than they fell a fighting, in order to decide whose property it fhould be. The battle was fo bloody, and so obftinate, that they were both compelled, thro' wearinefs and lofs of blood, to defift; and lay down by mutual confent, totally difabled. At this inftant, a Fox unluckily came by; who, perceiving their fituation, made bold to feize the contefted prey, and bore it off unmolested. As foon as the Lion could recover breath-How foolish, faid he, has been our conduct! Inftead of being. contented as we ought, with our respective shares; our senseless rage has rendered us unable to prevent this rafcally Fox from defrauding us of the whole.

A

FABLE L.

The Lion and the Afs.

CONCEITED Afs had once the impertinence to bray forth fome contemptuous fpeeches against the Lion. The fuddennefs of the infult, at first raised fome emotions of wrath in his breaft; but turning his head and perceiving from whence it came, they immediately fubfided; and he very fedate

ly walked on, without deigning to honour the contemptible creature even fo much as with

an angry

I

word.

FABLE LI.

The Snake and the Hedge-bog.

Tis by no means prudent to join interefts with fuch as have it in their power to impose upon us their own conditions.

By the intreaties of a Hedge-hog half starved with cold, a Shake was once perfuaded to receive him into her cell. He was no fooner entered than his prickles began to be very uneafy to his companion: upon which, the Snake defired he would provide himself another lodging, as fhe found upon trial, the apartment was not large enough to accommodate both. Nay, faid the Hedge-hog, let them that are uneafy in their fituation exchange it; for my own part, I am very well contented where I am: if you are not, you are welcome to remove whenever you think proper.

FABLE