promtement pour le fecourir; il fe mit auffi-tôt à ronger les mailles du filet, et lui procura par là le moyen de s'évader. on A Lion, faint with heat, and weary with fatigue, flept under a under a fhady tree. A Rat, that faw him, got upon his back to have a little sport. The Lion, waking, ftretched his paw, and took him; the Rat finding himfelf taken, and without hopes of escaping, afked the Lion's pardon, for his boldness; and very humbly. craved for his life. The Lion moved by his fubmiffion, let him go. This favour was not loft; for the lion being caught, a few days after in a net, from which he could not free himfelf, he began to roar mightily the Rat knowing by the Lion's roaring that he was taken, ran quickly to his affiftance; he began inftantly to gnaw the methes of the net, and thereby enabled him to make his escape. MORA L. En excufant une petite faute, fe procure fouvent l'affection de celui à qui l'on a pardonné. By forgiving a small fault we often fecure the affection of the tranfgreffor. CHAP. |