AESOP'S FABLES 

I 

 THE FOX AND THE GRAPES 

A hungry Fox saw some fine bunches of 
Grapes hanging from a vine that was 
trained along a high trellis, and did 
his best to reach them by jumping as 
high as he could into the air. But it 
was all in vain, for they were just out 
of reach: so he gave up trying, and 
walked away with an air of dignity and 
unconcern, remarking, "I thought those 
Grapes were ripe, but I see now they 
are quite sour." 



THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGGS 

A Man and his Wife had the good fortune 
to possess a Goose which laid a Golden 
Egg every day. Lucky though they were, 
they soon began to think they were not 
getting rich fast enough, and, 
imagining the bird must be made of gold 
inside, they decided to kill it in 
order to secure the whole store of 
precious metal at once. But when they 
cut it open they found it was just like 
any other goose. Thus, they neither got 
rich all at once, as they had hoped, 
nor enjoyed any longer the daily 
addition to their wealth.

 Much wants more and loses all. 



THE CAT AND THE MICE 

There was once a house that was overrun 
with Mice. A Cat heard of this, and 
said to herself, "That's the place for 
me," and off she went and took up her 
quarters in the house, and caught the 
Mice one by one and ate them. At last 
the Mice could stand it no longer, and 
they determined to take to their holes 
and stay there. "That's awkward," said 
the Cat to herself: "the only thing to 
do is to coax them out by a trick." So 
she considered a while, and then 
climbed up the wall and let herself 
hang down by her hind legs from a peg, 
and pretended to be dead. By and by a 
Mouse peeped out and saw the Cat 
hanging there. "Aha!" it cried, "you're 
very clever, madam, no doubt: but you 
may turn yourself into a bag of meal 
hanging there, if you like, yet you 
won't catch us coming anywhere near 
you."

 If you are wise you won't be deceived 
by the innocent airs of those whom you 
have once found to be dangerous. 



THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG 

There was once a Dog who used to snap 
at people and bite them without any 
provocation, and who was a great 
nuisance to every one who came to his 
master's house. So his master fastened 
a bell round his neck to warn people of 
his presence. The Dog was very proud of 
the bell, and strutted about tinkling 
it with immense satisfaction. But an 
old dog came up to him and said, "The 
fewer airs you give yourself the 
better, my friend. You don't think, do 
you, that your bell was given you as a 
reward of merit? On the contrary, it is 
a badge of disgrace."

 Notoriety is often mistaken for fame. 



THE CHARCOAL-BURNER AND THE FULLER 

There was once a Charcoal-burner who 
lived and worked by himself. A Fuller, 
however, happened to come and settle in 
the same neighbourhood; and the 
Charcoal-burner, having made his 
acquaintance and finding he was an 
agreeable sort of fellow, asked him if 
he would come and share his house: "We 
shall get to know one another better 
that way," he said, "and, beside, our 
household expenses will be diminished." 
The Fuller thanked him, but replied, "I 
couldn't think of it, sir: why, 
everything I take such pains to whiten 
would be blackened in no time by your 
charcoal." 



THE MICE IN COUNCIL 

Once upon a time all the Mice met 
together in Council, and discussed the 
best means of securing themselves 
against the attacks of the cat. After 
several suggestions had been debated, a 
Mouse of some standing and experience 
got up and said, "I think I have hit 
upon a plan which will ensure our 
safety in the future, provided you 
approve and carry it out. It is that we 
should fasten a bell round the neck of 
our enemy the cat, which will by its 
tinkling warn us of her approach." This 
proposal was warmly applauded, and it 
had been already decided to adopt it, 
when an old Mouse got upon his feet and 
said, "I agree with you all that the 
plan before us is an admirable one: but 
may I ask who is going to bell the 
cat?" 



THE BAT AND THE WEASELS 

A Bat fell to the ground and was caught 
by a Weasel, and was just going to be 
killed and eaten when it begged to be 
let go. The Weasel said he couldn't do 
that because he was an enemy of all 
birds on principle. "Oh, but," said the 
Bat, "I'm not a bird at all: I'm a 
mouse." "So you are," said the Weasel, 
"now I come to look at you"; and he let 
it go. Some time after this the Bat was 
caught in just the same way by another 
Weasel, and, as before, begged for its 
life. "No," said the Weasel, "I never 
let a mouse go by any chance." "But I'm 
not a mouse," said the Bat; "I'm a 
bird." "Why, so you are," said the 
Weasel; and he too let the Bat go.

 Look and see which way the wind blows 
before you commit yourself. 



THE DOG AND THE SOW 

A Dog and a Sow were arguing and each 
claimed that its own young ones were 
finer than those of any other animal. 
"Well," said the Sow at last, "mine can 
see, at any rate, when they come into 
the world: but yours are born blind." 



THE FOX AND THE CROW 

A Crow was sitting on a branch of a 
tree with a piece of cheese in her beak 
when a Fox observed her and set his 
wits to work to discover some way of 
getting the cheese. Coming and standing 
under the tree he looked up and said, 
"What a noble bird I see above me! Her 
beauty is without equal, the hue of her 
plumage exquisite. If only her voice is 
as sweet as her looks are fair, she 
ought without doubt to be Queen of the 
Birds." The Crow was hugely flattered 
by this, and just to show the Fox that 
she could sing she gave a loud caw. 
Down came the cheese, of course, and 
the Fox, snatching it up, said, "You 
have a voice, madam, I see: what you 
want is wits." 



THE HORSE AND THE GROOM 

There was once a Groom who used to 
spend long hours clipping and combing 
the Horse of which he had charge, but 
who daily stole a portion of his 
allowance of oats, and sold it for his 
own profit. The Horse gradually got 
into worse and worse condition, and at 
last cried to the Groom, "If you really 
want me to look sleek and well, you 
must comb me less and feed me more." 



THE WOLF AND THE LAMB 

A Wolf came upon a Lamb straying from 
the flock, and felt some compunction 
about taking the life of so helpless a 
creature without some plausible excuse; 
so he cast about for a grievance and 
said at last, "Last year, sirrah, you 
grossly insulted me." "That is 
impossible, sir," bleated the Lamb, 
"for I wasn't born then." "Well," 
retorted the Wolf, "you feed in my 
pastures." "That cannot be," replied 
the Lamb, "for I have never yet tasted 
grass." "You drink from my spring, 
then," continued the Wolf. "Indeed, 
sir," said the poor Lamb, "I have never 
yet drunk anything but my mother's 
milk." "Well, anyhow," said the Wolf, 
"I'm not going without my dinner": and 
he sprang upon the Lamb and devoured it 
without more ado. 



THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE 

A Peacock taunted a Crane with the 
dullness of her plumage. "Look at my 
brilliant colours," said she, "and see 
how much finer they are than your poor 
feathers." "I am not denying," replied 
the Crane, "that yours are far gayer 
than mine; but when it comes to flying 
I can soar into the clouds, whereas you 
are confined to the earth like any 
dunghill cock." 



THE CAT AND THE BIRDS 

A Cat heard that the Birds in an aviary 
were ailing. So he got himself up as a 
doctor, and, taking with him a set of 
the instruments proper to his 
profession, presented himself at the 
door, and inquired after the health of 
the Birds. "We shall do very well," 
they replied, without letting him in, 
"when we've seen the last of you."

 A villain may disguise himself, but he 
will not deceive the wise. 



THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW 

A Spendthrift, who had wasted his 
fortune, and had nothing left but the 
clothes in which he stood, saw a 
Swallow one fine day in early spring. 
Thinking that summer had come, and that 
he could now do without his coat, he 
went and sold it for what it would 
fetch. A change, however, took place in 
the weather, and there came a sharp 
frost which killed the unfortunate 
Swallow. When the Spendthrift saw its 
dead body he cried, "Miserable bird! 
Thanks to you I am perishing of cold 
myself."

 One swallow does not make summer. 



THE OLD WOMAN AND THE DOCTOR 

An Old Woman became almost totally 
blind from a disease of the eyes, and, 
after consulting a Doctor, made an 
agreement with him in the presence of 
witnesses that she should pay him a 
high fee if he cured her, while if he 
failed he was to receive nothing. The 
Doctor accordingly prescribed a course 
of treatment, and every time he paid 
her a visit he took away with him some 
article out of the house, until at 
last, when he visited her for the last 
time, and the cure was complete, there 
was nothing left. When the Old Woman 
saw that the house was empty she 
refused to pay him his fee; and, after 
repeated refusals on her part, he sued 
her before the magistrates for payment 
of her debt. On being brought into 
court she was ready with her defence. 
"The claimant," said she, "has stated 
the facts about our agreement 
correctly. I undertook to pay him a fee 
if he cured me, and he, on his part, 
promised to charge nothing if he 
failed. Now, he says I am cured; but I 
say that I am blinder than ever, and I 
can prove what I say. When my eyes were 
bad I could at any rate see well enough 
to be aware that my house contained a 
certain amount of furniture and other 
things; but now, when according to him 
I am cured, I am entirely unable to see 
anything there at all." 



THE MOON AND HER MOTHER 

The Moon once begged her Mother to make 
her a gown. "How can I?" replied she; 
"there's no fitting your figure. At one 
time you're a New Moon, and at another 
you're a Full Moon; and between whiles 
you're neither one nor the other." 



MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN 

A Woodman was felling a tree on the 
bank of a river, when his axe, glancing 
off the trunk, flew out of his hands 
and fell into the water. As he stood by 
the water's edge lamenting his loss, 
Mercury appeared and asked him the 
reason for his grief; and on learning 
what had happened, out of pity for his 
distress he dived into the river and, 
bringing up a golden axe, asked him if 
that was the one he had lost. The 
Woodman replied that it was not, and 
Mercury then dived a second time, and, 
bringing up a silver axe, asked if that 
was his. "No, that is not mine either," 
said the Woodman. Once more Mercury 
dived into the river, and brought up 
the missing axe. The Woodman was 
overjoyed at recovering his property, 
and thanked his benefactor warmly; and 
the latter was so pleased with his 
honesty that he made him a present of 
the other two axes. When the Woodman 
told the story to his companions, one 
of these was filled with envy of his 
good fortune and determined to try his 
luck for himself. So he went and began 
to fell a tree at the edge of the 
river, and presently contrived to let 
his axe drop into the water. Mercury 
appeared as before, and, on learning 
that his axe had fallen in, he dived 
and brought up a golden axe, as he had 
done on the previous occasion. Without 
waiting to be asked whether it was his 
or not the fellow cried, "That's mine, 
that's mine," and stretched out his 
hand eagerly for the prize: but Mercury 
was so disgusted at his dishonesty that 
he not only declined to give him the 
golden axe, but also refused to recover 
for him the one he had let fall into 
the stream.

 Honesty is the best policy. 



THE ASS, THE FOX, AND THE LION 

An Ass and a Fox went into partnership 
and sallied out to forage for food 
together. They hadn't gone far before 
they saw a Lion coming their way, at 
which they were both dreadfully 
frightened. But the Fox thought he saw 
a way of saving his own skin, and went 
boldly up to the Lion and whispered in 
his ear, "I'll manage that you shall 
get hold of the Ass without the trouble 
of stalking him, if you'll promise to 
let me go free." The Lion agreed to 
this, and the Fox then rejoined his 
companion and contrived before long to 
lead him by a hidden pit, which some 
hunter had dug as a trap for wild 
animals, and into which he fell. When 
the Lion saw that the Ass was safely 
caught and couldn't get away, it was to 
the Fox that he first turned his 
attention, and he soon finished him 
off, and then at his leisure proceeded 
to feast upon the Ass.

 Betray a friend, and you'll often find 
you have ruined yourself. 



THE LION AND THE MOUSE 

A Lion asleep in his lair was waked up 
by a Mouse running over his face. 
Losing his temper he seized it with his 
paw and was about to kill it. The 
Mouse, terrified, piteously entreated 
him to spare its life. "Please let me 
go," it cried, "and one day I will 
repay you for your kindness." The idea 
of so insignificant a creature ever 
being able to do anything for him 
amused the Lion so much that he laughed 
aloud, and good-humouredly let it go. 
But the Mouse's chance came, after all. 
One day the Lion got entangled in a net 
which had been spread for game by some 
hunters, and the Mouse heard and 
recognised his roars of anger and ran 
to the spot. Without more ado it set to 
work to gnaw the ropes with its teeth, 
and succeeded before long in setting 
the Lion free. "There!" said the Mouse, 
"you laughed at me when I promised I 
would repay you: but now you see, even 
a Mouse can help a Lion." 



THE CROW AND THE PITCHER 

A thirsty Crow found a Pitcher with 
some water in it, but so little was 
there that, try as she might, she could 
not reach it with her beak, and it 
seemed as though she would die of 
thirst within sight of the remedy. At 
last she hit upon a clever plan. She 
began dropping pebbles into the 
Pitcher, and with each pebble the water 
rose a little higher until at last it 
reached the brim, and the knowing bird 
was enabled to quench her thirst.

 Necessity is the mother of invention. 



THE BOYS AND THE FROGS 

Some mischievous Boys were playing on 
the edge of a pond, and, catching sight 
of some Frogs swimming about in the 
shallow water, they began to amuse 
themselves by pelting them with stones, 
and they killed several of them. At 
last one of the Frogs put his head out 
of the water and said, "Oh, stop! stop! 
I beg of you: what is sport to you is 
death to us." 



THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN 

A dispute arose between the North Wind 
and the Sun, each claiming that he was 
stronger than the other. At last they 
agreed to try their powers upon a 
traveller, to see which could soonest 
strip him of his cloak. The North Wind 
had the first try; and, gathering up 
all his force for the attack, he came 
whirling furiously down upon the man, 
and caught up his cloak as though he 
would wrest it from him by one single 
effort: but the harder he blew, the 
more closely the man wrapped it round 
himself. Then came the turn of the Sun. 
At first he beamed gently upon the 
traveller, who soon unclasped his cloak 
and walked on with it hanging loosely 
about his shoulders: then he shone 
forth in his full strength, and the 
man, before he had gone many steps, was 
glad to throw his cloak right off and 
complete his journey more lightly clad.

 Persuasion is better than force 



THE MISTRESS AND HER SERVANTS 

A Widow, thrifty and industrious, had 
two servants, whom she kept pretty hard 
at work. They were not allowed to lie 
long abed in the mornings, but the old 
lady had them up and doing as soon as 
the cock crew. They disliked intensely 
having to get up at such an hour, 
especially in winter-time: and they 
thought that if it were not for the 
cock waking up their Mistress so 
horribly early, they could sleep 
longer. So they caught it and wrung its 
neck. But they weren't prepared for the 
consequences. For what happened was 
that their Mistress, not hearing the 
cock crow as usual, waked them up 
earlier than ever, and set them to work 
in the middle of the night. 



THE GOODS AND THE ILLS 

There was a time in the youth of the 
world when Goods and Ills entered 
equally into the concerns of men, so 
that the Goods did not prevail to make 
them altogether blessed, nor the Ills 
to make them wholly miserable. But 
owing to the foolishness of mankind the 
Ills multiplied greatly in number and 
increased in strength, until it seemed 
as though they would deprive the Goods 
of all share in human affairs, and 
banish them from the earth. The latter, 
therefore, betook themselves to heaven 
and complained to Jupiter of the 
treatment they had received, at the 
same time praying him to grant them 
protection from the Ills, and to advise 
them concerning the manner of their 
intercourse with men. Jupiter granted 
their request for protection, and 
decreed that for the future they should 
not go among men openly in a body, and 
so be liable to attack from the hostile 
Ills, but singly and unobserved, and at 
infrequent and unexpected intervals. 
Hence it is that the earth is full of 
Ills, for they come and go as they 
please and are never far away; while 
Goods, alas! come one by one only, and 
have to travel all the way from heaven, 
so that they are very seldom seen. 



THE HARES AND THE FROGS 

The Hares once gathered together and 
lamented the unhappiness of their lot, 
exposed as they were to dangers on all 
sides and lacking the strength and the 
courage to hold their own. Men, dogs, 
birds and beasts of prey were all their 
enemies, and killed and devoured them 
daily: and sooner than endure such 
persecution any longer, they one and 
all determined to end their miserable 
lives. Thus resolved and desperate, 
they rushed in a body towards a 
neighbouring pool, intending to drown 
themselves. On the bank were sitting a 
number of Frogs, who, when they heard 
the noise of the Hares as they ran, 
with one accord leaped into the water 
and hid themselves in the depths. Then 
one of the older Hares who was wiser 
than the rest cried out to his 
companions, "Stop, my friends, take 
heart; don't let us destroy ourselves 
after all: see, here are creatures who 
are afraid of us, and who must, 
therefore, be still more timid than 
ourselves." 



THE FOX AND THE STORK 

A Fox invited a Stork to dinner, at 
which the only fare provided was a 
large flat dish of soup. The Fox lapped 
it up with great relish, but the Stork 
with her long bill tried in vain to 
partake of the savoury broth. Her 
evident distress caused the sly Fox 
much amusement. But not long after the 
Stork invited him in turn, and set 
before him a pitcher with a long and 
narrow neck, into which she could get 
her bill with ease. Thus, while she 
enjoyed her dinner, the Fox sat by 
hungry and helpless, for it was 
impossible for him to reach the 
tempting contents of the vessel. 



THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING 

A Wolf resolved to disguise himself in 
order that he might prey upon a flock 
of sheep without fear of detection. So 
he clothed himself in a sheepskin, and 
slipped among the sheep when they were 
out at pasture. He completely deceived 
the shepherd, and when the flock was 
penned for the night he was shut in 
with the rest. But that very night as 
it happened, the shepherd, requiring a 
supply of mutton for the table, laid 
hands on the Wolf in mistake for a 
Sheep, and killed him with his knife on 
the spot. 



THE STAG IN THE OX-STALL 

A Stag, chased from his lair by the 
hounds, took refuge in a farmyard, and, 
entering a stable where a number of 
oxen were stalled, thrust himself under 
a pile of hay in a vacant stall, where 
he lay concealed, all but the tips of 
his horns. Presently one of the Oxen 
said to him, "What has induced you to 
come in here? Aren't you aware of the 
risk you are running of being captured 
by the herdsmen?" To which he replied, 
"Pray let me stay for the present. When 
night comes I shall easily escape under 
cover of the dark." In the course of 
the afternoon more than one of the 
farm-hands came in, to attend to the 
wants of the cattle, but not one of 
them noticed the presence of the Stag, 
who accordingly began to congratulate 
himself on his escape and to express 
his gratitude to the Oxen. "We wish you 
well," said the one who had spoken 
before, "but you are not out of danger 
yet. If the master comes, you will 
certainly be found out, for nothing 
ever escapes his keen eyes." Presently, 
sure enough, in he came, and made a 
great to-do about the way the Oxen were 
kept. "The beasts are starving," he 
cried; "here, give them more hay, and 
put plenty of litter under them." As he 
spoke, he seized an armful himself from 
the pile where the Stag lay concealed, 
and at once detected him. Calling his 
men, he had him seized at once and 
killed for the table. 



THE MILKMAID AND HER PAIL 

A farmer's daughter had been out to 
milk the cows, and was returning to the 
dairy carrying her pail of milk upon 
her head. As she walked along, she fell 
a-musing after this fashion: "The milk 
in this pail will provide me with 
cream, which I will make into butter 
and take to market to sell. With the 
money I will buy a number of eggs, and 
these, when hatched, will produce 
chickens, and by and by I shall have 
quite a large poultry-yard. Then I 
shall sell some of my fowls, and with 
the money which they will bring in I 
will buy myself a new gown, which I 
shall wear when I go to the fair; and 
all the young fellows will admire it, 
and come and make love to me, but I 
shall toss my head and have nothing to 
say to them." Forgetting all about the 
pail, and suiting the action to the 
word, she tossed her head. Down went 
the pail, all the milk was spilled, and 
all her fine castles in the air 
vanished in a moment!

 Do not count your chickens before they 
are hatched. 



THE DOLPHINS, THE WHALES, AND THE SPRAT 

The Dolphins quarrelled with the 
Whales, and before very long they began 
fighting with one another. The battle 
was very fierce, and had lasted some 
time without any sign of coming to an 
end, when a Sprat thought that perhaps 
he could stop it; so he stepped in and 
tried to persuade them to give up 
fighting and make friends. But one of 
the Dolphins said to him 
contemptuously, "We would rather go on 
fighting till we're all killed than be 
reconciled by a Sprat like you!" 



THE FOX AND THE MONKEY 

A Fox and a Monkey were on the road 
together, and fell into a dispute as to 
which of the two was the better born. 
They kept it up for some time, till 
they came to a place where the road 
passed through a cemetery full of 
monuments, when the Monkey stopped and 
looked about him and gave a great sigh. 
"Why do you sigh?" said the Fox. The 
Monkey pointed to the tombs and 
replied, "All the monuments that you 
see here were put up in honour of my 
forefathers, who in their day were 
eminent men." The Fox was speechless 
for a moment, but quickly recovering he 
said, "Oh! don't stop at any lie, sir; 
you're quite safe: I'm sure none of 
your ancestors will rise up and expose 
you."

 Boasters brag most when they cannot be 
detected. 



THE ASS AND THE LAP-DOG 

There was once a man who had an Ass and 
a Lap-dog. The Ass was housed in the 
stable with plenty of oats and hay to 
eat and was as well off as an ass could 
be. The little Dog was made a great pet 
of by his master, who fondled him and 
often let him lie in his lap; and if he 
went out to dinner, he would bring back 
a tit-bit or two to give him when he 
ran to meet him on his return. The Ass 
had, it is true, a good deal of work to 
do, carting or grinding the corn, or 
carrying the burdens of the farm: and 
ere long he became very jealous, 
contrasting his own life of labour with 
the ease and idleness of the Lap-dog. 
At last one day he broke his halter, 
and frisking into the house just as his 
master sat down to dinner, he pranced 
and capered about, mimicking the 
frolics of the little favourite, 
upsetting the table and smashing the 
crockery with his clumsy efforts. Not 
content with that, he even tried to 
jump on his master's lap, as he had so 
often seen the dog allowed to do. At 
that the servants, seeing the danger 
their master was in, belaboured the 
silly Ass with sticks and cudgels, and 
drove him back to his stable half dead 
with his beating. "Alas!" he cried, 
"all this I have brought on myself. Why 
could I not be satisfied with my 
natural and honourable position, 
without wishing to imitate the 
ridiculous antics of that useless 
little Lap-dog?" 



THE FIR-TREE AND THE BRAMBLE 

A Fir-tree was boasting to a Bramble, 
and said, somewhat contemptuously, "You 
poor creature, you are of no use 
whatever. Now, look at me: I am useful 
for all sorts of things, particularly 
when men build houses; they can't do 
without me then." But the Bramble 
replied, "Ah, that's all very well: but 
you wait till they come with axes and 
saws to cut you down, and then you'll 
wish you were a Bramble and not a Fir."

 Better poverty without a care than 
wealth with its many obligations. 



THE FROGS' COMPLAINT AGAINST THE SUN 

Once upon a time the Sun was about to 
take to himself a wife. The Frogs in 
terror all raised their voices to the 
skies, and Jupiter, disturbed by the 
noise, asked them what they were 
croaking about. They replied, "The Sun 
is bad enough even while he is single, 
drying up our marshes with his heat as 
he does. But what will become of us if 
he marries and begets other Suns?" 



THE DOG, THE COCK, AND THE FOX 

A Dog and a Cock became great friends, 
and agreed to travel together. At 
nightfall the Cock flew up into the 
branches of a tree to roost, while the 
Dog curled himself up inside the trunk, 
which was hollow. At break of day the 
Cock woke up and crew, as usual. A Fox 
heard, and, wishing to make a breakfast 
of him, came and stood under the tree 
and begged him to come down. "I should 
so like," said he, "to make the 
acquaintance of one who has such a 
beautiful voice." The Cock replied, 
"Would you just wake my porter who 
sleeps at the foot of the tree? He'll 
open the door and let you in." The Fox 
accordingly rapped on the trunk, when 
out rushed the Dog and tore him in 
pieces. 



THE GNAT AND THE BULL 

A Gnat alighted on one of the horns of 
a Bull, and remained sitting there for 
a considerable time. When it had rested 
sufficiently and was about to fly away, 
it said to the Bull, "Do you mind if I 
go now?" The Bull merely raised his 
eyes and remarked, without interest, 
"It's all one to me; I didn't notice 
when you came, and I shan't know when 
you go away."

 We may often be of more consequence in 
our own eyes than in the eyes of our 
neighbours. 



THE BEAR AND THE TRAVELLERS 

Two Travellers were on the road 
together, when a Bear suddenly appeared 
on the scene. Before he observed them, 
one made for a tree at the side of the 
road, and climbed up into the branches 
and hid there. The other was not so 
nimble as his companion; and, as he 
could not escape, he threw himself on 
the ground and pretended to be dead. 
The Bear came up and sniffed all round 
him, but he kept perfectly still and 
held his breath: for they say that a 
bear will not touch a dead body. The 
Bear took him for a corpse, and went 
away. When the coast was clear, the 
Traveller in the tree came down, and 
asked the other what it was the Bear 
had whispered to him when he put his 
mouth to his ear. The other replied, 
"He told me never again to travel with 
a friend who deserts you at the first 
sign of danger."

 Misfortune tests the sincerity of 
friendship. 



THE SLAVE AND THE LION 

A Slave ran away from his master, by 
whom he had been most cruelly treated, 
and, in order to avoid capture, betook 
himself into the desert. As he wandered 
about in search of food and shelter, he 
came to a cave, which he entered and 
found to be unoccupied. Really, 
however, it was a Lion's den, and 
almost immediately, to the horror of 
the wretched fugitive, the Lion himself 
appeared. The man gave himself up for 
lost: but, to his utter astonishment, 
the Lion, instead of springing upon him 
and devouring him, came and fawned upon 
him, at the same time whining and 
lifting up his paw. Observing it to be 
much swollen and inflamed, he examined 
it and found a large thorn embedded in 
the ball of the foot. He accordingly 
removed it and dressed the wound as 
well as he could: and in course of time 
it healed up completely. The Lion's 
gratitude was unbounded; he looked upon 
the man as his friend, and they shared 
the cave for some time together. A day 
came, however, when the Slave began to 
long for the society of his fellow-men, 
and he bade farewell to the Lion and 
returned to the town. Here he was 
presently recognised and carried off in 
chains to his former master, who 
resolved to make an example of him, and 
ordered that he should be thrown to the 
beasts at the next public spectacle in 
the theatre. On the fatal day the 
beasts were loosed into the arena, and 
among the rest a Lion of huge bulk and 
ferocious aspect; and then the wretched 
Slave was cast in among them. What was 
the amazement of the spectators, when 
the Lion after one glance bounded up to 
him and lay down at his feet with every 
expression of affection and delight! It 
was his old friend of the cave! The 
audience clamoured that the Slave's 
life should be spared: and the governor 
of the town, marvelling at such 
gratitude and fidelity in a beast, 
decreed that both should receive their 
liberty. 



THE FLEA AND THE MAN 

A Flea bit a Man, and bit him again, 
and again, till he could stand it no 
longer, but made a thorough search for 
it, and at last succeeded in catching 
it. Holding it between his finger and 
thumb, he said--or rather shouted, so 
angry was he--"Who are you, pray, you 
wretched little creature, that you make 
so free with my person?" The Flea, 
terrified, whimpered in a weak little 
voice, "Oh, sir! pray let me go; don't 
kill me! I am such a little thing that 
I can't do you much harm." But the Man 
laughed and said, "I am going to kill 
you now, at once: whatever is bad has 
got to be destroyed, no matter how 
slight the harm it does."

 Do not waste your pity on a scamp. 



THE BEE AND JUPITER 

A Queen Bee from Hymettus flew up to 
Olympus with some fresh honey from the 
hive as a present to Jupiter, who was 
so pleased with the gift that he 
promised to give her anything she liked 
to ask for. She said she would be very 
grateful if he would give stings to the 
bees, to kill people who robbed them of 
their honey. Jupiter was greatly 
displeased with this request, for he 
loved mankind: but he had given his 
word, so he said that stings they 
should have. The stings he gave them, 
however, were of such a kind that 
whenever a bee stings a man the sting 
is left in the wound and the bee dies.

 Evil wishes, like fowls, come home to 
roost. 



THE OAK AND THE REEDS 

An Oak that grew on the bank of a river 
was uprooted by a severe gale of wind, 
and thrown across the stream. It fell 
among some Reeds growing by the water, 
and said to them, "How is it that you, 
who are so frail and slender, have 
managed to weather the storm, whereas 
I, with all my strength, have been torn 
up by the roots and hurled into the 
river?" "You were stubborn," came the 
reply, "and fought against the storm, 
which proved stronger than you: but we 
bow and yield to every breeze, and thus 
the gale passed harmlessly over our 
heads." 



THE BLIND MAN AND THE CUB 

There was once a Blind Man who had so 
fine a sense of touch that, when any 
animal was put into his hands, he could 
tell what it was merely by the feel of 
it. One day the Cub of a Wolf was put 
into his hands, and he was asked what 
it was. He felt it for some time, and 
then said, "Indeed, I am not sure 
whether it is a Wolf's Cub or a Fox's: 
but this I know--it would never do to 
trust it in a sheepfold."

 Evil tendencies are early shown. 



THE BOY AND THE SNAILS 

A Farmer's Boy went looking for Snails, 
and, when he had picked up both his 
hands full, he set about making a fire 
at which to roast them; for he meant to 
eat them. When it got well alight and 
the Snails began to feel the heat, they 
gradually withdrew more and more into 
their shells with the hissing noise 
they always make when they do so. When 
the Boy heard it, he said, "You 
abandoned creatures, how can you find 
heart to whistle when your houses are 
burning?" 



THE APES AND THE TWO TRAVELLERS 

Two men were travelling together, one 
of whom never spoke the truth, whereas 
the other never told a lie: and they 
came in the course of their travels to 
the land of Apes. The King of the Apes, 
hearing of their arrival, ordered them 
to be brought before him; and by way of 
impressing them with his magnificence, 
he received them sitting on a throne, 
while the Apes, his subjects, were 
ranged in long rows on either side of 
him. When the Travellers came into his 
presence he asked them what they 
thought of him as a King. The lying 
Traveller said, "Sire, every one must 
see that you are a most noble and 
mighty monarch." "And what do you think 
of my subjects?" continued the King. 
"They," said the Traveller, "are in 
every way worthy of their royal 
master." The Ape was so delighted with 
his answer that he gave him a very 
handsome present. The other Traveller 
thought that if his companion was 
rewarded so splendidly for telling a 
lie, he himself would certainly receive 
a still greater reward for telling the 
truth; so, when the Ape turned to him 
and said, "And what, sir, is your 
opinion?" he replied, "I think you are 
a very fine Ape, and all your subjects 
are fine Apes too." The King of the 
Apes was so enraged at his reply that 
he ordered him to be taken away and 
clawed to death. 



THE ASS AND HIS BURDENS 

A Pedlar who owned an Ass one day 
bought a quantity of salt, and loaded 
up his beast with as much as he could 
bear. On the way home the Ass stumbled 
as he was crossing a stream and fell 
into the water. The salt got thoroughly 
wetted and much of it melted and 
drained away, so that, when he got on 
his legs again, the Ass found his load 
had become much less heavy. His master, 
however, drove him back to town and 
bought more salt, which he added to 
what remained in the panniers, and 
started out again. No sooner had they 
reached a stream than the Ass lay down 
in it, and rose, as before, with a much 
lighter load. But his master detected 
the trick, and turning back once more, 
bought a large number of sponges, and 
piled them on the back of the Ass. When 
they came to the stream the Ass again 
lay down: but this time, as the sponges 
soaked up large quantities of water, he 
found, when he got up on his legs, that 
he had a bigger burden to carry than 
ever.

 You may play a good card once too 
often. 



THE SHEPHERD'S BOY AND THE WOLF 

A Shepherd's Boy was tending his flock 
near a village, and thought it would be 
great fun to hoax the villagers by 
pretending that a Wolf was attacking 
the sheep: so he shouted out, "Wolf! 
wolf!" and when the people came running 
up he laughed at them for their pains. 
He did this more than once, and every 
time the villagers found they had been 
hoaxed, for there was no Wolf at all. 
At last a Wolf really did come, and the 
Boy cried, "Wolf! wolf!" as loud as he 
could: but the people were so used to 
hearing him call that they took no 
notice of his cries for help. And so 
the Wolf had it all his own way, and 
killed off sheep after sheep at his 
leisure.

 You cannot believe a liar even when he 
tells the truth. 



THE FOX AND THE GOAT 

A Fox fell into a well and was unable 
to get out again. By and by a thirsty 
Goat came by, and seeing the Fox in the 
well asked him if the water was good. 
"Good?" said the Fox, "it's the best 
water I ever tasted in all my life. 
Come down and try it yourself." The 
Goat thought of nothing but the 
prospect of quenching his thirst, and 
jumped in at once. When he had had 
enough to drink, he looked about, like 
the Fox, for some way of getting out, 
but could find none. Presently the Fox 
said, "I have an idea. You stand on 
your hind legs, and plant your forelegs 
firmly against the side of the well, 
and then I'll climb on to your back, 
and, from there, by stepping on your 
horns, I can get out. And when I'm out, 
I'll help you out too." The Goat did as 
he was requested, and the Fox climbed 
on to his back and so out of the well; 
and then he coolly walked away. The 
Goat called loudly after him and 
reminded him of his promise to help him 
out: but the Fox merely turned and 
said, "If you had as much sense in your 
head as you have hair in your beard you 
wouldn't have got into the well without 
making certain that you could get out 
again."

 Look before your leap. 



THE FISHERMAN AND THE SPRAT 

A Fisherman cast his net into the sea, 
and when he drew it up again it 
contained nothing but a single Sprat 
that begged to be put back into the 
water. "I'm only a little fish now," it 
said, "but I shall grow big one day, 
and then if you come and catch me again 
I shall be of some use to you." But the 
Fisherman replied, "Oh, no, I shall 
keep you now I've got you: if I put you 
back, should I ever see you again? Not 
likely!" 



THE BOASTING TRAVELLER 

A Man once went abroad on his travels, 
and when he came home he had wonderful 
tales to tell of the things he had done 
in foreign countries. Among other 
things, he said he had taken part in a 
jumping-match at Rhodes, and had done a 
wonderful jump which no one could beat. 
"Just go to Rhodes and ask them," he 
said; "every one will tell you it's 
true." But one of those who were 
listening said, "If you can jump as 
well as all that, we needn't go to 
Rhodes to prove it. Let's just imagine 
this is Rhodes for a minute: and 
now--jump!"

 Deeds, not words. 



THE CRAB AND HIS MOTHER 

An Old Crab said to her son, "Why do 
you walk sideways like that, my son? 
You ought to walk straight." The Young 
Crab replied, "Show me how, dear 
mother, and I'll follow your example." 
The Old Crab tried, but tried in vain, 
and then saw how foolish she had been 
to find fault with her child.

 Example is better than precept. 



THE ASS AND HIS SHADOW 

A certain man hired an Ass for a 
journey in summertime, and started out 
with the owner following behind to 
drive the beast. By and by, in the heat 
of the day, they stopped to rest, and 
the traveller wanted to lie down in the 
Ass's Shadow; but the owner, who 
himself wished to be out of the sun, 
wouldn't let him do that; for he said 
he had hired the Ass only, and not his 
Shadow: the other maintained that his 
bargain secured him complete control of 
the Ass for the time being. From words 
they came to blows; and while they were 
belabouring each other the Ass took to 
his heels and was soon out of sight. 



THE FARMER AND HIS SONS 

A Farmer, being at death's door, and 
desiring to impart to his Sons a secret 
of much moment, called them round him 
and said, "My sons, I am shortly about 
to die; I would have you know, 
therefore, that in my vineyard there 
lies a hidden treasure. Dig, and you 
will find it." As soon as their father 
was dead, the Sons took spade and fork 
and turned up the soil of the vineyard 
over and over again, in their search 
for the treasure which they supposed to 
lie buried there. They found none, 
however: but the vines, after so 
thorough a digging, produced a crop 
such as had never before been seen. 



THE DOG AND THE COOK 

A rich man once invited a number of his 
friends and acquaintances to a banquet. 
His dog thought it would be a good 
opportunity to invite another Dog, a 
friend of his; so he went to him and 
said, "My master is giving a feast: 
there'll be a fine spread, so come and 
dine with me to-night." The Dog thus 
invited came, and when he saw the 
preparations being made in the kitchen 
he said to himself, "My word, I'm in 
luck: I'll take care to eat enough 
to-night to last me two or three days." 
At the same time he wagged his tail 
briskly, by way of showing his friend 
how delighted he was to have been 
asked. But just then the Cook caught 
sight of him, and, in his annoyance at 
seeing a strange Dog in the kitchen, 
caught him up by the hind legs and 
threw him out of the window. He had a 
nasty fall, and limped away as quickly 
as he could, howling dismally. 
Presently some other dogs met him, and 
said, "Well, what sort of a dinner did 
you get?" To which he replied, "I had a 
splendid time: the wine was so good, 
and I drank so much of it, that I 
really don't remember how I got out of 
the house!"

 Be shy of favours bestowed at the 
expense of others. 



THE MONKEY AS KING 

At a gathering of all the animals the 
Monkey danced and delighted them so 
much that they made him their King. The 
Fox, however, was very much disgusted 
at the promotion of the Monkey: so 
having one day found a trap with a 
piece of meat in it, he took the Monkey 
there and said to him, "Here is a 
dainty morsel I have found, sire; I did 
not take it myself, because I thought 
it ought to be reserved for you, our 
King. Will you be pleased to accept 
it?" The Monkey made at once for the 
meat and got caught in the trap. Then 
he bitterly reproached the Fox for 
leading him into danger; but the Fox 
only laughed and said, "O Monkey, you 
call yourself King of the Beasts and 
haven't more sense than to be taken in 
like that!" 



THE THIEVES AND THE COCK 

Some Thieves broke into a house, and 
found nothing worth taking except a 
Cock, which they seized and carried off 
with them. When they were preparing 
their supper, one of them caught up the 
Cock, and was about to wring his neck, 
when he cried out for mercy and said, 
"Pray do not kill me: you will find me 
a most useful bird, for I rouse honest 
men to their work in the morning by my 
crowing." But the Thief replied with 
some heat, "Yes, I know you do, making 
it still harder for us to get a 
livelihood. Into the pot you go!" 



THE FARMER AND FORTUNE 

A Farmer was ploughing one day on his 
farm when he turned up a pot of golden 
coins with his plough. He was overjoyed 
at his discovery, and from that time 
forth made an offering daily at the 
shrine of the Goddess of the Earth. 
Fortune was displeased at this, and 
came to him and said, "My man, why do 
you give Earth the credit for the gift 
which I bestowed upon you? You never 
thought of thanking me for your good 
luck; but should you be unlucky enough 
to lose what you have gained I know 
very well that I, Fortune, should then 
come in for all the blame."

 Show gratitude where gratitude is due. 



JUPITER AND THE MONKEY 

Jupiter issued a proclamation to all 
the beasts, and offered a prize to the 
one who, in his judgment, produced the 
most beautiful offspring. Among the 
rest came the Monkey, carrying a baby 
monkey in her arms, a hairless, 
flat-nosed little fright. When they saw 
it, the gods all burst into peal on 
peal of laughter; but the Monkey hugged 
her little one to her, and said, 
"Jupiter may give the prize to 
whomsoever he likes: but I shall always 
think my baby the most beautiful of 
them all." 



FATHER AND SONS 

A certain man had several Sons who were 
always quarrelling with one another, 
and, try as he might, he could not get 
them to live together in harmony. So he 
determined to convince them of their 
folly by the following means. Bidding 
them fetch a bundle of sticks, he 
invited each in turn to break it across 
his knee. All tried and all failed: and 
then he undid the bundle, and handed 
them the sticks one by one, when they 
had no difficulty at all in breaking 
them. "There, my boys," said he, 
"united you will be more than a match 
for your enemies: but if you quarrel 
and separate, your weakness will put 
you at the mercy of those who attack 
you."

 Union is strength. 



THE LAMP 

A Lamp, well filled with oil, burned 
with a clear and steady light, and 
began to swell with pride and boast 
that it shone more brightly than the 
sun himself. Just then a puff of wind 
came and blew it out. Some one struck a 
match and lit it again, and said, "You 
just keep alight, and never mind the 
sun. Why, even the stars never need to 
be relit as you had to be just now." 



THE OWL AND THE BIRDS 

The Owl is a very wise bird; and once, 
long ago, when the first oak sprouted 
in the forest, she called all the other 
Birds together and said to them, "You 
see this tiny tree? If you take my 
advice, you will destroy it now when it 
is small: for when it grows big, the 
mistletoe will appear upon it, from 
which birdlime will be prepared for 
your destruction." Again, when the 
first flax was sown, she said to them, 
"Go and eat up that seed, for it is the 
seed of the flax, out of which men will 
one day make nets to catch you." Once 
more, when she saw the first archer, 
she warned the Birds that he was their 
deadly enemy, who would wing his arrows 
with their own feathers and shoot them. 
But they took no notice of what she 
said: in fact, they thought she was 
rather mad, and laughed at her. When, 
however, everything turned out as she 
had foretold, they changed their minds 
and conceived a great respect for her 
wisdom. Hence, whenever she appears, 
the Birds attend upon her in the hope 
of hearing something that may be for 
their good. She, however, gives them 
advice no longer, but sits moping and 
pondering on the folly of her kind. 



THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN 

An Ass found a Lion's Skin, and dressed 
himself up in it. Then he went about 
frightening every one he met, for they 
all took him to be a lion, men and 
beasts alike, and took to their heels 
when they saw him coming. Elated by the 
success of his trick, he loudly brayed 
in triumph. The Fox heard him, and 
recognised him at once for the Ass he 
was, and said to him, "Oho, my friend, 
it's you, is it? I, too, should have 
been afraid if I hadn't heard your 
voice." 



THE SHE-GOATS AND THEIR BEARDS 

Jupiter granted beards to the She-Goats 
at their own request, much to the 
disgust of the he-Goats, who considered 
this to be an unwarrantable invasion of 
their rights and dignities. So they 
sent a deputation to him to protest 
against his action. He, however, 
advised them not to raise any 
objections. "What's in a tuft of hair?" 
said he. "Let them have it if they want 
it. They can never be a match for you 
in strength." 



THE OLD LION 

A Lion, enfeebled by age and no longer 
able to procure food for himself by 
force, determined to do so by cunning. 
Betaking himself to a cave, he lay down 
inside and feigned to be sick: and 
whenever any of the other animals 
entered to inquire after his health, he 
sprang upon them and devoured them. 
Many lost their lives in this way, till 
one day a Fox called at the cave, and, 
having a suspicion of the truth, 
addressed the Lion from outside instead 
of going in, and asked him how he did. 
He replied that he was in a very bad 
way: "But," said he, "why do you stand 
outside? Pray come in." "I should have 
done so," answered the Fox, "if I 
hadn't noticed that all the footprints 
point towards the cave and none the 
other way." 



THE BOY BATHING 

A Boy was bathing in a river and got 
out of his depth, and was in great 
danger of being drowned. A man who was 
passing along a road heard his cries 
for help, and went to the riverside and 
began to scold him for being so 
careless as to get into deep water, but 
made no attempt to help him. "Oh, sir," 
cried the Boy, "please help me first 
and scold me afterwards."

 Give assistance, not advice, in a 
crisis. 



THE QUACK FROG 

Once upon a time a Frog came forth from 
his home in the marshes and proclaimed 
to all the world that he was a learned 
physician, skilled in drugs and able to 
cure all diseases. Among the crowd was 
a Fox, who called out, "You a doctor! 
Why, how can you set up to heal others 
when you cannot even cure your own lame 
legs and blotched and wrinkled skin?"

 Physician, heal thyself. 



THE SWOLLEN FOX 

A hungry Fox found in a hollow tree a 
quantity of bread and meat, which some 
shepherds had placed there against 
their return. Delighted with his find 
he slipped in through the narrow 
aperture and greedily devoured it all. 
But when he tried to get out again he 
found himself so swollen after his big 
meal that he could not squeeze through 
the hole, and fell to whining and 
groaning over his misfortune. Another 
Fox, happening to pass that way, came 
and asked him what the matter was; and, 
on learning the state of the case, 
said, "Well, my friend, I see nothing 
for it but for you to stay where you 
are till you shrink to your former 
size; you'll get out then easily 
enough." 



THE MOUSE, THE FROG, AND THE HAWK 

A Mouse and a Frog struck up a 
friendship; they were not well mated, 
for the Mouse lived entirely on land, 
while the Frog was equally at home on 
land or in the water. In order that 
they might never be separated, the Frog 
tied himself and the Mouse together by 
the leg with a piece of thread. As long 
as they kept on dry land all went 
fairly well; but, coming to the edge of 
a pool, the Frog jumped in, taking the 
Mouse with him, and began swimming 
about and croaking with pleasure. The 
unhappy Mouse, however, was soon 
drowned, and floated about on the 
surface in the wake of the Frog. There 
he was spied by a Hawk, who pounced 
down on him and seized him in his 
talons. The Frog was unable to loose 
the knot which bound him to the Mouse, 
and thus was carried off along with him 
and eaten by the Hawk. 



THE BOY AND THE NETTLES 

A Boy was gathering berries from a 
hedge when his hand was stung by a 
Nettle. Smarting with the pain, he ran 
to tell his mother, and said to her 
between his sobs, "I only touched it 
ever so lightly, mother." "That's just 
why you got stung, my son," she said; 
"if you had grasped it firmly, it 
wouldn't have hurt you in the least." 



THE PEASANT AND THE APPLE-TREE 

A Peasant had an Apple-tree growing in 
his garden, which bore no fruit, but 
merely served to provide a shelter from 
the heat for the sparrows and 
grasshoppers which sat and chirped in 
its branches. Disappointed at its 
barrenness he determined to cut it 
down, and went and fetched his axe for 
the purpose. But when the sparrows and 
the grasshoppers saw what he was about 
to do, they begged him to spare it, and 
said to him, "If you destroy the tree 
we shall have to seek shelter 
elsewhere, and you will no longer have 
our merry chirping to enliven your work 
in the garden." He, however, refused to 
listen to them, and set to work with a 
will to cut through the trunk. A few 
strokes showed that it was hollow 
inside and contained a swarm of bees 
and a large store of honey. Delighted 
with his find he threw down his axe, 
saying, "The old tree is worth keeping 
after all."

 Utility is most men's test of worth. 



THE JACKDAW AND THE PIGEONS 

A Jackdaw, watching some Pigeons in a 
farmyard, was filled with envy when he 
saw how well they were fed, and 
determined to disguise himself as one 
of them, in order to secure a share of 
the good things they enjoyed. So he 
painted himself white from head to foot 
and joined the flock; and, so long as 
he was silent, they never suspected 
that he was not a pigeon like 
themselves. But one day he was unwise 
enough to start chattering, when they 
at once saw through his disguise and 
pecked him so unmercifully that he was 
glad to escape and join his own kind 
again. But the other jackdaws did not 
recognise him in his white dress, and 
would not let him feed with them, but 
drove him away: and so he became a 
homeless wanderer for his pains. 



JUPITER AND THE TORTOISE 

Jupiter was about to marry a wife, and 
determined to celebrate the event by 
inviting all the animals to a banquet. 
They all came except the Tortoise, who 
did not put in an appearance, much to 
Jupiter's surprise. So when he next saw 
the Tortoise he asked him why he had 
not been at the banquet. "I don't care 
for going out," said the Tortoise; 
"there's no place like home." Jupiter 
was so much annoyed by this reply that 
he decreed that from that time forth 
the Tortoise should carry his house 
upon his back, and never be able to get 
away from home even if he wished to. 



THE DOG IN THE MANGER 

A Dog was lying in a Manger on the hay 
which had been put there for the 
cattle, and when they came and tried to 
eat, he growled and snapped at them and 
wouldn't let them get at their food. 
"What a selfish beast," said one of 
them to his companions; "he can't eat 
himself and yet he won't let those eat 
who can." 



THE TWO BAGS 

Every man carries Two Bags about with 
him, one in front and one behind, and 
both are packed full of faults. The Bag 
in front contains his neighbours' 
faults, the one behind his own. Hence 
it is that men do not see their own 
faults, but never fail to see those of 
others. 



THE OXEN AND THE AXLETREES 

A pair of Oxen were drawing a heavily 
loaded waggon along the highway, and, 
as they tugged and strained at the 
yoke, the Axletrees creaked and groaned 
terribly. This was too much for the 
Oxen, who turned round indignantly and 
said, "Hullo, you there! Why do you 
make such a noise when we do all the 
work?"

 They complain most who suffer least. 



THE BOY AND THE FILBERTS 

A Boy put his hand into a jar of 
Filberts, and grasped as many as his 
fist could possibly hold. But when he 
tried to pull it out again, he found he 
couldn't do so, for the neck of the jar 
was too small to allow of the passage 
of so large a handful. Unwilling to 
lose his nuts but unable to withdraw 
his hand, he burst into tears. A 
bystander, who saw where the trouble 
lay, said to him, "Come, my boy, don't 
be so greedy: be content with half the 
amount, and you'll be able to get your 
hand out without difficulty."

 Do not attempt too much at once. 



THE FROGS ASKING FOR A KING 

Time was when the Frogs were 
discontented because they had no one to 
rule over them: so they sent a 
deputation to Jupiter to ask him to 
give them a King. Jupiter, despising 
the folly of their request, cast a log 
into the pool where they lived, and 
said that that should be their King. 
The Frogs were terrified at first by 
the splash, and scuttled away into the 
deepest parts of the pool; but by and 
by, when they saw that the log remained 
motionless, one by one they ventured to 
the surface again, and before long, 
growing bolder, they began to feel such 
contempt for it that they even took to 
sitting upon it. Thinking that a King 
of that sort was an insult to their 
dignity, they sent to Jupiter a second 
time, and begged him to take away the 
sluggish King he had given them, and to 
give them another and a better one. 
Jupiter, annoyed at being pestered in 
this way, sent a Stork to rule over 
them, who no sooner arrived among them 
than he began to catch and eat the 
Frogs as fast as he could. 



THE OLIVE-TREE AND THE FIG-TREE 

An Olive-tree taunted a Fig-tree with 
the loss of her leaves at a certain 
season of the year. "You," she said, 
"lose your leaves every autumn, and are 
bare till the spring: whereas I, as you 
see, remain green and flourishing all 
the year round." Soon afterwards there 
came a heavy fall of snow, which 
settled on the leaves of the Olive so 
that she bent and broke under the 
weight; but the flakes fell harmlessly 
through the bare branches of the Fig, 
which survived to bear many another 
crop. 



THE LION AND THE BOAR 

One hot and thirsty day in the height 
of summer a Lion and a Boar came down 
to a little spring at the same moment 
to drink. In a trice they were 
quarrelling as to who should drink 
first. The quarrel soon became a fight 
and they attacked one another with the 
utmost fury. Presently, stopping for a 
moment to take breath, they saw some 
vultures seated on a rock above 
evidently waiting for one of them to be 
killed, when they would fly down and 
feed upon the carcase. The sight 
sobered them at once, and they made up 
their quarrel, saying, "We had much 
better be friends than fight and be 
eaten by vultures." 



THE WALNUT-TREE 

A Walnut-tree, which grew by the 
roadside, bore every year a plentiful 
crop of nuts. Every one who passed by 
pelted its branches with sticks and 
stones, in order to bring down the 
fruit, and the tree suffered severely. 
"It is hard," it cried, "that the very 
persons who enjoy my fruit should thus 
reward me with insults and blows." 



THE MAN AND THE LION 

A Man and a Lion were companions on a 
journey, and in the course of 
conversation they began to boast about 
their prowess, and each claimed to be 
superior to the other in strength and 
courage. They were still arguing with 
some heat when they came to a 
cross-road where there was a statue of 
a Man strangling a Lion. "There!" said 
the Man triumphantly, "look at that! 
Doesn't that prove to you that we are 
stronger than you?" "Not so fast, my 
friend," said the Lion: "that is only 
your view of the case. If we Lions 
could make statues, you may be sure 
that in most of them you would see the 
Man underneath."

 There are two sides to every question. 



THE TORTOISE AND THE EAGLE 

A Tortoise, discontented with his lowly 
life, and envious of the birds he saw 
disporting themselves in the air, 
begged an Eagle to teach him to fly. 
The Eagle protested that it was idle 
for him to try, as nature had not 
provided him with wings; but the 
Tortoise pressed him with entreaties 
and promises of treasure, insisting 
that it could only be a question of 
learning the craft of the air. So at 
length the Eagle consented to do the 
best he could for him, and picked him 
up in his talons. Soaring with him to a 
great height in the sky he then let him 
go, and the wretched Tortoise fell 
headlong and was dashed to pieces on a 
rock. 



THE KID ON THE HOUSETOP 

A Kid climbed up on to the roof of an 
outhouse, attracted by the grass and 
other things that grew in the thatch; 
and as he stood there browsing away, he 
caught sight of a Wolf passing below, 
and jeered at him because he couldn't 
reach him. The Wolf only looked up and 
said, "I hear you, my young friend; but 
it is not you who mock me, but the roof 
on which you are standing." 



THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL 

A fox once fell into a trap, and after 
a struggle managed to get free, but 
with the loss of his brush. He was then 
so much ashamed of his appearance that 
he thought life was not worth living 
unless he could persuade the other 
Foxes to part with their tails also, 
and thus divert attention from his own 
loss. So he called a meeting of all the 
Foxes, and advised them to cut off 
their tails: "They're ugly things 
anyhow," he said, "and besides they're 
heavy, and it's tiresome to be always 
carrying them about with you." But one 
of the other Foxes said, "My friend, if 
you hadn't lost your own tail, you 
wouldn't be so keen on getting us to 
cut off ours." 



THE VAIN JACKDAW 

Jupiter announced that he intended to 
appoint a king over the birds, and 
named a day on which they were to 
appear before his throne, when he would 
select the most beautiful of them all 
to be their ruler. Wishing to look 
their best on the occasion they 
repaired to the banks of a stream, 
where they busied themselves in washing 
and preening their feathers. The 
Jackdaw was there along with the rest, 
and realised that, with his ugly 
plumage, he would have no chance of 
being chosen as he was: so he waited 
till they were all gone, and then 
picked up the most gaudy of the 
feathers they had dropped, and fastened 
them about his own body, with the 
result that he looked gayer than any of 
them. When the appointed day came, the 
birds assembled before Jupiter's 
throne; and, after passing them in 
review, he was about to make the 
Jackdaw king, when all the rest set 
upon the king-elect, stripped him of 
his borrowed plumes, and exposed him 
for the Jackdaw that he was. 



THE TRAVELLER AND HIS DOG 

A Traveller was about to start on a 
journey, and said to his Dog, who was 
stretching himself by the door, "Come, 
what are you yawning for? Hurry up and 
get ready: I mean you to go with me." 
But the Dog merely wagged his tail and 
said quietly, "I'm ready, master: it's 
you I'm waiting for." 



THE SHIPWRECKED MAN AND THE SEA 

A Shipwrecked Man cast up on the beach 
fell asleep after his struggle with the 
waves. When he woke up, he bitterly 
reproached the Sea for its treachery in 
enticing men with its smooth and 
smiling surface, and then, when they 
were well embarked, turning in fury 
upon them and sending both ship and 
sailors to destruction. The Sea arose 
in the form of a woman, and replied, 
"Lay not the blame on me, O sailor, but 
on the Winds. By nature I am as calm 
and safe as the land itself: but the 
Winds fall upon me with their gusts and 
gales, and lash me into a fury that is 
not natural to me." 



THE WILD BOAR AND THE FOX 

A Wild Boar was engaged in whetting his 
tusks upon the trunk of a tree in the 
forest when a Fox came by and, seeing 
what he was at, said to him, "Why are 
you doing that, pray? The huntsmen are 
not out to-day, and there are no other 
dangers at hand that I can see." "True, 
my friend," replied the Boar, "but the 
instant my life is in danger I shall 
need to use my tusks. There'll be no 
time to sharpen them then." 



MERCURY AND THE SCULPTOR 

Mercury was very anxious to know in 
what estimation he was held by mankind; 
so he disguised himself as a man and 
walked into a Sculptor's studio, where 
there were a number of statues finished 
and ready for sale. Seeing a statue of 
Jupiter among the rest, he inquired the 
price of it. "A crown," said the 
Sculptor. "Is that all?" said he, 
laughing; "and" (pointing to one of 
Juno) "how much is that one?" "That," 
was the reply, "is half a crown." "And 
how much might you be wanting for that 
one over there, now?" he continued, 
pointing to a statue of himself. "That 
one?" said the Sculptor; "Oh, I'll 
throw him in for nothing if you'll buy 
the other two." 



THE FAWN AND HIS MOTHER 

A Hind said to her Fawn, who was now 
well grown and strong, "My son, Nature 
has given you a powerful body and a 
stout pair of horns, and I can't think 
why you are such a coward as to run 
away from the hounds." Just then they 
both heard the sound of a pack in full 
cry, but at a considerable distance. 
"You stay where you are," said the 
Hind; "never mind me": and with that 
she ran off as fast as her legs could 
carry her. 



THE FOX AND THE LION 

A Fox who had never seen a Lion one day 
met one, and was so terrified at the 
sight of him that he was ready to die 
with fear. After a time he met him 
again, and was still rather frightened, 
but not nearly so much as he had been 
when he met him first. But when he saw 
him for the third time he was so far 
from being afraid that he went up to 
him and began to talk to him as if he 
had known him all his life. 



THE EAGLE AND HIS CAPTOR 

A Man once caught an Eagle, and after 
clipping his wings turned him loose 
among the fowls in his hen-house, where 
he moped in a corner, looking very 
dejected and forlorn. After a while his 
Captor was glad enough to sell him to a 
neighbour, who took him home and let 
his wings grow again. As soon as he had 
recovered the use of them, the Eagle 
flew out and caught a hare, which he 
brought home and presented to his 
benefactor. A fox observed this, and 
said to the Eagle, "Don't waste your 
gifts on him! Go and give them to the 
man who first caught you; make _him_ 
your friend, and then perhaps he won't 
catch you and clip your wings a second 
time." 



THE BLACKSMITH AND HIS DOG 

A Blacksmith had a little Dog, which 
used to sleep when his master was at 
work, but was very wide awake indeed 
when it was time for meals. One day his 
master pretended to be disgusted at 
this, and when he had thrown him a bone 
as usual, he said, "What on earth is 
the good of a lazy cur like you? When I 
am hammering away at my anvil, you just 
curl up and go to sleep: but no sooner 
do I stop for a mouthful of food than 
you wake up and wag your tail to be 
fed."

 Those who will not work deserve to 
starve. 



THE STAG AT THE POOL 

A thirsty Stag went down to a pool to 
drink. As he bent over the surface he 
saw his own reflection in the water, 
and was struck with admiration for his 
fine spreading antlers, but at the same 
time he felt nothing but disgust for 
the weakness and slenderness of his 
legs. While he stood there looking at 
himself, he was seen and attacked by a 
Lion; but in the chase which ensued, he 
soon drew away from his pursuer, and 
kept his lead as long as the ground 
over which he ran was open and free of 
trees. But coming presently to a wood, 
he was caught by his antlers in the 
branches, and fell a victim to the 
teeth and claws of his enemy. "Woe is 
me!" he cried with his last breath; "I 
despised my legs, which might have 
saved my life: but I gloried in my 
horns, and they have proved my ruin."

 What is worth most is often valued 
least. 



THE DOG AND THE SHADOW 

A Dog was crossing a plank bridge over 
a stream with a piece of meat in his 
mouth, when he happened to see his own 
reflection in the water. He thought it 
was another dog with a piece of meat 
twice as big; so he let go his own, and 
flew at the other dog to get the larger 
piece. But, of course, all that 
happened was that he got neither; for 
one was only a shadow, and the other 
was carried away by the current. 



MERCURY AND THE TRADESMEN 

When Jupiter was creating man, he told 
Mercury to make an infusion of lies, 
and to add a little of it to the other 
ingredients which went to the making of 
the Tradesmen. Mercury did so, and 
introduced an equal amount into each in 
turn--the tallow-chandler, and the 
greengrocer, and the haberdasher, and 
all, till he came to the horse-dealer, 
who was last on the list, when, finding 
that he had a quantity of the infusion 
still left, he put it all into him. 
This is why all Tradesmen lie more or 
less, but they none of them lie like a 
horse-dealer. 



THE MICE AND THE WEASELS 

There was war between the Mice and the 
Weasels, in which the Mice always got 
the worst of it, numbers of them being 
killed and eaten by the Weasels. So 
they called a council of war, in which 
an old Mouse got up and said, "It's no 
wonder we are always beaten, for we 
have no generals to plan our battles 
and direct our movements in the field." 
Acting on his advice, they chose the 
biggest Mice to be their leaders, and 
these, in order to be distinguished 
from the rank and file, provided 
themselves with helmets bearing large 
plumes of straw. They then led out the 
Mice to battle, confident of victory: 
but they were defeated as usual, and 
were soon scampering as fast as they 
could to their holes. All made their 
way to safety without difficulty except 
the leaders, who were so hampered by 
the badges of their rank that they 
could not get into their holes, and 
fell easy victims to their pursuers.

 Greatness carries its own penalties. 



THE PEACOCK AND JUNO 

The Peacock was greatly discontented 
because he had not a beautiful voice 
like the nightingale, and he went and 
complained to Juno about it. "The 
nightingale's song," said he, "is the 
envy of all the birds; but whenever I 
utter a sound I become a 
laughing-stock." The goddess tried to 
console him by saying, "You have not, 
it is true, the power of song, but then 
you far excel all the rest in beauty: 
your neck flashes like the emerald and 
your splendid tail is a marvel of 
gorgeous colour." But the Peacock was 
not appeased. "What is the use," said 
he, "of being beautiful, with a voice 
like mine?" Then Juno replied, with a 
shade of sternness in her tones, "Fate 
has allotted to all their destined 
gifts: to yourself beauty, to the eagle 
strength, to the nightingale song, and 
so on to all the rest in their degree; 
but you alone are dissatisfied with 
your portion. Make, then, no more 
complaints. For, if your present wish 
were granted, you would quickly find 
cause for fresh discontent." 



THE BEAR AND THE FOX 

A Bear was once bragging about his 
generous feelings, and saying how 
refined he was compared with other 
animals. (There is, in fact, a 
tradition that a Bear will never touch 
a dead body.) A Fox, who heard him 
talking in this strain, smiled and 
said, "My friend, when you are hungry, 
I only wish you _would_ confine your 
attention to the dead and leave the 
living alone."

 A hypocrite deceives no one but 
himself. 



THE ASS AND THE OLD PEASANT 

An old Peasant was sitting in a meadow 
watching his Ass, which was grazing 
close by, when all of a sudden he 
caught sight of armed men stealthily 
approaching. He jumped up in a moment, 
and begged the Ass to fly with him as 
fast as he could, "Or else," said he, 
"we shall both be captured by the 
enemy." But the Ass just looked round 
lazily and said, "And if so, do you 
think they'll make me carry heavier 
loads than I have to now?" "No," said 
his master. "Oh, well, then," said the 
Ass, "I don't mind if they do take me, 
for I shan't be any worse off." 



THE OX AND THE FROG 

Two little Frogs were playing about at 
the edge of a pool when an Ox came down 
to the water to drink, and by accident 
trod on one of them and crushed the 
life out of him. When the old Frog 
missed him, she asked his brother where 
he was. "He is dead, mother," said the 
little Frog; "an enormous big creature 
with four legs came to our pool this 
morning and trampled him down in the 
mud." "Enormous, was he? Was he as big 
as this?" said the Frog, puffing 
herself out to look as big as possible. 
"Oh! yes, _much_ bigger," was the 
answer. The Frog puffed herself out 
still more. "Was he as big as this?" 
said she. "Oh! yes, yes, mother, _MUCH_ 
bigger," said the little Frog. And yet 
again she puffed and puffed herself out 
till she was almost as round as a ball. 
"As big as...?" she began--but then she 
burst. 



THE MAN AND THE IMAGE 

A poor Man had a wooden Image of a god, 
to which he used to pray daily for 
riches. He did this for a long time, 
but remained as poor as ever, till one 
day he caught up the Image in disgust 
and hurled it with all his strength 
against the wall. The force of the blow 
split open the head and a quantity of 
gold coins fell out upon the floor. The 
Man gathered them up greedily, and 
said, "O you old fraud, you! When I 
honoured you, you did me no good 
whatever: but no sooner do I treat you 
to insults and violence than you make a 
rich man of me!" 



HERCULES AND THE WAGGONER 

A Waggoner was driving his team along a 
muddy lane with a full load behind 
them, when the wheels of his waggon 
sank so deep in the mire that no 
efforts of his horses could move them. 
As he stood there, looking helplessly 
on, and calling loudly at intervals 
upon Hercules for assistance, the god 
himself appeared, and said to him, "Put 
your shoulder to the wheel, man, and 
goad on your horses, and then you may 
call on Hercules to assist you. If you 
won't lift a finger to help yourself, 
you can't expect Hercules or any one 
else to come to your aid."

 Heaven helps those who help 
themselves. 



THE POMEGRANATE, THE APPLE-TREE, AND 
THE BRAMBLE 

A Pomegranate and an Apple-tree were 
disputing about the quality of their 
fruits, and each claimed that its own 
was the better of the two. High words 
passed between them, and a violent 
quarrel was imminent, when a Bramble 
impudently poked its head out of a 
neighbouring hedge and said, "There, 
that's enough, my friends; don't let us 
quarrel." 



THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX 

A Lion and a Bear were fighting for 
possession of a kid, which they had 
both seized at the same moment. The 
battle was long and fierce, and at 
length both of them were exhausted, and 
lay upon the ground severely wounded 
and gasping for breath. A Fox had all 
the time been prowling round and 
watching the fight: and when he saw the 
combatants lying there too weak to 
move, he slipped in and seized the kid, 
and ran off with it. They looked on 
helplessly, and one said to the other, 
"Here we've been mauling each other all 
this while, and no one the better for 
it except the Fox!" 



THE BLACKAMOOR 

A Man once bought an Ethiopian slave, 
who had a black skin like all 
Ethiopians; but his new master thought 
his colour was due to his late owner's 
having neglected him, and that all he 
wanted was a good scrubbing. So he set 
to work with plenty of soap and hot 
water, and rubbed away at him with a 
will, but all to no purpose: his skin 
remained as black as ever, while the 
poor wretch all but died from the cold 
he caught. 



THE TWO SOLDIERS AND THE ROBBER 

Two Soldiers travelling together were 
set upon by a Robber. One of them ran 
away, but the other stood his ground, 
and laid about him so lustily with his 
sword that the Robber was fain to fly 
and leave him in peace. When the coast 
was clear the timid one ran back, and, 
flourishing his weapon, cried in a 
threatening voice, "Where is he? Let me 
get at him, and I'll soon let him know 
whom he's got to deal with." But the 
other replied, "You are a little late, 
my friend: I only wish you had backed 
me up just now, even if you had done no 
more than speak, for I should have been 
encouraged, believing your words to be 
true. As it is, calm yourself, and put 
up your sword: there is no further use 
for it. You may delude others into 
thinking you're as brave as a lion: but 
I know that, at the first sign of 
danger, you run away like a hare." 



THE LION AND THE WILD ASS 

A Lion and a Wild Ass went out hunting 
together: the latter was to run down 
the prey by his superior speed, and the 
former would then come up and despatch 
it. They met with great success; and 
when it came to sharing the spoil the 
Lion divided it all into three equal 
portions. "I will take the first," said 
he, "because I am King of the beasts; I 
will also take the second, because, as 
your partner, I am entitled to half of 
what remains; and as for the 
third--well, unless you give it up to 
me and take yourself off pretty quick, 
the third, believe me, will make you 
feel very sorry for yourself!"

 Might makes right. 



THE MAN AND THE SATYR 

A Man and a Satyr became friends, and 
determined to live together. All went 
well for a while, until one day in 
winter-time the Satyr saw the Man 
blowing on his hands. "Why do you do 
that?" he asked. "To warm my hands," 
said the Man. That same day, when they 
sat down to supper together, they each 
had a steaming hot bowl of porridge, 
and the Man raised his bowl to his 
mouth and blew on it. "Why do you do 
that?" asked the Satyr. "To cool my 
porridge," said the Man. The Satyr got 
up from the table. "Good-bye," said he, 
"I'm going: I can't be friends with a 
man who blows hot and cold with the 
same breath." 



THE IMAGE-SELLER 

A certain man made a wooden Image of 
Mercury, and exposed it for sale in the 
market. As no one offered to buy it, 
however, he thought he would try to 
attract a purchaser by proclaiming the 
virtues of the Image. So he cried up 
and down the market, "A god for sale! a 
god for sale! One who'll bring you luck 
and keep you lucky!" Presently one of 
the bystanders stopped him and said, 
"If your god is all you make him out to 
be, how is it you don't keep him and 
make the most of him yourself?" "I'll 
tell you why," replied he; "he brings 
gain, it is true, but he takes his time 
about it; whereas I want money at 
once." 



THE EAGLE AND THE ARROW 

An Eagle sat perched on a lofty rock, 
keeping a sharp look-out for prey. A 
huntsman, concealed in a cleft of the 
mountain and on the watch for game, 
spied him there and shot an Arrow at 
him. The shaft struck him full in the 
breast and pierced him through and 
through. As he lay in the agonies of 
death, he turned his eyes upon the 
Arrow. "Ah! cruel fate!" he cried, 
"that I should perish thus: but oh! 
fate more cruel still, that the Arrow 
which kills me should be winged with an 
Eagle's feathers!" 



THE RICH MAN AND THE TANNER 

A Rich Man took up his residence next 
door to a Tanner, and found the smell 
of the tan-yard so extremely unpleasant 
that he told him he must go. The Tanner 
delayed his departure, and the Rich Man 
had to speak to him several times about 
it; and every time the Tanner said he 
was making arrangements to move very 
shortly. This went on for some time, 
till at last the Rich Man got so used 
to the smell that he ceased to mind it, 
and troubled the Tanner with his 
objections no more. 



THE WOLF, THE MOTHER, AND HER CHILD 

A hungry Wolf was prowling about in 
search of food. By and by, attracted by 
the cries of a Child, he came to a 
cottage. As he crouched beneath the 
window, he heard the Mother say to the 
Child, "Stop crying, do! or I'll throw 
you to the Wolf." Thinking she really 
meant what she said, he waited there a 
long time in the expectation of 
satisfying his hunger. In the evening 
he heard the Mother fondling her Child 
and saying, "If the naughty Wolf comes, 
he shan't get my little one: Daddy will 
kill him." The Wolf got up in much 
disgust and walked away: "As for the 
people in that house," said he to 
himself, "you can't believe a word they 
say." 



THE OLD WOMAN AND THE WINE-JAR 

An old Woman picked up an empty 
Wine-jar which had once contained a 
rare and costly wine, and which still 
retained some traces of its exquisite 
bouquet. She raised it to her nose and 
sniffed at it again and again. "Ah," 
she cried, "how delicious must have 
been the liquid which has left behind 
so ravishing a smell." 



THE LIONESS AND THE VIXEN 

A Lioness and a Vixen were talking 
together about their young, as mothers 
will, and saying how healthy and 
well-grown they were, and what 
beautiful coats they had, and how they 
were the image of their parents. "My 
litter of cubs is a joy to see," said 
the Fox; and then she added, rather 
maliciously, "But I notice you never 
have more than one." "No," said the 
Lioness grimly, "but that one's a lion."

 Quality, not quantity. 



THE VIPER AND THE FILE 

A Viper entered a carpenter's shop, and 
went from one to another of the tools, 
begging for something to eat. Among the 
rest, he addressed himself to the File, 
and asked for the favour of a meal. The 
File replied in a tone of pitying 
contempt, "What a simpleton you must be 
if you imagine you will get anything 
from me, who invariably take from every 
one and never give anything in return."

 The covetous are poor givers. 



THE CAT AND THE COCK 

A Cat pounced on a Cock, and cast about 
for some good excuse for making a meal 
off him, for Cats don't as a rule eat 
Cocks, and she knew she ought not to. 
At last she said, "You make a great 
nuisance of yourself at night by 
crowing and keeping people awake: so I 
am going to make an end of you." But 
the Cock defended himself by saying 
that he crowed in order that men might 
wake up and set about the day's work in 
good time, and that they really 
couldn't very well do without him. 
"That may be," said the Cat, "but 
whether they can or not, I'm not going 
without my dinner"; and she killed and 
ate him.

 The want of a good excuse never kept a 
villain from crime. 



THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE 

A Hare was one day making fun of a 
Tortoise for being so slow upon his 
feet. "Wait a bit," said the Tortoise; 
"I'll run a race with you, and I'll 
wager that I win." "Oh, well," replied 
the Hare, who was much amused at the 
idea, "let's try and see"; and it was 
soon agreed that the fox should set a 
course for them, and be the judge. When 
the time came both started off 
together, but the Hare was soon so far 
ahead that he thought he might as well 
have a rest: so down he lay and fell 
fast asleep. Meanwhile the Tortoise 
kept plodding on, and in time reached 
the goal. At last the Hare woke up with 
a start, and dashed on at his fastest, 
but only to find that the Tortoise had 
already won the race.

 Slow and steady wins the race. 



THE SOLDIER AND HIS HORSE 

A Soldier gave his Horse a plentiful 
supply of oats in time of war, and 
tended him with the utmost care, for he 
wished him to be strong to endure the 
hardships of the field, and swift to 
bear his master, when need arose, out 
of the reach of danger. But when the 
war was over he employed him on all 
sorts of drudgery, bestowing but little 
attention upon him, and giving him, 
moreover, nothing but chaff to eat. The 
time came when war broke out again, and 
the Soldier saddled and bridled his 
Horse, and, having put on his heavy 
coat of mail, mounted him to ride off 
and take the field. But the poor 
half-starved beast sank down under his 
weight, and said to his rider, "You 
will have to go into battle on foot 
this time. Thanks to hard work and bad 
food, you have turned me from a Horse 
into an ass; and you cannot in a moment 
turn me back again into a Horse." 



THE OXEN AND THE BUTCHERS 

Once upon a time the Oxen determined to 
be revenged upon the Butchers for the 
havoc they wrought in their ranks, and 
plotted to put them to death on a given 
day. They were all gathered together 
discussing how best to carry out the 
plan, and the more violent of them were 
engaged in sharpening their horns for 
the fray, when an old Ox got up upon 
his feet and said, "My brothers, you 
have good reason, I know, to hate these 
Butchers, but, at any rate, they 
understand their trade and do what they 
have to do without causing unnecessary 
pain. But if we kill them, others, who 
have no experience, will be set to 
slaughter us, and will by their 
bungling inflict great sufferings upon 
us. For you may be sure that, even 
though all the Butchers perish, mankind 
will never go without their beef." 



THE WOLF AND THE LION 

A wolf stole a lamb from the flock, and 
was carrying it off to devour it at his 
leisure when he met a Lion, who took 
his prey away from him and walked off 
with it. He dared not resist, but when 
the Lion had gone some distance he 
said, "It is most unjust of you to take 
what's mine away from me like that." 
The Lion laughed and called out in 
reply, "It was justly yours, no doubt! 
The gift of a friend, perhaps, eh?" 



THE SHEEP, THE WOLF, AND THE STAG 

A Stag once asked a Sheep to lend him a 
measure of wheat, saying that his 
friend the Wolf would be his surety. 
The Sheep, however, was afraid that 
they meant to cheat her; so she excused 
herself, saying, "The Wolf is in the 
habit of seizing what he wants and 
running off with it without paying, and 
you, too, can run much faster than I. 
So how shall I be able to come up with 
either of you when the debt falls due?"

 Two blacks do not make a white. 



THE LION AND THE THREE BULLS 

Three Bulls were grazing in a meadow, 
and were watched by a Lion, who longed 
to capture and devour them, but who 
felt that he was no match for the three 
so long as they kept together. So he 
began by false whispers and malicious 
hints to foment jealousies and distrust 
among them. This stratagem succeeded so 
well that ere long the Bulls grew cold 
and unfriendly, and finally avoided 
each other and fed each one by himself 
apart. No sooner did the Lion see this 
than he fell upon them one by one and 
killed them in turn.

 The quarrels of friends are the 
opportunities of foes. 



THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 

A Young Man, who fancied himself 
something of a horseman, mounted a 
Horse which had not been properly 
broken in, and was exceedingly 
difficult to control. No sooner did the 
Horse feel his weight in the saddle 
than he bolted, and nothing would stop 
him. A friend of the Rider's met him in 
the road in his headlong career, and 
called out, "Where are you off to in 
such a hurry?" To which he, pointing to 
the Horse, replied, "I've no idea: ask 
him." 



THE GOAT AND THE VINE 

A Goat was straying in a vineyard, and 
began to browse on the tender shoots of 
a Vine which bore several fine bunches 
of grapes. "What have I done to you," 
said the Vine, "that you should harm me 
thus? Isn't there grass enough for you 
to feed on? All the same, even if you 
eat up every leaf I have, and leave me 
quite bare, I shall produce wine enough 
to pour over you when you are led to 
the altar to be sacrificed." 



THE TWO POTS 

Two Pots, one of earthenware and the 
other of brass, were carried away down 
a river in flood. The Brazen Pot urged 
his companion to keep close by his 
side, and he would protect him. The 
other thanked him, but begged him not 
to come near him on any account: "For 
that," he said, "is just what I am most 
afraid of. One touch from you and I 
should be broken in pieces."

 Equals make the best friends. 



THE OLD HOUND 

A Hound who had served his master well 
for years, and had run down many a 
quarry in his time, began to lose his 
strength and speed owing to age. One 
day, when out hunting, his master 
started a powerful wild boar and set 
the Hound at him. The latter seized the 
beast by the ear, but his teeth were 
gone and he could not retain his hold; 
so the boar escaped. His master began 
to scold him severely, but the Hound 
interrupted him with these words: "My 
will is as strong as ever, master, but 
my body is old and feeble. You ought to 
honour me for what I have been instead 
of abusing me for what I am." 



THE CLOWN AND THE COUNTRYMAN 

A Nobleman announced his intention of 
giving a public entertainment in the 
theatre, and offered splendid prizes to 
all who had any novelty to exhibit at 
the performance. The announcement 
attracted a crowd of conjurers, 
jugglers, and acrobats, and among the 
rest a Clown, very popular with the 
crowd, who let it be known that he was 
going to give an entirely new turn. 
When the day of the performance came, 
the theatre was filled from top to 
bottom some time before the 
entertainment began. Several performers 
exhibited their tricks, and then the 
popular favourite came on empty-handed 
and alone. At once there was a hush of 
expectation: and he, letting his head 
fall upon his breast, imitated the 
squeak of a pig to such perfection that 
the audience insisted on his producing 
the animal, which, they said, he must 
have somewhere concealed about his 
person. He, however, convinced them 
that there was no pig there, and then 
the applause was deafening. Among the 
spectators was a Countryman, who 
disparaged the Clown's performance and 
announced that he would give a much 
superior exhibition of the same trick 
on the following day. Again the theatre 
was filled to overflowing, and again 
the Clown gave his imitation amidst the 
cheers of the crowd. The Countryman, 
meanwhile, before going on the stage, 
had secreted a young porker under his 
smock; and when the spectators 
derisively bade him do better if he 
could, he gave it a pinch in the ear 
and made it squeal loudly. But they all 
with one voice shouted out that the 
Clown's imitation was much more true to 
life. Thereupon he produced the pig 
from under his smock and said 
sarcastically, "There, that shows what 
sort of judges you are!" 



THE LARK AND THE FARMER 

A Lark nested in a field of corn, and 
was rearing her brood under cover of 
the ripening grain. One day, before the 
young were fully fledged, the Farmer 
came to look at the crop, and, finding 
it yellowing fast, he said, "I must 
send round word to my neighbours to 
come and help me reap this field." One 
of the young Larks overheard him, and 
was very much frightened, and asked her 
mother whether they hadn't better move 
house at once. "There's no hurry," 
replied she; "a man who looks to his 
friends for help will take his time 
about a thing." In a few days the 
Farmer came by again, and saw that the 
grain was overripe and falling out of 
the ears upon the ground. "I must put 
it off no longer," he said; "This very 
day I'll hire the men and set them to 
work at once." The Lark heard him and 
said to her young, "Come, my children, 
we must be off: he talks no more of his 
friends now, but is going to take 
things in hand himself."

 Self-help is the best help. 



THE LION AND THE ASS 

A Lion and an Ass set up as partners 
and went a-hunting together. In course 
of time they came to a cave in which 
there were a number of wild goats. The 
Lion took up his stand at the mouth of 
the cave, and waited for them to come 
out; while the Ass went inside and 
brayed for all he was worth in order to 
frighten them out into the open. The 
Lion struck them down one by one as 
they appeared; and when the cave was 
empty the Ass came out and said, "Well, 
I scared them pretty well, didn't I?" 
"I should think you did," said the 
Lion: "why, if I hadn't known you were 
an Ass, I should have turned and run 
myself." 



THE PROPHET 

A Prophet sat in the market-place and 
told the fortunes of all who cared to 
engage his services. Suddenly there 
came running up one who told him that 
his house had been broken into by 
thieves, and that they had made off 
with everything they could lay hands 
on. He was up in a moment, and rushed 
off, tearing his hair and calling down 
curses on the miscreants. The 
bystanders were much amused, and one of 
them said, "Our friend professes to 
know what is going to happen to others, 
but it seems he's not clever enough to 
perceive what's in store for himself." 



THE HOUND AND THE HARE 

A young Hound started a Hare, and, when 
he caught her up, would at one moment 
snap at her with his teeth as though he 
were about to kill her, while at 
another he would let go his hold and 
frisk about her, as if he were playing 
with another dog. At last the Hare 
said, "I wish you would show yourself 
in your true colours! If you are my 
friend, why do you bite me? If you are 
my enemy, why do you play with me?"

 He is no friend who plays double. 



THE LION, THE MOUSE, AND THE FOX 

A Lion was lying asleep at the mouth of 
his den when a Mouse ran over his back 
and tickled him so that he woke up with 
a start and began looking about 
everywhere to see what it was that had 
disturbed him. A Fox, who was looking 
on, thought he would have a joke at the 
expense of the Lion; so he said, "Well, 
this is the first time I've seen a Lion 
afraid of a Mouse." "Afraid of a 
Mouse?" said the Lion testily: "not I! 
It's his bad manners I can't stand."

