A Giant Oak stood near a brook in which grew some slender Reeds. My son, said the Mother Mouse, that gentle creature you saw was none other than the Cat. Mercury dived down for the third time, and when he came up again he had the very axe that had been lost. Soon after, the Ant saw a man getting ready to kill the Dove with a stone. The Serpent was furious. When the Frog saw the Mouse, he swam to the bank and croaked: Won't you pay me a visit? He could not have been bigger than this, she said. No, no! Daddy is watching and Daddy will kill him if he should come near! Now a Boar spied him, and rushing at him, gored him with his yellow tusk. From that time on, they say, she contented herself with mice and rats and had little to do with Sir Monkey.
It is easy and also contemptible to kick a man that is down.