Fables of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists/Fable LII and LIII

by Roger L'Estrange

Fab. LII.

A Lark and her Young Ones.

THere was a Brood of Young Larks in the Corn, and the Dam, when she went abroad to Forrage for them, laid a Strict Charge upon her Little Ones, to pick up what News they could get against she came back again. They told her at her Return, that the Owner of the Field had been there, and Order'd his Neigbours to come and Reap the Corn. Well, says the Old One, thers no Danger yet then. They told her the next Day that he had been there again, and Desir'd his Friends to Do't. Well, well, says she, there's no Hurt in That neither, and so she went out a Progging for Provisions again as before. But upon the Third Day, when they told their Mother, that the Master and his Son appointed to come the Next Morning about it Themselves: Nay then, says she, ‘tis time to look about us: As for the Neighbours and the Friends, I fear 'em not: but the Master Imsure will be as good as his Word; for ‘tis his own Bus'ness.

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Fab. LIII.

The Stag and the Oxen.

A Stag that was hard set by the Huntsmen, betook himself to a Stall for Sanétuary, and prevail’d with the Oxen to Conceal him the best they could, so they cover'd him with Straw, and by and by in comes the Keeper to Dress the Cattel, and to Feed them; and when he had done his Work he went his Way without any Discovery. The Stag reckon’d himself by This Time to be out of All Danger; but One of the Oxen that had more Brains than his Fellows, adyis‘d him not to be too Confident neither; for the Servant, says he, is a Puzzling Fool that heeds Nothing; but when my Master comes, he'll have an Eye Here and There and Every where, and will most certainly find ye out. Upon the very Speaking of the Word, in comes the Master, and He spics out Twenty Faults, I warrant ye; This was not Well, and That was not Well; till at last, as he was Prying and Groping up and down, he felt the Horns of the Stag under the Straw, and so made Prize of him.

The Moral of the Two Fables above.

He that would be sure to have his Bus'ness Well Done, must either Do it himself, or see the Doing of it; Beside that many a Good Servant is Spoil'd by a Careless Master.

REFLEXION.

Interest Does more in the World then Faith and Honesty; for Men are more sensible in their own Case then in Anothers; which is all but according to the Old Saying, Command your Man, and Do't Your Self. Neither, in Truth, is it Reasonable, that Another should be more Careful of Me, than I am of my self. Every Man's Bus'ness is Best Done when he looks after it with his Own Eyes: And in short, when Every Man looks to One, the Care is taken for All.

We are likewise given to understand, in the Misfortune, and Mistake of the Stag, how Rare a Felicity it is for a Man in Distress, to find out such a Patron as has the Will and the Resolution, the Skill, and the Power, to Relieve him; and that it is not Every Man’s Talent neither, to make the Best of a Bad Game. The Morality of this Caution is as good a Lesson to Governments, as to Private Families. For a Prince's Leaving his Bus'ness Wholly to his Ministcrs without a Strict Eye over them in their Respective Offices and Functions, is as Dangerous an Errour in Politiques, as a Masters Committing All to his Servant is in Oeconomicks. It is Effectually a Translation of the Authority, when a Superior trusts himself Implicitly to the Faith, Care, Honesty and Discretion of an Inferior. To say nothing of the Temptation to Bribery and False Dealing, when so much may be Gotten by’t with so Little Hazzard, either of Discovery, or Punishment. Beside the Desperate Inconvenience of Setting up a Wrong Interest, by drawing Applications out of the Proper Channel; and Committing the Authority and Duty of the Master co the Honesly and Discretion of the Servant. Men will be True to Themselves how Faithless foever to One Another.