Aesop's Fables: Sir Roger L'Estrange (1692)
87. A WOMAN AND A FAT HEN (Perry 58)
A good Woman had a Hen that laid her every day an Egg. Now she fansy’d
to her self, that upon a larger Allowance of Corn, this Hen might be brought
in time to lay twice a day. She try’d the Experiment; but the Hen grew
fat upon’t, and gave quite over laying.
THE MORAL. He that has a great deal already, and would have more, will
never think that he has enough till he has all; and that’s impossible:
wherefore we should set Bounds to our Desires, and content our selves
when we are well, for fear of losing what we had.
 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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