Cap. XV.
Æſop Preſents himſelfe before the King of Lydia.
IMmediately Upon Æſop's Arrival in Lydia, he Preſented himſelſe before the King, who looking upon him with Contempt, Hatred, and Indignation; Is This a Man lays he, to hinder the King of Lydia from being Maſer of Santos? Æſop then with a Reverence after the Lydian Faſhion, deliver'd what he had to ſay.
I am not here (ſays he, Great King) in the Quality of a Man that's Given up by his Country, or under the Compulſion of any force; But it is of my own Accord that I am now come to lay my ſelfe at your Majeſties feet, and with this only Requeſt, that you will vouchſaſe me the Honour of your Royal Eare, and Patience but for a few words.
'There was a Boy hunting of Locuſts, and he had the Fortune to take a Graſshopper. She found he was about to kill her, and Pleaded after this Manner for her Life. Alas (lays ſhe) I never did any Body an Injury, and never had it either in my Will or in my Power to do't. All my Buſineſs is my Song; and what will you be the Better for my Death? The Youth's Heart relented and he ſet the Simple Graſshopper at Liberty.'
Your Majeſty has now that Innocent Creature before you: There's Nothing that I can pretend to but my Voyce, which I have ever employ'd ſo far as in me Lay, to the Service of Mankind. The King was ſo Tenderly moved with the Modeſty and Prudence of the Mart, That he did not only give him his Life, but bad him ask any thing further that he had a Mind to, and it ſhould be Granted him. Why then, fays Æſop, (with that Veneration, Gratitude and Reſpect that the Caſe required) I do moſt humbly implore your Majeſties favour for my Country-Men the Samians. The King Granted him his Recjueſt , and Confirmed it under his Seale; Beſide that the Piety of making that Petition his Choice, was a further Recommendation of him to his Royal Kindneſs and Eſteem.
Æſop, ſoon after This, returned to Samos with the News of the Peace, where he was Wellcomed with All the Inſtances of Joy and Thankfulneſs Imaginable; Inſomuch that they Erected a Statue for him, with an inſcription upon it, in Honour of his Memory. From Samos he returned afterwards to Crœſus, for whoſe Sake he Compoſed ſeveral of Thoſe Apologues that Paſs in the World to This Day under his Name. His Fancy lay extremely to Tra-
