“To this the other donkey replied, ’My lord, I admire in you exactly the same excellencies.’

“Not content with flattering each other in this way, these two asses went about the cities singing aloud each other’s praises.  Either one thought he was doing a good turn to himself in thus lauding his companion.

“Well, your majesty, I know of many people to-day, not among asses, but among exalted creatures, whom heaven has been pleased to raise to a high degree, who would, if they dared, change their title of ’Excellency to that of ‘Majesty.’  I am saying more than I should, perhaps, and I hope your majesty will keep the secret.  You wished to hear of some incident which would show you, among other things, how self-love makes people ridiculous, and there I have given you a good instance.  Injustice I will speak of another time, it would take too long now.”

Thus spoke the ape.  No one has ever been able to tell me whether he ever did speak of injustice to his king.  It would have been a delicate matter, and our master of arts, who was no fool, regarded the lion as too terrible a king to submit to being lectured too far.

XXXVI

THE WOLF AND THE FOX IN THE WELL

(Book XI.—­No. 6)

Why does AEsop give to the fox the reputation of excelling in all tricks of cunning?  I have sought for a reason, but cannot find one.  Does not the wolf, when he has need to defend his life or take that of another, display as much knowingness as the fox?  I believe he knows more, and I dare, perhaps with some reason, to contradict my master in this particular.

Nevertheless, here is a case where undoubtedly all the honour fell to the dweller in burrows.

One evening a fox, who was as hungry as a dog, happened to see the round reflection of the moon in a well, and he believed it to be a fine cheese.  There were two pails which alternately drew up the water.  Into the uppermost of these the fox leapt, and his weight caused him to descend the well, where he at once discovered his mistake about the cheese.  He became extremely worried and fancied his end approaching, for he could see no way to get up again but by some other hungry one, enticed by the same reflection, coming down in the same way that he had.

Two days passed without any one coming to the well.  Time, which is always marching onward, had, during two nights, hollowed the outline of the silvery planet, and Reynard was in despair.

[Illustration:  Descended by his greater weight.]

At last a wolf, parched with thirst, drew near, to whom the fox called from below, “Comrade, here is a treat for you!  Do you see this?  It is an exquisite cheese, made by Faunus[16] from milk of the heifer Io.[17] If Jupiter were ill and lost his appetite he would find it again by one taste of this.  I have only eaten this piece out of it; the rest will be plenty for you.  Come down in the pail up there.  I put it there on purpose for you.”