Fable V The Two Foxes
Two hungry Foxes once agreed
To execute a bloody deed,
And make the farmer’s poultry bleed.
Thus, as their rage was very hot,
Cocks, hens, and chickens went to pot.
The one (the slaughter being o’er)
Young, and a perfect epicure,
Propos’d on all the spoil to sup,
And at one meal to eat it up.
The other old, at heart a miser,
Refus’d his scheme, and thought it wiser
To lay aside some of the prey,
And so provide for a bad day.
“Listen, my child,” says he, “to age;
Experience has made me sage:
I know the various turns of fate:
How changeable is every state!
A mighty treasure we have found;
Success has all our wishes crown’d;
See! the vast havoc all around!
Oh let us not be lavish, son,
Nor throw away what we have won!
Oh let us not consume our store,
But, being frugal, make it more!”
“Your fine harangue,” replies the other,
“Might take, were I a griping brother:
But, as I’m generous and free,
It ne’er shall have effect on me.
I’ll live, old daddy, while I may
Indulge my noble self with prey,
And feast in spite of all you say.
But should I not—why, to our sorrow,
The fowls will stink before to-morrow.
If we return—the clown will watch us;
And, hang the dog, he’ll surely catch us:
In ambush he will watch our waters,
Or else with dogs beat up our quarters.”
This said, each fox himself obey’d,
Pursu’d the scheme that he had laid.
The younger one fell to the meat;—
And died o’ercharg’d with what he eat.
The old one, as with joy next morning,
To his hid spoil he was returning,
Ta’en by the farmer in surprise,
Fell by his hand a sacrifice.
Thus each man has his ruling passion,
And ev’ry age its inclination:
The young are heedless in their measures,
And boundless in pursuit of pleasures:
The old are all persuasion past,
Positive, and griping to the last.