Æsop _is accus’d by False Witnesses for Stealing his Master’s_ Figs; _and
brings himself off by his Wits, to the Confusion of his Accusers_.
_Æsop_ was not of a _Make_ to do his Master much Credit in the Quality of
a _Houshold Servant_: So that he rather sent him abroad into the _Fields_
a Digging, and to take care of his _Husbandry_. By the time he had been
there a While, his Master went out after him to see how he went on with
his Work; and found Every thing done much to his Satisfaction. In this
_Interim_ comes a Countryman to him with a Present of most Delicious
_Figs_; which he was so Wonderfully delighted with, that he gave them in
Charge to his Boy _Agathopus_ to see them carefully laid up till he came
back from the _Bath_, whither he was then a going. _Æsop_, it seems, was
now gone home upon some Particular Business, and _Agathopus_ laid hold
of This Occasion to tell One of his Companions, of a Design he had, both
upon the _Figs_, and upon their _Fellow-Servant_. _What have we more to
do_ says he, _than to Stuff our Guts with These_ Figs _our selves, and
then lay the Roguery upon_ Æsop, _who is at This Instant in the House
where they are_? And _then, when our Master comes to Examine the Matter,
we are Two Witnesses to One against him, which will make it so clear a
Case, that the Silly Cur will not have the Face to Deny the Fact_. The
Plot, in short, was agreed upon; and to work they went, upon the _Figs_,
making themselves Merry upon Every Bit they Swallow’d, to Consider how
_Æsop_’s _Carcase_ was to pay for All.
The Master, upon his coming from the _Bath_, call’d immediately for
his _Figs_, and hearing that _Æsop_ had been before-hand with him, he
sent for him in a Rage, and Rattled him with a Thousand _Traytors_ and
_Villains_, for Robbing his House, and Devouring the Fruit that he
had set apart for his own Palate. This Miserable Wretch, heard, and
understood All that was said; but by Reason of an Imperfection in his
Speech, he was not able to speak one Word in his Own Defence. His Enemies
in the mean time Insulting over him, and calling for _Justice_ upon so
Insolent a Cheat. They were now advancing from Reproches to Blows, when
_Æsop_ cast himself at his Master’s Feet, and begg’d his Patience only
till he might go out, and come in again. He went his way immediately,
and fetch’d a Vessel of Warm Water; took a Large Draught of it, in his
Masters Presence, and with his Finger in his Throat brought it all
clear up again without any Other Mixture. After This Experiment upon
_Himself_, he gave his Master to Understand, that if he would be pleased
to put his _Accusers_ to the same _Test_, he should quickly see what was
become of his _Figs_. The Proposal seem’d so Reasonable, that he Order’d
_Agathopus_ and his Fellow to do the Like. They made some Difficulty at
first of following _Æsops_ Example; but in the end, upon taking a Soup of
the same Liquor, their Stomachs Wambled, and up came the _Water_, _Figs
and all_. Upon this Evidence of the Treachery and Falshood of _Agathopus_
and his _Companion_, the Master Order’d them to be Soundly Lash’d, and
made good the Old Saying, _Harm Watch, Harm Catch_.