A Kingfisher normally hides but this day was out looking for her young ones. While out, a storm came and washed away the nest and babies. What a shame!
Many a wise man will provide against one danger but fall into another.
L’Estrange version
The kingfisher is a solitary bird, that wonts commonly by the water-side, and nestles in hollow banks to be out of reach of the fowlers. One of these birds happen’d to be forraging abroad for her young ones, and in the interim, comes a raging torrent, that washes away nest, birds and all. Upon her return, finding how ’twas with her, she brake out into this exclamation: Unhappy creature that I am! to fly from the bare apprehension of one enemy, into the mouth of another.
Moral
‘Tis many a wise man’s hap, while he is providing against one danger to fall into another: and for his very providence to turn to his destruction.
