Aesop's Fables: Sir Roger L'Estrange (1692)
193. A LYON, ASS, AND FOX (Perry 191)
As an Ass and a Fox were together upon the Ramble, a Lyon meets him by
the Way. The Fox’s Heart went Pit-a-Pat; but however, to make the Best
of a bad Game, he sets a good Face on’t, and up he sets a good Face on’t,
and up he goes to the Lyon; Sir, says he, I am come to offer your Majesty
a piece of Service, and I’ll cast my self upon your Honour for my own
Security. If you have a Mind to my companion the Ass here, ‘tis but a
Word speaking, and you shall have him Immediately. Let it be done then,
says the Lyon. So the Fox Trepann’d the Ass into the Toyl, and the Lyon,
when he found he had him sure, began with the Fox himself, and after that,
for his Second course, made up his Meal with the Other.
THE MORAL. We love the Treason, but we hate the Traytor.
 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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