FABLES. 



333 



JESOP AT PLAY. 



AN Athenian one day found ./Esop entertaining 

 himself with a company of little Boys at their 

 childish diversions, and began to jeer and laugh 

 at him for it. ^Esop, who was too much a wag 

 himself to suffer others to ridicule him, took a bow 

 unstrung, and laid it upon the ground. Then 

 calling the censorious Athenian, Now, philosopher, 

 says he, expound the riddle if you can, and tell us 

 what the unstrained bow implies. The Man, after 

 racking his brains a considerable time to no pur- 

 pose, at last gave it up, and declared he knew not 

 what to make of it. Why, says ./Esop, smiling, if 

 you keep a bow always bent, it will lose its 

 elasticity presently; but if you let it go slack, it 

 will be fitter for use when you want it. 



