Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/166

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112
Æſop's FABLES.

Then, and when I'm in a Little Better Caſe, I'l throw my ſelf in the very Mouth of ye. The Wolfe took his Word, and ſo let him go; but paſſing ſome Few Days after by the ſame Houſe again, he ſpy'd the Dog in the Hall, and bad him Remember his Promiſe. Heark ye, my Friend, ſays the Dog; Whenever you Catch me Aſleep again, on the Wrong ſide of the Door, never Trouble your Head to Wait for a Wedding.

The Moral.

Experience Works upon Many Brutes more then upon Some Men. They are not to be Gull'd twice with the ſame Trick; And at the Worſt, a Bad Shift is Better than None.

REFLEXION.

'Tis good to Provide againſt All Chances both Sleeping and Waking; for a Man cannot be too Circumſpect, upon Condition on the other hand, that his Caution do not make him Over-ſollicitous, Paſt Dangers make us Wiſer for the Future; As the Dog, after he had been ſnipt at the Door, had the Wit to lye in the Hall; which tells us that a Wiſe Body is not to be Caught Twice by the ſame Snare and Trick. His Promiſe to the Wolf was a kind of a Dog-Caſe of Conſcience, and the Wolfe play'd the Fool in Taking his Word, for That which he was oblig'd not to Perform.



Fab. CXX.

A Lyon and a Bull.

IN the Days of Yore, when Bulls liv'd upon Mutton, there was a Lyon had a Deſign upon a Mighty Bull, and gave him a very Civil Invitation to come and Sup with him; for, ſays he, I have gotten a Sheep, and you muſt needs take Part on't. The Bull Promis'd, and Went; but ſo ſoon as ever he ſaw what a Clutter there was with Huge, Over-grown Pots, Pans, and Spits, away he ſcowr'd Immediately. The Lyon preſently cal'd after him, and Ask'd him, Whither in ſuch Haſt? Oh, ſays the Bull, 'tis High Time for me to be Jogging, when I ſee ſuch Preparation: for This Proviſion looks as if you were to have a Bull for your Supper, rather then a Mutton.

The Moral.

When a Man has both an Intereſt and an Inclination to Betray us, there's No Truſting him.

REFLE-