Fab. CCCLVIII.
An Old Man and an Aſs.
AN Old Man and a Little Boy were driving an Aſs before them to the Next Market to Sell. Why have you no more Wit, (ſays one to the Man upon the Way,) than You and your Son to Trudge it afoot, and let the Aſs go Light? So the Man ſet the Boy upon the Aſs, and Footed it Himſelf. Why Sirrah, ſays Another after this, to the Boy, Ye Lazy Rogue you, muſt you Ride, and let your Antient Father go afoot? The Man upon this, took down his Boy; and got up Himſelf. D'ye ſee (ſays a Third) how the Lazy Old Knave Rides Himſelf, and the Poor Little Child has much ado to Creep after him! The Father, upon this, took up his Son Behind him. The next they met, ask'd the Old Man whether his Aſs were his Own or no? He ſaid Yes. Troth, there's little ſign on't fays t'other, by your Loading him thus. Well ſays the Fellow to Himfelf, and what an I to do now? for I am Laugh'd at, if either the Aſs be Empty, or if One of us Rides, or Both; and ſo in the Concluſion he Bound the Aſſes Legs together with a Cord, and they try’d to carry him to Market with a Pole upon their Shoulders betwixt them. This was Sport to every Body that ſaw it, inſomuch that the Old Fellow in great Wrath threw down the Aſs into a River, and ſo went his way Home again. The Good Man, in fine, was willing to Pleaſe Every body, but had the Ill Fortune to Pleaſe No body, and loſt his Aſs into the Bargain.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
