" Later on, some
Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said: "Come
with us"; but he said: "I am a Bird.
Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said: "Come
with us"; but he said: "I am a Bird.
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
?
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Aesop's Fables, by Aesop
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almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
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Title: Aesop's Fables
Author: Aesop
Posting Date: December 18, 2011 [EBook #28]
Release Date: March 8, 1992
Last Updated: March 15, 2002
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AESOP'S FABLES ***
AESOP'S FABLES (82 Fables)
From The PaperLess Readers Club, Houston (713) 977-9505 (BBS)
Voice/Fax (713) 977-1719
1-21 22-42
The Cock and the Pearl The Frog and the Ox
The Wolf and the Lamb Androcles
The Dog and the Shadow The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts
The Lion's Share The Hart and the Hunter
The Wolf and the Crane The Serpent and the File
The Man and the Serpent The Man and the Wood
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse The Dog and the Wolf
The Fox and the Crow The Belly and the Members
The Sick Lion The Hart in the Ox-Stall
The Ass and the Lapdog The Fox and the Grapes
The Lion and the Mouse The Horse, Hunter, and Stag
The Swallow and the Other Birds The Peacock and Juno
The Frogs Desiring a King The Fox and the Lion
The Mountains in Labour The Lion and the Statue
The Hares and the Frogs The Ant and the Grasshopper
The Wolf and the Kid The Tree and the Reed
The Woodman and the Serpent The Fox and the Cat
The Bald Man and the Fly The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
The Fox and the Stork The Dog in the Manger
The Fox and the Mask The Man and the Wooden God
The Jay and the Peacock The Fisher
43-62 63-82
The Shepherd's Boy The Miser and His Gold
The Young Thief and His Mother The Fox and the Mosquitoes
The Man and His Two Wives The Fox Without a Tail
The Nurse and the Wolf The One-Eyed Doe
The Tortoise and the Birds Belling the Cat
The Two Crabs The Hare and the Tortoise
The Ass in the Lion's Skin The Old Man and Death
The Two Fellows and the Bear The Hare With Many Friends
The Two Pots The Lion in Love
The Four Oxen and the Lion The Bundle of Sticks
The Fisher and the Little Fish The Lion, the Fox, and the Beasts
Avaricious and Envious The Ass's Brains
The Crow and the Pitcher The Eagle and the Arrow
The Man and the Satyr The Milkmaid and Her Pail
The Goose With the Golden Eggs The Cat-Maiden
The Labourer and the Nightingale The Horse and the Ass
The Fox, the Cock, and the Dog The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner
The Wind and the Sun The Buffoon and the Countryman
Hercules and the Waggoner The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar
The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey The Fox and the Goat
Aesop's Fables
The Cock and the Pearl
A cock was once strutting up and down the farmyard among the
hens when suddenly he espied something shinning amid the straw.
"Ho! ho! " quoth he, "that's for me," and soon rooted it out from
beneath the straw. What did it turn out to be but a Pearl that by
some chance had been lost in the yard? "You may be a treasure,"
quoth Master Cock, "to men that prize you, but for me I would
rather have a single barley-corn than a peck of pearls. "
Precious things are for those that can prize them.
The Wolf and the Lamb
Once upon a time a Wolf was lapping at a spring on a hillside,
when, looking up, what should he see but a Lamb just beginning to
drink a little lower down. "There's my supper," thought he, "if
only I can find some excuse to seize it. " Then he called out to
the Lamb, "How dare you muddle the water from which I am
drinking? "
"Nay, master, nay," said Lambikin; "if the water be muddy up
there, I cannot be the cause of it, for it runs down from you to
me. "
"Well, then," said the Wolf, "why did you call me bad names
this time last year? "
"That cannot be," said the Lamb; "I am only six months old. "
"I don't care," snarled the Wolf; "if it was not you it was
your father;" and with that he rushed upon the poor little Lamb
and
. WARRA WARRA WARRA WARRA WARRA
. ate her all up. But before she died she gasped out
. "Any excuse will serve a tyrant. "
The Dog and the Shadow
It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was
carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now on his way
home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook. As he
crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the
water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of
meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at
the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of
meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.
The Lion's Share
The Lion went once a-hunting along with the Fox, the Jackal,
and the Wolf. They hunted and they hunted till at last they
surprised a Stag, and soon took its life. Then came the question
how the spoil should be divided. "Quarter me this Stag," roared
the Lion; so the other animals skinned it and cut it into four
parts. Then the Lion took his stand in front of the carcass and
pronounced judgment: The first quarter is for me in my capacity
as King of Beasts; the second is mine as arbiter; another share
comes to me for my part in the chase; and as for the fourth
quarter, well, as for that, I should like to see which of you will
dare to lay a paw upon it. "
"Humph," grumbled the Fox as he walked away with his tail
between his legs; but he spoke in a low growl
. "You may share the labours of the great,
but you will not share the spoil. "
The Wolf and the Crane
A Wolf had been gorging on an animal he had killed, when
suddenly a small bone in the meat stuck in his throat and he could
not swallow it. He soon felt terrible pain in his throat, and ran
up and down groaning and groaning and seeking for something to
relieve the pain. He tried to induce every one he met to remove
the bone. "I would give anything," said he, "if you would take it
out. " At last the Crane agreed to try, and told the Wolf to lie
on his side and open his jaws as wide as he could. Then the Crane
put its long neck down the Wolf's throat, and with its beak
loosened the bone, till at last it got it out.
"Will you kindly give me the reward you promised? " said the
Crane.
The Wolf grinned and showed his teeth and said: "Be content.
You have put your head inside a Wolf's mouth and taken it out
again in safety; that ought to be reward enough for you. "
Gratitude and greed go not together.
The Man and the Serpent
A Countryman's son by accident trod upon a Serpent's tail,
which turned and bit him so that he died. The father in a rage
got his axe, and pursuing the Serpent, cut off part of its tail.
So the Serpent in revenge began stinging several of the Farmer's
cattle and caused him severe loss. Well, the Farmer thought it
best to make it up with the Serpent, and brought food and honey to
the mouth of its lair, and said to it: "Let's forget and forgive;
perhaps you were right to punish my son, and take vengeance on my
cattle, but surely I was right in trying to revenge him; now that
we are both satisfied why should not we be friends again? "
"No, no," said the Serpent; "take away your gifts; you can
never forget the death of your son, nor I the loss of my tail. "
Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a
visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this
cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily
welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to
offer, but he offered them freely. The Town Mouse rather turned
up his long nose at this country fare, and said: "I cannot
understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as
this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the
country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When
you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever
have stood a country life. " No sooner said than done: the two
mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse's
residence late at night. "You will want some refreshment after
our long journey," said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend
into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a
fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes
and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking.
"What is that? " said the Country Mouse. "It is only the dogs of
the house," answered the other. "Only! " said the Country Mouse.
"I do not like that music at my dinner. " Just at that moment the
door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to
scamper down and run off. "Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country
Mouse, "What! going so soon? " said the other. "Yes," he replied;
"Better beans and bacon in peace
than cakes and ale in fear. "
The Fox and the Crow
A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its
beak and settle on a branch of a tree. "That's for me, as I am a
Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the
tree. "Good-day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are
looking to-day: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I
feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as
your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may
greet you as the Queen of Birds. " The Crow lifted up her head and
began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the
piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by
Master Fox. "That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In
exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the
future
. "Do not trust flatterers. "
The Sick Lion
A Lion had come to the end of his days and lay sick unto death
at the mouth of his cave, gasping for breath. The animals, his
subjects, came round him and drew nearer as he grew more and more
helpless. When they saw him on the point of death they thought to
themselves: "Now is the time to pay off old grudges. " So the Boar
came up and drove at him with his tusks; then a Bull gored him
with his horns; still the Lion lay helpless before them: so the
Ass, feeling quite safe from danger, came up, and turning his tail
to the Lion kicked up his heels into his face. "This is a double
death," growled the Lion.
Only cowards insult dying majesty.
The Ass and the Lapdog
A Farmer one day came to the stables to see to his beasts of
burden: among them was his favourite Ass, that was always well fed
and often carried his master. With the Farmer came his Lapdog,
who danced about and licked his hand and frisked about as happy as
could be. The Farmer felt in his pocket, gave the Lapdog some
dainty food, and sat down while he gave his orders to his
servants. The Lapdog jumped into his master's lap, and lay there
blinking while the Farmer stroked his ears. The Ass, seeing this,
broke loose from his halter and commenced prancing about in
imitation of the Lapdog. The Farmer could not hold his sides with
laughter, so the Ass went up to him, and putting his feet upon the
Farmer's shoulder attempted to climb into his lap. The Farmer's
servants rushed up with sticks and pitchforks and soon taught the
Ass that
. Clumsy jesting is no joke.
The Lion and the Mouse
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up
and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge
paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O
King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall
never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn
some of these days? " The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the
Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let
him go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the
hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a
tree while they went in search of a waggon to carry him on. Just
then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad
plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away
the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right? "
said the little Mouse.
Little friends may prove great friends.
The Swallow and the Other Birds
It happened that a Countryman was sowing some hemp seeds in a
field where a Swallow and some other birds were hopping about
picking up their food. "Beware of that man," quoth the Swallow.
"Why, what is he doing? " said the others. "That is hemp seed he
is sowing; be careful to pick up every one of the seeds, or else
you will repent it. " The birds paid no heed to the Swallow's
words, and by and by the hemp grew up and was made into cord, and
of the cords nets were made, and many a bird that had despised the
Swallow's advice was caught in nets made out of that very hemp.
"What did I tell you? " said the Swallow.
Destroy the seed of evil, or it will grow up to your ruin.
The Frogs Desiring a King
The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy swamp
that just suited them; they went splashing about caring for nobody
and nobody troubling with them. But some of them thought that
this was not right, that they should have a king and a proper
constitution, so they determined to send up a petition to Jove to
give them what they wanted. "Mighty Jove," they cried, "send unto
us a king that will rule over us and keep us in order. " Jove
laughed at their croaking, and threw down into the swamp a huge
Log, which came down splashing into the swamp. The Frogs
were frightened out of their lives by the commotion made in their
midst, and all rushed to the bank to look at the horrible monster;
but after a time, seeing that it did not move, one or two of the
boldest of them ventured out towards the Log, and even dared to
touch it; still it did not move. Then the greatest hero of the
Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced dancing up and down upon
it, thereupon all the Frogs came and did the same; and for some
time the Frogs went about their business every day without taking
the slightest notice of their new King Log lying in their midst.
But this did not suit them, so they sent another petition to Jove,
and said to him, "We want a real king; one that will really rule
over us. " Now this made Jove angry, so he sent among them a big
Stork that soon set to work gobbling them all up. Then the Frogs
repented when too late.
Better no rule than cruel rule.
The Mountains in Labour
One day the Countrymen noticed that the Mountains were in
labour; smoke came out of their summits, the earth was quaking at
their feet, trees were crashing, and huge rocks were tumbling.
They felt sure that something horrible was going to happen. They
all gathered together in one place to see what terrible thing this
could be. They waited and they waited, but nothing came. At last
there was a still more violent earthquake, and a huge gap appeared
in the side of the Mountains. They all fell down upon their knees
and waited. At last, and at last, a teeny, tiny mouse poked its
little head and bristles out of the gap and came running down
towards them, and ever after they used to say:
"Much outcry, little outcome. "
The Hares and the Frogs
The Hares were so persecuted by the other beasts, they did not
know where to go. As soon as they saw a single animal approach
them, off they used to run. One day they saw a troop of wild
Horses stampeding about, and in quite a panic all the Hares
scuttled off to a lake hard by, determined to drown themselves
rather than live in such a continual state of fear. But just as
they got near the bank of the lake, a troop of Frogs, frightened
in their turn by the approach of the Hares scuttled off, and
jumped into the water. "Truly," said one of the Hares, "things
are not so bad as they seem:
"There is always someone worse off than yourself. "
The Wolf and the Kid
A Kid was perched up on the top of a house, and looking down
saw a Wolf passing under him. Immediately he began to revile and
attack his enemy. "Murderer and thief," he cried, "what do you
here near honest folks' houses? How dare you make an appearance
where your vile deeds are known? "
"Curse away, my young friend," said the Wolf.
"It is easy to be brave from a safe distance. "
The Woodman and the Serpent
One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when
he saw something black lying on the snow. When he came closer he
saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up
and put it in his bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as
he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the
fire. The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life
again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke it, but the
Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to
sting the child to death. So the Woodman seized his axe, and with
one stroke cut the Serpent in two. "Ah," said he,
"No gratitude from the wicked. "
The Bald Man and the Fly
There was once a Bald Man who sat down after work on a hot
summer's day. A Fly came up and kept buzzing about his bald pate,
and stinging him from time to time. The Man aimed a blow at his
little enemy, but acks palm came on his head instead;
again the Fly tormented him, but this time the Man was wiser and
said:
"You will only injure yourself if you
take notice of despicable enemies. "
The Fox and the Stork
At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting terms and
seemed very good friends. So the Fox invited the Stork to dinner,
and for a joke put nothing before her but some soup in a very
shallow dish. This the Fox could easily lap up, but the Stork
could only wet the end of her long bill in it, and left the meal
as hungry as when she began. "I am sorry," said the Fox, "the
soup is not to your liking. "
"Pray do not apologise," said the Stork. "I hope you will
return this visit, and come and dine with me soon. " So a day was
appointed when the Fox should visit the Stork; but when they were
seated at table all that was for their dinner was contained in a
very long-necked jar with a narrow mouth, in which the Fox could
not insert his snout, so all he could manage to do was to lick the
outside of the jar.
"I will not apologise for the dinner," said the Stork:
"One bad turn deserves another. "
The Fox and the Mask
A Fox had by some means got into the store-room of a theatre.
Suddenly he observed a face glaring down on him and began to be
very frightened; but looking more closely he found it was only a
Mask such as actors use to put over their face. "Ah," said the
Fox, "you look very fine; it is a pity you have not got any
brains. "
Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
The Jay and the Peacock
A Jay venturing into a yard where Peacocks used to walk, found
there a number of feathers which had fallen from the Peacocks when
they were moulting. He tied them all to his tail and strutted
down towards the Peacocks. When he came near them they soon
discovered the cheat, and striding up to him pecked at him and
plucked away his borrowed plumes. So the Jay could do no better
than go back to the other Jays, who had watched his behaviour from
a distance; but they were equally annoyed with him, and told him:
"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds. "
The Frog and the Ox
"Oh Father," said a little Frog to the big one sitting by the
side of a pool, "I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as
big as a mountain, with horns on its head, and a long tail, and it
had hoofs divided in two. "
"Tush, child, tush," said the old Frog, "that was only Farmer
White's Ox. It isn't so big either; he may be a little bit taller
than I, but I could easily make myself quite as broad; just you
see. " So he blew himself out, and blew himself out, and blew
himself out. "Was he as big as that? " asked he.
"Oh, much bigger than that," said the young Frog.
Again the old one blew himself out, and asked the young one if
the Ox was as big as that.
"Bigger, father, bigger," was the reply.
So the Frog took a deep breath, and blew and blew and blew,
and swelled and swelled and swelled. And then he said: "I'm sure
the Ox is not as big as this. But at this moment he burst.
Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction.
Androcles
A slave named Androcles once escaped from his master and fled
to the forest. As he was wandering about there he came upon a
Lion lying down moaning and groaning. At first he turned to flee,
but finding that the Lion did not pursue him, he turned back and
went up to him. As he came near, the Lion put out his paw, which
was all swollen and bleeding, and Androcles found that a huge
thorn had got into it, and was causing all the pain. He pulled
out the thorn and bound up the paw of the Lion, who was soon able
to rise and lick the hand of Androcles like a dog. Then the Lion
took Androcles to his cave, and every day used to bring him meat
from which to live. But shortly afterwards both Androcles and the
Lion were captured, and the slave was sentenced to be thrown to
the Lion, after the latter had been kept without food for several
days. The Emperor and all his Court came to see the spectacle,
and Androcles was led out into the middle of the arena. Soon the
Lion was let loose from his den, and rushed bounding and roaring
towards his victim. But as soon as he came near to Androcles he
recognised his friend, and fawned upon him, and licked his hands
like a friendly dog. The Emperor, surprised at this, summoned
Androcles to him, who told him the whole story. Whereupon the
slave was pardoned and freed, and the Lion let loose to his native
forest.
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts
A great conflict was about to come off between the Birds and
the Beasts. When the two armies were collected together the Bat
hesitated which to join. The Birds that passed his perch said:
"Come with us"; but he said: "I am a Beast. " Later on, some
Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said: "Come
with us"; but he said: "I am a Bird. " Luckily at the last moment
peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the
Birds and wished to join in the rejoicings, but they all turned
against him and he had to fly away.
" Later on, some
Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said: "Come
with us"; but he said: "I am a Bird. " Luckily at the last moment
peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the
Birds and wished to join in the rejoicings, but they all turned
against him and he had to fly away. He then went to the Beasts,
but soon had to beat a retreat, or else they would have torn him
to pieces. "Ah," said the Bat, "I see now,
"He that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends. "
The Hart and the Hunter
The Hart was once drinking from a pool and admiring the noble
figure he made there. "Ah," said he, "where can you see such
noble horns as these, with such antlers! I wish I had legs more
worthy to bear such a noble crown; it is a pity they are so slim
and slight. " At that moment a Hunter approached and sent an arrow
whistling after him. Away bounded the Hart, and soon, by the aid
of his nimble legs, was nearly out of sight of the Hunter; but not
noticing where he was going, he passed under some trees with
branches growing low down in which his antlers were caught, so
that the Hunter had time to come up. "Alas! alas! " cried the
Hart:
"We often despise what is most useful to us. "
The Serpent and the File
A Serpent in the course of its wanderings came into an
armourer's shop. As he glided over the floor he felt his skin
pricked by a file lying there. In a rage he turned round upon it
and tried to dart his fangs into it; but he could do no harm to
heavy iron and had soon to give over his wrath.
It is useless attacking the insensible.
The Man and the Wood
A Man came into a Wood one day with an axe in his hand, and
begged all the Trees to give him a small branch which he wanted
for a particular purpose. The Trees were good-natured and gave
him one of their branches. What did the Man do but fix it into
the axe head, and soon set to work cutting down tree after tree.
Then the Trees saw how foolish they had been in giving their enemy
the means of destroying themselves.
The Dog and the Wolf
A gaunt Wolf was almost dead with hunger when he happened to
meet a House-dog who was passing by. "Ah, Cousin," said the Dog.
"I knew how it would be; your irregular life will soon be the ruin
of you. Why do you not work steadily as I do, and get your food
regularly given to you? "
"I would have no objection," said the Wolf, "if I could only
get a place. "
"I will easily arrange that for you," said the Dog; "come with
me to my master and you shall share my work. "
So the Wolf and the Dog went towards the town together. On
the way there the Wolf noticed that the hair on a certain part of
the Dog's neck was very much worn away, so he asked him how that
had come about.
"Oh, it is nothing," said the Dog. "That is only the place
where the collar is put on at night to keep me chained up; it
chafes a bit, but one soon gets used to it. "
"Is that all? " said the Wolf. "Then good-bye to you, Master
Dog. "
Better starve free than be a fat slave.
The Belly and the Members
One fine day it occurred to the Members of the Body that they
were doing all the work and the Belly was having all the food. So
they held a meeting, and after a long discussion, decided to
strike work till the Belly consented to take its proper share of
the work. So for a day or two, the Hands refused to take the
food, the Mouth refused to receive it, and the Teeth had no work
to do. But after a day or two the Members began to find that they
themselves were not in a very active condition: the Hands could
hardly move, and the Mouth was all parched and dry, while the Legs
were unable to support the rest. So thus they found that even the
Belly in its dull quiet way was doing necessary work for the Body,
and that all must work together or the Body will go to pieces.
The Hart in the Ox-Stall
A Hart hotly pursued by the hounds fled for refuge into an
ox-stall, and buried itself in a truss of hay, leaving nothing to
be seen but the tips of his horns. Soon after the Hunters came up
and asked if any one had seen the Hart. The stable boys, who had
been resting after their dinner, looked round, but could see
nothing, and the Hunters went away. Shortly afterwards the master
came in, and looking round, saw that something unusual had taken
place. He pointed to the truss of hay and said: "What are those
two curious things sticking out of the hay? " And when the stable
boys came to look they discovered the Hart, and soon made an end
of him. He thus learnt that
Nothing escapes the master's eye.
The Fox and the Grapes
One hot summer's day a Fox was strolling through an orchard
till he came to a bunch of Grapes just ripening on a vine which
had been trained over a lofty branch. "Just the thing to quench
my thirst," quoth he. Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and
a jump, and just missed the bunch. Turning round again with a
One, Two, Three, he jumped up, but with no greater success. Again
and again he tried after the tempting morsel, but at last had to
give it up, and walked away with his nose in the air, saying: "I
am sure they are sour. "
It is easy to despise what you cannot get.
The Horse, Hunter, and Stag
A quarrel had arisen between the Horse and the Stag, so the
Horse came to a Hunter to ask his help to take revenge on the
Stag. The Hunter agreed, but said: "If you desire to conquer the
Stag, you must permit me to place this piece of iron between your
jaws, so that I may guide you with these reins, and allow this
saddle to be placed upon your back so that I may keep steady upon
you as we follow after the enemy. " The Horse agreed to the
conditions, and the Hunter soon saddled and bridled him. Then
with the aid of the Hunter the Horse soon overcame the Stag, and
said to the Hunter: "Now, get off, and remove those things from my
mouth and back. "
"Not so fast, friend," said the Hunter. "I have now got you
under bit and spur, and prefer to keep you as you are at present. "
If you allow men to use you for your own purposes,
they will use you for theirs.
The Peacock and Juno
A Peacock once placed a petition before Juno desiring to have
the voice of a nightingale in addition to his other attractions;
but Juno refused his request. When he persisted, and pointed out
that he was her favourite bird, she said:
"Be content with your lot;
one cannot be first in everything. "
The Fox and the Lion
When first the Fox saw the Lion he was terribly frightened,
and ran away and hid himself in the wood. Next time however he
came near the King of Beasts he stopped at a safe distance and
watched him pass by. The third time they came near one another
the Fox went straight up to the Lion and passed the time of day
with him, asking him how his family were, and when he should have
the pleasure of seeing him again; then turning his tail, he parted
from the Lion without much ceremony.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
The Lion and the Statue
A Man and a Lion were discussing the relative strength of men
and lions in general. The Man contended that he and his fellows
were stronger than lions by reason of their greater intelligence.
"Come now with me," he cried, "and I will soon prove that I am
right. " So he took him into the public gardens and showed him a
statue of Hercules overcoming the Lion and tearing his mouth in
two.
"That is all very well," said the Lion, "but proves nothing,
for it was a man who made the statue. "
We can easily represent things as we wish them to be.
The Ant and the Grasshopper
In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about,
chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by,
bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the
nest.
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper,
"instead of toiling and moiling in that way? "
"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant,
"and recommend you to do the same. "
"Why bother about winter? " said the Grasshopper; we have got
plenty of food at present. " But the Ant went on its way and
continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no
food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants
distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had
collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew:
It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.
The Tree and the Reed
"Well, little one," said a Tree to a Reed that was growing at
its foot, "why do you not plant your feet deeply in the ground,
and raise your head boldly in the air as I do? "
"I am contented with my lot," said the Reed. "I may not be so
grand, but I think I am safer. "
"Safe! " sneered the Tree. "Who shall pluck me up by the roots
or bow my head to the ground? " But it soon had to repent of its
boasting, for a hurricane arose which tore it up from its roots,
and cast it a useless log on the ground, while the little Reed,
bending to the force of the wind, soon stood upright again when
the storm had passed over.
Obscurity often brings safety.
The Fox and the Cat
A Fox was boasting to a Cat of its clever devices for escaping
its enemies. "I have a whole bag of tricks," he said, "which
contains a hundred ways of escaping my enemies. "
"I have only one," said the Cat; "but I can generally manage
with that. " Just at that moment they heard the cry of a pack of
hounds coming towards them, and the Cat immediately scampered up a
tree and hid herself in the boughs. "This is my plan," said the
Cat. "What are you going to do? " The Fox thought first of one
way, then of another, and while he was debating the hounds came
nearer and nearer, and at last the Fox in his confusion was caught
up by the hounds and soon killed by the huntsmen. Miss Puss, who
had been looking on, said:
"Better one safe way than a hundred on which
you cannot reckon. "
The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
A Wolf found great difficulty in getting at the sheep owing to
the vigilance of the shepherd and his dogs. But one day it found
the skin of a sheep that had been flayed and thrown aside, so it
put it on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep.
The Lamb that belonged to the sheep, whose skin the Wolf was
wearing, began to follow the Wolf in the Sheep's clothing; so,
leading the Lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal off her, and
for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying
hearty meals.
Appearances are deceptive.
The Dog in the Manger
A Dog looking out for its afternoon nap jumped into the Manger
of an Ox and lay there cosily upon the straw. But soon the Ox,
returning from its afternoon work, came up to the Manger and
wanted to eat some of the straw. The Dog in a rage, being
awakened from its slumber, stood up and barked at the Ox, and
whenever it came near attempted to bite it. At last the Ox had to
give up the hope of getting at the straw, and went away muttering:
"Ah, people often grudge others what they
cannot enjoy themselves. "
The Man and the Wooden God
In the old days men used to worship sticks and stones and
idols, and prayed to them to give them luck. It happened that a
Man had often prayed to a wooden idol he had received from his
father, but his luck never seemed to change. He prayed and he
prayed, but still he remained as unlucky as ever. One day in the
greatest rage he went to the Wooden God, and with one blow swept
it down from its pedestal. The idol broke in two, and what did he
see? An immense number of coins flying all over the place.
The Fisher
A Fisher once took his bagpipes to the bank of a river, and
played upon them with the hope of making the fish rise; but never
a one put his nose out of the water. So he cast his net into the
river and soon drew it forth filled with fish. Then he took his
bagpipes again, and, as he played, the fish leapt up in the net.
"Ah, you dance now when I play," said he.
"Yes," said an old Fish:
"When you are in a man's power you must do as he bids you. "
The Shepherd's Boy
There was once a young Shepherd Boy who tended his sheep at
the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. It was rather lonely
for him all day, so he thought upon a plan by which he could get a
little company and some excitement. He rushed down towards the
village calling out "Wolf, Wolf," and the villagers came out to
meet him, and some of them stopped with him for a considerable
time. This pleased the boy so much that a few days afterwards he
tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to his help.
But shortly after this a Wolf actually did come out from the
forest, and began to worry the sheep, and the boy of course cried
out "Wolf, Wolf," still louder than before. But this time the
villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the boy was
again deceiving them, and nobody stirred to come to his help. So
the Wolf made a good meal off the boy's flock, and when the boy
complained, the wise man of the village said:
"A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth. "
The Young Thief and His Mother
A young Man had been caught in a daring act of theft and had
been condemned to be executed for it. He expressed his desire to
see his Mother, and to speak with her before he was led to
execution, and of course this was granted. When his Mother came
to him he said: "I want to whisper to you," and when she brought
her ear near him, he nearly bit it off. All the bystanders were
horrified, and asked him what he could mean by such brutal and
inhuman conduct. "It is to punish her," he said. "When I was
young I began with stealing little things, and brought them home
to Mother. Instead of rebuking and punishing me, she laughed and
said: "It will not be noticed. " It is because of her that I am
here to-day. "
"He is right, woman," said the Priest; "the Lord hath said:
"Train up a child in the way he should go; and
when he is old he will not depart therefrom. "
The Man and His Two Wives
In the old days, when men were allowed to have many wives, a
middle-aged Man had one wife that was old and one that was young;
each loved him very much, and desired to see him like herself.
Now the Man's hair was turning grey, which the young Wife did not
like, as it made him look too old for her husband. So every night
she used to comb his hair and pick out the white ones. But the
elder Wife saw her husband growing grey with great pleasure, for
she did not like to be mistaken for his mother. So every morning
she used to arrange his hair and pick out as many of the black
ones as she could. The consequence was the Man soon found himself
entirely bald.
Yield to all and you will soon have nothing to yield.
The Nurse and the Wolf
"Be quiet now," said an old Nurse to a child sitting on her
lap. "If you make that noise again I will throw you to the Wolf. "
Now it chanced that a Wolf was passing close under the window
as this was said. So he crouched down by the side of the house
and waited. "I am in good luck to-day," thought he. "It is sure
to cry soon, and a daintier morsel I haven't had for many a long
day. " So he waited, and he waited, and he waited, till at last
the child began to cry, and the Wolf came forward before the
window, and looked up to the Nurse, wagging his tail. But all the
Nurse did was to shut down the window and call for help, and the
dogs of the house came rushing out. "Ah," said the Wolf as he
galloped away,
"Enemies promises were made to be broken. "
The Tortoise and the Birds
A Tortoise desired to change its place of residence, so he
asked an Eagle to carry him to his new home, promising her a rich
reward for her trouble. The Eagle agreed and seizing the Tortoise
by the shell with her talons soared aloft. On their way they met
a Crow, who said to the Eagle: "Tortoise is good eating. " "The
shell is too hard," said the Eagle in reply. "The rocks will soon
crack the shell," was the Crow's answer; and the Eagle, taking the
hint, let fall the Tortoise on a sharp rock, and the two birds
made a hearty meal of the Tortoise.
Never soar aloft on an enemy's pinions.
The Two Crabs
One fine day two Crabs came out from their home to take a
stroll on the sand. "Child," said the mother, "you are walking
very ungracefully. You should accustom yourself, to walking
straight forward without twisting from side to side. "
"Pray, mother," said the young one, "do but set the example
yourself, and I will follow you. "
Example is the best precept.
The Ass in the Lion's Skin
An Ass once found a Lion's skin which the hunters had left out
in the sun to dry. He put it on and went towards his native
village. All fled at his approach, both men and animals, and he
was a proud Ass that day. In his delight he lifted up his voice
and brayed, but then every one knew him, and his owner came up and
gave him a sound cudgelling for the fright he had caused. And
shortly afterwards a Fox came up to him and said: "Ah, I knew you
by your voice. "
Fine clothes may disguise, but
silly words will disclose a fool.
The Two Fellows and the Bear
Two Fellows were travelling together through a wood, when a
Bear rushed out upon them. One of the travellers happened to be
in front, and he seized hold of the branch of a tree, and hid
himself among the leaves. The other, seeing no help for it, threw
himself flat down upon the ground, with his face in the dust. The
Bear, coming up to him, put his muzzle close to his ear, and
sniffed and sniffed. But at last with a growl he shook his head
and slouched off, for bears will not touch dead meat. Then the
fellow in the tree came down to his comrade, and, laughing, said
"What was it that Master Bruin whispered to you? "
"He told me," said the other,
"Never trust a friend who deserts you at a pinch. "
The Two Pots
Two Pots had been left on the bank of a river, one of brass,
and one of earthenware. When the tide rose they both floated off
down the stream. Now the earthenware pot tried its best to keep
aloof from the brass one, which cried out: "Fear nothing, friend,
I will not strike you. "
"But I may come in contact with you," said the other, "if I
come too close; and whether I hit you, or you hit me, I shall
suffer for it. "
The strong and the weak cannot keep company.
The Four Oxen and the Lion
A Lion used to prowl about a field in which Four Oxen used to
dwell. Many a time he tried to attack them; but whenever he came
near they turned their tails to one another, so that whichever way
he approached them he was met by the horns of one of them. At
last, however, they fell a-quarrelling among themselves, and each
went off to pasture alone in a separate corner of the field. Then
the Lion attacked them one by one and soon made an end of all
four.
United we stand, divided we fall.
The Fisher and the Little Fish
It happened that a Fisher, after fishing all day, caught only
a little fish. "Pray, let me go, master," said the Fish. "I am
much too small for your eating just now. If you put me back into
the river I shall soon grow, then you can make a fine meal off
me. "
"Nay, nay, my little Fish," said the Fisher, "I have you now.
I may not catch you hereafter. "
A little thing in hand is worth more than
a great thing in prospect.
Avaricious and Envious
Two neighbours came before Jupiter and prayed him to grant
their hearts' desire. Now the one was full of avarice, and the
other eaten up with envy. So to punish them both, Jupiter granted
that each might have whatever he wished for himself, but only on
condition that his neighbour had twice as much. The Avaricious
man prayed to have a room full of gold. No sooner said than done;
but all his joy was turned to grief when he found that his
neighbour had two rooms full of the precious metal. Then came the
turn of the Envious man, who could not bear to think that his
neighbour had any joy at all. So he prayed that he might have one
of his own eyes put out, by which means his companion would become
totally blind.
Vices are their own punishment.
The Crow and the Pitcher
A Crow, half-dead with thirst, came upon a Pitcher which had
once been full of water; but when the Crow put its beak into the
mouth of the Pitcher he found that only very little water was left
in it, and that he could not reach far enough down to get at it.
He tried, and he tried, but at last had to give up in despair.
Then a thought came to him, and he took a pebble and dropped it
into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into
the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into
the Pitcher.
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
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Title: Aesop's Fables
Author: Aesop
Posting Date: December 18, 2011 [EBook #28]
Release Date: March 8, 1992
Last Updated: March 15, 2002
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AESOP'S FABLES ***
AESOP'S FABLES (82 Fables)
From The PaperLess Readers Club, Houston (713) 977-9505 (BBS)
Voice/Fax (713) 977-1719
1-21 22-42
The Cock and the Pearl The Frog and the Ox
The Wolf and the Lamb Androcles
The Dog and the Shadow The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts
The Lion's Share The Hart and the Hunter
The Wolf and the Crane The Serpent and the File
The Man and the Serpent The Man and the Wood
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse The Dog and the Wolf
The Fox and the Crow The Belly and the Members
The Sick Lion The Hart in the Ox-Stall
The Ass and the Lapdog The Fox and the Grapes
The Lion and the Mouse The Horse, Hunter, and Stag
The Swallow and the Other Birds The Peacock and Juno
The Frogs Desiring a King The Fox and the Lion
The Mountains in Labour The Lion and the Statue
The Hares and the Frogs The Ant and the Grasshopper
The Wolf and the Kid The Tree and the Reed
The Woodman and the Serpent The Fox and the Cat
The Bald Man and the Fly The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
The Fox and the Stork The Dog in the Manger
The Fox and the Mask The Man and the Wooden God
The Jay and the Peacock The Fisher
43-62 63-82
The Shepherd's Boy The Miser and His Gold
The Young Thief and His Mother The Fox and the Mosquitoes
The Man and His Two Wives The Fox Without a Tail
The Nurse and the Wolf The One-Eyed Doe
The Tortoise and the Birds Belling the Cat
The Two Crabs The Hare and the Tortoise
The Ass in the Lion's Skin The Old Man and Death
The Two Fellows and the Bear The Hare With Many Friends
The Two Pots The Lion in Love
The Four Oxen and the Lion The Bundle of Sticks
The Fisher and the Little Fish The Lion, the Fox, and the Beasts
Avaricious and Envious The Ass's Brains
The Crow and the Pitcher The Eagle and the Arrow
The Man and the Satyr The Milkmaid and Her Pail
The Goose With the Golden Eggs The Cat-Maiden
The Labourer and the Nightingale The Horse and the Ass
The Fox, the Cock, and the Dog The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner
The Wind and the Sun The Buffoon and the Countryman
Hercules and the Waggoner The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar
The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey The Fox and the Goat
Aesop's Fables
The Cock and the Pearl
A cock was once strutting up and down the farmyard among the
hens when suddenly he espied something shinning amid the straw.
"Ho! ho! " quoth he, "that's for me," and soon rooted it out from
beneath the straw. What did it turn out to be but a Pearl that by
some chance had been lost in the yard? "You may be a treasure,"
quoth Master Cock, "to men that prize you, but for me I would
rather have a single barley-corn than a peck of pearls. "
Precious things are for those that can prize them.
The Wolf and the Lamb
Once upon a time a Wolf was lapping at a spring on a hillside,
when, looking up, what should he see but a Lamb just beginning to
drink a little lower down. "There's my supper," thought he, "if
only I can find some excuse to seize it. " Then he called out to
the Lamb, "How dare you muddle the water from which I am
drinking? "
"Nay, master, nay," said Lambikin; "if the water be muddy up
there, I cannot be the cause of it, for it runs down from you to
me. "
"Well, then," said the Wolf, "why did you call me bad names
this time last year? "
"That cannot be," said the Lamb; "I am only six months old. "
"I don't care," snarled the Wolf; "if it was not you it was
your father;" and with that he rushed upon the poor little Lamb
and
. WARRA WARRA WARRA WARRA WARRA
. ate her all up. But before she died she gasped out
. "Any excuse will serve a tyrant. "
The Dog and the Shadow
It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was
carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now on his way
home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook. As he
crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the
water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of
meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at
the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of
meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.
The Lion's Share
The Lion went once a-hunting along with the Fox, the Jackal,
and the Wolf. They hunted and they hunted till at last they
surprised a Stag, and soon took its life. Then came the question
how the spoil should be divided. "Quarter me this Stag," roared
the Lion; so the other animals skinned it and cut it into four
parts. Then the Lion took his stand in front of the carcass and
pronounced judgment: The first quarter is for me in my capacity
as King of Beasts; the second is mine as arbiter; another share
comes to me for my part in the chase; and as for the fourth
quarter, well, as for that, I should like to see which of you will
dare to lay a paw upon it. "
"Humph," grumbled the Fox as he walked away with his tail
between his legs; but he spoke in a low growl
. "You may share the labours of the great,
but you will not share the spoil. "
The Wolf and the Crane
A Wolf had been gorging on an animal he had killed, when
suddenly a small bone in the meat stuck in his throat and he could
not swallow it. He soon felt terrible pain in his throat, and ran
up and down groaning and groaning and seeking for something to
relieve the pain. He tried to induce every one he met to remove
the bone. "I would give anything," said he, "if you would take it
out. " At last the Crane agreed to try, and told the Wolf to lie
on his side and open his jaws as wide as he could. Then the Crane
put its long neck down the Wolf's throat, and with its beak
loosened the bone, till at last it got it out.
"Will you kindly give me the reward you promised? " said the
Crane.
The Wolf grinned and showed his teeth and said: "Be content.
You have put your head inside a Wolf's mouth and taken it out
again in safety; that ought to be reward enough for you. "
Gratitude and greed go not together.
The Man and the Serpent
A Countryman's son by accident trod upon a Serpent's tail,
which turned and bit him so that he died. The father in a rage
got his axe, and pursuing the Serpent, cut off part of its tail.
So the Serpent in revenge began stinging several of the Farmer's
cattle and caused him severe loss. Well, the Farmer thought it
best to make it up with the Serpent, and brought food and honey to
the mouth of its lair, and said to it: "Let's forget and forgive;
perhaps you were right to punish my son, and take vengeance on my
cattle, but surely I was right in trying to revenge him; now that
we are both satisfied why should not we be friends again? "
"No, no," said the Serpent; "take away your gifts; you can
never forget the death of your son, nor I the loss of my tail. "
Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a
visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this
cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily
welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to
offer, but he offered them freely. The Town Mouse rather turned
up his long nose at this country fare, and said: "I cannot
understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as
this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the
country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When
you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever
have stood a country life. " No sooner said than done: the two
mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse's
residence late at night. "You will want some refreshment after
our long journey," said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend
into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a
fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes
and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking.
"What is that? " said the Country Mouse. "It is only the dogs of
the house," answered the other. "Only! " said the Country Mouse.
"I do not like that music at my dinner. " Just at that moment the
door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to
scamper down and run off. "Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country
Mouse, "What! going so soon? " said the other. "Yes," he replied;
"Better beans and bacon in peace
than cakes and ale in fear. "
The Fox and the Crow
A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its
beak and settle on a branch of a tree. "That's for me, as I am a
Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the
tree. "Good-day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are
looking to-day: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I
feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as
your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may
greet you as the Queen of Birds. " The Crow lifted up her head and
began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the
piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by
Master Fox. "That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In
exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the
future
. "Do not trust flatterers. "
The Sick Lion
A Lion had come to the end of his days and lay sick unto death
at the mouth of his cave, gasping for breath. The animals, his
subjects, came round him and drew nearer as he grew more and more
helpless. When they saw him on the point of death they thought to
themselves: "Now is the time to pay off old grudges. " So the Boar
came up and drove at him with his tusks; then a Bull gored him
with his horns; still the Lion lay helpless before them: so the
Ass, feeling quite safe from danger, came up, and turning his tail
to the Lion kicked up his heels into his face. "This is a double
death," growled the Lion.
Only cowards insult dying majesty.
The Ass and the Lapdog
A Farmer one day came to the stables to see to his beasts of
burden: among them was his favourite Ass, that was always well fed
and often carried his master. With the Farmer came his Lapdog,
who danced about and licked his hand and frisked about as happy as
could be. The Farmer felt in his pocket, gave the Lapdog some
dainty food, and sat down while he gave his orders to his
servants. The Lapdog jumped into his master's lap, and lay there
blinking while the Farmer stroked his ears. The Ass, seeing this,
broke loose from his halter and commenced prancing about in
imitation of the Lapdog. The Farmer could not hold his sides with
laughter, so the Ass went up to him, and putting his feet upon the
Farmer's shoulder attempted to climb into his lap. The Farmer's
servants rushed up with sticks and pitchforks and soon taught the
Ass that
. Clumsy jesting is no joke.
The Lion and the Mouse
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up
and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge
paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O
King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall
never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn
some of these days? " The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the
Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let
him go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the
hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a
tree while they went in search of a waggon to carry him on. Just
then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad
plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away
the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right? "
said the little Mouse.
Little friends may prove great friends.
The Swallow and the Other Birds
It happened that a Countryman was sowing some hemp seeds in a
field where a Swallow and some other birds were hopping about
picking up their food. "Beware of that man," quoth the Swallow.
"Why, what is he doing? " said the others. "That is hemp seed he
is sowing; be careful to pick up every one of the seeds, or else
you will repent it. " The birds paid no heed to the Swallow's
words, and by and by the hemp grew up and was made into cord, and
of the cords nets were made, and many a bird that had despised the
Swallow's advice was caught in nets made out of that very hemp.
"What did I tell you? " said the Swallow.
Destroy the seed of evil, or it will grow up to your ruin.
The Frogs Desiring a King
The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy swamp
that just suited them; they went splashing about caring for nobody
and nobody troubling with them. But some of them thought that
this was not right, that they should have a king and a proper
constitution, so they determined to send up a petition to Jove to
give them what they wanted. "Mighty Jove," they cried, "send unto
us a king that will rule over us and keep us in order. " Jove
laughed at their croaking, and threw down into the swamp a huge
Log, which came down splashing into the swamp. The Frogs
were frightened out of their lives by the commotion made in their
midst, and all rushed to the bank to look at the horrible monster;
but after a time, seeing that it did not move, one or two of the
boldest of them ventured out towards the Log, and even dared to
touch it; still it did not move. Then the greatest hero of the
Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced dancing up and down upon
it, thereupon all the Frogs came and did the same; and for some
time the Frogs went about their business every day without taking
the slightest notice of their new King Log lying in their midst.
But this did not suit them, so they sent another petition to Jove,
and said to him, "We want a real king; one that will really rule
over us. " Now this made Jove angry, so he sent among them a big
Stork that soon set to work gobbling them all up. Then the Frogs
repented when too late.
Better no rule than cruel rule.
The Mountains in Labour
One day the Countrymen noticed that the Mountains were in
labour; smoke came out of their summits, the earth was quaking at
their feet, trees were crashing, and huge rocks were tumbling.
They felt sure that something horrible was going to happen. They
all gathered together in one place to see what terrible thing this
could be. They waited and they waited, but nothing came. At last
there was a still more violent earthquake, and a huge gap appeared
in the side of the Mountains. They all fell down upon their knees
and waited. At last, and at last, a teeny, tiny mouse poked its
little head and bristles out of the gap and came running down
towards them, and ever after they used to say:
"Much outcry, little outcome. "
The Hares and the Frogs
The Hares were so persecuted by the other beasts, they did not
know where to go. As soon as they saw a single animal approach
them, off they used to run. One day they saw a troop of wild
Horses stampeding about, and in quite a panic all the Hares
scuttled off to a lake hard by, determined to drown themselves
rather than live in such a continual state of fear. But just as
they got near the bank of the lake, a troop of Frogs, frightened
in their turn by the approach of the Hares scuttled off, and
jumped into the water. "Truly," said one of the Hares, "things
are not so bad as they seem:
"There is always someone worse off than yourself. "
The Wolf and the Kid
A Kid was perched up on the top of a house, and looking down
saw a Wolf passing under him. Immediately he began to revile and
attack his enemy. "Murderer and thief," he cried, "what do you
here near honest folks' houses? How dare you make an appearance
where your vile deeds are known? "
"Curse away, my young friend," said the Wolf.
"It is easy to be brave from a safe distance. "
The Woodman and the Serpent
One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when
he saw something black lying on the snow. When he came closer he
saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up
and put it in his bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as
he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the
fire. The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life
again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke it, but the
Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to
sting the child to death. So the Woodman seized his axe, and with
one stroke cut the Serpent in two. "Ah," said he,
"No gratitude from the wicked. "
The Bald Man and the Fly
There was once a Bald Man who sat down after work on a hot
summer's day. A Fly came up and kept buzzing about his bald pate,
and stinging him from time to time. The Man aimed a blow at his
little enemy, but acks palm came on his head instead;
again the Fly tormented him, but this time the Man was wiser and
said:
"You will only injure yourself if you
take notice of despicable enemies. "
The Fox and the Stork
At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting terms and
seemed very good friends. So the Fox invited the Stork to dinner,
and for a joke put nothing before her but some soup in a very
shallow dish. This the Fox could easily lap up, but the Stork
could only wet the end of her long bill in it, and left the meal
as hungry as when she began. "I am sorry," said the Fox, "the
soup is not to your liking. "
"Pray do not apologise," said the Stork. "I hope you will
return this visit, and come and dine with me soon. " So a day was
appointed when the Fox should visit the Stork; but when they were
seated at table all that was for their dinner was contained in a
very long-necked jar with a narrow mouth, in which the Fox could
not insert his snout, so all he could manage to do was to lick the
outside of the jar.
"I will not apologise for the dinner," said the Stork:
"One bad turn deserves another. "
The Fox and the Mask
A Fox had by some means got into the store-room of a theatre.
Suddenly he observed a face glaring down on him and began to be
very frightened; but looking more closely he found it was only a
Mask such as actors use to put over their face. "Ah," said the
Fox, "you look very fine; it is a pity you have not got any
brains. "
Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
The Jay and the Peacock
A Jay venturing into a yard where Peacocks used to walk, found
there a number of feathers which had fallen from the Peacocks when
they were moulting. He tied them all to his tail and strutted
down towards the Peacocks. When he came near them they soon
discovered the cheat, and striding up to him pecked at him and
plucked away his borrowed plumes. So the Jay could do no better
than go back to the other Jays, who had watched his behaviour from
a distance; but they were equally annoyed with him, and told him:
"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds. "
The Frog and the Ox
"Oh Father," said a little Frog to the big one sitting by the
side of a pool, "I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as
big as a mountain, with horns on its head, and a long tail, and it
had hoofs divided in two. "
"Tush, child, tush," said the old Frog, "that was only Farmer
White's Ox. It isn't so big either; he may be a little bit taller
than I, but I could easily make myself quite as broad; just you
see. " So he blew himself out, and blew himself out, and blew
himself out. "Was he as big as that? " asked he.
"Oh, much bigger than that," said the young Frog.
Again the old one blew himself out, and asked the young one if
the Ox was as big as that.
"Bigger, father, bigger," was the reply.
So the Frog took a deep breath, and blew and blew and blew,
and swelled and swelled and swelled. And then he said: "I'm sure
the Ox is not as big as this. But at this moment he burst.
Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction.
Androcles
A slave named Androcles once escaped from his master and fled
to the forest. As he was wandering about there he came upon a
Lion lying down moaning and groaning. At first he turned to flee,
but finding that the Lion did not pursue him, he turned back and
went up to him. As he came near, the Lion put out his paw, which
was all swollen and bleeding, and Androcles found that a huge
thorn had got into it, and was causing all the pain. He pulled
out the thorn and bound up the paw of the Lion, who was soon able
to rise and lick the hand of Androcles like a dog. Then the Lion
took Androcles to his cave, and every day used to bring him meat
from which to live. But shortly afterwards both Androcles and the
Lion were captured, and the slave was sentenced to be thrown to
the Lion, after the latter had been kept without food for several
days. The Emperor and all his Court came to see the spectacle,
and Androcles was led out into the middle of the arena. Soon the
Lion was let loose from his den, and rushed bounding and roaring
towards his victim. But as soon as he came near to Androcles he
recognised his friend, and fawned upon him, and licked his hands
like a friendly dog. The Emperor, surprised at this, summoned
Androcles to him, who told him the whole story. Whereupon the
slave was pardoned and freed, and the Lion let loose to his native
forest.
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts
A great conflict was about to come off between the Birds and
the Beasts. When the two armies were collected together the Bat
hesitated which to join. The Birds that passed his perch said:
"Come with us"; but he said: "I am a Beast. " Later on, some
Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said: "Come
with us"; but he said: "I am a Bird. " Luckily at the last moment
peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the
Birds and wished to join in the rejoicings, but they all turned
against him and he had to fly away.
" Later on, some
Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said: "Come
with us"; but he said: "I am a Bird. " Luckily at the last moment
peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the
Birds and wished to join in the rejoicings, but they all turned
against him and he had to fly away. He then went to the Beasts,
but soon had to beat a retreat, or else they would have torn him
to pieces. "Ah," said the Bat, "I see now,
"He that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends. "
The Hart and the Hunter
The Hart was once drinking from a pool and admiring the noble
figure he made there. "Ah," said he, "where can you see such
noble horns as these, with such antlers! I wish I had legs more
worthy to bear such a noble crown; it is a pity they are so slim
and slight. " At that moment a Hunter approached and sent an arrow
whistling after him. Away bounded the Hart, and soon, by the aid
of his nimble legs, was nearly out of sight of the Hunter; but not
noticing where he was going, he passed under some trees with
branches growing low down in which his antlers were caught, so
that the Hunter had time to come up. "Alas! alas! " cried the
Hart:
"We often despise what is most useful to us. "
The Serpent and the File
A Serpent in the course of its wanderings came into an
armourer's shop. As he glided over the floor he felt his skin
pricked by a file lying there. In a rage he turned round upon it
and tried to dart his fangs into it; but he could do no harm to
heavy iron and had soon to give over his wrath.
It is useless attacking the insensible.
The Man and the Wood
A Man came into a Wood one day with an axe in his hand, and
begged all the Trees to give him a small branch which he wanted
for a particular purpose. The Trees were good-natured and gave
him one of their branches. What did the Man do but fix it into
the axe head, and soon set to work cutting down tree after tree.
Then the Trees saw how foolish they had been in giving their enemy
the means of destroying themselves.
The Dog and the Wolf
A gaunt Wolf was almost dead with hunger when he happened to
meet a House-dog who was passing by. "Ah, Cousin," said the Dog.
"I knew how it would be; your irregular life will soon be the ruin
of you. Why do you not work steadily as I do, and get your food
regularly given to you? "
"I would have no objection," said the Wolf, "if I could only
get a place. "
"I will easily arrange that for you," said the Dog; "come with
me to my master and you shall share my work. "
So the Wolf and the Dog went towards the town together. On
the way there the Wolf noticed that the hair on a certain part of
the Dog's neck was very much worn away, so he asked him how that
had come about.
"Oh, it is nothing," said the Dog. "That is only the place
where the collar is put on at night to keep me chained up; it
chafes a bit, but one soon gets used to it. "
"Is that all? " said the Wolf. "Then good-bye to you, Master
Dog. "
Better starve free than be a fat slave.
The Belly and the Members
One fine day it occurred to the Members of the Body that they
were doing all the work and the Belly was having all the food. So
they held a meeting, and after a long discussion, decided to
strike work till the Belly consented to take its proper share of
the work. So for a day or two, the Hands refused to take the
food, the Mouth refused to receive it, and the Teeth had no work
to do. But after a day or two the Members began to find that they
themselves were not in a very active condition: the Hands could
hardly move, and the Mouth was all parched and dry, while the Legs
were unable to support the rest. So thus they found that even the
Belly in its dull quiet way was doing necessary work for the Body,
and that all must work together or the Body will go to pieces.
The Hart in the Ox-Stall
A Hart hotly pursued by the hounds fled for refuge into an
ox-stall, and buried itself in a truss of hay, leaving nothing to
be seen but the tips of his horns. Soon after the Hunters came up
and asked if any one had seen the Hart. The stable boys, who had
been resting after their dinner, looked round, but could see
nothing, and the Hunters went away. Shortly afterwards the master
came in, and looking round, saw that something unusual had taken
place. He pointed to the truss of hay and said: "What are those
two curious things sticking out of the hay? " And when the stable
boys came to look they discovered the Hart, and soon made an end
of him. He thus learnt that
Nothing escapes the master's eye.
The Fox and the Grapes
One hot summer's day a Fox was strolling through an orchard
till he came to a bunch of Grapes just ripening on a vine which
had been trained over a lofty branch. "Just the thing to quench
my thirst," quoth he. Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and
a jump, and just missed the bunch. Turning round again with a
One, Two, Three, he jumped up, but with no greater success. Again
and again he tried after the tempting morsel, but at last had to
give it up, and walked away with his nose in the air, saying: "I
am sure they are sour. "
It is easy to despise what you cannot get.
The Horse, Hunter, and Stag
A quarrel had arisen between the Horse and the Stag, so the
Horse came to a Hunter to ask his help to take revenge on the
Stag. The Hunter agreed, but said: "If you desire to conquer the
Stag, you must permit me to place this piece of iron between your
jaws, so that I may guide you with these reins, and allow this
saddle to be placed upon your back so that I may keep steady upon
you as we follow after the enemy. " The Horse agreed to the
conditions, and the Hunter soon saddled and bridled him. Then
with the aid of the Hunter the Horse soon overcame the Stag, and
said to the Hunter: "Now, get off, and remove those things from my
mouth and back. "
"Not so fast, friend," said the Hunter. "I have now got you
under bit and spur, and prefer to keep you as you are at present. "
If you allow men to use you for your own purposes,
they will use you for theirs.
The Peacock and Juno
A Peacock once placed a petition before Juno desiring to have
the voice of a nightingale in addition to his other attractions;
but Juno refused his request. When he persisted, and pointed out
that he was her favourite bird, she said:
"Be content with your lot;
one cannot be first in everything. "
The Fox and the Lion
When first the Fox saw the Lion he was terribly frightened,
and ran away and hid himself in the wood. Next time however he
came near the King of Beasts he stopped at a safe distance and
watched him pass by. The third time they came near one another
the Fox went straight up to the Lion and passed the time of day
with him, asking him how his family were, and when he should have
the pleasure of seeing him again; then turning his tail, he parted
from the Lion without much ceremony.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
The Lion and the Statue
A Man and a Lion were discussing the relative strength of men
and lions in general. The Man contended that he and his fellows
were stronger than lions by reason of their greater intelligence.
"Come now with me," he cried, "and I will soon prove that I am
right. " So he took him into the public gardens and showed him a
statue of Hercules overcoming the Lion and tearing his mouth in
two.
"That is all very well," said the Lion, "but proves nothing,
for it was a man who made the statue. "
We can easily represent things as we wish them to be.
The Ant and the Grasshopper
In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about,
chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by,
bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the
nest.
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper,
"instead of toiling and moiling in that way? "
"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant,
"and recommend you to do the same. "
"Why bother about winter? " said the Grasshopper; we have got
plenty of food at present. " But the Ant went on its way and
continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no
food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants
distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had
collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew:
It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.
The Tree and the Reed
"Well, little one," said a Tree to a Reed that was growing at
its foot, "why do you not plant your feet deeply in the ground,
and raise your head boldly in the air as I do? "
"I am contented with my lot," said the Reed. "I may not be so
grand, but I think I am safer. "
"Safe! " sneered the Tree. "Who shall pluck me up by the roots
or bow my head to the ground? " But it soon had to repent of its
boasting, for a hurricane arose which tore it up from its roots,
and cast it a useless log on the ground, while the little Reed,
bending to the force of the wind, soon stood upright again when
the storm had passed over.
Obscurity often brings safety.
The Fox and the Cat
A Fox was boasting to a Cat of its clever devices for escaping
its enemies. "I have a whole bag of tricks," he said, "which
contains a hundred ways of escaping my enemies. "
"I have only one," said the Cat; "but I can generally manage
with that. " Just at that moment they heard the cry of a pack of
hounds coming towards them, and the Cat immediately scampered up a
tree and hid herself in the boughs. "This is my plan," said the
Cat. "What are you going to do? " The Fox thought first of one
way, then of another, and while he was debating the hounds came
nearer and nearer, and at last the Fox in his confusion was caught
up by the hounds and soon killed by the huntsmen. Miss Puss, who
had been looking on, said:
"Better one safe way than a hundred on which
you cannot reckon. "
The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
A Wolf found great difficulty in getting at the sheep owing to
the vigilance of the shepherd and his dogs. But one day it found
the skin of a sheep that had been flayed and thrown aside, so it
put it on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep.
The Lamb that belonged to the sheep, whose skin the Wolf was
wearing, began to follow the Wolf in the Sheep's clothing; so,
leading the Lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal off her, and
for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying
hearty meals.
Appearances are deceptive.
The Dog in the Manger
A Dog looking out for its afternoon nap jumped into the Manger
of an Ox and lay there cosily upon the straw. But soon the Ox,
returning from its afternoon work, came up to the Manger and
wanted to eat some of the straw. The Dog in a rage, being
awakened from its slumber, stood up and barked at the Ox, and
whenever it came near attempted to bite it. At last the Ox had to
give up the hope of getting at the straw, and went away muttering:
"Ah, people often grudge others what they
cannot enjoy themselves. "
The Man and the Wooden God
In the old days men used to worship sticks and stones and
idols, and prayed to them to give them luck. It happened that a
Man had often prayed to a wooden idol he had received from his
father, but his luck never seemed to change. He prayed and he
prayed, but still he remained as unlucky as ever. One day in the
greatest rage he went to the Wooden God, and with one blow swept
it down from its pedestal. The idol broke in two, and what did he
see? An immense number of coins flying all over the place.
The Fisher
A Fisher once took his bagpipes to the bank of a river, and
played upon them with the hope of making the fish rise; but never
a one put his nose out of the water. So he cast his net into the
river and soon drew it forth filled with fish. Then he took his
bagpipes again, and, as he played, the fish leapt up in the net.
"Ah, you dance now when I play," said he.
"Yes," said an old Fish:
"When you are in a man's power you must do as he bids you. "
The Shepherd's Boy
There was once a young Shepherd Boy who tended his sheep at
the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. It was rather lonely
for him all day, so he thought upon a plan by which he could get a
little company and some excitement. He rushed down towards the
village calling out "Wolf, Wolf," and the villagers came out to
meet him, and some of them stopped with him for a considerable
time. This pleased the boy so much that a few days afterwards he
tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to his help.
But shortly after this a Wolf actually did come out from the
forest, and began to worry the sheep, and the boy of course cried
out "Wolf, Wolf," still louder than before. But this time the
villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the boy was
again deceiving them, and nobody stirred to come to his help. So
the Wolf made a good meal off the boy's flock, and when the boy
complained, the wise man of the village said:
"A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth. "
The Young Thief and His Mother
A young Man had been caught in a daring act of theft and had
been condemned to be executed for it. He expressed his desire to
see his Mother, and to speak with her before he was led to
execution, and of course this was granted. When his Mother came
to him he said: "I want to whisper to you," and when she brought
her ear near him, he nearly bit it off. All the bystanders were
horrified, and asked him what he could mean by such brutal and
inhuman conduct. "It is to punish her," he said. "When I was
young I began with stealing little things, and brought them home
to Mother. Instead of rebuking and punishing me, she laughed and
said: "It will not be noticed. " It is because of her that I am
here to-day. "
"He is right, woman," said the Priest; "the Lord hath said:
"Train up a child in the way he should go; and
when he is old he will not depart therefrom. "
The Man and His Two Wives
In the old days, when men were allowed to have many wives, a
middle-aged Man had one wife that was old and one that was young;
each loved him very much, and desired to see him like herself.
Now the Man's hair was turning grey, which the young Wife did not
like, as it made him look too old for her husband. So every night
she used to comb his hair and pick out the white ones. But the
elder Wife saw her husband growing grey with great pleasure, for
she did not like to be mistaken for his mother. So every morning
she used to arrange his hair and pick out as many of the black
ones as she could. The consequence was the Man soon found himself
entirely bald.
Yield to all and you will soon have nothing to yield.
The Nurse and the Wolf
"Be quiet now," said an old Nurse to a child sitting on her
lap. "If you make that noise again I will throw you to the Wolf. "
Now it chanced that a Wolf was passing close under the window
as this was said. So he crouched down by the side of the house
and waited. "I am in good luck to-day," thought he. "It is sure
to cry soon, and a daintier morsel I haven't had for many a long
day. " So he waited, and he waited, and he waited, till at last
the child began to cry, and the Wolf came forward before the
window, and looked up to the Nurse, wagging his tail. But all the
Nurse did was to shut down the window and call for help, and the
dogs of the house came rushing out. "Ah," said the Wolf as he
galloped away,
"Enemies promises were made to be broken. "
The Tortoise and the Birds
A Tortoise desired to change its place of residence, so he
asked an Eagle to carry him to his new home, promising her a rich
reward for her trouble. The Eagle agreed and seizing the Tortoise
by the shell with her talons soared aloft. On their way they met
a Crow, who said to the Eagle: "Tortoise is good eating. " "The
shell is too hard," said the Eagle in reply. "The rocks will soon
crack the shell," was the Crow's answer; and the Eagle, taking the
hint, let fall the Tortoise on a sharp rock, and the two birds
made a hearty meal of the Tortoise.
Never soar aloft on an enemy's pinions.
The Two Crabs
One fine day two Crabs came out from their home to take a
stroll on the sand. "Child," said the mother, "you are walking
very ungracefully. You should accustom yourself, to walking
straight forward without twisting from side to side. "
"Pray, mother," said the young one, "do but set the example
yourself, and I will follow you. "
Example is the best precept.
The Ass in the Lion's Skin
An Ass once found a Lion's skin which the hunters had left out
in the sun to dry. He put it on and went towards his native
village. All fled at his approach, both men and animals, and he
was a proud Ass that day. In his delight he lifted up his voice
and brayed, but then every one knew him, and his owner came up and
gave him a sound cudgelling for the fright he had caused. And
shortly afterwards a Fox came up to him and said: "Ah, I knew you
by your voice. "
Fine clothes may disguise, but
silly words will disclose a fool.
The Two Fellows and the Bear
Two Fellows were travelling together through a wood, when a
Bear rushed out upon them. One of the travellers happened to be
in front, and he seized hold of the branch of a tree, and hid
himself among the leaves. The other, seeing no help for it, threw
himself flat down upon the ground, with his face in the dust. The
Bear, coming up to him, put his muzzle close to his ear, and
sniffed and sniffed. But at last with a growl he shook his head
and slouched off, for bears will not touch dead meat. Then the
fellow in the tree came down to his comrade, and, laughing, said
"What was it that Master Bruin whispered to you? "
"He told me," said the other,
"Never trust a friend who deserts you at a pinch. "
The Two Pots
Two Pots had been left on the bank of a river, one of brass,
and one of earthenware. When the tide rose they both floated off
down the stream. Now the earthenware pot tried its best to keep
aloof from the brass one, which cried out: "Fear nothing, friend,
I will not strike you. "
"But I may come in contact with you," said the other, "if I
come too close; and whether I hit you, or you hit me, I shall
suffer for it. "
The strong and the weak cannot keep company.
The Four Oxen and the Lion
A Lion used to prowl about a field in which Four Oxen used to
dwell. Many a time he tried to attack them; but whenever he came
near they turned their tails to one another, so that whichever way
he approached them he was met by the horns of one of them. At
last, however, they fell a-quarrelling among themselves, and each
went off to pasture alone in a separate corner of the field. Then
the Lion attacked them one by one and soon made an end of all
four.
United we stand, divided we fall.
The Fisher and the Little Fish
It happened that a Fisher, after fishing all day, caught only
a little fish. "Pray, let me go, master," said the Fish. "I am
much too small for your eating just now. If you put me back into
the river I shall soon grow, then you can make a fine meal off
me. "
"Nay, nay, my little Fish," said the Fisher, "I have you now.
I may not catch you hereafter. "
A little thing in hand is worth more than
a great thing in prospect.
Avaricious and Envious
Two neighbours came before Jupiter and prayed him to grant
their hearts' desire. Now the one was full of avarice, and the
other eaten up with envy. So to punish them both, Jupiter granted
that each might have whatever he wished for himself, but only on
condition that his neighbour had twice as much. The Avaricious
man prayed to have a room full of gold. No sooner said than done;
but all his joy was turned to grief when he found that his
neighbour had two rooms full of the precious metal. Then came the
turn of the Envious man, who could not bear to think that his
neighbour had any joy at all. So he prayed that he might have one
of his own eyes put out, by which means his companion would become
totally blind.
Vices are their own punishment.
The Crow and the Pitcher
A Crow, half-dead with thirst, came upon a Pitcher which had
once been full of water; but when the Crow put its beak into the
mouth of the Pitcher he found that only very little water was left
in it, and that he could not reach far enough down to get at it.
He tried, and he tried, but at last had to give up in despair.
Then a thought came to him, and he took a pebble and dropped it
into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into
the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into
the Pitcher.
