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A Horse and A Lion

L'Estrange version

There was an old hungry lion would fain have been dealing with a piece of good horse-flesh that he had in his eye; but the nag he thought would be too fleet for him, unless he could supply the want of heels by artifice and address. He puts himself into the garb, and habit of a professor of physick, and according to the humour of the world, sets up for a doctor of the college. Under this pretext, he lets fall a word or two by way of discourse, upon the subject of his trade; but the horse smelt him out, and presently a crotchet came in his head how he might countermine him. I got a thorn in my foot t'other day, says the horse, as I was crossing a thicket, and I'm e'en quite lame on't. Oh, says the new physician, do but hold up your leg a little, and I'll cure ye immediately. The lion presently puts himself in posture for the office; but the patient was too nimble for his doctor, and so soon as ever he had him fair for his purpose, gave him so terrible a rebuke upon the forehead with his heel, that he laid him at his length, and so got off with a whole skin, before the other could execute his design.

Moral

Harm watch, harm catch, is but according to the common rule of equity and retaliation, and a very warrantable way of deceiving the deceiver.

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