Fab. CCCXLII.
A Lad Robbing an Orchard.
AN Old Fellow took a Boy Robbing his Orchard. Sirrah, (ſays he) come down the Tree, and don’t Steal my Apples. The Lad never Minded him, but went on with his Work. Well (ſays the Matter of the Grounds) they ſay there are Charms in Herbs, as well as in Words, and ſo he threw a Handful of Graſs at him, which was ſo Ridiculous, that the Young Thief took the Old Man to be Mop’d. But in Concluſion, if Neither Words, nor Herbs will do, ſays he, I’ll try what may be done with Stones; for they ſay there’s Vertue in Them too; And that VVay he did his VVork.
The MORAL.
REFLEXION.
A Wiſe Man, in All Controverſies, will try what may be done by Fair Means before he comes to Foul: And where the One fails, the Other will Certainly do the Work. The Fear of Hell does a great deal toward the Keeping of us in our way to Heaven; and if it were not for the Penalty, the Laws neither of God, nor of Man, would be Obey’d. There would have been a Charm in Wood as well as in Stones, if the Little Thief had but been ſoundly Drubb'd with a Good Honeſt Cudgel: For where Conſcience and Argument will do no Good, Puniſhment muſt : But as it is the Sureſt, ſo the Good Man here made it the Laſt Remedy.
Fab. CCCXLII.
A Nightingale and a Hawk.
AS a Nightingale was Singing in a Buſh, down comes a Raſcally Kite of a Sparrow-Hawk, and Whips her off the Bough: The Poor Wretch Pleaded for her ſelf, that alas! her Little Carcaſs was not worth the While, and that there were Bigger Birds enough to be found. Well, ſays the Hawk, but am I ſo Mad d’ye think, as to Part with a Little Bird that I have,for
