L'Estrange: A Fox and a Weazle

A slim thin-gutted Fox made a hard shift to wriggle his Body into a Hen-roost, and when he had stuff’d his Guts well, he squeez’d hard to get out again, but the Hole was too little for him. There was a Weazle a pretty way off, that stood leering at him all this while. Brother Reynard (says he) your Belly was empty when you went in, and you must e’en stay till your Belly be empty again, before you come out.

Temperance keeps the whole Man in order, and in a good Disposition, either for Thought or Action, but the indulging of the Appetite brings a Clog both upon the Body and Mind.

Source: L'Estrange 55.

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Click here for a SLIDESHOW of all the 1590 Aesop images. This is not meant as an image for this story in particular, but it does show how a fox who is having trouble getting out of a tight spot!

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M0034 Perry024