The Eagle, The Cat, and the Sow

080. THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE SOW. As eagle had built her nest upon the top branches of an old oak; a wild cat inhabited a hole in the middle; and in the hollow part at the bottom was a sow with a whole litter of pigs. A happy neighbourhood, and might have long continued so, had it not been for the wicked insinuations of the designing cat.
For, first of all, up she crept to the eagle and, “Good neighbour,” says she, “we shall be all undone: that filthy sow yonder does nothing but lie rooting at the foot of the tree, and, as I suspect, intends to grub it up, that she may the more easily come at our young ones. For my part, I will take care of my own concerns, you may do as you please, but I will watch her motions, though I stay at home this month for it.”
When she had said this, which could not fail of putting the eagle into a great fright, down she went, and made a visit to the sow at the bottom; and putting on a sorrowful face, "I hope,” says she, “you do not intend to go abroad today?”
“Why not?” says the sow.
“Nay,” replies the other, “you may do as you please; but I overheard the eagle tell her young ones, that she would treat them with a pig the first time she saw you go out; and I am not sure but she may take up a kitten in the meantime; so, good-morrow to you; you will excuse me, I must go and take care of the little folks at home.”
Away she went accordingly and by contriving to steal out softly a-nights for her prey, and to stand watching and peeping all day at her hole, as under great concern, she made such an impression upon the eagle and the sow, that neither of them dared to venture abroad for fear of the other.
The consequence of which was, that themselves and their young ones, in a little time, were all starved and made prizes of by the treacherous cat and her kittens. [more info]

The Eagle, The Cat, and the Wild Sow

2.04. THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE WILD SOW. An Eagle had made her nest at the top of an oak; a Cat who had found a hole in the middle, had kittened there; a Sow, a dweller in the woods, had laid her offspring at the bottom. Then thus does the Cat with deceit and wicked malice, destroy the community so formed by accident. She mounts up to the nest of the Bird: “Destruction,” says she, “is preparing for you, perhaps, too, for wretched me; for as you see, the Sow, digging up the earth every day, is insidiously trying to overthrow the oak, that she may easily seize our progeny on the ground.” Having thus spread terror, and bewildered the Eagle’s senses, the Cat creeps down to the lair of the bristly Sow: “In great danger,” says she, “are your offspring; for as soon as you go out to forage with your young litter, the Eagle is ready to snatch away from you your little pigs.” Having filled this place likewise with alarm, she cunningly hides herself in her safe hole. Thence she wanders forth on tiptoe by night, and having filled herself and her offspring with food, she looks out all day long, pretending alarm. Fearing the downfall, the Eagle sits still in the branches; to avoid the attack of the spoiler, the Sow stirs not abroad. Why make a long story? They perished through hunger, with their young ones, and afforded the Cat and her kittens an ample repast.
Silly credulity may take this as a proof how much evil a double-tongued man may often contrive. [more info]

The Eagle, The Cat, and the Sow

2.04. THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE SOW.
An Eagle built upon an oak
A Cat and kittens had bespoke
A hole about the middle bough;
And underneath a woodland
Sow Had placed her pigs upon the ground.
Then treach’rous Puss a method found
To overthrow, for her own good,
The peace of this chance neighbourhood
First to the Eagle she ascends—
“Perdition on your head impends,
And, far too probable, on mine;
For you observe that grubbing
Swine Still works the tree to overset,
Us and our young with ease to get.”
Thus having filled the Eagle’s pate
With consternation very great,
Down creeps she to the Sow below;
“The Eagle is your deadly foe,
And is determined not to spare
Your pigs, when you shall take the air.”
Here too a terror being spread,
By what this tattling gossip said,
She slily to her kittens stole,
And rested snug within her hole.
Sneaking from thence with silent tread
By night her family she fed,
But look’d out sharply all the day,
Affecting terror and dismay.
The Eagle lest the tree should fall,
Keeps to the boughs, nor stirs at all;
And anxious for her grunting race,
The Sow is loth to quit her place.
In short, they and their young ones starve,
And leave a prey for Puss to carve.
Hence warn’d ye credulous and young,
Be cautious of a double tongue. [more info]

The Eagle, The Cat, and the Sow

2.40. THE EAGLE, THE CAT AND THE SOW. An Eagle had built her nest upon the top branches of an old oak. A wild Cat inhabited a hole in the middle; and in the hollow part at the bottom was a Sow, with a whole litter of pigs. A happy neighbourhood; and might long have continued so, had it not been for the wicked insinuations of the designing Cat.
For, first of all, up she crept to the Eagle; and, "good neighbour," says she, "we shall be all undone: that filthy Sow yonder does nothing but lie routing at the foot of the tree, and, as I suspect, intends to grub it up, that she may the more easily come at our young ones. For my part I will take care of my own concerns; you may do as you please, but I will watch her motions, though I stay at home this month for it."
When she had said this, which could not fail of putting the Eagle into a great fright, down she went, and made a visit to the Sow at the bottom; and, putting on a sorrowful face, "I hope," says she, "you do not intend to go abroad to-day?"
"Why not?" says the Sow.
"Nay," replies the other, "you may do as you please; but I overheard the Eagle tell her young ones, that she would treat them with a pig the first time she saw you go out; and I am not sure but she may take up with a kitten in the meantime; so, good-morrow to you; you will excuse me, I must go and take care of the little folks at home."
Away she went accordingly; and, by contriving to steal out softly at nights for her prey, and to stand watching and peeping all day at her hole, as under great concern, she made such an impression upon the Eagle and the Sow, that neither of them dared to venture abroad for fear of the other.
The consequence of which was, that themselves, and their young ones, in a little time were all starved, and made prize of by the treacherous Cat and her kittens.
MORAL. There can be no peace in any state or family where whisperers and tale-bearers are encouraged. [more info]

The Eagle, The Wild Sow, and the Cat

03.06: THE EAGLE, THE WILD SOW, AND THE CAT.
A certain hollow tree
Was tenanted by three.
An eagle held a lofty bough,
The hollow root a wild wood sow,
A female cat between the two.
All busy with maternal labours,
They lived awhile obliging neighbours.
At last the cat's deceitful tongue
Broke up the peace of old and young.
Up climbing to the eagle's nest,
She said, with whisker'd lips compress'd,
'Our death, or, what as much we mothers fear,
That of our helpless offspring dear,
Is surely drawing near.
Beneath our feet, see you not how
Destruction's plotted by the sow?
Her constant digging, soon or late,
Our proud old castle will uproot.
And then—O, sad and shocking fate!—
She'll eat our young ones, as the fruit!
Were there but hope of saving one,
'Twould soothe somewhat my bitter moan.'
Thus leaving apprehensions hideous,
Down went the puss perfidious
To where the sow, no longer digging,
Was in the very act of pigging.
'Good friend and neighbour,' whisper'd she,
'I warn you on your guard to be.
Your pigs should you but leave a minute,
This eagle here will seize them in it.
Speak not of this, I beg, at all,
Lest on my head her wrath should fall.'
Another breast with fear inspired,
With fiendish joy the cat retired.
The eagle ventured no egress
To feed her young, the sow still less.
Fools they, to think that any curse
Than ghastly famine could be worse!
Both staid at home, resolved and obstinate,
To save their young ones from impending fate,—
The royal bird for fear of mine,
For fear of royal claws the swine.
All died, at length, with hunger,
The older and the younger;
There staid, of eagle race or boar,
Not one this side of death's dread door;—
A sad misfortune, which
The wicked cats made rich.
O, what is there of hellish plot
The treacherous tongue dares not!
Of all the ills Pandora's box outpour'd,
Deceit, I think, is most to be abhorr'd.
[more info]

The Eagle, The Cat, and the Sow

10. THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE SOW
In the top of a tree was an old eagle's nest,
Where she and her young with contentment were blest.
A sow and her family took up their abode
In the hollow trunk, just close on the road,
While a wild cat reposed in a hole in the middle,
And all went as happy and gay as a fiddle,
Till the cat, with her evil and treacherous mind,
Which to trouble and mischief was always inclined,
Crept up to the eagle and said, "Woe is me!
The old sow I am sure is uprooting the tree!
She will root all around till down it will fall,
And then she'll devour us, young ones, and all!"
The eagle, affrighted, would not leave her brood,
Lest they all perish while she went for food.
This done, the old cat went down to the sow,
Saying, "Friend, I'll tell yon, you'll have trouble now,
The old eagle is watching till you go away,
To get one of your piggies for dinner today."
The sow was now frightened as much as the eagle,
And nothing could her from the hollow inveigle,
So both of these families were starved in the tree,
And the wild cat and her young ones feasted in glee.
The friend who drops in to slander a neighbor
Is more to be shunned than a foe with a saber.
[more info]