Fables of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists/Fable CCCCXVII
Fab. CCCCXVII.
Two Laden Asses.
THere's an Old Story of Two Asses Travelling upon the Road, the One Laden with Oats, the other with Mony: The Mony-Merchant I Warrant ye, was so Proud of his Trust, and of his Bell, that he went Juking and Tossing of his Head, and Tabring with his Feet all the way, as if no Ground would hold him. The other Plodding on with his Nose in the Breech of his Leader, as Gravely as One Foot could follow another. While they were Jogging on thus upon the Way, out comes a Band of Highway-Men from the next Wood, and falls upon the Ass that carried the Treasure. They Beat, Wound and Rifle him, and so leave him, without so much as taking the least Notice of his Fellow. Well, (says the King's Ass,) and for all this Mischief I may e'en thank my Mony. Right, says the other; and it has been my Happiness that I was not thought worth the Robbing,
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
The Poor Peaceable Man has nothing to Fear, but does his Bus'ness, and takes his Rest, without the Trouble either of Thieves or of Alarums. ’Tis the Booty, not the Man, (save only for the Booty’s Sake,) that is in Danger. There's either Mony or Monys-worth, in all the Controversies of Life; for we live in a Mercenary World, and 'tis the Price, in some sort or other, of all things that are in it; but as it certainly draws Envy and Hazzard after it, so there are great Advantages go along with it, and great Blessings that attend the right use of it. And so for Poverty too; a narrow Fortune is undoubtedly a Cramp to a great Mind, and lays a Man under a Thousand Incapacities of serving either his Country or his Friend; but it has the Comforts yet of being free from the Cares and Perils that accompany great Masses of Treasure and Plentiful Estates. Beside, that the Virtue of a Generous and a Charitable Tenderness of Nature, is never the less Acceptable to him that takes the Will for the Deed, for want of Ability to put those good Inclinations in Execution. This Fable in short, makes good the old Saying,
Then he that cannot change a Groat.