Aesop's Fables: Sir Roger L'Estrange (1692)
125. JUPITER AND A BEE (Perry 163)
A Bee made Jupiter a Present of a Pot of Honey, which was so kindly taken,
that he bad her ask what she would, and it should be granted to her. The
Bee desir’d it, that wherever she should set her Sting, it should be mortal.
Jupiter was loth to leave Mankind at the Mercy of a little spiteful Insect,
and so bad her have a care how she kill’d any body; for what Person soever
she attack’d, if she left her Sting behind her, it should cost her her
Life.
THE MORAL. Spiteful Prayers are no better than Curses in Disguise,
and the granting of them turns commonly to the mischief of the Petitioner.
 L'Estrange originally published his version of the fables in 1692. There is a
very nice illustrated edition in the Children's Classics series by Knopf: Sir
Roger L'Estrange. Aesop
- Fables which is available at amazon.com.
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