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much oblig’d to him for it. Dear Sprightly, adds he, I will not tail to do all that you have ſaid, and you ſhall ſee how I ſhall acquit my ſelf. They held their Peace after this Diſcourſe, of, which the Merchant heard every Word.
Next Morning betimes, the Labourer comes to take the Ox: He faſtned him to the Plow, and carried him to his ordinary Work. The Ox, who had not forgot the Aſs’s Counſe], was very troubleſome and untowardly all that Day, and in the Evening, when the Labourer brought him back to the Stall, and began to faſten him to it, the malicious Beaſt, inſtead of preſenting his Horns willingly as he us’d to do, was reſtive, and went backward bellowing; and then made at the Labourer as if he would have puſh’d him with his Horns: In a word, he did all that the Aſs advis’d him to. Next Day the Labourer came as uſual, to take the Ox to his Labour; but finding the Stall full of Beans, the Straw that he put in it the Night before not touch’d, and the Ox lying on the Ground with his Legs ſtretch’d out, and panting in a ſtrange manner, he believ’d him to be ſick, pity’d him, and thinking that it was not proper to carry him to work, went immediately and acquainted the Merchant with it.
Who perceiving that the Ox had follow’d all the miſchivous Advices of the Aſs whom he thought fit to puniſh for it, he ordered the Labourer to go and put the Aſs in the Ox’s Place, and to be ſure to work him hard. The Labourer did ſo, the Aſs was forc’d to draw the Plow all that Day, which fatigued him ſo much the more, that he was not accuſtom’d to that Sort of Labour; beſides, he had been ſo ſoundly beat, that he could ſcarce ſtand when he came back.
Mean while the Ox was mightily pleas’d, he eat up all that was in his Stall, and reſted himſelf the whole Day. He
was glad at the Heart that he had follow’d the Aſs’s Advice, bleſſed him a thouſand times for it, and did not fail to complement him upon it, when he ſaw him come back. The Aſs anſwer’d not one Word ſo vex’d was he to be ſo ill treated; but ſays within himſelf, it’s by my own Imprudence I have brought this Misfortune upon my ſelf; I liv’d happily, every thing ſmil’d upon me, I had all that I could wiſh, it’s my own Fault that I am brought to this miſerable Condi-tion;
