Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/34

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8
The Life of ÆSOP.

it to the Run-away-Lady: (for every body knew Æſop to be a Servant in That Family.) It Gathered in the Rolling, as all Other Stories do in the Telling: Eſpecially where Womens Tongues and Paſſions have the Spreading of them. The Wife, that was in her Nature Violent, and Unſteady, ordered her Chariot to be made readie Immediately, and away ſhe Poſts back to her Husband: falls upon him with Outrages of Looks and Language ; and after the Eaſing of her mind a Little; No Xanthus, ſays ſhe, Do not you Flatter your ſelfe with the hopes of Enjoying another Woman while I am Alive. Xanthus look'd upon this as one of Æſop's Maſter pieces; and for that Bout All was well again betwixt Maſter and Miſtreſs.


Cap. VII.

An Entertainment of Neates Tongues.


SOME few dayes after the Ratification of This Peace, Xanthus Invited ſeveral Philoſophers of his Acquaintance to Supper with him; and Charges Æſop to make the Beſt Proviſion he could think of, for their Entertainment. Æſop had a Wit waggiſh Enough, and This General Commiſſion furniſhed him with Matter to work upon. So ſoon as ever the Gueſts were ſet down at the Table, Xanthus calls for Supper, and Expected no leſs then a very Splendid Treat. The Firſt Service was Neates Tongues ſliced , which the Philoſophers took Occaſion to Diſcourſe and Quibble upon in a Grave Formall way, as The Tongue (for the purpoſe) is the Oracle of Wifdom, and the like. Xanthus, upon This, calls for a Second Courſe, and after That for a Third, and ſo for a Fourth, which were All Tongues, over and over again ſtill, only ſeverall wayes Dreſſed: Some Boyl'd, Others Fry'd, and ſome again ſerv'd up in Soupe, which put Xanthus into a Furious Paſſion. Thou Villain, ſays he, Is this according to my order, to have Nothing but Tongues upon Tongues? Sr ſays Æſop, without any heſitation, Since it is my Ill fortune to fall under this Acculation, I do Appeale to All Theſe Learned Perſons, whether I have done Well, or Ill, and pay'd that Reſpect to your Order which I ought to do.

Your order was, That I ſhouid make the Beſt Proviſion that I could think of for the Entertainment of Theſe Excellent Perſons,