Aesop for Today, February 11

Again, as with the past several articles containing stories about Aesop, this
segment is taken from the writings of L'Estrange. They are more fiction than
fact, but very entertaining to read. Please note that the grammar, spellings, and
punctuations reflect the style of the 1700's when these stories were penned.

If you haven't read any of the past articles, Aesop was a slave of the philosopher
Xanthus. Some of the previous articles I've written explain how Aesop came into
the household of Xanthus and tell some of his escapades. These stories are humorous,
but basically flights of fancy, as they are not backed up by any writings of the times,
most notably those of Heradotus, the historian.

"The Wife of Xanthus was well born and wealthy, but so proud
and domineering withal, as if her Fortune and her Extraction had
entitled her to the Breeches. She was horribly bold, medling, and
expensive, (as that sort of Women commonly are) easily put off the
Hooks, and monstrous hard to be pleased again, perpetually chat-
tering at her Husband, and upon all Occasions of Controversy,
threatning him to be gone."
"It came to this at last, that Xanthus's Stock of Patience being quite
spent, he took up a resolution of going another way to work with her,
and of trying a Course of Severity, since there was nothing to be done
with her by Kindness."
"But this Experiment, instead of mending the Matter, made it
worse; for upon harder Usage, the Woman grew desperate, and
went away from him in earnest. She was as bad, 'tis true, as bad
might well be, and yet Xanthus had a kind of hankering for her
still; beside that there was Matter of Interest in the Case; and a
pestilent Tongue she had, that the poor Husband dreaded above
all things under the Sun."
"But the Man was willing however to make the best of a bad Game,
and so his Wits and his Friends were set at work, in the fairest manner
that might be, to get her home again. But there was no good to be
done in't it seems; and Xanthus was so visibly out of Humour upon't,
that AEsop in pure pity bethought himself immediately how to comfort him."
" 'Come Master,' says he, 'pluck up a good heart; for I have a Project in my
Noddle that shall bring my Mistress to you back again, with as good a Will
as ever she went from you.' "
"What does my Aesop, but away immediately to the Market among the
Butchers, Poulterers, Fishmongers, Confectioners, &c. for the best of every
thing that was in Season. Nay, he takes private People in his way too, and
chops into the very house of his Mistresses Relations, as by Mistake."
"This way of proceeeding set the whole Town agog to know the
Meaning of all this Bustle; and Aesop innocently told everybody
that his Master's Wife was run away from him, and he had married
another. His Friends up and down were all invited to come and
make merry with him, and this was to be the Wedding-Feast."
"The News flew like Lightning, and happy were they that could carry
the first Tidings of it to the run-away Lady; (for every body knew
Aesop to be a Servant in that Family.) It gather'd in the rolling,
as all other Stories do in the telling; especially where Womens
Tongues and Passions have the spreading of them."
"The Wife that was in her Nature violent and unsteady, order'd her
Chariot to be made ready immediately, and away she posts back to
her Husband, falls upon him with Outrages of Looks and Language;
and after the easing of her Mind a little, 'No Xanthus,' says she, 'do not you
flatter yourself with the hopes of enjoying another Woman while
I am alive.' "
"Xanthus look'd upon this as one of Aesop's Masterpieces; and for
that Bout all was well again betwixt Master and Mistress."

Source:Bookend http://www.geocities.co.jp/Bookend/9563/LIF/Life06.html

Today's Aesop's Fable:

The Ant and the Fly

An ant and a fly one day disputed as to their respective merits.
"Vile creeping insect!" said the fly to the ant. "Can you for a moment
compare yourself with me? I soar on the wing like a bird. I enter the palaces
of Kings, and alight on the heads of princes, nay, of emperors, and only
quit them to adorn the yet more attractive brow of beauty."
"Besides, I visit the alters of the gods. Not a sacrifice is offered but it first tasted by me. Every feast, too, is open to me. I eat and drink of the best, instead of living for days on two or three grains of corn as you do."
"All that's very fine," replied the Ant; "but listen to me. You boast of your
feasting, but you know that your diet is not always so choice, and you are somtimes forced to eat what nothing should induce me to touch."
"As for alighting on the heads of kings and emperors, you know very well that whether you pitch on the head of an emperor, or of an ass (and it is as often on the one as the other), you are shaken off from both with impatience."
"And then, the 'altars of the gods,' indeed! There and everywhere else you are looked upon as nothing but a nuisance. In the winter, too, while I feed at my ease on the fruit of my toil, I often see your friends dying with cold, hunger, and fatigue. I lose my time, now, in talking with you. Chattering will fill neither my bin nor my cupboard!"
Bread earned by toil is sweet.