Fables of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists/Fable LXXXIII
Fab LXXXIII.
A Fox and a Goat.
A Fox and a Goat went down by Consent into a Well to Drink, and when they had Quench’d their Thirst, the Goat fell to Hunting up and down which way to get back again. Oh! says Reynard, Never Trouble your Head how to get back, but leave That to Me. Do but You Raise your self upon your Hinder Legs with your Fore-Feet Close to the Wall, and then stretch out your Head: I can Easily Whip up to your Horns, and so out of the Well, and Draw you after me. The Goat puts himself in Posture immediately as he was directed, gives the Fox a Lift, and so Out he Springs; but Reynards Bus’ness was now only to make Sport with his Companion instead of Helping him. Some Hard Words the Goat gave him, but the Fox puts off all with a Jest. If you had but half so much Brains as you have Beard, says he, you would have bethonght your self how to get up again before you went down.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
It is Wisdom to Consider the End of Things before we Embarque, and to Forecast Consequences. It is also to be Expected that Men in Ditsress will look to themselves in the First Place, and leave their Companions to Shift as well as they can, When a Knave, and an Honest Man happen to be Embarqu’d together in the same Common Interest, the Sharper will be sure, if ever it comes to a Pinch, to shift for Himself; and leave T'other in the Lurch. It is the way of the World for Men to Abandon their Benefactors, and to make sport with Those that Rais'd them. This was the Trick, that the Fox serv’d the Goat here in the Well; to shew us that He that Helps Another out at a Plunge, runs the Risque of being left in the Mire himself. No Matter for the Morality of the Thing, so long as it is the Fashion; And that He that Advances himself upon the Ruine of Another gets the Reputation of a Man of Art, and Address. The Facility, in fine, and the Simplicity of the Goat, shews us what an Honest Man is to Trust to that keeps a Knave company.
We find in This Fox, the Roguery, the Invention, and the Wilyness of the Crafty People we meet with Abroad, and a Lively Image of the Faith, Friendfhip, Good Nature, and Justice that we are to Expect from them. We cannot therefore keep too strict an Eye upon the Life and Conversation of Those we have to do withall. If they be Men of Fraud, they'll never stick at bringing their Friends and Companions into Dangers, Losses, and Inconveniences; Scoure off themselves, and leave Those that Trust them to pay the Reck’ning. But, in a Word, This Application extends to Men of Trick and Design of All Sorts; let it be in Pleasure, Fortune, Pride, Envy, Vain-Glory, Trade, Law, Marriages, Quarrels, Travels, Ambition, &c. Wherefore it Behoves us to Look before we Leape, and in Case of the Worst that can befall us, to secure an After-Game. The Want of this Foresight was the Goats Ruine.