Truth in Fiction Or, Morality in Masquerade. A Collection of Two hundred twenty five Select Fables of Aesop, and other Authors. Done into English Verse. By Edmund Arwaker |
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 | Truth in Fiction |  |
FABLE LIII. The Boor and Wood:
Or, Give an Inch, take an Ell.
In Happy Times, when Jove's indulgent Care
Had made the Forests Vocal ev'ry-where,
A Boor the Trees unfortunately press'd
To grant a needful, tho' a small, Request;
That from some useless, or mishapen, Bough,
They wou'd a Handle for his Ax allow.
The Wood consented: But the thankless Clown,
When fitted, hew'd his Benefactors down.
Then they, too late, their Easiness repent,
Who ow'd their Ruin to their own Consent.
Had made the Forests Vocal ev'ry-where,
A Boor the Trees unfortunately press'd
To grant a needful, tho' a small, Request;
That from some useless, or mishapen, Bough,
They wou'd a Handle for his Ax allow.
The Wood consented: But the thankless Clown,
When fitted, hew'd his Benefactors down.
Then they, too late, their Easiness repent,
Who ow'd their Ruin to their own Consent.
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The MORAL.
‘In all Petitions, of Design beware;‘A poor Request, may hide a fatal Snare.
‘Some, who obtain a slender Grant, with ease
‘(By that impowr'd) command what more they please:
‘Like greedy Leeches, to the Veins apply'd,
‘They may be glutted, but not satisfy'd:
‘When once they taste the Sweets your Stores contain,
‘They'll suck to Surfeit, rather than refrain.
| Truth in Fiction | |