A School-Boy brought his Mother a Book that he had stollen from one of his Fellows. She was so far from correcting him for’t, that she rather encourag’d him. As he grew bigger, he would be still keeping his hand in ure with somewhat greater Value, and brought to Justice for’t. His Mother went along with him to the Place of Execution, where he got leave of the Officers, to have a Word or two in private with her. He put his Mouth to her Ear, and under pretext of a Whisper, bit it clear off. This impious unnatural Villany turn’d every Body’s Heart against him more and more. Well, good People (says the Boy) here you see me an Example, both upon the Matter of Shame and of Punishment; and it is this Mother of mine that has brought me to’t; for if she had but whipt me soundly for the Book I stole when I was a Boy, I should have never come to the Gallows for pilfering now I’m a Man.
We are either made or marr’d in our Education; and Governments, as well as private Families, are concern’d in the Consequences of it.Source:
L'Estrange 99.
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SLIDESHOW of all the Medici Aesop images.I like the way this shows both stages of the story - the young boy on the left, and the grown-up thief on the right.
M0911 Perry200
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