A Hen, having found a nest of Serpent’s eggs in a dung-hill,
immediately, with a fostering care, sat upon them, with a design to
hatch them. A Swallow observing this, flew towards her, and with great
earnestness forewarned her of her danger. What! said she, are you mad,
to bring forth a brood of such pernicious creatures? Be assured, the
instant they are warmed into life, you are the first they will attack
and wreak their venomous spite upon: but the Hen persisted in her
folly, and the end verified the Swallow’s prediction.