183. Herinacei et Viperae. Herinacei, hiemem adventare praesentientes, blande viperas rogaverunt ut in propria illarum caverna adversus vim frigoris locum sibi concederent. Quod cum illae fecissent, herinacei, huc atque illuc se provolventes, spinarum acumine viperas pungebant et vehementi dolore torquebant. Illae, male secum actum videntes, blandis verbis orabant herinaceos ut exirent, quandoquidem tam multis locus esset angustus nimis. Cui herinacei “Exeant,” inquiunt, “qui hic manere non possunt.” Quare viperae, sentientes ibi locum non esse, cesserunt hospitio. Fabula innuit eos in consortia non admittendos quos non eiicere possumus.
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SLIDESHOW of all the Herrick images. The image shows a porcupine, rather than a hedgehog - the porcupine definitely looks even more dangerously prickly!
M0183 (not in Perry). Source: Barlow’s Aesop 40. This fable is not in Perry’s catalog; it is based on Abstemius 72, and Perry omitted most of Abstemius’s fables. Compare the fable of the pregnant dog and her litter, #345.
