Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/131

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Æſop's FABLES.
77


Fab. LXXVIII.

A Camel Praying for Horns.

IT ſtuck filthily in the Camel's Stomach, that Bulls, Stags, Lions, Bears, and the like, ſhould be Armed with Horns, Teeth, and Claws, and that a Creature of his Size ſhould be left Naked and Defenceleſs. Upon This Thought he fell down upon his Mary-bones, and begg d of Jupiter to give him a pair of Horns, but the Requeſt was ſo Ridiculous, that Jupiter, inſtead of Horning him, Order'd him to be Cropt, and ſo Puniſh’d him with the loſs of his Ears which Nature had Allow’d him, for being ſo Unreaſonable as to Ask for Horns, that Providence never intended him.



Fab. LXXIX.

A Fox and a Hare to Jupiter.

A Fox and a Hare Preſented a Petition to Jupiter. The Fox pray’d for the Hares Swiftneſs of Foot, and the Hare for the Fox's Craft, and Wilyneſs of Addreſs. Jupiter told them, that ſince every Creature had ſome Advantage or Other Peculiar to it ſelf, it would not ſtand with Divine Juſtice, that had provided ſo well for Every One in Particular, to Conferr All upon any One.



Fab. LXXX.

A Peacock to Juno.

THE Peacock, they ſay, lay'd it Extremely to Heart, that being Juno's Darling-Bird, he had not the Nightingale’s Voice ſuperadded to the Beauty of his own Plumes. Upon This Subject he Petition'd his Patroneſs, who gave him for Anſwer, that Providence had Aſſign’d Every Bird its Proportion, and ſo bad him Content himſelf with his Lot.

The Moral of the Three Fables above.

The Bounties of Heaven are in ſuch manner Diſtributed, that Every Living Creature has its Share; beſide, that to Deſire Things againſt Nature, is Effectually to Blame the very Author of Nature it ſelf.

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