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The Horse and The Stag

A quarrel had arisen between the Horse and the Stag, so the Horse came to a Hunter to ask his help to take revenge on the Stag. The Hunter agreed, but said: "If you desire to conquer the Stag, you must permit me to place this piece of iron between your jaws, so that I may guide you with these reins, and allow this saddle to be placed upon your back so that I may keep steady upon you as we follow after the enemy."

The Horse agreed to the conditions, and the Hunter soon saddled and bridled him. Then with the aid of the Hunter the Horse soon overcame the Stag, and said to the Hunter: "Now, get off, and remove those things from my mouth and back."

"Not so fast, friend," said the Hunter. "I have now got you under bit and spur, and prefer to keep you as you are at present."

Townsend version

At one time the Horse had the plain entirely to himself. Then a Stag intruded into his domain and shared his pasture. The Horse, desiring to revenge himself on the stranger, asked a man if he were willing to help him in punishing the Stag. The man replied that if the Horse would receive a bit in his mouth and agree to carry him, he would contrive effective weapons against the Stag. The Horse consented and allowed the man to mount him. From that hour he found that instead of obtaining revenge on the Stag, he had enslaved himself to the service of man.

L'Estrange version

Upon a dispute betwixt a stag and a horse about a piece of pasture, the stag got the better on't, and beat the other out of the field. The horse, upon this affront, advis'd with a man what course to take; who told him, that if he would submit to be bridled, and sadled, and take a man upon his back with a lance in his hand, he would undertake to give him the satisfaction of a revenge. The horse came to his terms, and for the gratifying of a present passion, made himself a slave all the days of his life. Stesichorus made use of this fable, to divert the Himerenses from chusing Phalaris the tyrant for their general. This horse's case, says he, will be yours, if you go on with your proposals. 'Tis true, you'l have your revenge, but you'l lose your liberties; upon which words the motion fell.

Moral

Let every man take a true measure of himself, what he is able to do, and what not; before he comes to any peremptory resolution how to proceed. He is a madman, that to avoid a present, and a less end, runs blindfolded into a greater; and for the gratifying of a froward humour, makes himself a slave all the days of his life.

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