( 15 )
Woman, and to order her to be kil’d next Morning, and would you that I ſhould propoſe you to him? Pray confider well to what your indiſcreet Zeal will expoſe you. Yes, dear Father, replies the virtuous Daughter, I know the Risk I run, but that does not frighten me, If I periſh, my Death will be glorious; and if I ſucceed, I ſhall do my Country an important Piece of Service. No, no, ſays the Viſier, whatever you can repreſent to engage me to let you throw your ſelf into that horrible Danger, don’t you think ever I will agree to it. When the Sultan ſhall order me to ſtrike my Poniard into your Heart, alas! I muſt obey him, and what a diſmal imployment is that for a Father? Ah if you don’t fear Death, yet at leaſt be afraid of occaſioning me the mortal Grief of ſeeing my Hand ſtain’d with your Blood. Once more, Father, ſays Scheherazade, grant me the Favour I beg. Your Stubbornneſs, replies Viſier, will make me angry, why will you run headlong to your Ruin? They that don’t fore ſee the End of a dangerous Enterprize, can never bring it to an happy Iſſue, I am afraid the ſame thing will happen to you, that happen’d to the Aſs, which was well, and could not keep himſelf ſo. What Misfortune befel the Aſs, replies Scheherazade? I’ll tell it you, ſays the Viſier, if you’ll hear me.
Fable.
The Aſs, the Ox, and the Labourer.
Avery rick Merchant had ſeyeral Country Houſes, where he had abundance of Cattle of all Sort. He went with his Wife and Family to one of thoſe Eſtates, in order to improve it himſelf. He had the Gift of underſtanding the Language of Beaſts, but with this Condition, that he ſhould interpret it to no body on Pain of Death, and this hinder’d him to communicate to others what he learn’d by means of this Gift.
you
