A flock of Wild Geese and a parcel of Tame ones used often to feed together in a corn field. At last, the Owner of the corn, with his servants, coming upon them of a sudden, surprised them in the very fact, and the Tame Geese being heavy, and fat full-bodied creatures, were most of them sufferers; but the wild ones being thin and light, easily flew away.
APPLICATION.
When the enemy comes to make a seizure, they are sure to suffer most whose circumstances are the richest and fattest. In any case of persecution, money hangs like a dead weight about a man; and we never feel gold so heavy as when we are endeavouring to make off with it. Great wealth has many cares annexed to it, with which the poor and needy are not afflicted. A competency to supply the necessities of nature, and the wants of old age, is indeed to be desired; but we should rather endeavour to contract our wants, than to multiply them, and not too eagerly grasp at the augmentation of our possessions, which will increase our cares by adding to our danger. Persons of small fortune have as much reason to be contented as the rich: their situation is full as happy, considered altogether, for if they are deprived of some of the gratifications which the rich enjoy, they are also exempted from many troubles and uneasinesses necessarily cleaving to riches.
THE FROGS AND THE MICE.
The Frogs and the Mice, who inhabited part of a most extensive fen, (of which there remained unoccupied sufficient room to hold many whole nations of both) could not agree with each other so as to live in peace: many bitter disputes arose between them about the right to particular pools, and their tuft-covered margins. At length, national jealousies and animosities arose to such a height, that each claimed the sovereignty of the whole fen, and the most rancorous war was waged between them, in order to settle, by force of arms, their respective pretensions. While their hostile armies were drawn up in battle array, on a plain of several square yards in extent, protected on both flanks and rear by dark pools and gloomy forests of sedges, reeds, and bulrushes, their two chieftains advanced to meet each other, and to it they fell as fierce as tigers. While these two combatants were thus engaged, a Kite sailing in the air, beheld them from a great distance, and darting down upon them, instantly bore them off in his talons; while the field of battle presented a delicious repast to some Ravens, who had chanced to spy the movements of these hostile armies.
APPLICATION.
The leading feature in the character of men, in all ages of the world, has ever been self-interest; and when this is not kept within due bounds, by a just sense of morality and honour, their bad passions are let loose, and money, power, or dominion, are the chief objects they keep in view. When men thus depraved, have long soared above restraint, and their numbers and power become predominant in a nation, the accumulation of their wickedness hurries them blindly on to break out into offensive wars with other nations, on the most frivolous pretences, and rapine, plunder, and innumerable murders succeed, by which humanity is outraged, and the fair face of nature is deluged with blood. “Peace is the natural happy state of man, and war is his disgrace.” The mighty among the Frogs and Mice attend not to this: they strut and exult for a time; but their pride, tyranny, and injustice, will have an end: for opposed to these vices are the attributes of Omnipotence, and they are eternal. It often happens (as in the case of the combatants in the Fable) that when national depravity has attained its height, the Kites and Ravens of other regions are invited forth, and made the instruments of a just retribution.