The Eagle The Cat And The Wild Sow
An Eagle made her nest at the top of a lofty oak; a Cat, having found
a convenient hole, moved into the middle of the trunk; and a Wild
Sow, with her young, took shelter in a hollow at its foot. The Cat
cunningly resolved to destroy this chance-made colony. To carry out
her design, she climbed to the nest of the Eagle, and said, "Destruction
is preparing for you, and for me too, unfortunately. The Wild Sow,
whom you see daily digging up the earth, wishes to uproot the oak,
so she may on its fall seize our families as food for her young."
Having thus frightened the Eagle out of her senses, she crept down
to the cave of the Sow, and said, "Your children are in great danger;
for as soon as you go out with your litter to find food, the Eagle
is prepared to pounce upon one of your little pigs." Having instilled
these fears into the Sow, she went and pretended to hide herself in
the hollow of the tree. When night came she went forth with silent
foot and obtained food for herself and her kittens, but feigning to
be afraid, she kept a lookout all through the day. Meanwhile, the
Eagle, full of fear of the Sow, sat still on the branches, and the
Sow, terrified by the Eagle, did not dare to go out from her cave.
And thus they both, along with their families, perished from hunger,
and afforded ample provision for the Cat and her kittens.
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