THE BOAR AND THE HORSE.
In days of old a horse came to drink at a pond, when he saw that a boar lay in the mud at the edge, which made the pool thick and foul. Fierce neighs and grunts were soon heard, and but for the fear the horse had of the boar’s huge tusks, they would have fought. At last the horse found a man to help him, who soon made a bit and a rein, took his bow, got on his back, and off they both set. The boar, struck with awe at so strange a sight, ran off as fast as he could, but the horse soon came up to him, and the man shot him dead. Now that there was no cause for fear, the horse would fain be once more free; so he said, “I pray thee take off this rein.” “Nay, that I will not do, my friend,” quoth the man; “for now that I have found out thy use, I will keep thee to ride on.”
A man may beat the bush, and his friend catch the bird.