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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| XXXIII. | FABLE XXXIII. The Ox and Bullock:
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 | Truth in Fiction |  |
FABLE XXXIII. The Ox and Bullock:
Or, A Merry Life, a Sad End.
An aged Ox, long to the Plough inur'd,
Daily his Labour, and his Yoke endur'd;
While a young Bullock, never tam'd, or drawn,
Fed at his Ease, and wanton'd o'er the Lawn;
And, in the height of his exulting Pride,
Did the grave Senior, and his Pains deride;
Scoff'd his worn Neck, his rough and wrinkl'd Skin,
That cover'd nothing but bare Bones within:
But boasted, That himself was sleek and fair,
Liv'd without Toil, and unconfin'd as Air.
Daily his Labour, and his Yoke endur'd;
While a young Bullock, never tam'd, or drawn,
Fed at his Ease, and wanton'd o'er the Lawn;
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Did the grave Senior, and his Pains deride;
Scoff'd his worn Neck, his rough and wrinkl'd Skin,
That cover'd nothing but bare Bones within:
But boasted, That himself was sleek and fair,
Liv'd without Toil, and unconfin'd as Air.
The wiser Ox all sharp Replies forbore;
But still, the less he answer'd, thought the more:
'Till he observ'd the Steer, so highly fed,
(Design'd a Victim) to the Altar led:
Then said, Ah! Friend, your soft, Luxurious Life,
Has brought your Throat thus early to the Knife:
Sure, my safe Labour now wou'd better please,
Than the short Joys of your destructive Ease.
But still, the less he answer'd, thought the more:
'Till he observ'd the Steer, so highly fed,
(Design'd a Victim) to the Altar led:
Then said, Ah! Friend, your soft, Luxurious Life,
Has brought your Throat thus early to the Knife:
Sure, my safe Labour now wou'd better please,
Than the short Joys of your destructive Ease.
The MORAL.
‘A prudent Man, by Diligence and Pains,‘In long Security his Life maintains:
‘But Fools, to Sloth and Pleasure only bent,
‘End their short Riot in a sad Event.
| Truth in Fiction | |