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160. THE WASHING OF A BLACKMORE (Perry 393)

A Man gave Money for a Black, upon an Opinion that his Swarthy Colour was rather Sluttery than Nature; and the Fault of his last Master, in a great Measure, that he kept him no Cleaner: He took him Home with him, and try’d all manner of Washes to bring him to a Better Complexion; but there was no Good to be done upon him; besides, that the very Tampering cast him into a Disease.

161. A RAVEN AND A SWAN (Perry 398)

A Raven had a great Mind to be as White as a Swan, and Fancy’d To Himself that the Swan’s Beauty proceeded in a high Degree, from his often Washing and Dyet. The Raven, upon this, quitted his former Course of Life and Food, and betook himself to the Lakes and Rivers: But as the Water did him no Good at all for his Complexion, so the Experiment Cost him his Life for want of Sustenance.

THE MORAL OF THE TWO FABLES ABOVE. Natural Inclinations may be Moulded and Wrought upon by Good Councel and Discipline; but there are certain Specifick Properties and Impressions, that are never to be Alter’d or Defac’d.

162. A NIGHTINGALE AND A BAT (Perry 48)

As a Nightingale was Singing in a Cage at a Window, up comes a Bat to her, and Asks her why she did not Sing in the Day, as well as in the Night. Why (says the Nightingale) I was catch'd Singing in the Day, and so I took it for a Warning: You should have thought of this then, says T'other, before you was Taken; for as the Case stands now, Y'are in no Danger to be Snapt Singing again.

THE MORAL. A Wrong Reason for the Doing of a Thing, is worse than no Reason at all. 

163. WWO TRAVELLERS AND A BAG OF MONEY (Perry 67)

As Two Travellers were upon the Way together, One of ‘em Stoops and taken up Something. Look ye here (says he) I have found a Bag of Money: No says T’other, When Two Friends are together, You must not say [I] have found it, but [WE] have found it. The Word was no sooner Out, but immediately comes a Hue and Cry after a Gang of Thieves that had taken a Purse upon the Road. Lord! Brother (says he that had the Bag) We shall be Utterly Undone. Oh Phy, says T’other, You must not say [WE] shall be undone, but [I] shall be undone. For I’m to have no Part in the Findings, sure I’ll never go Halves in the Hanging.

THE MORAL. They that will Enter into Leagues and Partnerships must take the Good and the Bad, One with Another. 

164. TWO NEIGHBOUR-FROGS (Perry 69)

There were Two Neighbour-Frogs; One of them Liv’d in a Pond, and the Other in the High-way hard-by. The Pond-Frog finding the Water begin to fail upon the Road, would have fain have gotten T’other Frog over to her in the Pool; where she might have been Safe; but she was wonted to the Place, she said, and would not Remove. And what was the End on’t now, but the Wheel of a Cart drove over her a while after, and Crush’d her to Pieces?

THE MORAL. Some People are so Listless and Slothful, that they’ll rather Lie still and Die in a Ditch, than stir one Finger to Help themselves out on’t. 

165. A BOY AND COCKLES (Perry 54)

Some People were Roasting of Cockles, and they Hiss’d in the Fire. Well (says a blockheaded Boy) These are Villainous Creatures sure, to Sing when their Houses are a-fire over their Heads.

THE MORAL. Nothing can be Well that’s out of Season.

166. A BEE- MASTER (Perry 72)

There came a Thief into a Bee-Garden in the absence of the Master, and Robb'd the hives. The Owner discover'd it upon his Return, and stood Pausing a while to Bethink himself how this should come to pass. The Bees in this interim came Laden home out of the Fields from Feeding, and missing their Combs, they fell Powdering down in Swarms upon their Master. Well (says he) you are a Company of Senseless and Ungrateful Wretches, to let a Stranger go away Quietly that has Rifled ye, and to bend all your Spite against your Master, that is at this Instant beating his Brains how he may Repair and Preserve ye.

THE MORAL. 'Tis the Course of the World for People to take their Friends for their Foes, and to use them accordingly.

167. AN APE AND A DOLPHIN (Perry 73)

People were us’d in the Days of Old, to carry Gamesome Puppies and Apes with ‘em out to Sea, to pass away the Time withal. Now there was One of these Apes, it seems, aboard a Vessel that was cast away in a very great Storm. As the Men were Padling for their Lives, and an Ape for Company, a certain Dolphin that took him for a Man, got him upon his Back, and was making towards Land with him. He had him into a safe Road call’d the Pyraeus, and took occasion to ask the Ape whether he was an Athenian or not? He told him Yes, and of a very Ancient Family there. Why then (says the Dolphin) you know Pyraeus: Oh! Exceedingly well, says t’other (taking it for the Name of a Man). Why Pyraeus is my particular good Friend. The Dolphin upon this, had such an Indignation for the Impudence of the Buffoon-Ape, that he gave him the Slip from between his Legs, and there was an end of my very good Friend, the Athenian.

THE MORAL. Bragging, Lying, and Pretending, has Cost many a Man his Life and Estate.

168. A KINGSFISHER (Perry 25)

The Kingsfisher is a Solitary Bird, that wonts commonly by the Waterside, and Nestles in hollow Banks, to be out of reach of the Fowlers. One of these Birds happen'd to be Foraging abroad for her Young Ones, and in this Interim comes a raging Torrent, that washes away Nest, Birds and all. Upon her Return, finding how 'twas with her, she brake out into this Exclamation: Unhappy Creature that I am! to fly from the bare Apprehension of one Enemy, into the Mouth of another.

THE MORAL. 'Tis many a wise Man's hap, while he is providing against one Danger, to fall into Another: And for his very Providence to turn his Destruction.

169. MERCURY AND A STATUARY (Perry 88)

Mercury had a great Mind once to Learn what Credit he had in the World, and he knew no better Way, than to Put on the Shape of a Man, and take Occasion to Discourse the Matter as by the Bye, with a Statuary: So he went to the House of a Great Master, where, among other Curious Figures, he saw several Excellent Pieces of the Gods. The first he Cheapen’d was a Jupiter, which would have come at a very easy Rate. Well (says Mercury) and what’s the Price of that Juno over there? The Carver set it a little Higher. The next Figure was a Mercury, with his Rod and Wings, and all the Ensigns of his Commission. Why this is as it should be, says he to himself: For here am I in the Quality of Jupiter’s Messenger, and the Patron of Artizans, with all my Trade about me: And now will this Fellow ask me Fifteen Times as much for this as the did t’other: And so he put it to him, what he valued that Piece at: Why truly, says the Statuary, you seem to be a Civil Gentleman, give me but my Price for the other Two, and you shall e’en have That into the Bargain.

THE MORAL. This is to put the Vanity of those Men out of Countenance, that by Setting too high a Value upon themselves, appear by so much the more Despicable to Others.