Aesop's Fables: Townsend (1867)
145. The Philosopher, the Ants, and Mercury (Perry
306)
A PHILOSOPHER witnessed from the shore the shipwreck of a vessel, of
which the crew and passengers were all drowned. He inveighed against the
injustice of Providence, which would for the sake of one criminal perchance
sailing in the ship allow so many innocent persons to perish. As he was
indulging in these reflections, he found himself surrounded by a whole
army of Ants, near whose nest he was standing. One of them climbed up
and stung him, and he immediately trampled them all to death with his
foot. Mercury presented himself, and striking the Philosopher with his
wand, said, 'And are you indeed to make yourself a judge of the dealings
of Providence, who hast thyself in a similar manner treated these poor
Ants?'
George Fyler Townsend's translation of the fables, first published in 1867, is
in the public domain and can be found at many websites, including Project
Gutenberg.
Illustrations come from: Aesop's Fables, by George Fyler Townsend, with
illustrations by Harrison Weir, 1867, at Google
Books. |