Judge, 1916-02-05 · page 16 of 28
Judge — February 5, 1916 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is an Aesopian fable satirizing political naïveté, likely about trust in adversaries or appeasement of hostile powers. **The Figures:** A weasel (predator, traditional enemy) approaches a beaver colony's patriarch, flattering them and requesting access to their lodges while promising harmlessness if restrained. **The Point:** The beaver patriarch refuses, articulating the key principle: "the traditional enemy of beavers...cunning and...slaughter is well known. No prudent man ever harbors an enemy under his roof." The weasel's appeals to reason ("your traditions and fears are all wrong") are exposed as manipulation. **The Satire:** The cartoon warns against trusting traditionally hostile entities merely because they offer reassurance. The beaver's closing maxim—"He alone is safe who is always on his guard"—endorses constant vigilance against enemies, however friendly their overtures. **Historical Context:** Without a visible date, the specific political referent is unclear, but this reflects common turn-of-century Judge themes about international relations and the danger of diplomatic naïveté.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE NECESSITY OF VIGILANCE WEASEL had been watching for a long time the working of a beaver A colony, with the design of breaking into some of their lodges and stay ing their young. The Patriarch of the Colony noticed him spying on his people while they were laboring in repairing the dam and storing food for winter. The weasel, finding his observation gave him no lew to the en trances to the lodges, and not knowing that they were all under water, approached Mr. Patriarch, and with flattery said “What a busy people you have: and how careful you are to hide away your front doors; 1 have often tried to visit vou and enjoy xour entertainment. Will you not invite me to your home? “No.” replied Mr. Patriarch. “Vou are the traditional enemy of beavers. Vour cunning an d for slaughter is well known, No prudent man ever harbors an enemy under his roof." Vour tradi- tions and fears are all wrong.” broke in Mr. Weasel. “Vou may muc- cle me if vou will, so that I will te harmless.” "Ves," spoke up Mr Patriarch, “but your weasel eves are full of The beaver maxim is, He alone is safe % always on his guard. R.A. BALLINGER comicbooks.com