
The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow.An Eagle had made her nest at the top of a lofty oak. A Cat, havingfound a convenient hole, lived with her kittens in the middle of thetrunk; and a Wild Sow with her young had taken shelter in a hollow atits foot. The Cat resolved to destroy by her arts this chance-madecolony. She climbed to the nest of the Eagle, and said: "Destruction ispreparing for you, and for me too. The Wild Sow, whom you may see dailydigging up the earth, wishes to uproot the oak, that she may, on itsfall, seize our families as food." Then she crept down to the cave ofthe Sow and said: "Your children are in great danger; for as soon as youshall go out with your litter to find food, the Eagle is prepared topounce upon one of your little pigs." When night came, she went forthwith silent foot and obtained food for herself and her kittens; but,feigning to be afraid, she kept a look-out all through the day.Meanwhile, the Eagle, full of fear of the Sow, sat still on thebranches, and the Sow, terrified by the Eagle, did not dare to go outfrom her cave; and thus they each, with their families, perished fromhunger. Those who stir up enmities are not to be trusted. From Aesop's Fables |