180.The Herdsman and the Lost Bull
A HERDSMAN tending his flock in a forest lost a bull-calf from the fold. After a long and fruitless search, he made a vow that, if he could only discover the thief who had stolen the calf, he would offer a lamb in sacrifice to Sir Transporter, Pan, and the guardian deities of the forest. Not long afterwards, as he ascended a small hillock, he saw at its foot a lion feeding on the calf. Terrified at the sight, he lifted his eyes and his hands to heaven, and said:
“Just now I vowed to offer a lamb to the guardian Deities of the forest if I could only find out who had robbed me; but now that I have discovered the thief, I would willingly add a full-grown Bull to the calf I have lost, if I may only secure my own escape from him in safety.”
❖ Great things declared are sham when the real need is to escape.
179.The Hen and the Swallow
A HEN finding the eggs of a viper and carefully keeping them warm, nourished them into life. A swallow, observing what she had done, said,
“You, silly creature! Why have you hatched these vipers which, when they shall have grown, will inflict injury on all, starting with yourself?”
❖ A great question could deserve a top answer.
178.The Heifer and the Ox
A HEIFER saw an ox hard at work harnessed to a plow, and tormented him with reflections on his unhappy fate in being compelled to labor. Shortly afterwards, at the harvest festival, the owner released the ox from his yoke, but bound the heifer with cords and led him away to the altar to be slain in honor of the occasion. The ox saw what was being done, and said with a smile to the heifer:
“For this you were allowed to live in idleness, because you were to be sacrificed.”
❖ Consider as much as you can of the total picture before your mind gets set on lots of things. “Why here” is a help toward ongoing reflection.
177.The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons
The pigeons, terrified by the appearance of a kite, called on the hawk to defend them. He at once agreed. When they had admitted him into the cote, they found that he made more havoc and slew a larger number of them in one day than the kite could pounce on in a whole year.
❖ Avoid a remedy that is worse than the disease.
