Howe’er exalted in your sphere, There’s something from the mean to fear; For, if their property you wrong, The poor’s revenge is quick and strong. When on a time an Eagle stole The cubs from out a Fox’s hole, And bore them to her young away, That they might feast upon the prey, The dam pursues the winged thief, And deprecates so great a grief; But safe upon the lofty tree, The Eagle scorn’d the Fox’s plea. With that the Fox perceived at hand An altar, whence she snatch’d a brand, And compassing with flames the wood, Put her in terror for her brood. She therefore, lest her house should burn, Submissive did the cubs return. XXIX. THE FROGS AND BULLS. Men of low life are in distress When great ones enmity profess. There was a Bull-fight in the fen, A Frog cried out in trouble then, “Oh, what perdition on our race!” “How,” says another, “can the case Be quite so desp’rate as you’ve said? For they’re contending who is head, And lead a life from us disjoin’d, Of sep’rate station, diverse kind.”-- “But he, who worsted shall retire, Will come into this lowland mire, And with his hoof dash out our brains, Wherefore their rage to us pertains.” XXX. THE KITE AND THE DOVES. He that would have the wicked reign, Instead of help will find his bane. The Doves had oft escaped the Kite, By their celerity of flight; The ruffian then to coz’nage stoop’d, And thus the tim’rous race he duped: “Why do you lead a life of fear, Rather than my proposals hear? Elect me for your king, and I Will all your race indemnify.” They foolishly the Kite believed, Who having now the pow’r received, Began upon the Doves to prey, And exercise tyrannic sway. “Justly,” says one who yet remain’d, “We die the death ourselves ordain’d.” BOOK II. PROLOGUE. The way of writing Esop chose, Sound doctrine by example shows; For nothing by these tales is meant, So much as that the bad repent; And by the pattern that is set, Due diligence itself should whet. Wherefore, whatever arch conceit You in our narratives shall meet (If with the critic’s ear it take, And for some special purpose make), Aspires by real use to fame, Rather than from an author’s name. In fact, with all the care I can, I shall abide by Esop’s plan: But if at times I intersperse My own materials in the verse, That sweet variety may please The fancy, and attention ease; Receive it in a friendly way; Which grace I purpose to repay By this consciousness of my song; Whose praises, lest they be too long, Attend, why you should stint the sneak, But give the modest, ere they seek. FABLE I. THE JUDICIOUS LION.