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tion; and if I can’t contrive ſome way to get out of it, I am certainly undone; and as he ſpoke thus, his Strength was ſo much exhauſted, that he fell down at his Stall, as if he had been half dead.
Here the Grand Viſier addreſſed himſelf to Scheherazade, and ſaid: Daughter, you do juſt like the Aſs, you will expoſe your ſelf to Deſtruction by your falſe Prudence. Take my Advice, be eaſy, and don’t take ſuch Meaſures as will haſten your Death. Father, replies Scheberazade, the Example you bring me, is not capable of making me change my Reſolution; I will never ceaſe importuning you until you preſent me to the Sultan to be his Bride. The Viſier perceiving that ſhe inſiſted in her Demand, reply’d, Alas then! Since you will continue obſtinate, I ſhall be obliged to treat you in the ſame manner as the Merchant I nam’d juſt now treated his Wife a little time after.
The Merchant underſtanding that the Aſs was in a lamentable Condition, was curious to know what paſs’d betwixt him and the Ox; therefore, after Supper, he went out by Moon-light, and ſat down by them, his Wife bearing him Company. When he arriv’d, he heard the Aſs ſay to the Ox, Comrade, tell me, I pray you, what you intend to do to-morrow, when the Labourer brings you Meat? What will I do, ſays the Ox, I will continue to do as you taught me. I will go off from him, and threaten him with my Horns, as I did Yeſterday; I will feign my ſelf to be ſick and juſt ready to die. Beware of that, replies the Aſs, it will ruin you; for as I came home this Evening, I heard the Merchant, our Maſter, fay ſomething that makes me tremble for you. Alas! What did you bear ſays the Ox? As you love me, hide nothing from me, my dear Sprightly. Our Maſter, replied the Aſs, had theſe fad Expreſſions to the Labourer: Since the Ox does not eat, and is not able to work, I would have him kill’d to-morrow, and we will give his Fleſh as an Alms to the Poor for God’s ſake; as for his Skin, that will be of Uſe to us, and I would have you give it the Currier to dreſs, therefore don’t fail, but ſend for the Butcher. This is what I had to tell you, ſays the Aſs. The Concern I have for your Preſervation, and my Friendſhip far you, oblig’d me to let you know it, and togive
