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Monday, September 06, 2010 - 6:25 PM
The Salt Merchant and His Ass
A Peddler drove his Ass to the seashore to buy salt. His road
home lay across a stream into which his Ass, making a false step, fell
by accident and rose up again with his load considerably lighter, as the
water melted the sack. The Peddler retraced his steps and refilled his
panniers with a larger quantity of salt than before. When he came again
to the stream, the Ass fell down on purpose in the same spot, and, regaining
his feet with the weight of his load much diminished, brayed triumphantly
as if he had obtained what he desired. The Peddler saw through his trick
and drove him for the third time to the coast, where he bought a cargo
of sponges instead of salt. The Ass, again playing the fool, fell down
on purpose when he reached the stream, but the sponges became swollen with
water, greatly increasing his load. And thus his trick recoiled on him,
for he now carried on his back a double burden.
The Oxen and the Butchers
Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire once upon a time sought to destroy the Butchers, who practiced
a trade destructive to their race. They assembled on a certain day to
carry out their purpose, and sharpened their horns for the contest. But
one of them who was exceedingly old (for many a field had he plowed) thus
spoke: "These Butchers, it is true, slaughter us, but they do so with
skillful hands, and with no unnecessary pain. If we get rid of them, we
shall fall into the hands of unskillful operators, and thus suffer a double
death: for you may be assured, that though all the Butchers should perish,
yet will men never want beef."
Do not be in a hurry to change one evil for
another.
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