Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/41

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N the days of Æop, The World was mightily addicted to Augury; that is to ay, to the Gathering of Omens from the Cry and Flight of Birds. Upon this Account it was, that Xanthus one Day ent Æop into the Yard, and bad him look well about him. If you ee Two Crows (ays he) you’l have good Luck after it, but if you hould Chance to pye One Crow Single, ’tis a Bad Omen, and ome Ill will betide you. Æop tept out and came Immediately back again, and tols his Mater that he had een Two Crows. Hereupon Xanthus went out himelf, and finding but One, (for the Other was flown away) he fell Outragiouly upon Æop for making Sport with him, And order’d him to be oundly Lah’d for’t, but jut as they were tripping him for the Execution, In comes One to Invite Xanthus abroad to Supper. Well Mater, ays Æop, and where’s the Credit of your Augury Now? When, I that ay Two Crows, am to be beaten like a Dog, and You that aw but One, are going to make merry with your Friends? The Reaon and Quicknes of this Reflexion, Pacified the Mater for the Preent, and aved the Poor Fellow a ound Whipping.

S Xanthus was Walking once among certain Monuments, with Æop at his Heels; and Plodding upon everal Epitaphs, there was one Incription in Greek Letters, that Xanthus with all the Skill he had, could not tell what to make of. Well, ays Æop, let me ee a Little If I can Uncypher it. And o after laying Things and Things together a While, Mater, ays he, What will you give me, If I find you out a Pott of Hidden Treaure now? One Halfe of it, ays Xanthus, and your Liberty. So Æop fell to Digging, a Matter of four Yards from the Stone that had the Incription; and there found a Pott of Gold which he took up and Delivered to his Mater; and Claimed his Promie. Well, ays