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The Wolf and the Lamb
WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent
hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf's right
to eat him. He thus addressed him: "Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted
me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then
born." Then said the Wolf, "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied
the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of
my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my
mother's milk is both food and drink to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him
and ate him up, saying, "Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you
refute every one of my imputations." The tyrant will always find a pretext
for his tyranny.
The Bat and the Weasels
A BAT who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be
spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy
of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, and
thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and
was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The
Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him
that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second time escaped. It is
wise to turn circumstances to good account.
The Ass and the Grasshopper
AN ASS having heard some Grasshoppers chirping, was highly enchanted; and,
desiring to possess the same charms of melody, demanded what sort of food
they lived on to give them such beautiful voices. They replied, "The dew."
The Ass resolved that he would live only upon dew, and in a short time died
of hunger.
The Lion and the Mouse
A LION was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up
angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously
entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to
repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly
after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by
ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came gnawed the rope
with his teeth, and set him free, exclaim "You ridiculed the idea of my ever
being able to help you, expecting to receive from me any repayment of your
favor; I now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits
on a Lion."
The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller
A CHARCOAL-BURNER carried on his trade in his own house. One day he met a
friend, a Fuller, and entreated him to come and live with him, saying that
they should be far better neighbors and that their housekeeping expenses
would be lessened. The Fuller replied, "The arrangement is impossible as far
as I am concerned, for whatever I should whiten, you would immediately
blacken again with your charcoal." Like will draw like.
The Father and His Sons
A FATHER had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among
themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he
determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of disunion;
and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks.
When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them
in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They tried with all
their strength, and were not able to do it. He next opened the faggot, took
the sticks separately, one by one, and again put them into his sons' hands,
upon which they broke them easily. He then addressed them in these words:
"My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other, you will
be as this faggot, uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you
are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks."
The Boy Hunting Locusts
A BOY was hunting for locusts. He had caught a goodly number, when he saw a
Scorpion, and mistaking him for a locust, reached out his hand to take him.
The Scorpion, showing his sting, said: If you had but touched me, my friend,
you would have lost me, and all your locusts too!"
The Cock and the Jewel
A COCK, scratching for food for himself and his hens, found a precious stone
and exclaimed: "If your owner had found thee, and not I, he would have taken
thee up, and have set thee in thy first estate; but I have found thee for no
purpose. I would rather have one barleycorn than all the jewels in the
world."
The Kingdom of the Lion
THE BEASTS of the field and forest had a Lion as their king. He was neither
wrathful, cruel, nor tyrannical, but just and gentle as a king could be.
During his reign he made a royal proclamation for a general assembly of all
the birds and beasts, and drew up conditions for a universal league, in
which the Wolf and the Lamb, the Panther and the Kid, the Tiger and the
Stag, the Dog and the Hare, should live together in perfect peace and amity.
The Hare said, "Oh, how I have longed to see this day, in which the weak
shall take their place with impunity by the side of the strong." And after
the Hare said this, he ran for his life.
The Wolf and the Crane
A WOLF who had a bone stuck in his throat hired a Crane, for a large sum, to
put her head into his mouth and draw out the bone. When the Crane had
extracted the bone and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning and
grinding his teeth, exclaimed: "Why, you have surely already had a
sufficient recompense, in having been permitted to draw out your head in
safety from the mouth and jaws of a wolf." In serving the wicked, expect no
reward, and be thankful if you escape injury for your pains.
The Fisherman Piping
A FISHERMAN skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the seashore.
Standing on a projecting rock, he played several tunes in the hope that the
fish, attracted by his melody, would of their own accord dance into his net,
which he had placed below. At last, having long waited in vain, he laid
aside his flute, and casting his net into the sea, made an excellent haul of
fish. When he saw them leaping about in the net upon the rock he said: "O
you most perverse creatures, when I piped you would not dance, but now that
I have ceased you do so merrily."
Hercules and the Wagoner
A CARTER was driving a wagon along a country lane, when the wheels sank down
deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied and aghast, stood looking at
the wagon, and did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules to come and help
him. Hercules, it is said, appeared and thus addressed him: "Put your
shoulders to the wheels, my man. Goad on your bullocks, and never more pray
to me for help, until you have done your best to help yourself, or depend
upon it you will henceforth pray in vain." Self-help is the best help.
The Ants and the Grasshopper
THE ANTS were spending a fine winter's day drying grain collected in the
summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly
begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, "Why did you not
treasure up food during the summer?' He replied, "I had not leisure enough.
I passed the days in singing." They then said in derision: "If you were
foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in
the winter."
The Traveler and His Dog
A TRAVELER about to set out on a journey saw his Dog stand at the door
stretching himself. He asked him sharply: "Why do you stand there gaping?
Everything is ready but you, so come with me instantly." The Dog, wagging
his tail, replied: "O, master! I am quite ready; it is you for whom I am
waiting." The loiterer often blames delay on his more active friend.
The Dog and the Shadow
A DOG, crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of flesh in his mouth,
saw his own shadow in the water and took it for that of another Dog, with a
piece of meat double his own in size. He immediately let go of his own, and
fiercely attacked the other Dog to get his larger piece from him. He thus
lost both: that which he grasped at in the water, because it was a shadow;
and his own, because the stream swept it away.
The Mole and His Mother
A MOLE, a creature blind from birth, once said to his Mother: "I am sure
than I can see, Mother!" In the desire to prove to him his mistake, his
Mother placed before him a few grains of frankincense, and asked, "What is
it?' The young Mole said, "It is a pebble." His Mother exclaimed: "My son, I
am afraid that you are not only blind, but that you have lost your sense of
smell.
The Herdsman and the Lost Bull
A HERDSMAN tending his flock in a forest lost a Bull-calf from the fold.
After a long and fruitless search, he made a vow that, if he could only
discover the thief who had stolen the Calf, he would offer a lamb in
sacrifice to Hermes, Pan, and the Guardian Deities of the forest. Not long
afterwards, as he ascended a small hillock, he saw at its foot a Lion
feeding on the Calf. Terrified at the sight, he lifted his eyes and his
hands to heaven, and said: "Just now I vowed to offer a lamb to the Guardian
Deities of the forest if I could only find out who had robbed me; but now
that I have discovered the thief, I would willingly add a full-grown Bull to
the Calf I have lost, if I may only secure my own escape from him in
safety."
The Hare and the Tortoise
A HARE one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who
replied, laughing: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a
race." The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented
to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and
fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started together.
The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady
pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside,
fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw
the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her
fatigue. Slow but steady wins the race.
The Pomegranate, Apple-Tree, and Bramble
THE POMEGRANATE and Apple-Tree disputed as to which was the most beautiful.
When their strife was at its height, a Bramble from the neighboring hedge
lifted up its voice, and said in a boastful tone: "Pray, my dear friends, in
my presence at least cease from such vain disputings."
The Farmer and the Stork
A FARMER placed nets on his newly-sown plowlands and caught a number of
Cranes, which came to pick up his seed. With them he trapped a Stork that
had fractured his leg in the net and was earnestly beseeching the Farmer to
spare his life. "Pray save me, Master," he said, "and let me go free this
once. My broken limb should excite your pity. Besides, I am no Crane, I am a
Stork, a bird of excellent character; and see how I love and slave for my
father and mother. Look too, at my feathers-- they are not the least like
those of a Crane." The Farmer laughed aloud and said, "It may be all as you
say, I only know this: I have taken you with these robbers, the Cranes, and
you must die in their company." Birds of a feather flock together.
The Farmer and the Snake
ONE WINTER a Farmer found a Snake stiff and frozen with cold. He had
compassion on it, and taking it up, placed it in his bosom. The Snake was
quickly revived by the warmth, and resuming its natural instincts, bit its
benefactor, inflicting on him a mortal wound. "Oh," cried the Farmer with
his last breath, "I am rightly served for pitying a scoundrel." The greatest
kindness will not bind the ungrateful.
The Fawn and His Mother
A YOUNG FAWN once said to his Mother, "You are larger than a dog, and
swifter, and more used to running, and you have your horns as a defense;
why, then, O Mother! do the hounds frighten you so?" She smiled, and said:
"I know full well, my son, that all you say is true. I have the advantages
you mention, but when I hear even the bark of a single dog I feel ready to
faint, and fly away as fast as I can." No arguments will give courage to the
coward.
The Bear and the Fox
A BEAR boasted very much of his philanthropy, saying that of all animals he
was the most tender in his regard for man, for he had such respect for him
that he would not even touch his dead body. A Fox hearing these words said
with a smile to the Bear, "Oh! that you would eat the dead and not the
living."
The Swallow and the Crow
THE SWALLOW and the Crow had a contention about their plumage. The Crow put
an end to the dispute by saying, "Your feathers are all very well in the
spring, but mine protect me against the winter." Fair weather friends are
not worth much.
The Mountain in Labor
A MOUNTAIN was once greatly agitated. Loud groans and noises were heard, and
crowds of people came from all parts to see what was the matter. While they
were assembled in anxious expectation of some terrible calamity, out came a
Mouse. Don't make much ado about nothing.
The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion
THE ASS and the Fox, having entered into partnership together for their
mutual protection, went out into the forest to hunt. They had not proceeded
far when they met a Lion. The Fox, seeing imminent danger, approached the
Lion and promised to contrive for him the capture of the Ass if the Lion
would pledge his word not to harm the Fox. Then, upon assuring the Ass that
he would not be injured, the Fox led him to a deep pit and arranged that he
should fall into it. The Lion, seeing that the Ass was secured, immediately
clutched the Fox, and attacked the Ass at his leisure.
The Tortoise and the Eagle
A TORTOISE, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of her
hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly. An Eagle, hovering near,
heard her lamentation and demanded what reward she would give him if he
would take her aloft and float her in the air. "I will give you," she said,
"all the riches of the Red Sea." "I will teach you to fly then," said the
Eagle; and taking her up in his talons he carried her almost to the clouds
suddenly he let her go, and she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing her shell
to pieces. The Tortoise exclaimed in the moment of death: "I have deserved
my present fate; for what had I to do with wings and clouds, who can with
difficulty move about on the earth?' If men had all they wished, they would
be often ruined.
The Flies and the Honey-Pot
A NUMBER of Flies were attracted to a jar of honey which had been overturned
in a housekeeper's room, and placing their feet in it, ate greedily. Their
feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that they could not use
their wings, nor release themselves, and were suffocated. Just as they were
expiring, they exclaimed, "O foolish creatures that we are, for the sake of
a little pleasure we have destroyed ourselves." Pleasure bought with pains,
hurts.
The Man and the Lion
A MAN and a Lion traveled together through the forest. They soon began to
boast of their respective superiority to each other in strength and prowess.
As they were disputing, they passed a statue carved in stone, which
represented "a Lion strangled by a Man." The traveler pointed to it and
said: "See there! How strong we are, and how we prevail over even the king
of beasts." The Lion replied: "This statue was made by one of you men. If we
Lions knew how to erect statues, you would see the Man placed under the paw
of the Lion." One story is good, till another is told.
The Farmer and the Cranes
SOME CRANES made their feeding grounds on some plowlands newly sown with
wheat. For a long time the Farmer, brandishing an empty sling, chased them
away by the terror he inspired; but when the birds found that the sling was
only swung in the air, they ceased to take any notice of it and would not
move. The Farmer, on seeing this, charged his sling with stones, and killed
a great number. The remaining birds at once forsook his fields, crying to
each other, "It is time for us to be off to Liliput: for this man is no
longer content to scare us, but begins to show us in earnest what he can
do." If words suffice not, blows must follow.
The Dog in the Manger
A DOG lay in a manger, and by his growling and snapping prevented the oxen
from eating the hay which had been placed for them. "What a selfish Dog!"
said one of them to his companions; "he cannot eat the hay himself, and yet
refuses to allow those to eat who can."
The Fox and the Goat
A FOX one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape. A
Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and seeing the Fox,
inquired if the water was good. Concealing his sad plight under a merry
guise, the Fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water, saying it was
excellent beyond measure, and encouraging him to descend. The Goat, mindful
only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox
informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for
their common escape. "If," said he, "you will place your forefeet upon the
wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help
you out afterwards." The Goat readily assented and the Fox leaped upon his
back. Steadying himself with the Goat's horns, he safely reached the mouth
of the well and made off as fast as he could. When the Goat upbraided him
for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out, "You foolish old
fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your
beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up,
nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape."
Look before you leap.
The Bear and the Two Travelers
TWO MEN were traveling together, when a Bear suddenly met them on their
path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and concealed himself in
the branches. The other, seeing that he must be attacked, fell flat on the
ground, and when the Bear came up and felt him with his snout, and smelt him
all over, he held his breath, and feigned the appearance of death as much as
he could. The Bear soon left him, for it is said he will not touch a dead
body. When he was quite gone, the other Traveler descended from the tree,
and jocularly inquired of his friend what it was the Bear had whispered in
his ear. "He gave me this advice," his companion replied. "Never travel with
a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger." Misfortune tests the
sincerity of friends.
The Oxen and the Axle-Trees
A HEAVY WAGON was being dragged along a country lane by a team of Oxen. The
Axle-trees groaned and creaked terribly; whereupon the Oxen, turning round,
thus addressed the wheels: "Hullo there! why do you make so much noise? We
bear all the labor, and we, not you, ought to cry out." Those who suffer
most cry out the least.
The Thirsty Pigeon
A PIGEON, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water painted on a
signboard. Not supposing it to be only a picture, she flew towards it with a
loud whir and unwittingly dashed against the signboard, jarring herself
terribly. Having broken her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground, and
was caught by one of the bystanders. Zeal should not outrun discretion.
The Raven and the Swan
A RAVEN saw a Swan and desired to secure for himself the same beautiful
plumage. Supposing that the Swan's splendid white color arose from his
washing in the water in which he swam, the Raven left the altars in the
neighborhood where he picked up his living, and took up residence in the
lakes and pools. But cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he could
not change their color, while through want of food he perished. Change of
habit cannot alter Nature.
The Goat and the Goatherd
A GOATHERD had sought to bring back a stray goat to his flock. He whistled
and sounded his horn in vain; the straggler paid no attention to the
summons. At last the Goatherd threw a stone, and breaking its horn, begged
the Goat not to tell his master. The Goat replied, "Why, you silly fellow,
the horn will speak though I be silent." Do not attempt to hide things which
cannot be hid.
The Miser
A MISER sold all that he had and bought a lump of gold, which he buried in a
hole in the ground by the side of an old wall and went to look at daily. One
of his workmen observed his frequent visits to the spot and decided to watch
his movements. He soon discovered the secret of the hidden treasure, and
digging down, came to the lump of gold, and stole it. The Miser, on his next
visit, found the hole empty and began to tear his hair and to make loud
lamentations. A neighbor, seeing him overcome with grief and learning the
cause, said, "Pray do not grieve so; but go and take a stone, and place it
in the hole, and fancy that the gold is still lying there. It will do you
quite the same service; for when the gold was there, you had it not, as you
did not make the slightest use of it."
The Sick Lion
A LION, unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself with food by
force, resolved to do so by artifice. He returned to his den, and lying down
there, pretended to be sick, taking care that his sickness should be
publicly known. The beasts expressed their sorrow, and came one by one to
his den, where the Lion devoured them. After many of the beasts had thus
disappeared, the Fox discovered the trick and presenting himself to the
Lion, stood on the outside of the cave, at a respectful distance, and asked
him how he was. "I am very middling," replied the Lion, "but why do you
stand without? Pray enter within to talk with me." "No, thank you," said the
Fox. "I notice that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but I
see no trace of any returning." He is wise who is warned by the misfortunes
of others.
The Horse and Groom
A GROOM used to spend whole days in currycombing and rubbing down his Horse,
but at the same time stole his oats and sold them for his own profit.
"Alas!" said the Horse, "if you really wish me to be in good condition, you
should groom me less, and feed me more."
The Ass and the Lapdog
A MAN had an Ass, and a Maltese Lapdog, a very great beauty. The Ass was
left in a stable and had plenty of oats and hay to eat, just as any other
Ass would. The Lapdog knew many tricks and was a great favorite with his
master, who often fondled him and seldom went out to dine without bringing
him home some tidbit to eat. The Ass, on the contrary, had much work to do
in grinding the corn-mill and in carrying wood from the forest or burdens
from the farm. He often lamented his own hard fate and contrasted it with
the luxury and idleness of the Lapdog, till at last one day he broke his
cords and halter, and galloped into his master's house, kicking up his heels
without measure, and frisking and fawning as well as he could. He next tried
to jump about his master as he had seen the Lapdog do, but he broke the
table and smashed all the dishes upon it to atoms. He then attempted to lick
his master, and jumped upon his back. The servants, hearing the strange
hubbub and perceiving the danger of their master, quickly relieved him, and
drove out the Ass to his stable with kicks and clubs and cuffs. The Ass, as
he returned to his stall beaten nearly to death, thus lamented: "I have
brought it all on myself! Why could I not have been contented to labor with
my companions, and not wish to be idle all the day like that useless little
Lapdog!"
The Lioness
A CONTROVERSY prevailed among the beasts of the field as to which of the
animals deserved the most credit for producing the greatest number of whelps
at a birth. They rushed clamorously into the presence of the Lioness and
demanded of her the settlement of the dispute. "And you," they said, "how
many sons have you at a birth?' The Lioness laughed at them, and said: "Why!
I have only one; but that one is altogether a thoroughbred Lion." The value
is in the worth, not in the number.
The Boasting Traveler
A MAN who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much, on returning to
his own country, of the many wonderful and heroic feats he had performed in
the different places he had visited. Among other things, he said that when
he was at Rhodes he had leaped to such a distance that no man of his day
could leap anywhere near him as to that, there were in Rhodes many persons
who saw him do it and whom he could call as witnesses. One of the bystanders
interrupted him, saying: "Now, my good man, if this be all true there is no
need of witnesses. Suppose this to be Rhodes, and leap for us."
The Cat and the Cock
A CAT caught a Cock, and pondered how he might find a reasonable excuse for
eating him. He accused him of being a nuisance to men by crowing in the
nighttime and not permitting them to sleep. The Cock defended himself by
saying that he did this for the benefit of men, that they might rise in time
for their labors. The Cat replied, "Although you abound in specious
apologies, I shall not remain supperless"; and he made a meal of him.
The Piglet, the Sheep, and the Goat
A YOUNG PIG was shut up in a fold-yard with a Goat and a Sheep. On one
occasion when the shepherd laid hold of him, he grunted and squeaked and
resisted violently. The Sheep and the Goat complained of his distressing
cries, saying, "He often handles us, and we do not cry out." To this the Pig
replied, "Your handling and mine are very different things. He catches you
only for your wool, or your milk, but he lays hold on me for my very life."
The Boy and the Filberts
A BOY put his hand into a pitcher full of filberts. He grasped as many as he
could possibly hold, but when he tried to pull out his hand, he was
prevented from doing so by the neck of the pitcher. Unwilling to lose his
filberts, and yet unable to withdraw his hand, he burst into tears and
bitterly lamented his disappointment. A bystander said to him, "Be satisfied
with half the quantity, and you will readily draw out your hand." Do not
attempt too much at once.
The Lion in Love
A LION demanded the daughter of a woodcutter in marriage. The Father,
unwilling to grant, and yet afraid to refuse his request, hit upon this
expedient to rid himself of his importunities. He expressed his willingness
to accept the Lion as the suitor of his daughter on one condition: that he
should allow him to extract his teeth, and cut off his claws, as his
daughter was fearfully afraid of both. The Lion cheerfully assented to the
proposal. But when the toothless, clawless Lion returned to repeat his
request, the Woodman, no longer afraid, set upon him with his club, and
drove him away into the forest.
The Laborer and the Snake
A SNAKE, having made his hole close to the porch of a cottage, inflicted a
mortal bite on the Cottager's infant son. Grieving over his loss, the Father
resolved to kill the Snake. The next day, when it came out of its hole for
food, he took up his axe, but by swinging too hastily, missed its head and
cut off only the end of its tail. After some time the Cottager, afraid that
the Snake would bite him also, endeavored to make peace, and placed some
bread and salt in the hole. The Snake, slightly hissing, said: "There can
henceforth be no peace between us; for whenever I see you I shall remember
the loss of my tail, and whenever you see me you will be thinking of the
death of your son." No one truly forgets injuries in the presence of him who
caused the injury.
The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
ONCE UPON A TIME a Wolf resolved to disguise his appearance in order to
secure food more easily. Encased in the skin of a sheep, he pastured with
the flock deceiving the shepherd by his costume. In the evening he was shut
up by the shepherd in the fold; the gate was closed, and the entrance made
thoroughly secure. But the shepherd, returning to the fold during the night
to obtain meat for the next day, mistakenly caught up the Wolf instead of a
sheep, and killed him instantly. Harm seek. harm find.
The Ass and the Mule
A MULETEER set forth on a journey, driving before him an Ass and a Mule,
both well laden. The Ass, as long as he traveled along the plain, carried
his load with ease, but when he began to ascend the steep path of the
mountain, felt his load to be more than he could bear. He entreated his
companion to relieve him of a small portion, that he might carry home the
rest; but the Mule paid no attention to the request. The Ass shortly
afterwards fell down dead under his burden. Not knowing what else to do in
so wild a region, the Muleteer placed upon the Mule the load carried by the
Ass in addition to his own, and at the top of all placed the hide of the
Ass, after he had skinned him. The Mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden,
said to himself: "I am treated according to my deserts. If I had only been
willing to assist the Ass a little in his need, I should not now be bearing,
together with his burden, himself as well."
The Frogs Asking for a King
THE FROGS, grieved at having no established Ruler, sent ambassadors to
Jupiter entreating for a King. Perceiving their simplicity, he cast down a
huge log into the lake. The Frogs were terrified at the splash occasioned by
its fall and hid themselves in the depths of the pool. But as soon as they
realized that the huge log was motionless, they swam again to the top of the
water, dismissed their fears, climbed up, and began squatting on it in
contempt. After some time they began to think themselves ill-treated in the
appointment of so inert a Ruler, and sent a second deputation to Jupiter to
pray that he would set over them another sovereign. He then gave them an Eel
to govern them. When the Frogs discovered his easy good nature, they sent
yet a third time to Jupiter to beg him to choose for them still another
King. Jupiter, displeased with all their complaints, sent a Heron, who
preyed upon the Frogs day by day till there were none left to croak upon the
lake.
The Boys and the Frogs
SOME BOYS, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water and began
to pelt them with stones. They killed several of them, when one of the
Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: "Pray stop, my boys:
what is sport to you, is death to us."
The Sick Stag
A SICK STAG lay down in a quiet corner of its pasture-ground. His companions
came in great numbers to inquire after his health, and each one helped
himself to a share of the food which had been placed for his use; so that he
died, not from his sickness, but from the failure of the means of living.
Evil companions bring more hurt than profit.
The Salt Merchant and His Ass
A PEDDLER drove his Ass to the seashore to buy salt. His road home lay
across a stream into which his Ass, making a false step, fell by accident
and rose up again with his load considerably lighter, as the water melted
the sack. The Peddler retraced his steps and refilled his panniers with a
larger quantity of salt than before. When he came again to the stream, the
Ass fell down on purpose in the same spot, and, regaining his feet with the
weight of his load much diminished, brayed triumphantly as if he had
obtained what he desired. The Peddler saw through his trick and drove him
for the third time to the coast, where he bought a cargo of sponges instead
of salt. The Ass, again playing the fool, fell down on purpose when he
reached the stream, but the sponges became swollen with water, greatly
increasing his load. And thus his trick recoiled on him, for he now carried
on his back a double burden.
The Oxen and the Butchers
THE OXEN once upon a time sought to destroy the Butchers, who practiced a
trade destructive to their race. They assembled on a certain day to carry
out their purpose, and sharpened their horns for the contest. But one of
them who was exceedingly old (for many a field had he plowed) thus spoke:
"These Butchers, it is true, slaughter us, but they do so with skillful
hands, and with no unnecessary pain. If we get rid of them, we shall fall
into the hands of unskillful operators, and thus suffer a double death: for
you may be assured, that though all the Butchers should perish, yet will men
never want beef." Do not be in a hurry to change one evil for another.
The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox
A LION, fatigued by the heat of a summer's day, fell fast asleep in his den.
A Mouse ran over his mane and ears and woke him from his slumbers. He rose
up and shook himself in great wrath, and searched every corner of his den to
find the Mouse. A Fox seeing him said: "A fine Lion you are, to be
frightened of a Mouse." "'Tis not the Mouse I fear," said the Lion; "I
resent his familiarity and ill-breeding." Little liberties are great
offenses.
The Vain Jackdaw
JUPITER DETERMINED, it is said, to create a sovereign over the birds, and
made proclamation that on a certain day they should all present themselves
before him, when he would himself choose the most beautiful among them to be
king. The Jackdaw, knowing his own ugliness, searched through the woods and
fields, and collected the feathers which had fallen from the wings of his
companions, and stuck them in all parts of his body, hoping thereby to make
himself the most beautiful of all. When the appointed day arrived, and the
birds had assembled before Jupiter, the Jackdaw also made his appearance in
his many feathered finery. But when Jupiter proposed to make him king
because of the beauty of his plumage, the birds indignantly protested, and
each plucked from him his own feathers, leaving the Jackdaw nothing but a
Jackdaw.
The Goatherd and the Wild Goats
A GOATHERD, driving his flock from their pasture at eventide, found some
Wild Goats mingled among them, and shut them up together with his own for
the night. The next day it snowed very hard, so that he could not take the
herd to their usual feeding places, but was obliged to keep them in the
fold. He gave his own goats just sufficient food to keep them alive, but fed
the strangers more abundantly in the hope of enticing them to stay with him
and of making them his own. When the thaw set in, he led them all out to
feed, and the Wild Goats scampered away as fast as they could to the
mountains. The Goatherd scolded them for their ingratitude in leaving him,
when during the storm he had taken more care of them than of his own herd.
One of them, turning about, said to him: "That is the very reason why we are
so cautious; for if you yesterday treated us better than the Goats you have
had so long, it is plain also that if others came after us, you would in the
same manner prefer them to ourselves." Old friends cannot with impunity be
sacrificed for new ones.
The Mischievous Dog
A DOG used to run up quietly to the heels of everyone he met, and to bite
them without notice. His master suspended a bell about his neck so that the
Dog might give notice of his presence wherever he went. Thinking it a mark
of distinction, the Dog grew proud of his bell and went tinkling it all over
the marketplace. One day an old hound said to him: Why do you make such an
exhibition of yourself? That bell that you carry is not, believe me, any
order of merit, but on the contrary a mark of disgrace, a public notice to
all men to avoid you as an ill mannered dog." Notoriety is often mistaken
for fame.
The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail
A FOX caught in a trap escaped, but in so doing lost his tail. Thereafter,
feeling his life a burden from the shame and ridicule to which he was
exposed, he schemed to convince all the other Foxes that being tailless was
much more attractive, thus making up for his own deprivation. He assembled a
good many Foxes and publicly advised them to cut off their tails, saying
that they would not only look much better without them, but that they would
get rid of the weight of the brush, which was a very great inconvenience.
One of them interrupting him said, "If you had not yourself lost your tail,
my friend, you would not thus counsel us."
The Boy and the Nettles
A BOY was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his Mother, saying,
"Although it hurts me very much, I only touched it gently." "That was just
why it stung you," said his Mother. "The next time you touch a Nettle, grasp
it boldly, and it will be soft as silk to your hand, and not in the least
hurt you." Whatever you do, do with all your might.
The Man and His Two Sweethearts
A MIDDLE-AGED MAN, whose hair had begun to turn gray, courted two women at
the same time. One of them was young, and the other well advanced in years.
The elder woman, ashamed to be courted by a man younger than herself, made a
point, whenever her admirer visited her, to pull out some portion of his
black hairs. The younger, on the contrary, not wishing to become the wife of
an old man, was equally zealous in removing every gray hair she could find.
Thus it came to pass that between them both he very soon found that he had
not a hair left on his head. Those who seek to please everybody please
nobody.
The Astronomer
AN ASTRONOMER used to go out at night to observe the stars. One evening, as
he wandered through the suburbs with his whole attention fixed on the sky,
he fell accidentally into a deep well. While he lamented and bewailed his
sores and bruises, and cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well,
and learning what had happened said: "Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving
to pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on earth?'
The Wolves and the Sheep
"WHY SHOULD there always be this fear and slaughter between us?" said the
Wolves to the Sheep. "Those evil-disposed Dogs have much to answer for. They
always bark whenever we approach you and attack us before we have done any
harm. If you would only dismiss them from your heels, there might soon be
treaties of peace and reconciliation between us." The Sheep, poor silly
creatures, were easily beguiled and dismissed the Dogs, whereupon the Wolves
destroyed the unguarded flock at their own pleasure.
The Old Woman and the Physician
AN OLD WOMAN having lost the use of her eyes, called in a Physician to heal
them, and made this bargain with him in the presence of witnesses: that if
he should cure her blindness, he should receive from her a sum of money; but
if her infirmity remained, she should give him nothing. This agreement being
made, the Physician, time after time, applied his salve to her eyes, and on
every visit took something away, stealing all her property little by little.
And when he had got all she had, he healed her and demanded the promised
payment. The Old Woman, when she recovered her sight and saw none of her
goods in her house, would give him nothing. The Physician insisted on his
claim, and. as she still refused, summoned her before the Judge. The Old
Woman, standing up in the Court, argued: "This man here speaks the truth in
what he says; for I did promise to give him a sum of money if I should
recover my sight: but if I continued blind, I was to give him nothing. Now
he declares that I am healed. I on the contrary affirm that I am still
blind; for when I lost the use of my eyes, I saw in my house various
chattels and valuable goods: but now, though he swears I am cured of my
blindness, I am not able to see a single thing in it."
The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle
TWO GAME COCKS were fiercely fighting for the mastery of the farmyard. One
at last put the other to flight. The vanquished Cock skulked away and hid
himself in a quiet corner, while the conqueror, flying up to a high wall,
flapped his wings and crowed exultingly with all his might. An Eagle sailing
through the air pounced upon him and carried him off in his talons. The
vanquished Cock immediately came out of his corner, and ruled henceforth
with undisputed mastery. Pride goes before destruction.
The Charger and the Miller
A CHARGER, feeling the infirmities of age, was sent to work in a mill
instead of going out to battle. But when he was compelled to grind instead
of serving in the wars, he bewailed his change of fortune and called to mind
his former state, saying, "Ah! Miller, I had indeed to go campaigning
before, but I was barbed from counter to tail, and a man went along to groom
me; and now I cannot understand what ailed me to prefer the mill before the
battle." "Forbear," said the Miller to him, "harping on what was of yore,
for it is the common lot of mortals to sustain the ups and downs of
fortune."
The Fox and the Monkey
A MONKEY once danced in an assembly of the Beasts, and so pleased them all
by his performance that they elected him their King. A Fox, envying him the
honor, discovered a piece of meat lying in a trap, and leading the Monkey to
the place where it was, said that she had found a store, but had not used it
e had kept it for him as treasure trove of his kingdom, and counseled him to
lay hold of it. The Monkey approached carelessly and was caught in the trap;
and on his accusing the Fox of purposely leading him into the snare, she
replied, "O Monkey, and are you, with such a mind as yours, going to be King
over the Beasts?"
The Horse and His Rider
A HORSE SOLDIER took the utmost pains with his charger. As long as the war
lasted, he looked upon him as his fellow-helper in all emergencies and fed
him carefully with hay and corn. But when the war was over, he only allowed
him chaff to eat and made him carry heavy loads of wood, subjecting him to
much slavish drudgery and ill-treatment. War was again proclaimed, however,
and when the trumpet summoned him to his standard, the Soldier put on his
charger its military trappings, and mounted, being clad in his heavy coat of
mail. The Horse fell down straightway under the weight, no longer equal to
the burden, and said to his master, "You must now go to the war on foot, for
you have transformed me from a Horse into an Ass; and how can you expect
that I can again turn in a moment from an Ass to a Horse?'
The Belly and the Members
THE MEMBERS of the Body rebelled against the Belly, and said, "Why should we
be perpetually engaged in administering to your wants, while you do nothing
but take your rest, and enjoy yourself in luxury and self-indulgence?' The
Members carried out their resolve and refused their assistance to the Belly.
The whole Body quickly became debilitated, and the hands, feet, mouth, and
eyes, when too late, repented of their folly.
The Vine and the Goat
A VINE was luxuriant in the time of vintage with leaves and grapes. A Goat,
passing by, nibbled its young tendrils and its leaves. The Vine addressed
him and said: "Why do you thus injure me without a cause, and crop my
leaves? Is there no young grass left? But I shall not have to wait long for
my just revenge; for if you now should crop my leaves, and cut me down to my
root, I shall provide the wine to pour over you when you are led as a victim
to the sacrifice."
Jupiter and the Monkey
JUPITER ISSUED a proclamation to all the beasts of the forest and promised a
royal reward to the one whose offspring should be deemed the handsomest. The
Monkey came with the rest and presented, with all a mother's tenderness, a
flat-nosed, hairless, ill-featured young Monkey as a candidate for the
promised reward. A general laugh saluted her on the presentation of her son.
She resolutely said, "I know not whether Jupiter will allot the prize to my
son, but this I do know, that he is at least in the eyes of me his mother,
the dearest, handsomest, and most beautiful of all."
The Widow and Her Little Maidens
A WIDOW who was fond of cleaning had two little maidens to wait on her. She
was in the habit of waking them early in the morning, at cockcrow. The
maidens, aggravated by such excessive labor, resolved to kill the cock who
roused their mistress so early. When they had done this, they found that
they had only prepared for themselves greater troubles, for their mistress,
no longer hearing the hour from the cock, woke them up to their work in the
middle of the night.
The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf
A SHEPHERD-BOY, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, brought out the
villagers three or four times by crying out, "Wolf! Wolf!" and when his
neighbors came to help him, laughed at them for their pains. The Wolf,
however, did truly come at last. The Shepherd-boy, now really alarmed,
shouted in an agony of terror: "Pray, do come and help me; the Wolf is
killing the sheep"; but no one paid any heed to his cries, nor rendered any
assistance. The Wolf, having no cause of fear, at his leisure lacerated or
destroyed the whole flock. There is no believing a liar, even when he speaks
the truth.
The Cat and the Birds
A CAT, hearing that the Birds in a certain aviary were ailing dressed
himself up as a physician, and, taking his cane and a bag of instruments
becoming his profession, went to call on them. He knocked at the door and
inquired of the inmates how they all did, saying that if they were ill, he
would be happy to prescribe for them and cure them. They replied, "We are
all very well, and shall continue so, if you will only be good enough to go
away, and leave us as we are."
The Kid and the Wolf
A KID standing on the roof of a house, out of harm's way, saw a Wolf passing
by and immediately began to taunt and revile him. The Wolf, looking up,
said, "Sirrah! I hear thee: yet it is not thou who mockest me, but the roof
on which thou art standing." Time and place often give the advantage to the
weak over the strong.
The Ox and the Frog
AN OX drinking at a pool trod on a brood of young frogs and crushed one of
them to death. The Mother coming up, and missing one of her sons, inquired
of his brothers what had become of him. "He is dead, dear Mother; for just
now a very huge beast with four great feet came to the pool and crushed him
to death with his cloven heel." The Frog, puffing herself out, inquired, "if
the beast was as big as that in size." "Cease, Mother, to puff yourself
out," said her son, "and do not be angry; for you would, I assure you,
sooner burst than successfully imitate the hugeness of that monster."
The Shepherd and the Wolf
A SHEPHERD once found the whelp of a Wolf and brought it up, and after a
while taught it to steal lambs from the neighboring flocks. The Wolf, having
shown himself an apt pupil, said to the Shepherd, "Since you have taught me
to steal, you must keep a sharp lookout, or you will lose some of your own
flock."
The Father and His Two Daughters
A MAN had two daughters, the one married to a gardener, and the other to a
tile-maker. After a time he went to the daughter who had married the
gardener, and inquired how she was and how all things went with her. She
said, "All things are prospering with me, and I have only one wish, that
there may be a heavy fall of rain, in order that the plants may be well
watered." Not long after, he went to the daughter who had married the
tilemaker, and likewise inquired of her how she fared; she replied, "I want
for nothing, and have only one wish, that the dry weather may continue, and
the sun shine hot and bright, so that the bricks might be dried." He said to
her, "If your sister wishes for rain, and you for dry weather, with which of
the two am I to join my wishes?'
The Farmer and His Sons
A FATHER, being on the point of death, wished to be sure that his sons would
give the same attention to his farm as he himself had given it. He called
them to his bedside and said, "My sons, there is a great treasure hid in one
of my vineyards." The sons, after his death, took their spades and mattocks
and carefully dug over every portion of their land. They found no treasure,
but the vines repaid their labor by an extraordinary and superabundant crop.
The Crab and Its Mother
A CRAB said to her son, "Why do you walk so one-sided, my child? It is far
more becoming to go straight forward." The young Crab replied: "Quite true,
dear Mother; and if you will show me the straight way, I will promise to
walk in it." The Mother tried in vain, and submitted without remonstrance to
the reproof of her child. Example is more powerful than precept.
The Heifer and the Ox
A HEIFER saw an Ox hard at work harnessed to a plow, and tormented him with
reflections on his unhappy fate in being compelled to labor. Shortly
afterwards, at the harvest festival, the owner released the Ox from his
yoke, but bound the Heifer with cords and led him away to the altar to be
slain in honor of the occasion. The Ox saw what was being done, and said
with a smile to the Heifer: "For this you were allowed to live in idleness,
because you were presently to be sacrificed."
The Swallow, the Serpent, and the Court of Justice
A SWALLOW, returning from abroad and especially fond of dwelling with men,
built herself a nest in the wall of a Court of Justice and there hatched
seven young birds. A Serpent gliding past the nest from its hole in the wall
ate up the young unfledged nestlings. The Swallow, finding her nest empty,
lamented greatly and exclaimed: "Woe to me a stranger! that in this place
where all others' rights are protected, I alone should suffer wrong."
The Thief and His Mother
A BOY stole a lesson-book from one of his schoolfellows and took it home to
his Mother. She not only abstained from beating him, but encouraged him. He
next time stole a cloak and brought it to her, and she again commended him.
The Youth, advanced to adulthood, proceeded to steal things of still greater
value. At last he was caught in the very act, and having his hands bound
behind him, was led away to the place of public execution. His Mother
followed in the crowd and violently beat her breast in sorrow, whereupon the
young man said, "I wish to say something to my Mother in her ear." She came
close to him, and he quickly seized her ear with his teeth and bit it off.
The Mother upbraided him as an unnatural child, whereon he replied, "Ah! if
you had beaten me when I first stole and brought to you that lesson-book, I
should not have come to this, nor have been thus led to a disgraceful
death."
The Old Man and Death
AN OLD MAN was employed in cutting wood in the forest, and, in carrying the
faggots to the city for sale one day, became very wearied with his long
journey. He sat down by the wayside, and throwing down his load, besought
"Death" to come. "Death" immediately appeared in answer to his summons and
asked for what reason he had called him. The Old Man hurriedly replied,
"That, lifting up the load, you may place it again upon my shoulders."
The Fir-Tree and the Bramble
A FIR-TREE said boastingly to the Bramble, "You are useful for nothing at
all; while I am everywhere used for roofs and houses." The Bramble answered:
'You poor creature, if you would only call to mind the axes and saws which
are about to hew you down, you would have reason to wish that you had grown
up a Bramble, not a Fir-Tree." Better poverty without care, than riches
with.
The Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk
A MOUSE who always lived on the land, by an unlucky chance formed an
intimate acquaintance with a Frog, who lived for the most part in the water.
The Frog, one day intent on mischief, bound the foot of the Mouse tightly to
his own. Thus joined together, the Frog first of all led his friend the
Mouse to the meadow where they were accustomed to find their food. After
this, he gradually led him towards the pool in which he lived, until
reaching the very brink, he suddenly jumped in, dragging the Mouse with him.
The Frog enjoyed the water amazingly, and swam croaking about, as if he had
done a good deed. The unhappy Mouse was soon suffocated by the water, and
his dead body floated about on the surface, tied to the foot of the Frog. A
Hawk observed it, and, pouncing upon it with his talons, carried it aloft.
The Frog, being still fastened to the leg of the Mouse, was also carried off
a prisoner, and was eaten by the Hawk. Harm hatch, harm catch.
The Man Bitten by a Dog
A MAN who had been bitten by a Dog went about in quest of someone who might
heal him. A friend, meeting him and learning what he wanted, said, "If you
would be cured, take a piece of bread, and dip it in the blood from your
wound, and go and give it to the Dog that bit you." The Man who had been
bitten laughed at this advice and said, "Why? If I should do so, it would be
as if I should beg every Dog in the town to bite me." Benefits bestowed upon
the evil-disposed increase their means of injuring you.
The Two Pots
A RIVER carried down in its stream two Pots, one made of earthenware and the
other of brass. The Earthen Pot said to the Brass Pot, "Pray keep at a
distance and do not come near me, for if you touch me ever so slightly, I
shall be broken in pieces, and besides, I by no means wish to come near
you." Equals make the best friends.
The Wolf and the Sheep
A WOLF, sorely wounded and bitten by dogs, lay sick and maimed in his lair.
Being in want of food, he called to a Sheep who was passing, and asked him
to fetch some water from a stream flowing close beside him. "For," he said,
"if you will bring me drink, I will find means to provide myself with meat."
"Yes," said the Sheep, "if I should bring you the draught, you would
doubtless make me provide the meat also." Hypocritical speeches are easily
seen through.
The Aethiop
THE PURCHASER of a black servant was persuaded that the color of his skin
arose from dirt contracted through the neglect of his former masters. On
bringing him home he resorted to every means of cleaning, and subjected the
man to incessant scrubbings. The servant caught a severe cold, but he never
changed his color or complexion. What's bred in the bone will stick to the
flesh.
The Fisherman and His Nets
A FISHERMAN, engaged in his calling, made a very successful cast and
captured a great haul of fish. He managed by a skillful handling of his net
to retain all the large fish and to draw them to the shore; but he could not
prevent the smaller fish from falling back through the meshes of the net
into the sea.
The Huntsman and the Fisherman
A HUNTSMAN, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by chance with a
Fisherman who was bringing home a basket well laden with fish. The Huntsman
wished to have the fish, and their owner experienced an equal longing for
the contents of the game-bag. They quickly agreed to exchange the produce of
their day's sport. Each was so well pleased with his bargain that they made
for some time the same exchange day after day. Finally a neighbor said to
them, "If you go on in this way, you will soon destroy by frequent use the
pleasure of your exchange, and each will again wish to retain the fruits of
his own sport." Abstain and enjoy.
The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar
AN OLD WOMAN found an empty jar which had lately been full of prime old wine
and which still retained the fragrant smell of its former contents. She
greedily placed it several times to her nose, and drawing it backwards and
forwards said, "O most delicious! How nice must the Wine itself have been,
when it leaves behind in the very vessel which contained it so sweet a
perfume!" The memory of a good deed lives.
The Fox and the Crow
A CROW having stolen a bit of meat, perched in a tree and held it in her
beak. A Fox, seeing this, longed to possess the meat himself, and by a wily
stratagem succeeded. "How handsome is the Crow," he exclaimed, in the beauty
of her shape and in the fairness of her complexion! Oh, if her voice were
only equal to her beauty, she would deservedly be considered the Queen of
Birds!" This he said deceitfully; but the Crow, anxious to refute the
reflection cast upon her voice, set up a loud caw and dropped the flesh. The
Fox quickly picked it up, and thus addressed the Crow: "My good Crow, your
voice is right enough, but your wit is wanting."
The Two Dogs
A MAN had two dogs: a Hound, trained to assist him in his sports, and a
Housedog, taught to watch the house. When he returned home after a good
day's sport, he always gave the Housedog a large share of his spoil. The
Hound, feeling much aggrieved at this, reproached his companion, saying, "It
is very hard to have all this labor, while you, who do not assist in the
chase, luxuriate on the fruits of my exertions." The Housedog replied, "Do
not blame me, my friend, but find fault with the master, who has not taught
me to labor, but to depend for subsistence on the labor of others." Children
are not to be blamed for the faults of their parents.
The Stag in the Ox-Stall
A STAG, roundly chased by the hounds and blinded by fear to the danger he
was running into, took shelter in a farmyard and hid himself in a shed among
the oxen. An Ox gave him this kindly warning: "O unhappy creature! why
should you thus, of your own accord, incur destruction and trust yourself in
the house of your enemy?' The Stag replied: "Only allow me, friend, to stay
where I am, and I will undertake to find some favorable opportunity of
effecting my escape." At the approach of the evening the herdsman came to
feed his cattle, but did not see the Stag; and even the farm-bailiff with
several laborers passed through the shed and failed to notice him. The Stag,
congratulating himself on his safety, began to express his sincere thanks to
the Oxen who had kindly helped him in the hour of need. One of them again
answered him: "We indeed wish you well, but the danger is not over. There is
one other yet to pass through the shed, who has as it were a hundred eyes,
and until he has come and gone, your life is still in peril." At that moment
the master himself entered, and having had to complain that his oxen had not
been properly fed, he went up to their racks and cried out: "Why is there
such a scarcity of fodder? There is not half enough straw for them to lie
on. Those lazy fellows have not even swept the cobwebs away." While he thus
examined everything in turn, he spied the tips of the antlers of the Stag
peeping out of the straw. Then summoning his laborers, he ordered that the
Stag should be seized and killed.
The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons
THE PIGEONS, terrified by the appearance of a Kite, called upon the Hawk to
defend them. He at once consented. When they had admitted him into the cote,
they found that he made more havoc and slew a larger number of them in one
day than the Kite could pounce upon in a whole year. Avoid a remedy that is
worse than the disease.
The Widow and the Sheep
A CERTAIN poor widow had one solitary Sheep. At shearing time, wishing to
take his fleece and to avoid expense, she sheared him herself, but used the
shears so unskillfully that with the fleece she sheared the flesh. The
Sheep, writhing with pain, said, "Why do you hurt me so, Mistress? What
weight can my blood add to the wool? If you want my flesh, there is the
butcher, who will kill me in an instant; but if you want my fleece and wool,
there is the shearer, who will shear and not hurt me." The least outlay is
not always the greatest gain.
The Wild Ass and the Lion
A WILD ASS and a Lion entered into an alliance so that they might capture
the beasts of the forest with greater ease. The Lion agreed to assist the
Wild Ass with his strength, while the Wild Ass gave the Lion the benefit of
his greater speed. When they had taken as many beasts as their necessities
required, the Lion undertook to distribute the prey, and for this purpose
divided it into three shares. "I will take the first share," he said,
"because I am King: and the second share, as a partner with you in the
chase: and the third share (believe me) will be a source of great evil to
you, unless you willingly resign it to me, and set off as fast as you can."
Might makes right.
The Eagle and the Arrow
AN EAGLE sat on a lofty rock, watching the movements of a Hare whom he
sought to make his prey. An archer, who saw the Eagle from a place of
concealment, took an accurate aim and wounded him mortally. The Eagle gave
one look at the arrow that had entered his heart and saw in that single
glance that its feathers had been furnished by himself. "It is a double
grief to me," he exclaimed, "that I should perish by an arrow feathered from
my own wings."
The Sick Kite
A KITE, sick unto death, said to his mother: "O Mother! do not mourn, but at
once invoke the gods that my life may be prolonged." She replied, "Alas! my
son, which of the gods do you think will pity you? Is there one whom you
have not outraged by filching from their very altars a part of the sacrifice
offered up to them?' We must make friends in prosperity if we would have
their help in adversity.
The Lion and the Dolphin
A LION roaming by the seashore saw a Dolphin lift up its head out of the
waves, and suggested that they contract an alliance, saying that of all the
animals they ought to be the best friends, since the one was the king of
beasts on the earth, and the other was the sovereign ruler of all the
inhabitants of the ocean. The Dolphin gladly consented to this request. Not
long afterwards the Lion had a combat with a wild bull, and called on the
Dolphin to help him. The Dolphin, though quite willing to give him
assistance, was unable to do so, as he could not by any means reach the
land. The Lion abused him as a traitor. The Dolphin replied, "Nay, my
friend, blame not me, but Nature, which, while giving me the sovereignty of
the sea, has quite denied me the power of living upon the land."
The Lion and the Boar
ON A SUMMER DAY, when the great heat induced a general thirst among the
beasts, a Lion and a Boar came at the same moment to a small well to drink.
They fiercely disputed which of them should drink first, and were soon
engaged in the agonies of a mortal combat. When they stopped suddenly to
catch their breath for a fiercer renewal of the fight, they saw some
Vultures waiting in the distance to feast on the one that should fall first.
They at once made up their quarrel, saying, "It is better for us to make
friends, than to become the food of Crows or Vultures."
The One-Eyed Doe
A DOE blind in one eye was accustomed to graze as near to the edge of the
cliff as she possibly could, in the hope of securing her greater safety. She
turned her sound eye towards the land that she might get the earliest
tidings of the approach of hunter or hound, and her injured eye towards the
sea, from whence she entertained no anticipation of danger. Some boatmen
sailing by saw her, and taking a successful aim, mortally wounded her.
Yielding up her last breath, she gasped forth this lament: "O wretched
creature that I am! to take such precaution against the land, and after all
to find this seashore, to which I had come for safety, so much more
perilous."
The Shepherd and the Sea
A SHEPHERD, keeping watch over his sheep near the shore, saw the Sea very
calm and smooth, and longed to make a voyage with a view to commerce. He
sold all his flock, invested it in a cargo of dates, and set sail. But a
very great tempest came on, and the ship being in danger of sinking, he
threw all his merchandise overboard, and barely escaped with his life in the
empty ship. Not long afterwards when someone passed by and observed the
unruffled calm of the Sea, he interrupted him and said, "It is again in want
of dates, and therefore looks quiet."
The Ass, the Cock, and the Lion
AN ASS and a Cock were in a straw-yard together when a Lion, desperate from
hunger, approached the spot. He was about to spring upon the Ass, when the
Cock (to the sound of whose voice the Lion, it is said, has a singular
aversion) crowed loudly, and the Lion fled away as fast as he could. The
Ass, observing his trepidation at the mere crowing of a Cock summoned
courage to attack him, and galloped after him for that purpose. He had run
no long distance, when the Lion, turning about, seized him and tore him to
pieces. False confidence often leads into danger.
The Mice and the Weasels
THE WEASELS and the Mice waged a perpetual war with each other, in which
much blood was shed. The Weasels were always the victors. The Mice thought
that the cause of their frequent defeats was that they had no leaders set
apart from the general army to command them, and that they were exposed to
dangers from lack of discipline. They therefore chose as leaders Mice that
were most renowned for their family descent, strength, and counsel, as well
as those most noted for their courage in the fight, so that they might be
better marshaled in battle array and formed into troops, regiments, and
battalions. When all this was done, and the army disciplined, and the herald
Mouse had duly proclaimed war by challenging the Weasels, the newly chosen
generals bound their heads with straws, that they might be more conspicuous
to all their troops. Scarcely had the battle begun, when a great rout
overwhelmed the Mice, who scampered off as fast as they could to their
holes. The generals, not being able to get in on account of the ornaments on
their heads, were all captured and eaten by the Weasels. The more honor the
more danger.
The Mice in Council
THE MICE summoned a council to decide how they might best devise means of
warning themselves of the approach of their great enemy the Cat. Among the
many plans suggested, the one that found most favor was the proposal to tie
a bell to the neck of the Cat, so that the Mice, being warned by the sound
of the tinkling, might run away and hide themselves in their holes at his
approach. But when the Mice further debated who among them should thus "bell
the Cat," there was no one found to do it.
The Wolf and the Housedog
A WOLF, meeting a big well-fed Mastiff with a wooden collar about his neck
asked him who it was that fed him so well and yet compelled him to drag that
heavy log about wherever he went. "The master," he replied. Then said the
Wolf: "May no friend of mine ever be in such a plight; for the weight of
this chain is enough to spoil the appetite."
The Rivers and the Sea
THE RIVERS joined together to complain to the Sea, saying, "Why is it that
when we flow into your tides so potable and sweet, you work in us such a
change, and make us salty and unfit to drink?" The Sea, perceiving that they
intended to throw the blame on him, said, "Pray cease to flow into me, and
then you will not be made briny."
The Playful Ass
AN ASS climbed up to the roof of a building, and frisking about there, broke
in the tiling. The owner went up after him and quickly drove him down,
beating him severely with a thick wooden cudgel. The Ass said, "Why, I saw
the Monkey do this very thing yesterday, and you all laughed heartily, as if
it afforded you very great amusement."
The Three Tradesmen
A GREAT CITY was besieged, and its inhabitants were called together to
consider the best means of protecting it from the enemy. A Bricklayer
earnestly recommended bricks as affording the best material for an effective
resistance. A Carpenter, with equal enthusiasm, proposed timber as a
preferable method of defense. Upon which a Currier stood up and said, "Sirs,
I differ from you altogether: there is no material for resistance equal to a
covering of hides; and nothing so good as leather." Every man for himself.
The Master and His Dogs
A CERTAIN MAN, detained by a storm in his country house, first of all killed
his sheep, and then his goats, for the maintenance of his household. The
storm still continuing, he was obliged to slaughter his yoke oxen for food.
On seeing this, his Dogs took counsel together, and said, "It is time for us
to be off, for if the master spare not his oxen, who work for his gain, how
can we expect him to spare us?' He is not to be trusted as a friend who
mistreats his own family.
The Wolf and the Shepherds
A WOLF, passing by, saw some Shepherds in a hut eating a haunch of mutton
for their dinner. Approaching them, he said, "What a clamor you would raise
if I were to do as you are doing!"
The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat
THE DOLPHINS and Whales waged a fierce war with each other. When the battle
was at its height, a Sprat lifted its head out of the waves and said that he
would reconcile their differences if they would accept him as an umpire. One
of the Dolphins replied, "We would far rather be destroyed in our battle
with each other than admit any interference from you in our affairs."
The Ass Carrying the Image
AN ASS once carried through the streets of a city a famous wooden Image, to
be placed in one of its Temples. As he passed along, the crowd made lowly
prostration before the Image. The Ass, thinking that they bowed their heads
in token of respect for himself, bristled up with pride, gave himself airs,
and refused to move another step. The driver, seeing him thus stop, laid his
whip lustily about his shoulders and said, "O you perverse dull-head! it is
not yet come to this, that men pay worship to an Ass." They are not wise who
give to themselves the credit due to others.
The Two Travelers and the Axe
TWO MEN were journeying together. One of them picked up an axe that lay upon
the path, and said, "I have found an axe." "Nay, my friend," replied the
other, "do not say 'I,' but 'We' have found an axe." They had not gone far
before they saw the owner of the axe pursuing them, and he who had picked up
the axe said, "We are undone." "Nay," replied the other, "keep to your first
mode of speech, my friend; what you thought right then, think right now. Say
'I,' not 'We' are undone." He who shares the danger ought to share the
prize.
The Old Lion
A LION, worn out with years and powerless from disease, lay on the ground at
the point of death. A Boar rushed upon him, and avenged with a stroke of his
tusks a long-remembered injury. Shortly afterwards the Bull with his horns
gored him as if he were an enemy. When the Ass saw that the huge beast could
be assailed with impunity, he let drive at his forehead with his heels. The
expiring Lion said, "I have reluctantly brooked the insults of the brave,
but to be compelled to endure such treatment from thee, a disgrace to
Nature, is indeed to die a double death."
The Old Hound
A HOUND, who in the days of his youth and strength had never yielded to any
beast of the forest, encountered in his old age a boar in the chase. He
seized him boldly by the ear, but could not retain his hold because of the
decay of his teeth, so that the boar escaped. His master, quickly coming up,
was very much disappointed, and fiercely abused the dog. The Hound looked up
and said, "It was not my fault. master: my spirit was as good as ever, but I
could not help my infirmities. I rather deserve to be praised for what I
have been, than to be blamed for what I am."
The Bee and Jupiter
A BEE from Mount Hymettus, the queen of the hive, ascended to Olympus to
present Jupiter some honey fresh from her combs. Jupiter, delighted with the
offering of honey, promised to give whatever she should ask. She therefore
besought him, saying, "Give me, I pray thee, a sting, that if any mortal
shall approach to take my honey, I may kill him." Jupiter was much
displeased, for he loved the race of man, but could not refuse the request
because of his promise. He thus answered the Bee: "You shall have your
request, but it will be at the peril of your own life. For if you use your
sting, it shall remain in the wound you make, and then you will die from the
loss of it." Evil wishes, like chickens, come home to roost.
The Milk-Woman and Her Pail
A FARMER'S daughter was carrying her Pail of milk from the field to the
farmhouse, when she fell a-musing. "The money for which this milk will be
sold, will buy at least three hundred eggs. The eggs, allowing for all
mishaps, will produce two hundred and fifty chickens. The chickens will
become ready for the market when poultry will fetch the highest price, so
that by the end of the year I shall have money enough from my share to buy a
new gown. In this dress I will go to the Christmas parties, where all the
young fellows will propose to me, but I will toss my head and refuse them
every one." At this moment she tossed her head in unison with her thoughts,
when down fell the milk pail to the ground, and all her imaginary schemes
perished in a moment.
The Seaside Travelers
SOME TRAVELERS, journeying along the seashore, climbed to the summit of a
tall cliff, and looking over the sea, saw in the distance what they thought
was a large ship. They waited in the hope of seeing it enter the harbor, but
as the object on which they looked was driven nearer to shore by the wind,
they found that it could at the most be a small boat, and not a ship. When
however it reached the beach, they discovered that it was only a large
faggot of sticks, and one of them said to his companions, "We have waited
for no purpose, for after all there is nothing to see but a load of wood."
Our mere anticipations of life outrun its realities.
The Brazier and His Dog
A BRAZIER had a little Dog, which was a great favorite with his master, and
his constant companion. While he hammered away at his metals the Dog slept;
but when, on the other hand, he went to dinner and began to eat, the Dog
woke up and wagged his tail, as if he would ask for a share of his meal. His
master one day, pretending to be angry and shaking his stick at him, said,
"You wretched little sluggard! what shall I do to you? While I am hammering
on the anvil, you sleep on the mat; and when I begin to eat after my toil,
you wake up and wag your tail for food. Do you not know that labor is the
source of every blessing, and that none but those who work are entitled to
eat?'
The Ass and His Shadow
A TRAVELER hired an Ass to convey him to a distant place. The day being
intensely hot, and the sun shining in its strength, the Traveler stopped to
rest, and sought shelter from the heat under the Shadow of the Ass. As this
afforded only protection for one, and as the Traveler and the owner of the
Ass both claimed it, a violent dispute arose between them as to which of
them had the right to the Shadow. The owner maintained that he had let the
Ass only, and not his Shadow. The Traveler asserted that he had, with the
hire of the Ass, hired his Shadow also. The quarrel proceeded from words to
blows, and while the men fought, the Ass galloped off. In quarreling about
the shadow we often lose the substance.
The Ass and His Masters
AN ASS, belonging to an herb-seller who gave him too little food and too
much work made a petition to Jupiter to be released from his present service
and provided with another master. Jupiter, after warning him that he would
repent his request, caused him to be sold to a tile-maker. Shortly
afterwards, finding that he had heavier loads to carry and harder work in
the brick-field, he petitioned for another change of master. Jupiter,
telling him that it would be the last time that he could grant his request,
ordained that he be sold to a tanner. The Ass found that he had fallen into
worse hands, and noting his master's occupation, said, groaning: "It would
have been better for me to have been either starved by the one, or to have
been overworked by the other of my former masters, than to have been bought
by my present owner, who will even after I am dead tan my hide, and make me
useful to him."
The Oak and the Reeds
A VERY LARGE OAK was uprooted by the wind and thrown across a stream. It
fell among some Reeds, which it thus addressed: "I wonder how you, who are
so light and weak, are not entirely crushed by these strong winds." They
replied, "You fight and contend with the wind, and consequently you are
destroyed; while we on the contrary bend before the least breath of air, and
therefore remain unbroken, and escape." Stoop to conquer.
The Fisherman and the Little Fish
A FISHERMAN who lived on the produce of his nets, one day caught a single
small Fish as the result of his day's labor. The Fish, panting convulsively,
thus entreated for his life: "O Sir, what good can I be to you, and how
little am I worth? I am not yet come to my full size. Pray spare my life,
and put me back into the sea. I shall soon become a large fish fit for the
tables of the rich, and then you can catch me again, and make a handsome
profit of me." The Fisherman replied, "I should indeed be a very simple
fellow if, for the chance of a greater uncertain profit, I were to forego my
present certain gain."
The Hunter and the Woodman
A HUNTER, not very bold, was searching for the tracks of a Lion. He asked a
man felling oaks in the forest if he had seen any marks of his footsteps or
knew where his lair was. "I will," said the man, "at once show you the Lion
himself." The Hunter, turning very pale and chattering with his teeth from
fear, replied, "No, thank you. I did not ask that; it is his track only I am
in search of, not the Lion himself." The hero is brave in deeds as well as
words.
The Wild Boar and the Fox
A WILD BOAR stood under a tree and rubbed his tusks against the trunk. A Fox
passing by asked him why he thus sharpened his teeth when there was no
danger threatening from either huntsman or hound. He replied, "I do it
advisedly; for it would never do to have to sharpen my weapons just at the
time I ought to be using them."
The Lion in a Farmyard
A LION entered a farmyard. The Farmer, wishing to catch him, shut the gate.
When the Lion found that he could not escape, he flew upon the sheep and
killed them, and then attacked the oxen. The Farmer, beginning to be alarmed
for his own safety, opened the gate and released the Lion. On his departure
the Farmer grievously lamented the destruction of his sheep and oxen, but
his wife, who had been a spectator to all that took place, said, "On my
word, you are rightly served, for how could you for a moment think of
shutting up a Lion along with you in your farmyard when you know that you
shake in your shoes if you only hear his roar at a distance?'
Mercury and the Sculptor
MERCURY ONCE DETERMINED to learn in what esteem he was held among mortals.
For this purpose he assumed the character of a man and visited in this
disguise a Sculptor's studio having looked at various statues, he demanded
the price of two figures of Jupiter and Juno. When the sum at which they
were valued was named, he pointed to a figure of himself, saying to the
Sculptor, "You will certainly want much more for this, as it is the statue
of the Messenger of the Gods, and author of all your gain." The Sculptor
replied, "Well, if you will buy these, I'll fling you that into the
bargain."
The Swan and the Goose
A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan. He fed the one
for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song. When the time
came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was
dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other. By mistake
he caught the Swan instead of the Goose. The Swan, threatened with death,
burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and
preserved his life by his melody.
The Swollen Fox
A VERY HUNGRY FOX, seeing some bread and meat left by shepherds in the
hollow of an oak, crept into the hole and made a hearty meal. When he
finished, he was so full that he was not able to get out, and began to groan
and lament his fate. Another Fox passing by heard his cries, and coming up,
inquired the cause of his complaining. On learning what had happened, he
said to him, "Ah, you will have to remain there, my friend, until you become
such as you were when you crept in, and then you will easily get out."
The Fox and the Woodcutter
A FOX, running before the hounds, came across a Woodcutter felling an oak
and begged him to show him a safe hiding-place. The Woodcutter advised him
to take shelter in his own hut, so the Fox crept in and hid himself in a
corner. The huntsman soon came up with his hounds and inquired of the
Woodcutter if he had seen the Fox. He declared that he had not seen him, and
yet pointed, all the time he was speaking, to the hut where the Fox lay
hidden. The huntsman took no notice of the signs, but believing his word,
hastened forward in the chase. As soon as they were well away, the Fox
departed without taking any notice of the Woodcutter: whereon he called to
him and reproached him, saying, "You ungrateful fellow, you owe your life to
me, and yet you leave me without a word of thanks." The Fox replied,
"Indeed, I should have thanked you fervently if your deeds had been as good
as your words, and if your hands had not been traitors to your speech."
The Birdcatcher, the Partridge, and the Cock
A BIRDCATCHER was about to sit down to a dinner of herbs when a friend
unexpectedly came in. The bird-trap was quite empty, as he had caught
nothing, and he had to kill a pied Partridge, which he had tamed for a
decoy. The bird entreated earnestly for his life: "What would you do without
me when next you spread your nets? Who would chirp you to sleep, or call for
you the covey of answering birds?' The Birdcatcher spared his life, and
determined to pick out a fine young Cock just attaining to his comb. But the
Cock expostulated in piteous tones from his perch: "If you kill me, who will
announce to you the appearance of the dawn? Who will wake you to your daily
tasks or tell you when it is time to visit the bird-trap in the morning?' He
replied, "What you say is true. You are a capital bird at telling the time
of day. But my friend and I must have our dinners." Necessity knows no law.
The Monkey and the Fishermen
MONKEY perched upon a lofty tree saw some Fishermen casting their nets into
a river, and narrowly watched their proceedings. The Fishermen after a while
gave up fishing, and on going home to dinner left their nets upon the bank.
The Monkey, who is the most imitative of animals, descended from the treetop
and endeavored to do as they had done. Having handled the net, he threw it
into the river, but became tangled in the meshes and drowned. With his last
breath he said to himself, "I am rightly served; for what business had I who
had never handled a net to try and catch fish?'
The Flea and the Wrestler
A FLEA settled upon the bare foot of a Wrestler and bit him, causing the man
to call loudly upon Hercules for help. When the Flea a second time hopped
upon his foot, he groaned and said, "O Hercules! if you will not help me
against a Flea, how can I hope for your assistance against greater
antagonists?'
The Two Frogs
TWO FROGS dwelt in the same pool. When the pool dried up under the summer's
heat, they left it and set out together for another home. As they went along
they chanced to pass a deep well, amply supplied with water, and when they
saw it, one of the Frogs said to the other, "Let us descend and make our
abode in this well: it will furnish us with shelter and food." The other
replied with greater caution, "But suppose the water should fail us. How can
we get out again from so great a depth?' Do nothing without a regard to the
consequences.
The Cat and the Mice
A CERTAIN HOUSE was overrun with Mice. A Cat, discovering this, made her way
into it and began to catch and eat them one by one. Fearing for their lives,
the Mice kept themselves close in their holes. The Cat was no longer able to
get at them and perceived that she must tempt them forth by some device. For
this purpose she jumped upon a peg, and suspending herself from it,
pretended to be dead. One of the Mice, peeping stealthily out, saw her and
said, "Ah, my good madam, even though you should turn into a meal-bag, we
will not come near you."
The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox
A LION and a Bear seized a Kid at the same moment, and fought fiercely for
its possession. When they had fearfully lacerated each other and were faint
from the long combat, they lay down exhausted with fatigue. A Fox, who had
gone round them at a distance several times, saw them both stretched on the
ground with the Kid lying untouched in the middle. He ran in between them,
and seizing the Kid scampered off as fast as he could. The Lion and the Bear
saw him, but not being able to get up, said, "Woe be to us, that we should
have fought and belabored ourselves only to serve the turn of a Fox." It
sometimes happens that one man has all the toil, and another all the profit.
The Doe and the Lion
A DOE hard pressed by hunters sought refuge in a cave belonging to a Lion.
The Lion concealed himself on seeing her approach, but when she was safe
within the cave, sprang upon her and tore her to pieces. "Woe is me,"
exclaimed the Doe, "who have escaped from man, only to throw myself into the
mouth of a wild beast?' In avoiding one evil, care must be taken not to fall
into another.
The Farmer and the Fox
A FARMER, who bore a grudge against a Fox for robbing his poultry yard,
caught him at last, and being determined to take an ample revenge, tied some
rope well soaked in oil to his tail, and set it on fire. The Fox by a
strange fatality rushed to the fields of the Farmer who had captured him. It
was the time of the wheat harvest; but the Farmer reaped nothing that year
and returned home grieving sorely.
The Seagull and the Kite
A SEAGULL having bolted down too large a fish, burst its deep gullet-bag and
lay down on the shore to die. A Kite saw him and exclaimed: "You richly
deserve your fate; for a bird of the air has no business to seek its food
from the sea." Every man should be content to mind his own business.
The Philosopher, the Ants, and Mercury
A PHILOSOPHER witnessed from the shore the shipwreck of a vessel, of which
the crew and passengers were all drowned. He inveighed against the injustice
of Providence, which would for the sake of one criminal perchance sailing in
the ship allow so many innocent persons to perish. As he was indulging in
these reflections, he found himself surrounded by a whole army of Ants, near
whose nest he was standing. One of them climbed up and stung him, and he
immediately trampled them all to death with his foot. Mercury presented
himself, and striking the Philosopher with his wand, said, "And are you
indeed to make yourself a judge of the dealings of Providence, who hast
thyself in a similar manner treated these poor Ants?'
The Mouse and the Bull
A BULL was bitten by a Mouse and, angered by the wound, tried to capture
him. But the Mouse reached his hole in safety. Though the Bull dug into the
walls with his horns, he tired before he could rout out the Mouse, and
crouching down, went to sleep outside the hole. The Mouse peeped out, crept
furtively up his flank, and again biting him, retreated to his hole. The
Bull rising up, and not knowing what to do, was sadly perplexed. At which
the Mouse said, "The great do not always prevail. There are times when the
small and lowly are the strongest to do mischief."
The Lion and the Hare
A LION came across a Hare, who was fast asleep. He was just in the act of
seizing her, when a fine young Hart trotted by, and he left the Hare to
follow him. The Hare, scared by the noise, awoke and scudded away. The Lion
was unable after a long chase to catch the Hart, and returned to feed upon
the Hare. On finding that the Hare also had run off, he said, "I am rightly
served, for having let go of the food that I had in my hand for the chance
of obtaining more."
The Peasant and the Eagle
A PEASANT found an Eagle captured in a trap, and much admiring the bird, set
him free. The Eagle did not prove ungrateful to his deliverer, for seeing
the Peasant sitting under a wall which was not safe, he flew toward him and
with his talons snatched a bundle from his head. When the Peasant rose in
pursuit, the Eagle let the bundle fall again. Taking it up, the man returned
to the same place, to find that the wall under which he had been sitting had
fallen to pieces; and he marveled at the service rendered him by the Eagle.
The Image of Mercury and the Carpenter
A VERY POOR MAN, a Carpenter by trade, had a wooden image of Mercury, before
which he made offerings day by day, and begged the idol to make him rich,
but in spite of his entreaties he became poorer and poorer. At last, being
very angry, he took his image down from its pedestal and dashed it against
the wall. When its head was knocked off, out came a stream of gold, which
the Carpenter quickly picked up and said, "Well, I think thou art altogether
contradictory and unreasonable; for when I paid you honor, I reaped no
benefits: but now that I maltreat you I am loaded with an abundance of
riches."
The Bull and the Goat
A BULL, escaping from a Lion, hid in a cave which some shepherds had
recently occupied. As soon as he entered, a He-Goat left in the cave sharply
attacked him with his horns. The Bull quietly addressed him: "Butt away as
much as you will. I have no fear of you, but of the Lion. Let that monster
go away and I will soon let you know what is the respective strength of a
Goat and a Bull." It shows an evil disposition to take advantage of a friend
in distress.
The Dancing Monkeys
A PRINCE had some Monkeys trained to dance. Being naturally great mimics of
men's actions, they showed themselves most apt pupils, and when arrayed in
their rich clothes and masks, they danced as well as any of the courtiers.
The spectacle was often repeated with great applause, till on one occasion a
courtier, bent on mischief, took from his pocket a handful of nuts and threw
them upon the stage. The Monkeys at the sight of the nuts forgot their
dancing and became (as indeed they were) Monkeys instead of actors. Pulling
off their masks and tearing their robes, they fought with one another for
the nuts. The dancing spectacle thus came to an end amidst the laughter and
ridicule of the audience.
The Fox and the Leopard
THE FOX and the Leopard disputed which was the more beautiful of the two.
The Leopard exhibited one by one the various spots which decorated his skin.
But the Fox, interrupting him, said, "And how much more beautiful than you
am I, who am decorated, not in body, but in mind."
The Monkeys and Their Mother
THE MONKEY, it is said, has two young ones at each birth. The Mother fondles
one and nurtures it with the greatest affection and care, but hates and
neglects the other. It happened once that the young one which was caressed
and loved was smothered by the too great affection of the Mother, while the
despised one was nurtured and reared in spite of the neglect to which it was
exposed. The best intentions will not always ensure success.
The Oaks and Jupiter
THE OAKS presented a complaint to Jupiter, saying, "We bear for no purpose
the burden of life, as of all the trees that grow we are the most
continually in peril of the axe." Jupiter made answer: "You have only to
thank yourselves for the misfortunes to which you are exposed: for if you
did not make such excellent pillars and posts, and prove yourselves so
serviceable to the carpenters and the farmers, the axe would not so
frequently be laid to your roots."
The Hare and the Hound
A HOUND started a Hare from his lair, but after a long run, gave up the
chase. A goat-herd seeing him stop, mocked him, saying "The little one is
the best runner of the two." The Hound replied, "You do not see the
difference between us: I was only running for a dinner, but he for his
life."
The Traveler and Fortune
A TRAVELER wearied from a long journey lay down, overcome with fatigue, on
the very brink of a deep well. Just as he was about to fall into the water,
Dame Fortune, it is said, appeared to him and waking him from his slumber
thus addressed him: "Good Sir, pray wake up: for if you fall into the well,
the blame will be thrown on me, and I shall get an ill name among mortals;
for I find that men are sure to impute their calamities to me, however much
by their own folly they have really brought them on themselves." Everyone is
more or less master of his own fate.
The Bald Knight
A BALD KNIGHT, who wore a wig, went out to hunt. A sudden puff of wind blew
off his hat and wig, at which a loud laugh rang forth from his companions.
He pulled up his horse, and with great glee joined in the joke by saying,
"What a marvel it is that hairs which are not mine should fly from me, when
they have forsaken even the man on whose head they grew."
The Shepherd and the Dog
A SHEPHERD penning his sheep in the fold for the night was about to shut up
a wolf with them, when his Dog perceiving the wolf said, "Master, how can
you expect the sheep to be safe if you admit a wolf into the fold?'
The Lamp
A LAMP, soaked with too much oil and flaring brightly, boasted that it gave
more light than the sun. Then a sudden puff of wind arose, and the Lamp was
immediately extinguished. Its owner lit it again, and said: "Boast no more,
but henceforth be content to give thy light in silence. Know that not even
the stars need to be relit"
The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass
THE LION, the Fox and the Ass entered into an agreement to assist each other
in the chase. Having secured a large booty, the Lion on their return from
the forest asked the Ass to allot his due portion to each of the three
partners in the treaty. The Ass carefully divided the spoil into three equal
shares and modestly requested the two others to make the first choice. The
Lion, bursting out into a great rage, devoured the Ass. Then he requested
the Fox to do him the favor to make a division. The Fox accumulated all that
they had killed into one large heap and left to himself the smallest
possible morsel. The Lion said, "Who has taught you, my very excellent
fellow, the art of division? You are perfect to a fraction." He replied, "I
learned it from the Ass, by witnessing his fate." Happy is the man who
learns from the misfortunes of others.
The Bull, the Lioness, and the Wild-Boar Hunter
A BULL finding a lion's cub asleep gored him to death with his horns. The
Lioness came up, and bitterly lamented the death of her whelp. A wild-boar
Hunter, seeing her distress, stood at a distance and said to her, "Think how
many men there are who have reason to lament the loss of their children,
whose deaths have been caused by you."
The Oak and the Woodcutters
THE WOODCUTTER cut down a Mountain Oak and split it in pieces, making wedges
of its own branches for dividing the trunk. The Oak said with a sigh, "I do
not care about the blows of the axe aimed at my roots, but I do grieve at
being torn in pieces by these wedges made from my own branches." Misfortunes
springing from ourselves are the hardest to bear.
The Hen and the Golden Eggs
A COTTAGER and his wife had a Hen that laid a golden egg every day. They
supposed that the Hen must contain a great lump of gold in its inside, and
in order to get the gold they killed it. Having done so, they found to their
surprise that the Hen differed in no respect from their other hens. The
foolish pair, thus hoping to become rich all at once, deprived themselves of
the gain of which they were assured day by day.
The Ass and the Frogs
AN ASS, carrying a load of wood, passed through a pond. As he was crossing
through the water he lost his footing, stumbled and fell, and not being able
to rise on account of his load, groaned heavily. Some Frogs frequenting the
pool heard his lamentation, and said, "What would you do if you had to live
here always as we do, when you make such a fuss about a mere fall into the
water?" Men often bear little grievances with less courage than they do
large misfortunes.
The Crow and the Raven
A CROW was jealous of the Raven, because he was considered a bird of good
omen and always attracted the attention of men, who noted by his flight the
good or evil course of future events. Seeing some travelers approaching, the
Crow flew up into a tree, and perching herself on one of the branches, cawed
as loudly as she could. The travelers turned towards the sound and wondered
what it foreboded, when one of them said to his companion, "Let us proceed
on our journey, my friend, for it is only the caw of a crow, and her cry,
you know, is no omen." Those who assume a character which does not belong to
them, only make themselves ridiculous.
The Trees and the Axe
A MAN came into a forest and asked the Trees to provide him a handle for his
axe. The Trees consented to his request and gave him a young ash-tree. No
sooner had the man fitted a new handle to his axe from it, than he began to
use it and quickly felled with his strokes the noblest giants of the forest.
An old oak, lamenting when too late the destruction of his companions, said
to a neighboring cedar, "The first step has lost us all. If we had not given
up the rights of the ash, we might yet have retained our own privileges and
have stood for ages."
The Crab and the Fox
A CRAB, forsaking the seashore, chose a neighboring green meadow as its
feeding ground. A Fox came across him, and being very hungry ate him up.
Just as he was on the point of being eaten, the Crab said, "I well deserve
my fate, for what business had I on the land, when by my nature and habits I
am only adapted for the sea?' Contentment with our lot is an element of
happiness.
The Woman and Her Hen
A WOMAN possessed a Hen that gave her an egg every day. She often pondered
how she might obtain two eggs daily instead of one, and at last, to gain her
purpose, determined to give the Hen a double allowance of barley. From that
day the Hen became fat and sleek, and never once laid another egg.
The Ass and the Old Shepherd
A SHEPHERD, watching his Ass feeding in a meadow, was alarmed all of a
sudden by the cries of the enemy. He appealed to the Ass to fly with him,
lest they should both be captured, but the animal lazily replied, "Why
should I, pray? Do you think it likely the conqueror will place on me two
sets of panniers?' "No," rejoined the Shepherd. "Then," said the Ass, "as
long as I carry the panniers, what matters it to me whom I serve?' In a
change of government the poor change nothing beyond the name of their
master.
The Kites and the Swans
THE KITES of olden times, as well as the Swans, had the privilege of song.
But having heard the neigh of the horse, they were so enchanted with the
sound, that they tried to imitate it; and, in trying to neigh, they forgot
how to sing. The desire for imaginary benefits often involves the loss of
present blessings.
The Wolves and the Sheepdogs
THE WOLVES thus addressed the Sheepdogs: "Why should you, who are like us in
so many things, not be entirely of one mind with us, and live with us as
brothers should? We differ from you in one point only. We live in freedom,
but you bow down to and slave for men, who in return for your services flog
you with whips and put collars on your necks. They make you also guard their
sheep, and while they eat the mutton throw only the bones to you. If you
will be persuaded by us, you will give us the sheep, and we will enjoy them
in common, till we all are surfeited." The Dogs listened favorably to these
proposals, and, entering the den of the Wolves, they were set upon and torn
to pieces.
The Hares and the Foxes
THE HARES waged war with the Eagles, and called upon the Foxes to help them.
They replied, "We would willingly have helped you, if we had not known who
you were, and with whom you were fighting." Count the cost before you commit
yourselves.
The Bowman and Lion
A VERY SKILLFUL BOWMAN went to the mountains in search of game, but all the
beasts of the forest fled at his approach. The Lion alone challenged him to
combat. The Bowman immediately shot out an arrow and said to the Lion: "I
send thee my messenger, that from him thou mayest learn what I myself shall
be when I assail thee." The wounded Lion rushed away in great fear, and when
a Fox who had seen it all happen told him to be of good courage and not to
back off at the first attack he replied: "You counsel me in vain; for if he
sends so fearful a messenger, how shall I abide the attack of the man
himself?' Be on guard against men who can strike from a distance.
The Camel
WHEN MAN first saw the Camel, he was so frightened at his vast size that he
ran away. After a time, perceiving the meekness and gentleness of the
beast's temper, he summoned courage enough to approach him. Soon afterwards,
observing that he was an animal altogether deficient in spirit, he assumed
such boldness as to put a bridle in his mouth, and to let a child drive him.
Use serves to overcome dread.
The Wasp and the Snake
A WASP seated himself upon the head of a Snake and, striking him unceasingly
with his stings, wounded him to death. The Snake, being in great torment and
not knowing how to rid himself of his enemy, saw a wagon heavily laden with
wood, and went and purposely placed his head under the wheels, saying, "At
least my enemy and I shall perish together."
The Dog and the Hare
A HOUND having started a Hare on the hillside pursued her for some distance,
at one time biting her with his teeth as if he would take her life, and at
another fawning upon her, as if in play with another dog. The Hare said to
him, "I wish you would act sincerely by me, and show yourself in your true
colors. If you are a friend, why do you bite me so hard? If an enemy, why do
you fawn on me?' No one can be a friend if you know not whether to trust or
distrust him.
The Bull and the Calf
A BULL was striving with all his might to squeeze himself through a narrow
passage which led to his stall. A young Calf came up, and offered to go
before and show him the way by which he could manage to pass. "Save yourself
the trouble," said the Bull; "I knew that way long before you were born."
The Stag, the Wolf, and the Sheep
A STAG asked a Sheep to lend him a measure of wheat, and said that the Wolf
would be his surety. The Sheep, fearing some fraud was intended, excused
herself, saying, "The Wolf is accustomed to seize what he wants and to run
off; and you, too, can quickly outstrip me in your rapid flight. How then
shall I be able to find you, when the day of payment comes?' Two blacks do
not make one white.
The Peacock and the Crane
A PEACOCK spreading its gorgeous tail mocked a Crane that passed by,
ridiculing the ashen hue of its plumage and saying, "I am robed, like a
king, in gold and purple and all the colors of the rainbow; while you have
not a bit of color on your wings." "True," replied the Crane; "but I soar to
the heights of heaven and lift up my voice to the stars, while you walk
below, like a cock, among the birds of the dunghill." Fine feathers don't
make fine birds.
The Fox and the Hedgehog
A FOX swimming across a rapid river was carried by the force of the current
into a very deep ravine, where he lay for a long time very much bruised,
sick, and unable to move. A swarm of hungry blood-sucking flies settled upon
him. A Hedgehog, passing by, saw his anguish and inquired if he should drive
away the flies that were tormenting him. "By no means," replied the Fox;
"pray do not molest them." "How is this?' said the Hedgehog; "do you not
want to be rid of them?' "No," returned the Fox, "for these flies which you
see are full of blood, and sting me but little, and if you rid me of these
which are already satiated, others more hungry will come in their place, and
will drink up all the blood I have left."
The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow
AN EAGLE made her nest at the top of a lofty oak; a Cat, having found a
convenient hole, moved into the middle of the trunk; and a Wild Sow, with
her young, took shelter in a hollow at its foot. The Cat cunningly resolved
to destroy this chance-made colony. To carry out her design, she climbed to
the nest of the Eagle, and said, "Destruction is preparing for you, and for
me too, unfortunately. The Wild Sow, whom you see daily digging up the
earth, wishes to uproot the oak, so she may on its fall seize our families
as food for her young." Having thus frightened the Eagle out of her senses,
she crept down to the cave of the Sow, and said, "Your children are in great
danger; for as soon as you go out with your litter to find food, the Eagle
is prepared to pounce upon one of your little pigs." Having instilled these
fears into the Sow, she went and pretended to hide herself in the hollow of
the tree. When night came she went forth with silent foot and obtained food
for herself and her kittens, but feigning to be afraid, she kept a lookout
all through the day. Meanwhile, the Eagle, full of fear of the Sow, sat
still on the branches, and the Sow, terrified by the Eagle, did not dare to
go out from her cave. And thus they both, along with their families,
perished from hunger, and afforded ample provision for the Cat and her
kittens.
The Thief and the Innkeeper
A THIEF hired a room in a tavern and stayed a while in the hope of stealing
something which should enable him to pay his reckoning. When he had waited
some days in vain, he saw the Innkeeper dressed in a new and handsome coat
and sitting before his door. The Thief sat down beside him and talked with
him. As the conversation began to flag, the Thief yawned terribly and at the
same time howled like a wolf. The Innkeeper said, "Why do you howl so
fearfully?' "I will tell you," said the Thief, "but first let me ask you to
hold my clothes, or I shall tear them to pieces. I know not, sir, when I got
this habit of yawning, nor whether these attacks of howling were inflicted
on me as a judgment for my crimes, or for any other cause; but this I do
know, that when I yawn for the third time, I actually turn into a wolf and
attack men." With this speech he commenced a second fit of yawning and again
howled like a wolf, as he had at first. The Innkeeper. hearing his tale and
believing what he said, became greatly alarmed and, rising from his seat,
attempted to run away. The Thief laid hold of his coat and entreated him to
stop, saying, "Pray wait, sir, and hold my clothes, or I shall tear them to
pieces in my fury, when I turn into a wolf." At the same moment he yawned
the third time and set up a terrible howl. The Innkeeper, frightened lest he
should be attacked, left his new coat in the Thief's hand and ran as fast as
he could into the inn for safety. The Thief made off with the coat and did
not return again to the inn. Every tale is not to be believed.
The Mule
A MULE, frolicsome from lack of work and from too much corn, galloped about
in a very extravagant manner, and said to himself: "My father surely was a
high-mettled racer, and I am his own child in speed and spirit." On the next
day, being driven a long journey, and feeling very wearied, he exclaimed in
a disconsolate tone: "I must have made a mistake; my father, after all,
could have been only an ass."
The Hart and the Vine
A HART, hard pressed in the chase, hid himself beneath the large leaves of a
Vine. The huntsmen, in their haste, overshot the place of his concealment.
Supposing all danger to have passed, the Hart began to nibble the tendrils
of the Vine. One of the huntsmen, attracted by the rustling of the leaves,
looked back, and seeing the Hart, shot an arrow from his bow and struck it.
The Hart, at the point of death, groaned: "I am rightly served, for I should
not have maltreated the Vine that saved me."
The Serpent and the Eagle
A SERPENT and an Eagle were struggling with each other in deadly conflict.
The Serpent had the advantage, and was about to strangle the bird. A
countryman saw them, and running up, loosed the coil of the Serpent and let
the Eagle go free. The Serpent, irritated at the escape of his prey,
injected his poison into the drinking horn of the countryman. The rustic,
ignorant of his danger, was about to drink, when the Eagle struck his hand
with his wing, and, seizing the drinking horn in his talons, carried it
aloft.
The Crow and the Pitcher
A CROW perishing with thirst saw a pitcher, and hoping to find water, flew
to it with delight. When he reached it, he discovered to his grief that it
contained so little water that he could not possibly get at it. He tried
everything he could think of to reach the water, but all his efforts were in
vain. At last he collected as many stones as he could carry and dropped them
one by one with his beak into the pitcher, until he brought the water within
his reach and thus saved his life. Necessity is the mother of invention.
The Two Frogs
TWO FROGS were neighbors. One inhabited a deep pond, far removed from public
view; the other lived in a gully containing little water, and traversed by a
country road. The Frog that lived in the pond warned his friend to change
his residence and entreated him to come and live with him, saying that he
would enjoy greater safety from danger and more abundant food. The other
refused, saying that he felt it so very hard to leave a place to which he
had become accustomed. A few days afterwards a heavy wagon passed through
the gully and crushed him to death under its wheels. A willful man will have
his way to his own hurt.
The Goatherd and the Wild Goats
A GOATHERD, driving his flock from their pasture at eventide, found some
Wild Goats mingled among them, and shut them up together with his own for
the night. The next day it snowed very hard, so that he could not take the
herd to their usual feeding places, but was obliged to keep them in the
fold. He gave his own goats just sufficient food to keep them alive, but fed
the strangers more abundantly in the hope of enticing them to stay with him
and of making them his own. When the thaw set in, he led them all out to
feed, and the Wild Goats scampered away as fast as they could to the
mountains. The Goatherd scolded them for their ingratitude in leaving him,
when during the storm he had taken more care of them than of his own herd.
One of them, turning about, said to him: "That is the ver | |
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