go FAVOURITE FABLES.

FABLE LXVI.

THE STAG AT THE POOL.

A Srae that had been drinking at a clear spring, saw
himself in the water; and, pleased with the sight, stood long
contemplating and surveying his shape and features from head
to foot. ‘‘Ah!’’ says he, ‘‘ what a glorious pair of branching
horns are there! How gracefully do those antlers hang over
my forehead, and give an agreeable turn to my whole face! If
some other parts of my body were but in proportion to them,
I would turn my back to nobody; but I have a set of such
legs as really make me ashamed to see them. People may
talk what they please of their conveniences, and what great
need we stand in of them, upon several occasions; but, for
my part, I find them so very slender and unsightly that I had
as lief have none at all.”’

While he was giving himself these airs, he was alarmed
with the noise of some huntsmen and a pack of hounds that
had been just laid on upon the scent, and were making
towards him.

Away he flees in some consternation, and, bounding
nimbly over the plain, threw dogs and men at a vast distance
behind him. After which, taking a very thick copse, he had
the ill-fortune to be entangled by his horns in a thicket,