Page:Fables of Aesop.pdf/10

 A Thief who intended to rob a house one night when the family were asleep, threw a piece of bread to a dog that was set to watch it. The dog, suspecting his design, would not be pacified by any such means. ‘Hark ye/ said he to the Thief, ‘if you intend to stop my mouth from barking for the good of my master, you are in a great mistake, for that sudden expression of kindness from you warns me to be on my guard, that you may not make any gain by my negligence. The Thief, seeing his scheme fail, sneaked off. A sudden kindness pleases fools, but lays trains in vain for the wise. A Fellow that used to play upon his harp, and sing to it in little ale-houses, made a shift, by the help of the narrow confined walls, to please the dull sots who heard him; from hence he entertained an ambition of showing his parts upon the public theatre, where he fancied he could not fail to acquire a great reputation and large fortune in a very short time. He accordingly made a trial, but the spaciousness of the place so deadened both his voice and instrument, that they were not heard, and he was universally hissed off the stage. Every one ought to be content to move in his own sphere.