The Hen and The Swallow

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The Hen and The Swallow

A good natured man will often assist his own destruction.

Townsend version

A hen finding the eggs of a viper and carefully keeping them warm, nourished them into life. A Swallow, observing what she had done, said, "You silly creature! why have you hatched these vipers which, when they shall have grown, will inflict injury on all, beginning with yourself?'

L'Estrange version

There was a foolish hen that sat brooding upon a nest of snakes eggs. A swallow, that observ'd it, went and told her the danger on't. Little do you think, says she, what you are at this instant a doing, and that you are just now hatching your own destruction; for this good office will be your ruine.

Moral

'Tis the hard fortune of many a good natur'd man to breed up a bird to peck out his own eyes, in despite of all cautions to the contrary.

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