Ah, ſays he, You may Hang there ‘till Your Heart Akes; for if you were but a Diſh Clout, as you are a Counterfeiting-Devil of a Cat, here's not a Creature will come Near ye.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
What we cannot Compaſs by Force, muſt be Attempted by Invention, and Addreſs, but then on the Other hand, in All Caſes of Hazzard, Things would be well Weigh’d and Examin‘d before we Truſt. This Fable is the Fiction of a Caſe not Altogether Incredible. 'Tis a Common Thing for an Old Jade to Counterfeit Lame, for fear of Hard Riding: for a Duck to run Flapping and Fluttering away as if ſhe were Maim’d, to carry People from her Young: as there's a Story of a Fox that was Hard Hunted, and Hung himſelf up by the Teeth in a Warren among the Vermin to put the Dogs to a Loſs. Without any more Words, Twenty Inſtances might be given to ſhew how near That which we call Impulſe, or Inſtinct, comes to Reaſon: For the Cats Policy was no Other in truth, then That we call Sleeping Dog-Sleep: And there was the very ſame Fore-thought, and Deſign in't too, which in a Conſtruction ot Law and Equity paſſes for Malice Prepenſe.
Fab. CXVI.
An Ape and a Fox.
UPon the Deceaſe of a Lyon of Late Famous Memory, the Beaſts Met in Councel to Chuſe a King. There were Several Put up; but One was not of a Make for a King, Another Wanted either Brains, or Strength, or Stature, or Humour, or ſomething elſe; but in fine, the Buffon Ape with his Grimaces and Gamboles, carry‘d it from the Whole Field by I know not how many Voices. The Fox (being one of the Pretenders) Stomach'd it Extremely to ſee the Choice go againſt him, and preſently Rounds the New-Elect in the Ear, with a piece of Secret Service that he could do him. Sir, ſays he, I have Diſcoverd ſome Hidden Treaſure Yonder: But tis a Royalty that belongs to Your Majeſty, and I have nothing to do with it. So he Carryd the Ape to take Poſſeſſion: And what ſhould This Treaſure be, but a Bayte in a Ditch. The Ape lays his Hand upont, and the Trapſprings
