第12章 The Hawk and the Partridge.(2)

Then said he to the wolf，Hasten not to slay me，for that is not my desert and thou wouldst repent it，O valiant beast，lord of might and exceeding prowess！If thou hold thy hand and consider what I shall tell thee，thou wilt know that which I purpose；but if thou hasten to kill me，it will profit thee nothing and we shall both die here.'O wily deceiver，'answered the wolf，how hopest thou to work my deliverance and thine own，that thou wouldst have me grant thee time？Speak and let me know thy purpose.'As for my purpose，'replied the fox，it was such as deserves that thou reward me handsomely for it；for when I heard thy promises and thy confession of thy past ill conduct and regrets for not having earlier repented and done good and thy vows，shouldst thou escape from this thy stress，to leave harming thy fellows and others and forswear eating grapes and other fruits and devote thyself to humility and cut thy claws and break thy teeth and don wool and offer thyself as a sacrifice to God the Most High，--when （I say），I heard thy repentance and vows of amendment，compassion took me for thee，though before I was anxious for thy destruction，and I felt bound to save thee from this thy present plight. So I let down my tail，that thou mightest grasp it and make thine escape. Yet wouldst thou not put off thy wonted violence and brutality nor soughtest to save thyself by fair means，but gavest me such a tug that I thought my soul would depart my body，so that thou and I are become involved in the same stead of ruin and death. There is but one thing can deliver us，to which if thou agree，we shall both escape；and after it behoves thee to keep the vows thou hast made，and I will be thy friend.'What is it thou hast to propose？asked the wolf. It is，'answered the fox，that thou stand up，and I will climb up on to thy head and so bring myself nigh on a level with the surface of the earth. Then will I give a spring and as soon as I reach the ground，I will fetch thee what thou mayst lay hold of and make thine escape.'I have no faith in thy word，

rejoined the wolf，for the wise have said，'He who practices trust in the place of hate，errs，'and'He who trusts in the faithless is a dupe；he who tries those that have been [already]tried （and found wanting） shall reap repentance and his days shall pass away without profit；and he who cannot distinguish between cases，giving each its due part，his good fortune will be small and his afflictions many.'How well saith the poet：

Be thy thought ever ill and of all men beware；Suspicion of good parts the helpfullest was eer.

For nothing brings a man to peril and distress As doth the doing good （to men） and thinking fair.

And another：

Be constant ever in suspect；twill save thee aye anew；For he who lives a wakeful life，his troubles are but few.

Meet thou the foeman in thy way with open，smiling face；But in thy heart set up a host shall battle with him do.

And yet another：

Thy worst of foes is thy nearest friend，in whom thou puttest trust；So look thou be on thy guard with men and use them warily aye.

Tis weakness to augur well of fate；think rather ill of it. And be in fear of its shifts and tricks，lest it should thee bewray.'