Once on a time a Partridge was sitting in a lofty tree. A Fox came up, and began {thus} to speak: “O Partridge, how beautiful is your aspect! Your beak transcends the coral; your thighs the brightness of purple. And then, if you were to sleep, how much more beauteous you would be.” As soon as the silly Bird had closed her eyes, that instant the Fox seized the credulous thing. Suppliantly she uttered these words, mingled with loud cries: “O Fox, I beseech you, by the graceful dexterity of your exquisite skill, utter my name as before, and then you shall devour me.” The Fox, willing to speak, opened his mouth, and so the Partridge escaped destruction. Then said the deluded Fox: “What need was there for me to speak?” The Partridge retorted: “And what necessity was there for me to sleep, when my hour for sleep had not come?” This is for those who speak when there is no occasion, and who sleep when it is requisite to be on the watch. FABLE XIV. THE ASS, THE OX, AND THE BIRDS. An Ass and an Ox, fastened to the same yoke, were drawing a waggon. While the Ox was pulling with all his might he broke his horn. The Ass swears that he experiences no help whatever from his weak companion. Exerting himself in the labour, the Ox breaks his other horn, and at length falls dead upon the ground. Presently, the Herdsman loads the Ass with the flesh of the Ox, and he breaks down amid a thousand blows, and stretched in the middle of the road, expires. The Birds flying to the prey, exclaim: “If you had shown yourself compassionate to the Ox when he entreated you, you would not have been food for us through your untimely death.” FABLE XV. THE LION AND THE SHEPHERD. A Lion,[3] while wandering in a wood, trod on a thorn, and soon after came up, wagging his tail, to a Shepherd: “Don’t be alarmed,” {said he}, “I suppliantly entreat your aid; I am not in search for prey.” Lifting up the {wounded} foot, the Man places it in his lap, and, taking out the thorn, relieves {the patient’s} severe pain: whereupon the Lion returns to the woods. Some time after, the Shepherd (being accused on a false charge) is condemned, and is ordered to be exposed to ravening Beasts at the ensuing games. While the Beasts, on being let out,[4] are roaming to-and-fro, the Lion recognizes the Man who effected the cure, and again raising his foot, places it in the Shepherd’s lap. The King, as soon as he aware of this, immediately restored the Lion to the woods, and the Shepherd to his friends. [Footnote AF.3: _A Lion_)--Ver. 1. This story is also told by Seneca--De Beneficiis, B. II. c. 19, and by Aulus Gellius, B. III. c. 14.] [Footnote AF.4: _The Beasts, on being let out_)--Ver. 10. The beasts were sent forth from “caveæ,” or “cages,” into the area of the Circus or Amphitheatre.] FABLE XVI. THE GNAT AND THE BULL.