Part 7 (2/2)
”Nay,” answered the Eagle, ”blame yourself rather than me. If you paint with such flattering colours, it is not my fault if I do not recognize your portraits.”
The Buffoon and the Countryman
On the occasion of some festivities that were given by a Roman n.o.bleman, a Merry-Andrew of a fellow caused much laughter by his tricks upon the stage, and, more than all, by his imitation of the squeaking of a Pig, which seemed to the hearers so real that they called for it again and again.
A Countryman, however, in the audience, thought the imitation was not perfect; and he made his way to the stage and said that, if he were permitted, he to-morrow would enter the lists and squeak against the Merry-Andrew for a wager.
The mob, antic.i.p.ating great fun, shouted their consent, and accordingly, when the next day came, the two rival jokers were in their places.
The hero of the previous day went first, and the hearers, more pleased than ever, fairly roared with delight.
Then came the turn of the Countryman, who having a Pig carefully concealed under his cloak, so that no one would have suspected its existence, vigorously pinched its ear with his thumbnail, and made it squeak with a vengeance.
”Not half as good--not half as good!” cried the audience, and many among them even began to hiss.
”Fine judges you!” replied the Countryman, rus.h.i.+ng to the front of the stage, drawing the Pig from under his cloak, and holding the animal up on high. ”Behold the performer that you condemn!”
The Old Man, His Son, and the a.s.s
An Old Man and his Little Boy were once driving an a.s.s before them to the next market-town, where it was to be sold.
”Have you no more wit,” said a pa.s.serby, ”than for you and your Son to trudge on foot and let your a.s.s go light?” So the Man put his Boy on the a.s.s, and they went on again.
”You lazy young rascal!” cried the next person they met; ”are you not ashamed to ride and let your poor old Father go on foot?” The Man then lifted off the Boy and got up himself.
Two women pa.s.sed soon after, and one said to the other, ”Look at that selfish old fellow, riding along while his little Son follows after on foot!” The Old Man thereupon took up the Boy behind him.
The next traveller they met asked the Old Man whether or not the a.s.s was his own. Being answered that it was: ”No one would think so,” said he, ”from the way in which you use it. Why, you are better able to carry the poor animal than he is to carry both of you.”
So the Old Man tied the a.s.s's legs to a long pole, and he and his Son shouldered the pole and staggered along under the weight. In that fas.h.i.+on they entered the town, and their appearance caused so much laughter that the Old Man, mad with vexation at the result of his endeavours to give satisfaction to everybody, threw the a.s.s into the river and seizing his Son by the arm went his way home again.
The Lion, the Bear, the Monkey, and the Fox
The Tyrant of the Forest issued a proclamation commanding all his subjects to repair immediately to his royal den.
Among the rest, the Bear made his appearance, but pretending to be offended with the odour which issued from the Monarch's apartments, be was imprudent enough to hold his nose in his Majesty's presence.
This insolence was so highly resented that the Lion in a rage laid him dead at his feet.
The Monkey, observing what had pa.s.sed, trembled for his skin, and attempted to conciliate favour by the most abject flattery. He began with protesting that, for his part, he thought the apartments were perfumed with Arabian spices; and, exclaiming against the rudeness of the Bear, admired the beauty of his Majesty's paws, so happily formed, he said, to correct the insolence of clowns.
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