The Camel and Jupiter

7.07. De camelo et Iove
Caxton: Of the camel and of Iupiter
Every creature ought to be content of that / that god hath gyuen to hym withoute to take thenherytaunce of other / As reherceth this fable Of a camel whiche somtyme complayned hym to Iupiter of that the other beestes mocqued hym / by cause that he was not of so grete beaute / as they were of / wherfore to Iupiter Instantly he prayd in suche maner as foloweth / Fayr syre and god / I requyre and praye that thou wylt gyue to me hornes / to thende that I maye be nomore mocqued / Iupiter thenne beganne to lawhe / and in stede of hornes / he took fro hym his erys / and sayd / thow hast more good than hit behoueth to the to haue / And by cause that thow demaundest that / whiche thow oughtest not to haue I haue take fro the that whiche of ryght and kynd thou oughtest to haue /
For none ought not to desyre more than he ought to haue / to the ende that he lese not that whiche he hath /
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Jupiter and the Camel

045. JUPITER AND THE CAMEL. The camel presented a petition to Jupiter, complaining of the hardships of his case, in not having like bulls and other creatures, horns, or any weapons of defence to protect himself from the attacks of his enemies; and prayed that relief might be given him in such manner as might be thought most expedient.
Jupiter could not help smiling at the impertinent address of the great silly beast; but, however, rejected the petition, and told him, that so far from granting his unreasonable request, henceforward he would take care his ears would be shortened, as a punishment for his presumptuous importunity. [more info]

Jupiter and the Camel

065. JUPITER AND THE CAMEL.
For horns the Camell Iupiter implord,
With which so many beasts so well were stord.
The God inrag'd reply'd, thy forehead wears
Hence forth no horns, and what is worse no eares
Morall
With what kind heaven bestowes be thou at rest,
For that knows where to place its bounty best.
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Jupiter and the Camel

065. JUPITER AND THE CAMEL. The camel presented a petition to Jupiter, complaining of the hardships of his case, in not having like bulls and other creatures, horns, or any weapons of defence to protect himself from the attacks of his enemies; and prayed that relief might be given him in such manner as might be thought most expedient.
Jupiter could not help smiling at the impertinent address of the great silly beast; but, however, rejected the petition, and told him, that so far from granting his unreasonable request, henceforward he would take care his ears would be shortened, as a punishment for his presumptuous importunity. [more info]

Perry 117: The Camel who Wanted Horns

L'Estrange: A Camel Praying for Horns
It stuck filthily in the Camel’s Stomach, that Bulls, Stags, Lions, Bears, and the like, should be armed with Horns, Teeth, and Claws, and that a Creature of his Size should be left naked and Defenceless. Upon this Thought he fell down upon his marrow-bones, and beg’d of Jupiter to give him a pair of Horns, but the Request was so ridiculous, that Jupiter, instead of horning him, order’d him to be cropt, and so punish’d him with the Loss of his Ears, which Nature had allow’d him, for being so unreasonable as to ask for Horns, that Providence had never intended him.
The Boundaries of Heaven are in such manner distributed, that every living Creature has its share; beside, that to desire Things against Nature, is effectually to blame the very Author of Nature itself.

Boothby: Avianus. The Camel.
The restless discontented mind
Change for the worse will often find.
A Camel begg'd of Jove that he
One of the horned tribe might be;
Who, to reward his foolish prayers,
Decreed that he should lose his ears.

Source: Boothby - Avianus 25.