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370. One that had lost his Money and Cloaths at Play.

371. A Blinkard Buying of Wheat.

372. A Country-man with his Asses.

A Country-man that had been at Market with his Corn, and was driving his Asses Home again, mounted one of the Best of them to ease himself: When he was up, he fell to Counting, and so kept Telling them over and over all the Way he went, but still wanted one of his Number. Upon this, away he goes to the Market-Town, whence he came, a matter of Seven Miles off, back again, enquiring of all he met, if any Body had seen his Ass. He could learn no Tidings of him, and so home he went, late at Night, as arrant a Fool, as he set out. The Loss went to the Heart of him; but upon Alighting, and his Wife's giving him the Hint, he found his Beast again, and that the Ass he rode upon was forgot in the Reckoning.

The Moral. The Butcher look'd for his Knife when he had it in his Mouth.

373. A Man that Carried his Plough to Ease his Oxen.

A Peasant that had Plow'd himself and his Oxen quite a-weary, mounted an Ass, with the Plough before him, and sent the Oxen to Dinner: The poor ass, he found, was ready to sink under the Load, and so he took up the Plough and laid it upon his own Shoulders. Now, says he to the Ass, Thou may'st  carry Me well enough, when I carry the Plough.

The Moral. Some Brute-Animals have more Understanding than some Men.

374. A Fox and a Cat.

There was  Question started betwixt a Fox and a Cat; which of the Two could make the best Shift in the World if they were put to a Pinch. For my own Part (says Reynard) when the worst comes to the worst, I have a whole Budget of Tricks to come off with at last. At that very Instant, up comes a Pack of Dogs full cry towards them. The Cat presently takes a Tree, and sees the poor Fox torn to Pieces upon the very Spot. Well, says Puss to her self, One sure Trick, I find, is better than a Hundred slippery ones.

The Morla. Nature has provided better for us, than we could have done for our selves.

375. The Dancing Apes.

A Certain Aegyptian King endow's a Dancing-School for the Institution of Apes of Quality: And when they came to be perfect in their Lessons, they were Dress'd up after the best Manner, and so brought forth for a Spectacle upon the Stage. As they were in the middle of their Gambols, some Body threw a Handful of Apples among them, that set them presently together by the Ears upon the Scramble, without any Regard in the World to the Business in Hand, or to the Dignity of their Education.

The Moral. The Force of Nature is infinitely beyond that of Discipline and Imitation.

376. An Ass and Two Travellers.

A Couple of Travellers that took up an Ass in a Forest, fell downright to Loggerheads, which of the two should be his Master: So the Ass was to stand by, to see those Two Boobies try their Title to him by a Rubber of Cuffs. The Ass very fairly look'd on, till they had Box'd themselves a-weary, and then left them both in the Lurch.

The Moral. 'Tis a common thing, both in Love, Law and Arms, for Plaintiff and Defendant to lie battering one another for a Prize that gives them both the slip.

377. Mercury and Fishermen.

Some Fisherman that had caught more Fish than they know what to do withal, Invited Mercury to a part with them; but finding that the Invitation was not so much matter of Respect, as to get rid of the Glut they had taken, he very fairly left them to Eat by themselves.

The Moral. In all the Good Offices of Human Society, 'tis the Will and the Affection that creates the Obligation.

378. An Eagle and a  beetle.

A Hare that was hard put to't by an Eagle, took Sanctuary in a Ditch with a Beetle. The Beetle Interceded for the Hare: The Eagle flapt off the former, and devour'd the other. The Beetle took this for an Affront to Hospitality, as well as to herself, and so meditated a Revenge, watch'd the Eagle up to her Nest, follow'd her, and took her Time, when the Eagle was abroad, and so made a shift to roll out the Eggs, and destroy the Brood. The Eagle upon this Disappointment, Timber'd a great deal higher next Bout; the Beetle watch'd  her still, and shew'd her the same Trick once again. Whereupon the Eagle made her Appeal to Jupiter, who gave her leave to lay her next Course of Eggs in his own Lap. But the Beetle found out a way to make Jupiter rise from his Throne; so that upon the loosning of his Mantle, the Eggs fell from him at unawares, and the Eagle was a Third time defeated. Jupiter stomach'd the Indignity; but upon hearing the Cause, he found the Eagle to be the Aggressor, and so acquitted the Beetle.

The Morla. 'Tis not for a Generous Prince to countenance Oppression and Injustice, even in his most Darling Favourites.

379. An Owl and Little Birds.

There goes a Story of an Owl that was advis'd by the Little Birds to build rather among the Boughs and Leaves, as they did, than in Walls and Hollow-Trees; and so they shew'd her a young tender Plant for her Purpose. No, no, says the Owl, those Twigs in Time will come to be Lim'd and then you're all Lost, if you do but touch 'em. The Birds gave little Heed to't, and so went on Playing, and Chirping among the Leaves still, and passing their Time there in Flocks as formerly, till in the Conclusion the Sprigs were all dawb'd with Lime, and the poor Wretches clamm'd and taken. Their Repentance came now too late; but in Memory of this Noable Instance of the Ow's Foresight, the Birds never see an owl to this very Day, but they Flock about her, and follow her, as if it were for a  New Lesson. But our Modern Owls have only the Eyes, the Beak and the Plume of the Owls of Athens, without the Wisdom.

The Moral. Good Counsel is lost upon those that have not the Grace to hearken to't; or do not understand it, or will not embrace and follow it in the proper Season.