Two Men being to travel through a forest together, mutually engaged
to stand by each other in any danger they might encounter on the way.
They had not gone far, before a Bear rushed towards them out of a
thicket; upon which, one of them, being a light nimble fellow, got up
the branches of a tree, and kept out of sight. The other falling flat
upon his face, and holding his breath, lay still, while the Bear came
up and smelled at him, but not discovering any marks of life, he walked
quietly away again to the place of his retreat, without doing the Man
the least harm. When all was over, the Spark who had climbed the tree,
came down to his Companion, and asked him, what the Bear said to him?
for, says he, I took notice that he clapt his mouth very close to your
ear. Why, said the other, he advised me, for the future never to place
any confidence in such a faithless poltroon as you.