<< Home Page | L'Estrange Index

Aesop's Fables: Sir Roger L'Estrange (1692)

177. THIEVES THAT STOLE A COCK (Perry 122)

A Band of Thieves Brake into a House once, and found nothing in’t to carry away, but One Poor Cock. The Cock said as much for Himself as a Cock could say; but Insisted Chiefly upon the Services of his calling People up to their Work, when ‘twas time to Rise. Sirrah (says one of the Thieves) You had better have let that Argument alone; for Your Waking the Family Spoils our Trade, and We are to be Hang’d forsooth your Bawling.
THE MORAL. That which is One Body’s Meat, is Another Body’s Poison; as the Trussing up of Thieves is the Security of Honest Men. One Foolish Word is enough to Spoil a Good Cause, and ’tis many a Man’s Fortune to Cut his Own Throat with his Own Argument.


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.