FAB. LVII. The Wolves and the Sheep.

AFter a long War between the Wolves and Sheep, they made a Solemn Truce for a Term of years, and gave Hostages on both sides for the keeping it inviolable. The Wolves sent their Young ones on their parts, and the Sheep, in exchange, delivered into their Custody their Page  54 Dogs, who were to remain with them till the Expiration of the Truce. But the young Wolves being separated from their Damms, began to howl and cry, which the old Wolves hearing, took thereupon an occasion most perfidiously to break the Truce, yet pretending the Sheep were the Aggressors by their ill usage of the Hostages in their hands, and then falling on the innocent Sheep, committed all manner of Hostilities and Depreda∣tions amongst them. For they, in this Distress, wanting the Dogs, who had ever been their faithful Guards to defend their several Flocks, were in a short time all miserably destroyed by the Wolves, their inveterate Enemies.

It is a madness in any men to deliver up their Guards as Hostages, or to put their Castles, and Citta∣dels, into the hands of their Enemies, who no doubt would never cease spoiling them, when they should see them thus deprived of all manner of Safe-guard.