Fab. XLIV.
A Snake and a File.
THere was a Snake got into a Smith's Shop, and fell to Licking of a File, She Saw the File Bloudy, and ſtill the Bloudyer it was, the more Eagerly ſhe Lick'd it; upon a Fooliſh Fancy, that it was the File that Bled, and that She her ſelf had the Better on't. In the Concluſion, when ſhe could Lick no Longer, ſhe fell to Biting; but finding at laſt that ſhe could do no more Good upon't with her Teeth, then with her Tongue, ſhe Fairly left it.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
This Fable ſets out the Malignity of ſome Spiteful People, that take ſo much Pleaſure in the Deſign of Hurting others, as not to Feel, and Underſtand that they only Hurt themſelves. This is the Caſe of Thoſe that will be Trying Maſteries with their Superiors, and Biting of That which is too Hard for their Teeth. There's no Contending with an Adverſary that's either Inſenſible, or Invincible: And the Rule holds, in Matters, not only of Actual Force and Violence, but of Fortune and Good Name; for 'tis no better then Downright Madneſs, to ſtrike where we have No Power to Hurt, and to Contend where we are ſure to be Worded. The Doctrine is this, That Every Man ſhould Conſider his Own Strength, and Act accordingly.
Fab. XLV
A League betwixt the Wolves and the Sheep.
THere was a Time when the Sheep were ſo Hardy as to Wage War with the Wolves; and ſo long as they had the Dogs for their Allies, they were, upon all Encounters, at leaſt a Match for their Enemies. Upon This Conſideration, the Wolves ſent their Embaſſadors to the Sheep, to Treat about a Peace, and in the Mean Time there were Hoſtages given on Both Sides; the Dogs on the part of the Sheep, and the Wolves Whelps on the Other Part, 'till Matters might be brought to an Iſſue. While they were upon
