40 FABLES. 



made a visit to the Sow at the bottom : putting on 

 a sorrowful face, I hope, says she, you do not in- 

 tend to go abroad to-day: why not? says the Sow: 

 nay, replies the other, you may do as you please, 

 but I overheard the Eagle tell her young ones, that 

 she would treat them with a Pig the first time she 

 saw you go out; and I am not sure but she may 

 take up with a Kitten in the mean time; so good 

 morrow to you, you will excuse me, I must go and 

 take care of the little folks at home. Away she 

 went accordingly, and by contriving to steal out 

 softly at nights for her prey, and to stand watching 

 and peeping all day at her hole, as under great 

 concern, she made such an impression upon the 

 Eagle and the Sow, that neither of them dared to 

 venture abroad, for fear of the other; the conse- 

 quence of which was, that they in a little time were 

 starved, and their young ones fell a prey to the 

 treacherous Cat and her Kittens. 



APPLICATION. 



THIS shews us the ill consequence of giving ear 

 to a gossipping double-tongued neighbour. Many 

 sociable well-disposed families have been blown up 

 into a perpetual discord, by one of these wicked 

 go-betweens; so that whoever would avoid the im- 

 putation of being a bad neighbour, should guard 

 both against receiving ill impressions by hearsay, 

 and uttering his opinion of others, to those busy 

 bodies, who, to gratify a malignant disposition, or 

 gain some selfish end of their own, can magnify a 

 gnat to the size of a camel, or swell a mole-hill to 

 a mountain. 



