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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| X. | FABLE X. The Stag and Oxen.
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 | Truth in Fiction |  |
FABLE X. The Stag and Oxen.
Reason betray'd by Fear.
A
Stag, that from pursuing Huntsmen fled,
Took to a Stall where lab'ring Oxen fed;
And begg'd their Favour to conceal him there,
To shun the Danger, and allay his Fear.
They told him, That was no secure Retreat,
For soon the Servant wou'd be there with Meat.
But he reply'd, He there might safely lie,
Wou'd they but kindly promise Secrecy.
The Servant came, and fill'd the empty Rack,
And, without more Enquiry, soon went back.
The Stag, o'erjoy'd, rais'd his dejected Head,
And thought he had no Danger else to dread;
'Till a grave Ox, superiour to the rest
In Age and Counsel, thus his Joy suppress'd:
Boast not too soon, tho' you escap'd with Ease
This careless Mole, who nothing heeds, nor sees;
Trust me, you will, by dear Experience, find
A sharper-sighted Argus yet behind.
He spoke; the Master instantly appear'd,
Who the Neglects of Servants knew, and fear'd;
About the Stall he casts his prying Eyes,
The Store, and Goodness of the Fodder, tryes:
His searching Hands meet there a branching Horn,
Diff'rent from those by his Domesticks worn;
By which, discov'ring his absconded Guest,
He call'd his Servants, seiz'd, and kill'd the Beast.
Took to a Stall where lab'ring Oxen fed;
And begg'd their Favour to conceal him there,
To shun the Danger, and allay his Fear.
They told him, That was no secure Retreat,
For soon the Servant wou'd be there with Meat.
But he reply'd, He there might safely lie,
Wou'd they but kindly promise Secrecy.
207
And, without more Enquiry, soon went back.
The Stag, o'erjoy'd, rais'd his dejected Head,
And thought he had no Danger else to dread;
'Till a grave Ox, superiour to the rest
In Age and Counsel, thus his Joy suppress'd:
Boast not too soon, tho' you escap'd with Ease
This careless Mole, who nothing heeds, nor sees;
Trust me, you will, by dear Experience, find
A sharper-sighted Argus yet behind.
He spoke; the Master instantly appear'd,
Who the Neglects of Servants knew, and fear'd;
About the Stall he casts his prying Eyes,
The Store, and Goodness of the Fodder, tryes:
His searching Hands meet there a branching Horn,
Diff'rent from those by his Domesticks worn;
By which, discov'ring his absconded Guest,
He call'd his Servants, seiz'd, and kill'd the Beast.
The MORAL.
‘In Dangers, Safety can be rarely found;‘For Fortune's Hand that gives, repeats, the Wound:
‘And Men distress'd, in Thought's wild Mazes lost,
‘Want Help and Counsel, when they need it most:
‘Then deep Impressions which their Fear has made,
‘Drive them for Shelter where they are betray'd.
| Truth in Fiction | |