Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse | Page 5

MORAL.
Let dazzling stones in splendour glare;
Utility's the gem for wear.
FABLE XII.
THE BEAR AND THE BEES.
A BEAR happened to be stung by a Bee; and the pain was so acute,
that in the madness of revenge he ran into the garden, and
overturned
the hive. This outrage provoked their anger to such a degree that it
brought the fury of the whole swarm upon him. They attacked him with
such violence that his life was in danger, and it was with the utmost
difficulty that he made his escape,
wounded from head to tail. In this
desperate condition, lamenting his misfortunes, and licking his sores,
he could not forbear reflecting how much more advisable it had been to
have patiently borne one injury, than by an unprofitable resentment to
have provoked a thousand.
MORAL.
It is more prudent to acquiesce under an injury from a single person,
then by an act of vengeance to bring upon us the
resentment of a
whole community.
FABLE XIII.

THE FROGS DESIRING A KING.
The Frogs, living an easy, free life everywhere among the lakes and
ponds, assembled together one day, in a very tumultuous manner, and
petitioned Jupiter to let them have a king, who might inspect their
morals, and make them live a little honester. Jupiter, being at that time
in pretty good humour, was pleased to laugh heartily at their ridiculous
request, and, throwing a little log down into the pool, cried, "There is a
king for you!" The sudden splash which this made by its fall into the
water, at first terrified them so exceedingly that they were afraid to
come near it. But, in a little time, seeing it lie still without moving, they
ventured, by degrees, to approach it; and at last, finding there was no
danger, they leaped upon it, and, in short, treated it as familiarly as they
pleased. But, not contented with so insipid a king as this was, they sent
their deputies to
petition again for another sort of one; for this they
neither did nor could like. Upon that he sent them a Stork, who, without
any ceremony, fell devouring and eating them up, one after another, as
fast as he could. Then they applied themselves privately to Mercury,
and got him to speak to Jupiter in their behalf, that he would be so good
as to bless them again with another king, or restore them to their former
state. "No," says he; "since it was their own choice, let the obstinate
wretches suffer the
punishment due to their folly."
MORAL.
This fable teaches that it is better to be content with our present
condition, however bad we may think it, than, by
ambitious change,
to risk making it worse.
FABLE XIV.
THE FOX AND THE BOAR.
THE BOAR stood whetting his tusks against an old tree. The Fox, who
happened to come by at the same time, asked him why he made those
martial preparations of whetting his teeth, since there was no enemy
near, that he could perceive. "That may be, Master Reynard," says the

Boar, "but we should scour up our arms, while we have leisure, you
know; for, in time of danger, we shall have something else to do."
MORAL.
It is well to have preparations made for all emergencies, that when we
are placed in any difficult position we may be calm and self-possessed.
These preparations are best made in times of leisure.
FABLE XV.
THE VINE AND THE GOAT.
A GOAT having taken shelter from the heat of the sun under the broad
leaves of a shady-spreading vine, began to crop and eat them; by this
means, the branches being put into a rustling motion, he drew the eyes
of some hunters who were passing that way, and, seeing the vine stir,
thought some wild beast had taken covert there; they shot their arrows
at a venture, and killed the Goat, who, before he expired, uttered his
dying words to this purpose: "Ah! I suffer justly for my ingratitude,
who could not forbear doing an injury to the vine that had so kindly
afforded me shelter."
MORAL.
Ingratitude is a great crime, and from which we should seek earnestly
to be preserved. He that is capable of injuring his benefactor, what
would he scruple to do towards another?
[Illustration: THE VINE AND THE GOAT.]
FABLE XVI.
THE DISCONTENTED HORSE.
As JUPITER once was receiving petitions
From birds and from
beasts of all ranks and conditions; With an eye full of fire, and mane
quite erect,
Which, I'm sorry to say, shewed but little respect,
The

Horse went as near as he dared to the throne,
And thus made his
donkey-like sentiments known:
"For beauty of symmetry, fleetness, and force,
It is said that all
animals yield to the Horse;
While my spirit I feel, and my figure I
view
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