The Fawn and His Mother

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The Fawn and His Mother

A coward by nature will always be a coward.

A young Fawn was curious about why adult deer feared hounds. He asked his Mother: "You are larger, faster, and have horns; why do hounds frighten you?" She answered: "All you say is true, but it's built into my nature that at the bark of a single dog I feel faint and run away as fast as I can."

Townsend version

A young fawn once said to his Mother, "You are larger than a dog, and swifter, and more used to running, and you have your horns as a defense; why, then, O Mother! do the hounds frighten you so?" She smiled, and said: "I know full well, my son, that all you say is true. I have the advantages you mention, but when I hear even the bark of a single dog I feel ready to faint, and fly away as fast as I can."

Moral

No arguments will give courage to the coward.

L'Estrange version (A Fawn and a Stag)

A fawn was reasoning the matter with a stag, why he should run away from the dogs still; for, says he, you are bigger and stronger then they. If you have a mind to stand, y'are better arm'd; and then y'are fleeter if you'll run for't. I can't imagine what should make you so fearful of a company of pityful currs. Nay, says the stag, 'tis all true that you say, and 'tis no more then I say to my self many times, and yet whatever the matter is, let me take up what resolutions I please, when I hear the hounds once, I cannot but betake my self to my heels.

Moral

'Tis one thing to know what we ought to do, and another thing to execute it; and to bring up our practice to our philosophy: he that is naturally a coward is not to be made valiant by councell.

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