Page:Three hundred Aesop's fables (Townshend).djvu/52

 46  to this second proposal, the Fox leapt upon his back, and steadying himself with the Goat's horns, reached in safety the mouth of the well, when he immediately made off as fast as he could. The Goat upbraided him with the breach of his bargain, when he turned round and cried out: "You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape."

Look before you leap.

THE RAVEN AND THE SWAN.

saw a Swan, and desired to secure for himself a like beauty of plumage. Supposing that his splendid white colour arose from his washing in the water in which he swam, the Raven left the altars in the neighbourhood of which he picked up his living, and took up his abode in the lakes and pools. But cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he could not change their colour, while through want of food he perished.

Change of habit cannot alter Nature.

THE THIRSTY PIGEON.

, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water painted on a sign-board. Not supposing it to be only a picture, she flew towards it with a loud whirr, and unwittingly dashed against the sign-board and jarred herself terribly. Having broken her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground, and was caught by one of the bystanders.

Zeal should not outrun discretion.