Aesop's Fables: Sir Roger L'Estrange (1692)
98. A SHEPHERD TURN’D MERCHANT (Perry
207)
A Countryman was feeding his Flock by the Sea-side, and it was so delicate
a fine Day, that the Smoothness of the Water tempted him to leave his
Shepherd’s Business and set up for a Merchant. So that in all haste he
puts off his Stock, buys a Bargain of Figs, gets his Freight aboard, and
away presently to Sea. It happen’d to be very foul Weather; so that the
Mariners were fain to cast their whole Lading over-board, to save themselves
and the Vessel. Upon this Miscarriage, our new Merchant-Adventurer betook
himself to his old Trade again: And it happen’d one Day, as he was tending
his Sheep upon the very same Coast, to be just such a flattering tempting
Sea again as that betray’d him before: Yes, yes, says he, When the Devil’s
blind: You’d have some more Figs with a Vengeance, would ye?
THE MORAL. Men may be happy in all Estates, if they will but suit their
Minds to their Condition. A Shepherd may be as easy in a Cottage, as a
Prince in a Palace, with a Mind suited to his Station; but if they will
be launching out into Trade, or Business that they do not understand,
they have nothing left them to trust to when they are once bewilder’d,
but the Hope of some kind Providence to put them in the right way home
again.
 L'Estrange originally published his version of the fables in 1692. There is a
very nice illustrated edition in the Children's Classics series by Knopf: Sir
Roger L'Estrange. Aesop
- Fables which is available at amazon.com.
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