FABLES. 



THE BOY AND HIS MOTHER. 



A little Boy having stolen a book from one of his 

 school-fellows, took it to his Mother, who, instead 

 of correcting him, praised his sharpness, and re- 

 warded him. In process of time, as he grew 

 bigger, he increased also in villainy, till at length 

 he was taken up for committing a great robbery, 

 and was brought to justice and condemned for it. 

 As the officers were conducting him to the gallows, 

 he was attended by a vast crowd, and among the 

 rest his Mother came sobbing along, and deploring 

 her son's unhappy fate; which the criminal observ- 

 ing, he begged leave to speak to her: this being 

 granted, he put his mouth to her ear, as if he was 

 going to whisper something, and bit it off! The 

 officer, shocked at this behaviour, asked him if the 

 crimes he had committed were not sufficient to glut 

 his wickedness, without being also guilty of such 



