885. Aesopus et Arcus. Cum quidam Atticus Aesopum in puerorum turba nucibus ludentem vidisset, restitit et quasi delirum risit. Quod simul sensit Aesopus (senex derisor potius quam deridendus) arcum retensum in media via posuit. “Heus,” inquit, “sapiens! Expedi quid fecerim.” Concurrit populus. Ille diu se torquet, nec quaestionis positae causam intellegit. Novissime succumbit. Tum sophus victor “Cito,” inquit, “arcum rumpes, si semper tensum habueris; at si laxaris, utilis erit cum voles.” Sic aliquando lusus animo dari debent, ut ad cogitandum melior tibi redeat.
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SLIDESHOW of all the Bewick images. You can see the boys playing off in the distance, too!
M0885 = Perry505. Source: Phaedrus 3.14 (adapted into prose). This is Perry 505. There is a similar story in the Life of Saint Anthony: an archer becomes angry when he sees the saint resting, so Anthony tells the man to shoot an arrow, then another, and another, until finally the man exclaims, “If I keep on like this, my bow will break!” Saint Anthony then explains that people likewise will break if they aren’t allowed to take a rest.
