Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/107

Rh ays he, ‘tis time to look about us: As for the Neighbours and the Friends, I fear 'em not: but the Mater Imure will be as good as his Word; for ‘tis his own Bus'nes.

Stag that was hard et by the Huntmen, betook himelf to a Stall for Sanétuary, and prevail’d with the Oxen to Conceal him the bet they could, o they cover'd him with Straw, and by and by in comes the Keeper to Dres the Cattel, and to Feed them; and when he had done his Work he went his Way without any Dicovery. The Stag reckon’d himelf by This Time to be out of All Danger; but One of the Oxen that had more Brains than his Fellows, adyis‘d him not to be too Confident neither; for the Servant, ays he, is a Puzzling Fool that heeds Nothing; but when my Mater comes, he'll have an Eye Here and There and Every where, and will mot certainly find ye out. Upon the very Speaking of the Word, in comes the Mater, and He pics out Twenty Faults, I warrant ye; This was not Well, and That was not Well; till at lat, as he was Prying and Groping up and down, he felt the Horns of the Stag under the Straw, and o made Prize of him.

Does more in the World then Faith and Honety; for Men are more enible in their own Cae then in Anothers; which is all but according to the Old Saying, Command your Man, and Do't Your Self. Neither, in Truth, is it Reaonable, that Another hould be more Careful of Me, than I am of my elf. Every Man's Bus'nes is Bet Done when he looks after it with his Own Eyes: And in hort, when Every Man looks to One, the Care is taken for All.

We are likewie given to undertand, in the Misfortune, and Mitake of the Stag, how Rare a Felicity it is for a Man in Ditres, to find out uch a Patron as has the Will and the Reolution, the Skill, and the Power, to Relieve him; and that it is not Every Man’s Talent neither, to make the Bet of a Bad Game. The Morality of this Caution is as good a Leon to