The Eagle and the Beetle
A Beetle once begged the
Eagle to spare a Hare which had
run to her for protection. But the
Eagle pounced upon her prey,
the sweep of her great wings
tumbling the Beetle a dozen feet
away. Furious at the disrespect
shown her, the Beetle flew to the
Eagle's nest and rolled out the
eggs. Not one did she spare. The
Eagle's grief and anger knew no
bounds, but who had done the
cruel deed she did not know.
Next year the Eagle built her
nest far up on a mountain crag;
but the Beetle found it and again
destroyed the eggs. In despair
the Eagle now implored great
Jupiter to let her place her eggs
in his lap. There none would
dare harm them. But the Beetle
buzzed about Jupiter's head, and
made him rise to drive her away;
and the eggs rolled from his lap.
The Eagle and the Beetle
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Now the Beetle told the
reason for her action, and Jupiter
had to acknowledge the justice
of her cause. And they say that
ever after, while the Eagle's eggs
lie in the nest in spring, the
Beetle still sleeps in the ground.
For so Jupiter commanded.
Even the weakest may find means to avenge a wrong.
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