Fables of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists/Fable LXXXIV

by Roger L'Estrange

Fab. LXXXIV.

Cocks and a Partridge.

A Cock-Master bought a Partridge, and turn‘d it among his Fighting Cocks, for them to Feed together. The Cocks beat the Partridge away from their Meat, which she layd the more to Heart, because it look'd like an Aversion to her purely as a Stranger. But the Partridge finding These very Cocks afterwards Cutting one Another to piees she comforted her self with This Thought, that she had no Reason to expect they should be Kinder to Her, than they were to One Another.

The Moral.

'Tis No Wonder to find Those People Troublesome to Strangers, that Cannot Agree among Themselves. They Quarrel for the Love of Quarrelling; and provided the Peace be broken, No matter upon What Ground, or with Whom.

REFLEXION.

There's No Peace to be Expected among those that are Naturally Fierce and Quarrelsome. But we are to Distinguith however, betwixt Injuries of Malice, and of Evil Nature, as we do betwixt Violences in Hot Bloud, and Those of Deliberate Spite and Intention; which we find in the Common Cases of Manslaughter, and Murder. The Doctrine may be briefly This, that so far as Possible, we are to Avoid Ill Company: but where we are forcd upon’t, there’s No Remedy but Patience. The Cocks here Did but according to their Kind; And it is the Same Thing with Wicked Men too, (as Birds of the same Feather) to be Troublesome to Other People as well as to One Another.