Who in deceitful praise takes pleasure,
His folly will repent at leisure.
Perch'd o'er his head, sly Reynard sees
In a Crow's beak a tempting cheese;
When thus the cunning Fox began:
"O Crow, more fair than any swan!
If like thy form thy voice should be,
What bird can be compar'd to thee!"
To sing the flatter'd fool would try:
The cheese came tumbling from on high;
Voracious Reynard snapt it up,
And laughing, left his hungry dupe,
Who on an empty stomach ru'd,
That flattery is but hollow food.
Source: Boothby - Phaedrus 1.13.
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