{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_18732/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_18732","id":"gutenberg_18732","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18732","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Children & Young Adult Reading","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Fables, Greek -- Translations into English"],"text":"Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Karina Aleksandrova\nand the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at\nhttp://www.pgdp.net\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00c6SOP'S FABLES\n\nA NEW REVISED VERSION\n\nFROM ORIGINAL SOURCES\n\n[Illustration]\n\nWITH UPWARDS OF 200 ILLUSTRATIONS\n\nBY\nHARRISON WEIR,[A] JOHN TENNIEL, ERNEST GRISET\nAND OTHERS\n\nNEW YORK\nFRANK F. LOVELL & COMPANY\n142 AND 144 WORTH STREET\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCOPYRIGHT, 1884,\nBY R. WORTHINGTON.\n\n[Transcriber's note A: Original had \"WIER\".]\n\n\n\n\nLIFE OF \u00c6SOP.\n\n\nThe Life and History of \u00c6sop is involved, like that of Homer, the most\nfamous of Greek poets, in much obscurity. Sardis, the capital of Lydia;\nSamos, a Greek island; Mesembria, an ancient colony in Thrace; and\nCoti\u00e6um, the chief city of a province of Phrygia, contend for the\ndistinction of being the birthplace of \u00c6sop. Although the honor thus\nclaimed cannot be definitely assigned to any one of these places, yet\nthere are a few incidents now generally accepted by scholars as\nestablished facts, relating to the birth, life, and death of \u00c6sop. He\nis, by an almost universal consent, allowed to have been born about the\nyear 620 B.C., and to have been by birth a slave. He was owned\nby two masters in succession, both inhabitants of Samos, Xanthus and\nJadmon, the latter of whom gave him his liberty as a reward for his\nlearning and wit. One of the privileges of a freedman in the ancient\nrepublics of Greece was the permission to take an active interest in\npublic affairs; and \u00c6sop, like the philosophers Ph\u00e6do, Menippus, and\nEpictetus, in later times, raised himself from the indignity of a\nservile condition to a position of high renown. In his desire alike to\ninstruct and to be instructed, he travelled through many countries, and\namong others came to Sardis, the capital of the famous king of Lydia,\nthe great patron in that day, of learning and of learned men. He met at\nthe court of Croesus with Solon, Thales, and other sages, and is\nrelated so to have pleased his royal master, by the part he took in the\nconversations held with these philosophers, that he applied to him an\nexpression which has since passed into a proverb, \"mallon ho\nPhryx\"--\"The Phrygian has spoken better than all.\"\n\nOn the invitation of Croesus he fixed his residence at Sardis, and was\nemployed by that monarch in various difficult and delicate affairs of\nstate. In his discharge of these commissions he visited the different\npetty republics of Greece. At one time he is found in Corinth, and at\nanother in Athens, endeavoring, by the narration of some of his wise\nfables, to reconcile the inhabitants of those cities to the\nadministration of their respective rulers, Pariander and Pisistratus.\nOne of these ambassadorial missions, undertaken at the command of\nCroesus, was the occasion of his death. Having been sent to Delphi\nwith a large sum of gold for distribution among the citizens, he was so\nprovoked at their covetousness that he refused to divide the money, and\nsent it back to his master. The Delphians, enraged at this treatment,\naccused him of impiety, and, in spite of his sacred character as\nambassador, executed him as a public criminal. This cruel death of \u00c6sop\nwas not unavenged. The citizens of Delphi were visited with a series of\ncalamities, until they made a public reparation of their crime; and \"The\nblood of \u00c6sop\" became a well-known adage, bearing witness to the truth\nthat deeds of wrong would not pass unpunished. Neither did the great\nfabulist lack posthumous honors; for a statue was erected to his memory\nat Athens, the work of Lysippus, one of the most famous of Greek\nsculptors. Ph\u00e6drus thus immortalizes the event:--\n\n  \u00c6sopo ingentem statuam posuere Attici,\n  Servumque collocarunt \u00e6terna in basi:\n  Patere honoris scirent ut cuncti viam;\n  Nec generi tribui sed virtuti gloriam.\n\nThese few facts are all that can be relied on with any degree of\ncertainty, in reference to the birth, life, and death of \u00c6sop. They were\nfirst brought to light, after a patient search and diligent perusal of\nancient authors, by a Frenchman, M. Claude Gaspard Bachet de Mezeriac,\nwho declined the honor of being tutor to Louis XIII. of France, from his\ndesire to devote himself exclusively to literature. He published his\nlife of \u00c6sop, Anno Domini 1632. The later investigations of a host of\nEnglish and German scholars have added very little to the facts given by\nM. Mezeriac. The substantial truth of his statements has been confirmed\nby later criticism and inquiry.\n\nIt remains to state, that prior to this publication of M. Mezeriac, the\nlife of \u00c6sop was from the pen of Maximus Planudes, a monk of\nConstantinople, who was sent on an embassy to Venice by the Byzantine\nEmperor Andronicus the elder, and who wrote in the early part of the\nfourteenth century. His life was prefixed to all the early editions of\nthese fables, and was republished as late as 1727 by Archdeacon Croxall\nas the introduction to his edition of \u00c6sop. This life by Planudes\ncontains, however, so small an amount of truth, and is so full of absurd\npictures of the grotesque deformity of \u00c6sop, of wondrous apocryphal\nstories, of lying legends, and gross anachronisms, that it is now\nuniversally condemned as false, puerile, and unauthentic. It is given up\nin the present day, by general consent, as unworthy of the slightest\ncredit.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n\u00c6SOP'S FABLES.\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Wolf Turned Shepherd.\n\n\nA wolf, finding that the sheep were so afraid of him that he could not\nget near them, disguised himself in the dress of a shepherd, and thus\nattired approached the flock. As he came near, he found the shepherd\nfast asleep. As the sheep did not run away, he resolved to imitate the\nvoice of the shepherd. In trying to do so, he only howled, and awoke the\nshepherd. As he could not run away, he was soon killed.\n\nThose who attempt to act in disguise are apt to overdo it.\n\n\n\n\nThe Stag at the Pool.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA stag saw his shadow reflected in the water, and greatly admired the\nsize of his horns, but felt angry with himself for having such weak\nfeet. While he was thus contemplating himself, a Lion appeared at the\npool. The Stag betook himself to flight, and kept himself with ease at a\nsafe distance from the Lion, until he entered a wood and became\nentangled with his horns. The Lion quickly came up with him and caught\nhim. When too late he thus reproached himself: \"Woe is me! How have I\ndeceived myself! These feet which would have saved me I despised, and I\ngloried in these antlers which have proved my destruction.\"\n\nWhat is most truly valuable is often underrated.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Mask.\n\n\nA fox entered the house of an actor, and, rummaging through all his\nproperties, came upon a Mask, an admirable imitation of a human head. He\nplaced his paws on it, and said: \"What a beautiful head! yet it is of\nno value, as it entirely wants brains.\"\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA fair face is of little use without sense.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bear and the Fox.\n\n\nA bear boasted very much of his philanthropy, saying \"that of all\nanimals he was the most tender in his regard for man, for he had such\nrespect for him, that he would not even touch his dead body.\" A Fox\nhearing these words said with a smile to the Bear: \"Oh, that you would\neat the dead and not the living!\"\n\nWe should not wait till a person is dead, to give him our respect.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf and the Lamb.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay\nviolent hands on him, but to find some plea, which should justify to the\nLamb himself his right to eat him. He then addressed him: \"Sirrah, last\nyear you grossly insulted me.\" \"Indeed,\" bleated the Lamb in a mournful\ntone of voice, \"I was not then born.\" Then said the Wolf: \"You feed in\nmy pasture.\" \"No, good sir,\" replied the Lamb, \"I have not yet tasted\ngrass.\" Again said the Wolf: \"You drink of my well.\" \"No,\" exclaimed the\nLamb, \"I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food\nand drink to me.\" On which the Wolf seized him, and ate him up, saying:\n\"Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my\nimputations.\"\n\nThe tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny, and it is useless\nfor the innocent to try by reasoning to get justice, when the oppressor\nintends to be unjust.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe One-Eyed Doe.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Doe, blind of an eye, was accustomed to graze as near to the edge of\nthe sea as she possibly could, to secure greater safety. She turned her\neye towards the land, that she might perceive the approach of a hunter\nor hound, and her injured eye towards the sea, from which she\nentertained no anticipation of danger. Some boatmen, sailing by, saw\nher, and, taking a successful aim, mortally wounded her. Said she: \"O\nwretched creature that I am! to take such precaution against the land,\nand, after all, to find this seashore, to which I had come for safety,\nso much more perilous.\"\n\nDanger sometimes comes from a source that is least suspected.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dog, Cock and Fox.\n\n\nA Dog and a Cock, traveling together, took shelter at night in a thick\nwood. The Cock perched himself on a high branch, while the Dog found a\nbed at the foot of the tree. When morning dawned, the Cock, as usual,\ncrowed very loudly. A Fox, hearing the sound, and wishing to make a\nbreakfast on him, came and stood under the branches, saying how\nearnestly he desired to make the acquaintance of the owner of so sweet a\nvoice.\n\n\"If you will admit me,\" said he, \"I should very much like to spend the\nday with you.\"\n\nThe Cock said: \"Sir, do me the favor to go round and wake up my porter,\nthat he may open the door, and let you in.\" On the Fox approaching the\ntree, the Dog sprang out and caught him and quickly tore him in pieces.\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThose who try to entrap others are often caught by their own schemes.\n\n\n\n\nThe Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Mouse, by an unlucky chance, formed an intimate acquaintance with a\nFrog. The Frog one day, intent on mischief, bound the foot of the Mouse\ntightly to his own. Thus joined together, the Frog led his friend toward\nthe pool in which he lived, until he reached the very brink, when\nsuddenly jumping in, he dragged the Mouse in with him. The Frog enjoyed\nthe water amazingly, and swam croaking about as if he had done a\nmeritorious action. The unhappy Mouse was soon suffocated with the\nwater, and his dead body floated about on the surface, tied to the foot\nof the Frog. A Hawk observed it, and, pouncing upon it, carried it up\naloft. The Frog, being still fastened to the leg of the Mouse, was also\ncarried off a prisoner, and was eaten by the Hawk.\n\nHarm hatch, harm catch.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dog and the Oyster.\n\n\nA Dog, used to eating eggs, saw an Oyster, and opening his mouth to its\nwidest extent, swallowed it down with the utmost relish, supposing it to\nbe an egg. Soon afterwards suffering great pain in his stomach, he said:\n\"I deserve all this torment, for my folly in thinking that everything\nround must be an egg.\"\n\nWho acts in haste repents at leisure.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf and the Shepherds.\n\n\nA Wolf passing by, saw some shepherds in a hut eating for their dinner a\nhaunch of mutton. Approaching them, he said: \"What a clamor you would\nraise, if I were to do as you are doing!\"\n\nMen are too apt to condemn in others the very things they practice\nthemselves.\n\n\n\n\nThe Hares and the Frogs.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Hares, oppressed with a sense of their own exceeding timidity, and\nweary of the perpetual alarm to which they were exposed, with one accord\ndetermined to put an end to themselves and their troubles, by jumping\nfrom a lofty precipice into a deep lake below. As they scampered off in\na very numerous body to carry out their resolve, the Frogs lying on the\nbanks of the lake heard the noise of their feet, and rushed\nhelter-skelter to the deep water for safety. On seeing the rapid\ndisappearance of the Frogs, one of the Hares cried out to his\ncompanions: \"Stay, my friends, do not do as you intended; for you now\nsee that other creatures who yet live are more timorous than ourselves.\"\n\n[Illustration]\n\nWe are encouraged by seeing others that are worse off than ourselves.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion and the Boar.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nOn a summer day, when the great heat induced a general thirst, a Lion\nand a Boar came at the same moment to a small well to drink. They\nfiercely disputed which of them should drink first, and were soon\nengaged in the agonies of a mortal combat. On their stopping on a\nsudden to take breath for the fiercer renewal of the strife, they saw\nsome Vultures waiting in the distance to feast on the one which should\nfall first. They at once made up their quarrel, saying: \"It is better\nfor us to make friends, than to become the food of Crows or Vultures, as\nwill certainly happen if we are disabled.\"\n\nThose who strive are often watched by others who will take advantage of\ntheir defeat to benefit themselves.\n\n\n\n\nThe Mischievous Dog.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Dog used to run up quietly to the heels of those he met, and to bite\nthem without notice. His master sometimes suspended a bell about his\nneck, that he might give notice of his presence wherever he went, and\nsometimes he fastened a chain about his neck, to which was attached a\nheavy clog, so that he could not be so quick at biting people's heels.\n\nThe Dog grew proud of his bell and clog, and went with them all over the\nmarket-place. An old hound said to him: \"Why do you make such an\nexhibition of yourself? That bell and clog that you carry are not,\nbelieve me, orders of merit, but, on the contrary, marks of disgrace, a\npublic notice to all men to avoid you as an ill-mannered dog.\"\n\nThose who achieve notoriety often mistake it for fame.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Quack Frog.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Frog once made proclamation to all the beasts that he was a learned\nphysician, and able to heal all diseases. A Fox asked him: \"How can you\npretend to prescribe for others, and you are unable to heal your own\nlame gait and wrinkled skin?\"\n\nThose who pretend that they can mend others should first mend\nthemselves, and then they will be more readily believed.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass, the Fox, and the Lion.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Ass and the Fox, having entered into a partnership together, went\nout into the forest to hunt. They had not proceeded far, when they met a\nLion. The Fox approached the Lion and promised to contrive for him the\ncapture of the Ass, if he would pledge his word that his own life should\nbe spared. On his assuring him that he would not injure him, the Fox led\nthe Ass to a deep pit, and contrived that he should fall into it. The\nLion, seeing that the Ass was secured, immediately clutched the Fox,\nand then attacked the Ass at his leisure.\n\nTraitors must expect treachery.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf and the Sheep.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf, being sick and maimed, called to a Sheep, who was passing, and\nasked him to fetch some water from the stream. \"For,\" he said, \"if you\nwill bring me drink, I will find means to provide myself with meat.\"\n\"Yes,\" said the Sheep, \"if I should bring you the draught, you would\ndoubtless make me provide the meat also.\"\n\nHypocritical speeches are easily seen through.\n\n\n\n\nThe Cock and the Jewel.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Cock, scratching for food for himself and his hens, found a precious\nstone; on which he said: \"If thy owner had found thee, and not I, he\nwould have taken thee up, and have set thee in thy first estate; but I\nhave found thee for no purpose. I would rather have one barleycorn than\nall the jewels in the world.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Two Pots.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA river carried down in its stream two Pots, one made of earthenware,\nand the other of brass. As they floated along on the surface of the\nstream, the Earthen Pot said to the Brass Pot: \"Pray keep at a distance,\nand do not come near me, for if you touch me ever so slightly, I shall\nbe broken in pieces; and besides, I by no means wish to come near you.\"\n\nEquals make the best friends.\n\n\n\n\nThe Gnat and the Lion.\n\n\nA Gnat came and said to a Lion: \"I do not the least fear you, nor are\nyou stronger than I am. For in what does your strength consist? You can\nscratch with your claws, and bite with your teeth--so can a woman in her\nquarrels. I repeat that I am altogether more powerful than you; and if\nyou doubt it, let us fight and see who will conquer.\" The Gnat, having\nsounded his horn, fastened itself upon the Lion, and stung him on the\nnostrils. The Lion, trying to crush him, tore himself with his claws,\nuntil he punished himself severely. The Gnat thus prevailed over the\nLion, and buzzing about in a song of triumph, flew away. But shortly\nafterwards he became entangled in the meshes of a cobweb, and was eaten\nby a spider. He greatly lamented his fate, saying: \"Woe is me, that I,\nwho can wage war successfully with the hugest beasts, should perish\nmyself from this spider.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Widow and her Little Maidens.\n\n\nA widow woman, fond of cleaning, had two little maidens to wait on her.\nShe was in the habit of waking them early in the morning, at cockcrow.\nThe maidens, being aggrieved by such excessive labor, resolved to kill\nthe cock who roused their mistress so early. When they had done this,\nthey found that they had only prepared for themselves greater troubles,\nfor their mistress, no longer hearing the cock, was unable to tell the\ntime, and so, woke them up to their work in the middle of the night.\n\nUnlawful acts to escape trials only increase our troubles.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Lion.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fox who had never yet seen a Lion, when he fell in with him by a\ncertain chance for the first time in the forest, was so frightened that\nhe was near dying with fear. On his meeting with him for the second\ntime, he was still much alarmed, but not to the same extent as at first.\nOn seeing him the third time, he so increased in boldness that he went\nup to him, and commenced a familiar conversation with him.\n\nAcquaintance softens prejudices.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Country Mouse invited a Town Mouse, an intimate friend, to pay him a\nvisit, and partake of his country fare. As they were on the bare\nplough-lands, eating their wheat-stalks and roots pulled up from the\nhedge-row, the Town Mouse said to his friend: \"You live here the life of\nthe ants, while in my house is the horn of plenty. I am surrounded with\nevery luxury, and if you will come with me, as I much wish you would,\nyou shall have an ample share of my dainties.\" The Country Mouse was\neasily persuaded, and returned to town with his friend. On his arrival,\nthe Town Mouse placed before him bread, barley, beans, dried figs,\nhoney, raisins, and, last of all, brought a dainty piece of cheese from\na basket. The Country Mouse, being much delighted at the sight of such\ngood cheer, expressed his satisfaction in warm terms, and lamented his\nown hard fate. Just as they were beginning to eat, some one opened the\ndoor, and they both ran off squeaking, as fast as they could, to a hole\nso narrow that two could only find room in it by squeezing. They had\nscarcely again begun their repast when some one else entered to take\nsomething out of a cupboard, on which the two Mice, more frightened than\nbefore, ran away and hid themselves. At last the Country Mouse, almost\nfamished, thus addressed his friend: \"Although you have prepared for me\nso dainty a feast, I must leave you to enjoy it by yourself. It is\nsurrounded by too many dangers to please me.\"\n\n[Illustration]\n\nBetter a little in safety, than an abundance surrounded by danger.\n\n\n\n\nThe Monkey and the Dolphin.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Sailor, bound on a long voyage, took with him a Monkey to amuse him\nwhile on shipboard. As he sailed off the coast of Greece, a violent\ntempest arose, in which the ship was wrecked, and he, his Monkey and all\nthe crew were obliged to swim for their lives. A Dolphin saw the Monkey\ncontending with the waves, and supposing him to be a man (whom he is\nalways said to befriend), came and placed himself under him, to convey\nhim on his back in safety to the shore. When the Dolphin arrived with\nhis burden in sight of land not far from Athens, he demanded of the\nMonkey if he were an Athenian, who answered that he was, and that he was\ndescended from one of the noblest families in that city.\n\nThe Dolphin then inquired if he knew the Pir\u00e6us (the famous harbor of\nAthens). The Monkey, supposing that a man was meant, and being obliged\nto support his previous lie, answered that he knew him very well, and\nthat he was an intimate friend, who would, no doubt, be very glad to see\nhim. The Dolphin, indignant at these falsehoods, dipped the Monkey under\nthe water, and drowned him.\n\nHe who once begins to tell falsehoods is obliged to tell others to make\nthem appear true, and, sooner or later, they will get him into trouble.\n\n\n\n\nThe Game-cocks and the Partridge.\n\n\nA Man had two Game-cocks in his poultry yard. One day, by chance, he\nfell in with a tame Partridge for sale. He purchased it, and brought it\nhome that it might be reared with his Game-cocks. On its being put into\nthe poultry-yard, they struck at it, and followed it about, so that the\nPartridge was grievously troubled in mind, and supposed that he was\nthus badly treated because he was a stranger. Not long afterwards he saw\nthe Cocks fighting together, and not separating before one had well\nbeaten the other. He then said to himself: \"I shall no longer distress\nmyself at being struck at by these Game-cocks, when I see that they\ncannot even refrain from quarreling with each other.\"\n\nStrangers should avoid those who quarrel among themselves.\n\n\n\n\nThe Boy and the Nettle.\n\n\nA Boy was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his mother, saying:\n\"Although it pains me so much, I did but touch it ever so gently.\" \"That\nwas just it,\" said his mother, \"which caused it to sting you. The next\ntime you touch a Nettle, grasp it boldly, and it will be soft as silk to\nyour hand, and not in the least hurt you.\"\n\nWhatever you do, do with all your might.\n\n\n\n\nThe Trumpeter taken Prisoner.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Trumpeter, bravely leading on the soldiers, was captured by the enemy.\nHe cried out to his captors: \"Pray spare me, and do not take my life\nwithout cause or without injury. I have not slain a single man of your\ntroop. I have no arms, and carry nothing but this one brass trumpet.\"\n\"That is the very reason for which you should be put to death,\" they\nsaid, \"for while you do not fight yourself, your loud trumpet stirs up\nall the other soldiers to battle.\"\n\nHe who incites strife is as guilty as they who strive.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fatal Marriage.\n\n\nThe Lion, touched with gratitude by the noble procedure of a Mouse, and\nresolving not to be outdone in generosity by any wild beast whatsoever,\ndesired his little deliverer to name his own terms, for that he might\ndepend upon his complying with any proposal he should make. The Mouse,\nfired with ambition at this gracious offer, did not so much consider\nwhat was proper for him to ask, as what was in the powers of his prince\nto grant; and so demanded his princely daughter, the young lioness, in\nmarriage. The Lion consented; but, when he would have given the royal\nvirgin into his possession, she, like a giddy thing as she was, not\nminding how she walked, by chance set her paw upon her spouse, who was\ncoming to meet her, and crushed him to pieces.\n\nBeware of unequal matches. Alliances prompted by ambition often prove\nfatal.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass and the Charger.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Ass congratulated a Horse on being so ungrudgingly and carefully\nprovided for, while he himself had scarcely enough to eat, nor even that\nwithout hard work. But when war broke out, the heavy armed soldier\nmounted the Horse, and rushed into the very midst of the enemy, and the\nHorse, being wounded, fell dead on the battle-field. Then the Ass,\nseeing all these things, changed his mind, and commiserated the Horse,\nsaying: \"How much more fortunate am I than a charger. I can remain at\nhome in safety while he is exposed to all the perils of war.\"\n\nBe not hasty to envy the condition of others.\n\n\n\n\nThe Vain Jackdaw.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nJupiter determined, it is said, to create a sovereign over the birds,\nand made proclamation that, on a certain day, they should all present\nthemselves before him, when he would himself choose the most beautiful\namong them to be king. The Jackdaw, knowing his own ugliness, searched\nthrough the woods and fields, and collected the feathers which had\nfallen from the wings of his companions, and stuck them in all parts of\nhis body. When the appointed day arrived, and the birds had assembled\nbefore Jupiter, the Jackdaw also made his appearance in his\nmany-feathered finery. On Jupiter proposing to make him king, on account\nof the beauty of his plumage, the birds indignantly protested, and each\nplucking from him his own feathers, the Jackdaw was again nothing but a\nJackdaw.\n\nHope not to succeed in borrowed plumes.\n\n\n\n\nThe Milkmaid and her Pot of Milk.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Maid was carrying her pail of milk to the farm-house, when she fell\na-musing. \"The money for which this milk will be sold will buy at least\nthree hundred eggs. The eggs, allowing for all mishaps, will produce two\nhundred and fifty chickens. The chickens will become ready for market\nwhen poultry will fetch the highest price; so that by the end of the\nyear I shall have money enough to buy a new gown. In this dress I will\ngo to the Christmas junketings, when all the young fellows will propose\nto me, but I will toss my head, and refuse them every one.\" At this\nmoment she tossed her head in unison with her thoughts, when down fell\nthe Milk-pot to the ground, and broke into a hundred pieces, and all\nher fine schemes perished in a moment.\n\nCount not your chickens before they are hatched.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Playful Ass.\n\n\nAn Ass climbed up to the roof of a building, and, frisking about there,\nbroke in the tiling. The owner went up after him, and quickly drove him\ndown, beating him severely with a thick wooden cudgel. The Ass said:\n\"Why, I saw the Monkey do this very thing yesterday, and you all laughed\nheartily, as if it afforded you very great amusement.\"\n\nThose who do not know their right place must be taught it.\n\n\n\n\nThe Man and the Satyr.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Man and a Satyr once formed a bond of alliance. One very cold wintry\nday, as they talked together, the Man put his fingers to his mouth and\nblew on them. On the Satyr inquiring the reason, he told him that he did\nit to warm his hands. Later on in the day they sat down to eat, the food\nprepared being quite scalding. The Man raised one of his dishes towards\nhis mouth and blew in it. On the Satyr again inquiring the reason, he\nsaid that he did it to cool the meat. \"I can no longer consider you as\na friend,\" said the Satyr; \"a fellow who with the same breath blows hot\nand cold I could never trust.\"\n\nA man who talks for both sides is not to be trusted by either.\n\n\n\n\nThe Oak and the Reeds.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA very large Oak was uprooted by the wind, and thrown across a stream.\nIt fell among some Reeds, which it thus addressed: \"I wonder how you,\nwho are so light and weak, are not entirely crushed by these strong\nwinds.\" They replied:\n\n\"You fight and contend with the wind, and consequently you are\ndestroyed; while we, on the contrary, bend before the least breath of\nair, and therefore remain unbroken.\"\n\nStoop to conquer.\n\n\n\n\nThe Huntsman and the Fisherman.\n\n\nA Huntsman, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by chance\nwith a Fisherman, bringing home a basket laden with fish. The Huntsman\nwished to have the fish, and their owner experienced an equal longing\nfor the contents of the game-bag. They quickly agreed to exchange the\nproduce of their day's sport. Each was so well pleased with his bargain,\nthat they made for some time the same exchange day after day. A neighbor\nsaid to them: \"If you go on in this way, you will soon destroy, by\nfrequent use, the pleasure of your exchange, and each will again wish to\nretain the fruits of his own sport.\"\n\nPleasures are heightened by abstinence.\n\n\n\n\nThe Mother and the Wolf.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA famished Wolf was prowling about in the morning in search of food. As\nhe passed the door of a cottage built in the forest, he heard a mother\nsay to her child: \"Be quiet, or I will throw you out of the window, and\nthe Wolf shall eat you.\" The Wolf sat all day waiting at the door. In\nthe evening he heard the same woman fondling her child, and saying: \"He\nis quiet now, and if the Wolf should come, we will kill him.\" The Wolf,\nhearing these words, went home, gaping with cold and hunger.\n\nBe not in haste to believe what is said in anger or thoughtlessness.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Shepherd[B] and the Wolf.\n\nA Shepherd once found a young Wolf, and brought it up, and after a while\ntaught it to steal lambs from the neighboring flocks. The Wolf, having\nshown himself an apt pupil, said to the Shepherd: \"Since you have taught\nme to steal, you must keep a sharp look-out, or you will lose some of\nyour own flock.\"\n\nThe vices we teach may be practiced against us.\n\n[Transcriber's note B: Original had \"Sheperd\".]\n\n\n\n\nThe Dove and the Crow.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Dove shut up in a cage was boasting of the large number of the young\nones which she had hatched. A Crow, hearing her, said: \"My good friend,\ncease from this unreasonable boasting. The larger the number of your\nfamily, the greater your cause of sorrow, in seeing them shut up in this\nprison-house.\"\n\nTo enjoy our blessings we must have freedom.\n\n\n\n\nThe Old Man and the Three Young Men.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAs an old man was planting a tree, three young men came along and began\nto make sport of him, saying: \"It shows your foolishness to be planting\na tree at your age. The tree cannot bear fruit for many years, while you\nmust very soon die. What is the use of your wasting your time in\nproviding pleasure for others to share long after you are dead?\" The old\nman stopped in his labor and replied: \"Others before me provided for my\nhappiness, and it is my duty to provide for those who shall come after\nme. As for life, who is sure of it for a day? You may all die before\nme.\" The old man's words came true; one of the young men went on a\nvoyage at sea and was drowned, another went to war and was shot, and the\nthird fell from a tree and broke his neck.\n\nWe should not think wholly of ourselves, and we should remember that\nlife is uncertain.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion and the Fox.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fox entered into partnership with a Lion, on the pretense of becoming\nhis servant. Each undertook his proper duty in accordance with his own\nnature and powers. The Fox discovered and pointed out the prey, the\nLion sprang on it and seized it. The Fox soon became jealous of the Lion\ncarrying off the Lion's share, and said that he would no longer find out\nthe prey, but would capture it on his own account. The next day he\nattempted to snatch a lamb from the fold, but fell himself a prey to the\nhuntsman and his hounds.\n\nKeep to your place, if you would succeed.\n\n\n\n\nThe Horse and the Stag.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Horse had the plain entirely to himself. A Stag intruded into his\ndomain and shared his pasture. The Horse, desiring to revenge himself\non the stranger, requested a man, if he were willing, to help him in\npunishing the Stag. The man replied, that if the Horse would receive a\nbit in his mouth, and agree to carry him, he would contrive very\neffectual weapons against the Stag. The Horse consented, and allowed the\nman to mount him. From that hour he found that, instead of obtaining\nrevenge on the Stag, he had enslaved himself to the service of man.\n\nHe who seeks to injure others often injures only himself.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion and the Dolphin.\n\nA Lion, roaming by the sea-shore, saw a Dolphin lift up its head out of\nthe waves, and asked him to contract an alliance with him; saying that\nof all the animals, they ought to be the best friends, since the one was\nthe king of beasts on the earth, and the other was the sovereign ruler\nof all the inhabitants of the ocean. The Dolphin gladly consented to\nthis request. Not long afterwards the Lion had a combat with a wild\nbull, and called on the Dolphin to help him. The Dolphin, though quite\nwilling to give him assistance, was unable to do so, as he could not by\nany means reach the land. The Lion abused him as a traitor. The Dolphin\nreplied: \"Nay, my friend, blame not me, but Nature, which, while giving\nme the sovereignty of the sea, has quite denied me the power of living\nupon the land.\"\n\nLet every one stick to his own element.\n\n\n\n\nThe Mice in Council.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Mice summoned a council to decide how they might best devise means\nfor obtaining notice of the approach of their great enemy the Cat. Among\nthe many plans devised, the one that found most favor was the proposal\nto tie a bell to the neck of the Cat, that the Mice, being warned by\nthe sound of the tinkling, might run away and hide themselves in their\nholes at his approach. But when the Mice further debated who among them\nshould thus \"bell the Cat,\" there was no one found to do it.\n\nLet those who propose be willing to perform.\n\n\n\n\nThe Camel and the Arab.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Arab Camel-driver having completed the lading of his Camel, asked him\nwhich he would like best, to go up hill or down hill. The poor beast\nreplied, not without a touch of reason: \"Why do you ask me? Is it that\nthe level way through the desert is closed?\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Fighting Cocks and the Eagle.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nTwo Game Cocks were fiercely fighting for the mastery of the farm-yard.\nOne at last put the other to flight. The vanquished Cock skulked away\nand hid himself in a quiet corner. The conqueror, flying up to a high\nwall, flapped his wings and crowed exultingly with all his might. An\nEagle sailing through the air pounced upon him, and carried him off in\nhis talons. The vanquished Cock immediately came out of his corner, and\nruled henceforth with undisputed mastery.\n\nPride goes before destruction.\n\n\n\n\nThe Boys and the Frogs.\n\n\nSome boys, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water, and\nbegan to pelt them with stones. They killed several of them, when one of\nthe Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: \"Pray stop, my\nboys; what is sport to you is death to us.\"\n\nWhat we do in sport often makes great trouble for others.\n\n\n\n\nThe Crab and its Mother.\n\n\nA Crab said to her son: \"Why do you walk so one-sided, my child? It is\nfar more becoming to go straight forward.\" The young Crab replied:\n\"Quite true, dear mother; and if you will show me the straight way, I\nwill promise to walk in it.\" The mother tried in vain, and submitted\nwithout remonstrance to the reproof of her child.\n\nExample is more powerful than precept.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf and the Shepherd.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf followed a flock of sheep for a long time, and did not attempt to\ninjure one of them. The Shepherd at first stood on his guard against\nhim, as against an enemy, and kept a strict watch over his movements.\nBut when the Wolf, day after day, kept in the company of the sheep, and\ndid not make the slightest effort to seize them, the Shepherd began to\nlook upon him as a guardian of his flock rather than as a plotter of\nevil against it; and when occasion called him one day into the city, he\nleft the sheep entirely in his charge. The Wolf, now that he had the\nopportunity, fell upon the sheep, and destroyed the greater part of the\nflock. The Shepherd, on his return, finding his flock destroyed,\nexclaimed: \"I have been rightly served; why did I trust my sheep to a\nWolf?\"\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn evil mind will show in evil action, sooner or later.\n\n\n\n\nThe Man and the Lion.\n\n\nA Man and a Lion traveled together through the forest. They soon began\nto boast of their respective superiority to each other in strength and\nprowess. As they were disputing, they passed a statue, carved in stone,\nwhich represented \"A Lion strangled by a Man.\" The traveler pointed to\nit and said: \"See there! How strong we are, and how we prevail over even\nthe king of beasts.\" The Lion replied: \"This statue was made by one of\nyou men. If we Lions knew how to erect statues, you would see the man\nplaced under the paw of the Lion.\"\n\nOne story is good till another is told.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ox and the Frog.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Ox, drinking at a pool, trod on a brood of young frogs, and crushed\none of them to death. The mother, coming up and missing one of her sons,\ninquired of his brothers what had become of him. \"He is dead, dear\nmother; for just now a very huge beast with four great feet came to the\npool, and crushed him to death with his cloven heel.\" The Frog, puffing\nherself out, inquired, \"If the beast was as big as that in size.\"\n\"Cease, mother, to puff yourself out,\" said her son, \"and do not be\nangry; for you would, I assure you, sooner burst than successfully\nimitate the hugeness of that monster.\"\n\nImpossible things we cannot hope to attain, and it is of no use to try.\n\n\n\n\nThe Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat.\n\n\nThe Birds waged war with the Beasts, and each party were by turns the\nconquerors. A Bat, fearing the uncertain issues of the fight, always\nbetook himself to that side which was the strongest. When peace was\nproclaimed, his deceitful conduct was apparent to both the combatants;\nhe was driven forth from the light of day, and henceforth concealed\nhimself in dark hiding-places, flying always alone and at night.\n\nThose who practice deceit must expect to be shunned.\n\n\n\n\nThe Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller.\n\n\nA Charcoal-burner carried on his trade in his own house. One day he met\na friend, a Fuller, and entreated him to come and live with him, saying\nthat they should be far better neighbors, and that their housekeeping\nexpenses would be lessened. The Fuller replied: \"The arrangement is\nimpossible as far as I am concerned, for whatever I should whiten, you\nwould immediately blacken again with your charcoal.\"\n\nLike will draw like.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bull and the Goat.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Bull, escaping from a Lion, entered a cave, which some shepherds had\nlately occupied. A He-goat was left in it, who sharply attacked him with\nhis horns. The Bull quietly addressed him--\"Butt away as much as you\nwill. I have no fear of you, but of the Lion. Let that monster once go,\nand I will soon let you know what is the respective strength of a Goat\nand a Bull.\"\n\nIt shows an evil disposition to take advantage of a friend in distress.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion and the Mouse.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Lion was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising\nup in anger, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse\npiteously entreated, saying: \"If you would only spare my life, I would\nbe sure to repay your kindness.\" The Lion laughed and let him go. It\nhappened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters,\nwho bound him by strong ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his\nroar, came up and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and, setting him\nfree, exclaimed: \"You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help\nyou, not expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; but\nnow you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on\na Lion.\"\n\nNo one is too weak to do good.\n\n\n\n\nThe Horse and the Ass.\n\n\nA Horse, proud of his fine trappings, met an Ass on the highway. The Ass\nbeing heavily laden moved slowly out of the way. \"Hardly,\" said the\nHorse, \"can I resist kicking you with my heels.\" The Ass held his peace,\nand made only a silent appeal to the justice of the gods. Not long\nafterward, the Horse, having become broken-winded, was sent by his owner\nto the farm. The Ass, seeing him drawing a dung-cart, thus derided him.\n\"Where, O boaster, are now all thy gay trappings, thou who art thyself\nreduced to the condition you so lately treated with contempt?\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Old Hound.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Hound, who in the days of his youth and strength had never yielded to\nany beast of the forest, encountered in his old age a boar in the chase.\nHe seized him boldly by the ear, but could not retain his hold because\nof the decay of his teeth, so that the boar escaped. His master, quickly\ncoming up, was very much disappointed, and fiercely abused the dog. The\nHound looked up and said: \"It was not my fault, master; my spirit was as\ngood as ever, but I could not help mine infirmities. I rather deserve\nto be praised for what I have been, than to be blamed for what I am.\"\n\nNo one should be blamed for his infirmities.\n\n\n\n\nThe Crow and the Pitcher.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Crow, perishing with thirst, saw a pitcher, and, hoping to find water,\nflew to it with great delight. When he reached it, he discovered to his\ngrief that it contained so little water that he could not possibly get\nat it. He tried everything he could think of to reach the water, but\nall his efforts were in vain. At last he collected as many stones as he\ncould carry, and dropped them one by one with his beak into the pitcher,\nuntil he brought the water within his reach, and thus saved his life.\n\nNecessity is the mother of invention.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass Eating Thistles.\n\n\nAn Ass was loaded with good provisions of several sorts, which, in time\nof harvest, he was carrying into the field for his master and the\nreapers to dine upon. By the way he met with a fine large Thistle, and,\nbeing very hungry, began to mumble it; and while he was doing so he\nentered into this reflection: \"How many greedy epicures would think\nthemselves happy, amidst such a variety of delicate viands as I now\ncarry! But to me this bitter, prickly Thistle is more savory and\nrelishing than the most exquisite and sumptuous banquet. Let others\nchoose what they may for food, but give me, above everything, a fine\njuicy thistle like this and I will be content.\"\n\nEvery one to his taste: one man's meat is another man's poison, and one\nman's poison is another man's meat; what is rejected by one person may\nbe valued very highly by another.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf and the Lion.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf, having stolen a lamb from a fold, was carrying him off to his\nlair. A Lion met him in the path, and, seizing the lamb, took it from\nhim. The Wolf, standing at a safe distance, exclaimed: \"You have\nunrighteously taken from me that which was mine.\" The Lion jeeringly\nreplied: \"It was righteously yours, eh? Was it the gift of a friend, or\ndid you get it by purchase? If you did not get it in one way or the\nother, how then did you come by it?\"\n\nOne thief is no better than another.\n\n\n\n\nThe King's Son and the Painted Lion.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA King who had one only son, fond of martial exercises, had a dream in\nwhich he was warned that his son would be killed by a lion. Afraid lest\nthe dream should prove true, he built for his son a pleasant palace, and\nadorned its walls for his amusement with all kinds of animals of the\nsize of life, among which was the picture of a lion. When the young\nPrince saw this, his grief at being thus confined burst out afresh, and\nstanding near the lion, he thus spoke: \"O you most detestable of\nanimals! through a lying dream of my father's, which he saw in his\nsleep, I am shut up on your account in this palace as if I had been a\ngirl. What shall I now do to you?\" With these words he stretched out his\nhands toward a thorn-tree, meaning to cut a stick from its branches that\nhe might beat the lion, when one of its sharp prickles pierced his\nfinger, and caused great pain and inflammation, so that the young Prince\nfell down in a fainting fit. A violent fever suddenly set in, from which\nhe died not many days after.\n\nWe had better bear our troubles bravely than try to escape them.\n\n\n\n\nThe Trees and the Axe.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Man came into a forest, and made a petition to the Trees to provide\nhim a handle for his axe. The Trees consented to his request, and gave\nhim a young ash-tree. No sooner had the man fitted from it a new handle\nto his axe, than he began to use it, and quickly felled with his strokes\nthe noblest giants of the forest. An old oak, lamenting when too late\nthe destruction of his companions, said to a neighboring cedar: \"The\nfirst step has lost us all. If we had not given up the rights of the\nash, we might yet have retained our own privileges and have stood for\nages.\"\n\nIn yielding the rights of others, we may endanger our own.\n\n\n\n\nThe Seaside Travelers.\n\n\nSome travelers, journeying along the sea-shore, climbed to the summit of\na tall cliff, and from thence looking over the sea, saw in the distance\nwhat they thought was a large ship, and waited in the hope of seeing it\nenter the harbor. But as the object on which they looked was driven by\nthe wind nearer to the shore, they found that it could at the most be a\nsmall boat, and not a ship. When, however, it reached the beach, they\ndiscovered that it was only a large fagot of sticks, and one of them\nsaid to his companions: \"We have waited for no purpose, for after all\nthere is nothing to see but a fagot.\"\n\nOur mere anticipations of life outrun its realities.\n\n\n\n\nThe Sea-gull and the Kite.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Sea-gull, who was more at home swimming on the sea than walking on the\nland, was in the habit of catching live fish for its food. One day,\nhaving bolted down too large a fish, it burst its deep gullet-bag, and\nlay down on the shore to die. A Kite, seeing him, and thinking him a\nland bird like itself, exclaimed: \"You richly deserve your fate; for a\nbird of the air has no business to seek its food from the sea.\"\n\nEvery man should be content to mind his own business.\n\n\n\n\nThe Monkey and the Camel.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe beasts of the forest gave a splendid entertainment, at which the\nMonkey stood up and danced. Having vastly delighted the assembly, he sat\ndown amidst universal applause. The Camel, envious of the praises\nbestowed on the Monkey, and desirous to divert to himself the favor of\nthe guests, proposed to stand up in his turn, and dance for their\namusement. He moved about in so very ridiculous a manner, that the\nBeasts, in a fit of indignation, set upon him with clubs, and drove him\nout of the assembly.\n\nIt is absurd to ape our betters.\n\n\n\n\nThe Rat and the Elephant.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Rat, traveling on the highway, met a huge elephant, bearing his royal\nmaster and his suite, and also his favorite cat and dog, and parrot and\nmonkey. The great beast and his attendants were followed by an admiring\ncrowd, taking up all of the road. \"What fools you are,\" said the Rat to\nthe people, \"to make such a hubbub over an elephant. Is it his great\nbulk that you so much admire? It can only frighten little boys and\ngirls, and I can do that as well. I am a beast; as well as he, and have\nas many legs and ears and eyes. He has no right to take up all the\nhighway, which belongs as much to me as to him.\" At this moment, the cat\nspied the rat, and, jumping to the ground, soon convinced him that he\nwas not an elephant.\n\nBecause we are like the great in one respect we must not think we are\nlike them in all.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fisherman Piping.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fisherman skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the\nsea-shore. Standing on a projecting rock he played several tunes, in the\nhope that the fish, attracted by his melody, would of their own accord\ndance into his net, which he had placed below. At last, having long\nwaited in vain, he laid aside his flute, and casting his net into the\nsea, made an excellent haul.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf and the House-dog.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf, meeting with a big, well-fed Mastiff, having a wooden collar\nabout his neck, inquired of him who it was that fed him so well, and yet\ncompelled him to drag that heavy log about wherever he went. \"The\nmaster,\" he replied. Then, said the Wolf: \"May no friend of mine ever be\nin such a plight; for the weight of this chain is enough to spoil the\nappetite.\"\n\nNothing can compensate us for the loss of our liberty.\n\n\n\n\nThe Eagle and the Kite.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Eagle, overwhelmed with sorrow, sat upon the branches of a tree, in\ncompany with a Kite. \"Why,\" said the Kite, \"do I see you with such a\nrueful look?\" \"I seek,\" she replied, \"for a mate suitable for me, and am\nnot able to find one.\" \"Take me,\" returned the Kite; \"I am much stronger\nthan you are.\" \"Why, are you able to secure the means of living by your\nplunder?\" \"Well, I have often caught and carried away an ostrich in my\ntalons.\" The Eagle, persuaded by these words, accepted him as her mate.\nShortly after the nuptials, the Eagle said: \"Fly off, and bring me back\nthe ostrich you promised me.\" The Kite, soaring aloft into the air,\nbrought back the shabbiest possible mouse. \"Is this,\" said the Eagle,\n\"the faithful fulfillment of your promise to me?\" The Kite replied:\n\"That I might attain to your royal hand, there is nothing that I would\nnot have promised, however much I knew that I must fail in the\nperformance.\"\n\nPromises of a suitor must be taken with caution.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Dogs and the Hides.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nSome Dogs, famished with hunger, saw some cow-hides steeping in a river.\nNot being able to reach them, they agreed to drink up the river; but it\nfell out that they burst themselves with drinking long before they\nreached the hides.\n\nAttempt not impossibilities.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Fisherman and the Little Fish\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fisherman who lived on the produce of his nets, one day caught a\nsingle small fish as the result of his day's labor. The fish, panting\nconvulsively, thus entreated for his life: \"O Sir, what good can I be\nto you, and how little am I worth! I am not yet come to my full size.\nPray spare my life, and put me back into the sea. I shall soon become a\nlarge fish, fit for the tables of the rich; and then you can catch me\nagain, and make a handsome profit of me.\" The fisherman replied: \"I\nshould be a very simple fellow, if I were to forego my certain gain for\nan uncertain profit.\"\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass and his Purchaser.\n\n\nA man wished to purchase an Ass, and agreed with its owner that he\nshould try him before he bought him. He took the Ass home, and put him\nin the straw-yard with his other Asses, upon which he left all the\nothers, and joined himself at once to the most idle and the greatest\neater of them all. The man put a halter on him, and led him back to his\nowner, saying: \"I do not need a trial; I know that he will be just such\nanother as the one whom he chose for his companion.\"\n\nA man is known by the company he keeps.\n\n\n\n\nThe Shepherd and the Sheep.\n\n\nA Shepherd, driving his Sheep to a wood, saw an oak of unusual size,\nfull of acorns, and, spreading his cloak under the branches, he climbed\nup into the tree, and shook down the acorns. The sheep, eating the\nacorns, frayed and tore the cloak. The Shepherd coming down, and seeing\nwhat was done, said: \"O you most ungrateful creatures! you provide wool\nto make garments for all other men, but you destroy the clothes of him\nwho feeds you.\"\n\nThe basest ingratitude is that which injures those who serve us.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Crow.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Crow, having stolen a bit of flesh, perched in a tree, and held it in\nher beak. A Fox, seeing her, longed to possess himself of the flesh, and\nby a wily stratagem succeeded. \"How handsome is the Crow,\" he exclaimed,\n\"in the beauty of her shape and in the fairness of her complexion! Oh,\nif her voice were only equal to her beauty, she would deservedly be\nconsidered the Queen of Birds!\" This he said deceitfully, having greater\nadmiration for the meat than for the crow. But the Crow, all her vanity\naroused by the cunning flattery, and anxious to refute the reflection\ncast upon her voice, set up a loud caw, and dropped the flesh. The Fox\nquickly picked it up, and thus addressed the Crow: \"My good Crow, your\nvoice is right enough, but your wit is wanting.\"\n\nHe who listens to flattery is not wise, for it has no good purpose.\n\n\n\n\nThe Swallow and the Crow.\n\n\nThe Swallow and the Crow had a contention about their plumage. The Crow\nput an end to the dispute by saying: \"Your feathers are all very well in\nthe spring, but mine protect me against the winter.\"\n\nFine weather friends are not worth much.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Hen and the Golden Eggs.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Cottager and his wife had a Hen, which laid every day a golden egg.\nThey supposed that it must contain a great lump of gold in its inside,\nand killed it in order that they might get it, when, to their surprise,\nthey found that the Hen differed in no respect from their other hens.\nThe foolish pair, thus hoping to become rich all at once, deprived\nthemselves of the gain of which they were day by day assured.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Old Man and Death.\n\n\nAn old man was employed in cutting wood in the forest, and, in carrying\nthe fagots into the city for sale. One day, being very wearied with his\nlong journey, he sat down by the wayside, and, throwing down his load,\nbesought \"Death\" to come. \"Death\" immediately appeared, in answer to his\nsummons, and asked for what reason he had called him. The old man\nreplied: \"That, lifting up the load, you may place it again upon my\nshoulders.\"\n\nWe do not always like to be taken at our word.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Leopard.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Fox and the Leopard disputed which was the more beautiful of the\ntwo. The Leopard exhibited one by one the various spots which decorated\nhis skin. The Fox, interrupting him, said: \"And how much more beautiful\nthan you am I, who am decorated, not in body, but in mind.\"\n\nPeople are not to be judged by their coats.\n\n\n\n\nThe Mountain in Labor.\n\n\nA Mountain was once greatly agitated. Loud groans and noises were heard;\nand crowds of people came from all parts to see what was the matter.\nWhile they were assembled in anxious expectation of some terrible\ncalamity, out came a Mouse.\n\nDon't make much ado about nothing.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bear and the Two Travelers.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nTwo men were traveling together, when a bear suddenly met them on their\npath. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree, and concealed himself\nin the branches. The other, seeing that he must be attacked, fell flat\non the ground, and when the Bear came up and felt him with his snout,\nand smelt him all over, he held his breath, and feigned the appearance\nof death as much as he could. The Bear soon left him, for it is said he\nwill not touch a dead body. When he was quite gone, the other traveler\ndescended from the tree, and, accosting his friend, jocularly inquired\n\"what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear?\" His friend replied: \"He\ngave me this advice: Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the\napproach of danger.\"\n\nMisfortune tests the sincerity of friends.\n\n\n\n\nThe Sick Kite.\n\n\nA Kite, sick unto death, said to his mother: \"O Mother! do not mourn,\nbut at once invoke the gods that my life may be prolonged.\" She replied:\n\"Alas! my son, which of the gods do you think will pity you? Is there\none whom you have not outraged by filching from their very altars a part\nof the sacrifice which had been offered up to them?\"\n\nWe must make friends in prosperity, if we would have their help in\nadversity.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf and the Crane.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf, having a bone stuck in his throat, hired a Crane, for a large\nsum, to put her head into his throat and draw out the bone. When the\nCrane had extracted the bone, and demanded the promised payment, the\nWolf, grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed: \"Why, you have surely\nalready a sufficient recompense, in having been permitted to draw out\nyour head in safety from the mouth and jaws of a Wolf.\"\n\nIn serving the wicked, expect no reward, and be thankful if you escape\ninjury for your pains.\n\n\n\n\nThe Cat and the Cock.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Cat caught a Cock, and took counsel with himself how he might find a\nreasonable excuse for eating him. He accused him as being a nuisance to\nmen, by crowing in the night time, and not permitting them to sleep. The\nCock defended himself by saying that he did this for the benefit of\nmen, that they might rise betimes, for their labors. The Cat replied:\n\"Although you abound in specious apologies, I shall not remain\nsupperless;\" and he made a meal of him.\n\nIt does no good to deny those who make false accusations knowingly.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf and the Horse.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf coming out of a field of oats met with a Horse, and thus\naddressed him: \"I would advise you to go into that field. It is full of\ncapital oats, which I have left untouched for you, as you are a friend\nthe very sound of whose teeth it will be a pleasure to me to hear.\" The\nHorse replied: \"If oats had been the food for wolves, you would never\nhave indulged your ears at the cost of your belly.\"\n\nMen of evil reputation, when they perform a good deed, fail to get\ncredit for it.\n\n\n\n\nThe Two Soldiers and the Robber.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nTwo Soldiers, traveling together, were set upon by a Robber. The one\nfled away; the other stood his ground, and defended himself with his\nstout right hand. The Robber being slain, the timid companion runs up\nand draws his sword, and then, throwing back his traveling cloak, says:\n\"I'll at him, and I'll take care he shall learn whom he has attacked.\"\nOn this, he who had fought with the Robber made answer: \"I only wish\nthat you had helped me just now, even if it had been only with those\nwords, for I should have been the more encouraged, believing them to be\ntrue; but now put up your sword in its sheath and hold your equally\nuseless tongue, till you can deceive others who do not know you. I,\nindeed, who have experienced with what speed you ran away, know right\nwell that no dependence can be placed on your valor.\"\n\nWhen a coward is once found out, his pretensions of valor are useless.\n\n\n\n\nThe Monkey and the Cat.\n\n\nA Monkey and a Cat lived in the same family, and it was hard to tell\nwhich was the greatest thief. One day, as they were roaming about\ntogether, they spied some chestnuts roasting in the ashes. \"Come,\" said\nthe cunning Monkey, \"we shall not go without our dinner to-day. Your\nclaws are better than mine for the purpose; you pull them out of the\nhot ashes and you shall have half.\" Pussy pulled them out one by one,\nburning her claws very much in doing so. When she had stolen them all,\nshe found that the Monkey had eaten every one.\n\nA thief cannot be trusted, even by another thief.\n\n\n\n\nThe Two Frogs.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nTwo frogs dwelt in the same pool. The pool being dried up under the\nsummer's heat, they left it and set out together for another home. As\nthey went along they chanced to pass a deep well, amply supplied with\nwater, on seeing which, one of the Frogs said to the other: \"Let us\ndescend and make our abode in this well.\" The other replied with greater\ncaution: \"But suppose the water should fail us, how can we get out again\nfrom so great a depth?\"\n\nDo nothing without a regard to the consequences.\n\n\n\n\nThe Vine and the Goat.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Vine was luxuriant in the time of vintage with leaves and grapes. A\nGoat, passing by, nibbled its young tendrils and its leaves. The Vine\nsaid: \"Why do you thus injure me and crop my leaves? Is there no young\ngrass left? But I shall not have to wait long for my just revenge; for\nif you now crop my leaves, and cut me down to my root, I shall provide\nthe wine to pour over you when you are led as a victim to the\nsacrifice.\"\n\nRetribution is certain.\n\n\n\n\nThe Mouse and the Boasting Rat.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Mouse lived in a granary which became, after a while, the frequent\nresort of a Cat. The Mouse was in great fear and did not know what to\ndo. In her strait, she bethought herself of a Rat who lived not far\naway, and who had said in her hearing a hundred times that he was not\nafraid of any cat living. She resolved to visit the bold Rat and ask\nhim to drive the Cat away. She found the Rat in his hole and relating\nher story, besought his help. \"Pooh!\" said the Rat, \"You should be bold\nas I am; go straight about your affairs, and do not mind the Cat. I will\nsoon follow you, and drive him away.\" He thought, now, he must do\nsomething to make good his boast. So he collected all the Rats in the\nneighborhood, resolved to frighten the Cat by numbers. But when they all\ncame to the granary, they found that the Cat had already caught the\nfoolish Mouse, and a single growl from him sent them all scampering to\ntheir holes.\n\nDo not rely upon a boaster.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dogs and the Fox.\n\n\nSome Dogs, finding the skin of a lion, began to tear it in pieces with\ntheir teeth. A Fox, seeing them, said: \"If this lion were alive, you\nwould soon find out that his claws were stronger than your teeth.\"\n\nIt is easy to kick a man that is down.\n\n\n\n\nThe Thief and the House-Dog.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Thief came in the night to break into a house. He brought with him\nseveral slices of meat, that he might pacify the House-dog, so that he\nshould not alarm his master by barking. As the Thief threw him the\npieces of meat, the Dog said: \"If you think to stop my mouth, to relax\nmy vigilance, or even to gain my regard by these gifts, you will be\ngreatly mistaken. This sudden kindness at your hands will only make me\nmore watchful, lest under these unexpected favors to myself you have\nsome private ends to accomplish for your own benefit, and for my\nmaster's injury. Besides, this is not the time that I am usually fed,\nwhich makes me all the more suspicions of your intentions.\"\n\nHe who offers bribes needs watching, for his intentions are not honest.\n\n\n\n\nThe Sick Stag.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA sick Stag lay down in a quiet corner of his pasture-ground. His\ncompanions came in great numbers to inquire after his health, and each\none helped himself to a share of the food which had been placed for his\nuse; so that he died, not from his sickness, but from the failure of the\nmeans of living.\n\nEvil companions bring more hurt than profit.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fowler and the Ringdove.\n\n\nA Fowler took his gun, and went into the woods a shooting. He spied a\nRingdove among the branches of an oak, and intended to kill it. He\nclapped the piece to his shoulder, and took his aim accordingly. But,\njust as he was going to pull the trigger, an adder, which he had trod\nupon under the grass, stung him so painfully in the leg that he was\nforced to quit his design, and threw his gun down in a passion. The\npoison immediately infected his blood, and his whole body began to\nmortify; which, when he perceived, he could not help owning it to be\njust. \"Fate,\" said he, \"has brought destruction upon me while I was\ncontriving the death of another.\"\n\nMen often fall into the trap which they prepare for others.\n\n\n\n\nThe Kid and the Wolf.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Kid, returning without protection from the pasture, was pursued by a\nWolf. He turned round, and said to the Wolf: \"I know, friend Wolf, that\nI must be your prey; but before I die, I would ask of you one favor,\nthat you will play me a tune, to which I may dance.\" The Wolf complied,\nand while he was piping, and the Kid was dancing, the hounds, hearing\nthe sound, came up and gave chase to the Wolf. The Wolf, turning to the\nKid, said: \"It is just what I deserve; for I, who am only a butcher,\nshould not have turned piper to please you.\"\n\nEvery one should keep his own colors.\n\n\n\n\nThe Blind Man and the Whelp.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Blind Man was accustomed to distinguish different animals by touching\nthem with his hands. The whelp of a Wolf was brought him, with a\nrequest that he would feel it, and say what it was. He felt it, and\nbeing in doubt, said: \"I do not quite know whether it is the cub of a\nFox, or the whelp of a Wolf; but this I know full well, that it would\nnot be safe to admit him to the sheepfold.\"\n\nEvil tendencies are shown early in life.\n\n\n\n\nThe Geese and the Cranes.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Geese and the Cranes fed in the same meadow. A bird-catcher came to\nensnare them in his nets. The Cranes, being light of wing, fled away at\nhis approach; while the Geese, being slower of flight and heavier in\ntheir bodies, were captured.\n\nThose who are caught are not always the most guilty.\n\n\n\n\nThe North Wind and the Sun.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe North Wind and the Sun disputed which was the more powerful, and\nagreed that he should be declared the victor who could first strip a\nwayfaring man of his clothes. The North Wind first tried his power, and\nblew with all his might; but the keener became his blasts, the closer\nthe Traveler wrapped his cloak around him, till at last, resigning all\nhope of victory, he called upon the Sun to see what he could do. The Sun\nsuddenly shone out with all his warmth. The Traveler no sooner felt his\ngenial rays than he took off one garment after another, and at last,\nfairly overcome with heat, undressed, and bathed in a stream that lay in\nhis path.\n\nPersuasion is better than Force.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Laborer and the Snake.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Snake, having made his hole close to the porch of a cottage, inflicted\na severe bite on the Cottager's infant son, of which he died, to the\ngreat grief of his parents. The father resolved to kill the Snake, and\nthe next day, on its coming out of its hole for food, took up his axe;\nbut, making too much haste to hit him as he wriggled away, missed his\nhead, and cut off only the end of his tail. After some time, the\nCottager, afraid lest the Snake should bite him also, endeavored to make\npeace, and placed some bread and salt in his hole. The Snake said:\n\"There can henceforth be no peace between us; for whenever I see you I\nshall remember the loss of my tail, and whenever you see me you will be\nthinking of the death of your son.\"\n\nIt is hard to forget injuries in the presence of him who caused the\ninjury.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bull and the Calf.\n\n\nA Bull was striving with all his might to squeeze himself through a\nnarrow passage which led to his stall. A young Calf came up and offered\nto go before and show him the way by which he could manage to pass.\n\"Save yourself the trouble,\" said the Bull; \"I knew that way long before\nyou were born.\"\n\nDo not presume to teach your elders.\n\n\n\n\nThe Goat and the Ass.\n\n\nA Man once kept a Goat and an Ass. The Goat, envying the Ass on account\nof his greater abundance of food, said: \"How shamefully you are treated;\nat one time grinding in the mill, and at another carrying heavy\nburdens;\" and he further advised him that he should pretend to be\nepileptic, and fall into a deep ditch and so obtain rest. The Ass gave\ncredence to his words, and, falling into a ditch, was very much bruised.\nHis master, sending for a leech, asked his advice. He bade him pour upon\nthe wounds the blood of a Goat. They at once killed the Goat, and so\nhealed the Ass.\n\nIn injuring others we are apt to receive a greater injury.\n\n\n\n\nThe Boasting Traveler.\n\n\nA Man who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much, on returning\nto his own country, of the many wonderful and heroic things he had done\nin the different places he had visited. Among other things, he said\nthat when he was at Rhodes he had leaped to such a distance that no man\nof his day could leap anywhere near him--and as to that there were in\nRhodes many persons who saw him do it, and whom he could call as\nwitnesses. One of the bystanders, interrupting him, said: \"Now, my good\nman, if this be all true, there is no need of witnesses. Suppose this to\nbe Rhodes and now for your leap.\"\n\nCure a boaster by putting his words to the test.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass, the Cock, and the Lion.\n\n\nAn Ass and a Cock were together, when a Lion, desperate from hunger,\napproached. He was about to spring upon the Ass, when the Cock (to the\nsound of whose voice the Lion, it is said, has a singular aversion)\ncrowed loudly, and the Lion fled away. The Ass, observing his\ntrepidation at the mere crowing of a cock, summoned courage to attack\nhim, and galloped after him for that purpose. He had run no long\ndistance when the Lion, turning about, seized him and tore him to\npieces.\n\nFalse confidence often leads into danger.\n\n\n\n\nThe Stag and the Fawn.\n\n\nA Stag, grown old and mischievous, was, according to custom, stamping\nwith his foot, making offers with his head, and bellowing so terribly\nthat the whole herd quaked for fear of him; when one of the little\nFawns, coming up, addressed him thus: \"Pray, what is the reason that\nyou, who are so formidable at all other times, if you do but hear the\ncry of the hounds, are ready to fly out of your skin for fear?\" \"What\nyou observe is true,\" replied the Stag, \"though I know not how to\naccount for it. I am indeed vigorous and able, and often resolve that\nnothing shall ever dismay my courage; but, alas! I no sooner hear the\nvoice of a hound but my spirits fail me, and I cannot help making off as\nfast as my legs can carry me.\"\n\nThe greatest braggarts are the greatest cowards.\n\n\n\n\nThe Partridge and the Fowler.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fowler caught a Partridge, and was about to kill him. The Partridge\nearnestly besought him to spare his life, saying: \"Pray, master, permit\nme to live, and I will entice many Partridges to you in recompense for\nyour mercy to me.\" The Fowler replied: \"I shall now with the less\nscruple take your life, because you are willing to save it at the cost\nof betraying your friends and relations;\" and without more ado he\ntwisted his neck and put him in his bag with his other game.\n\nThose who would sacrifice their friends to save themselves from harm are\nnot entitled to mercy.\n\n\n\n\nThe Farmer and the Stork.\n\n\nA Farmer placed his nets on his newly sown plough lands, and caught a\nquantity of Cranes, which came to pick up his seed. With them he trapped\na Stork also. The Stork, having his leg fractured by the net, earnestly\nbesought the Farmer to spare his life. \"Pray, save me, Master,\" he said,\n\"and let me go free this once. My broken limb should excite your pity.\nBesides, I am no Crane, I am a Stork, a bird of excellent character; and\nsee how I love and slave for my father and mother. Look too at my\nfeathers, they are not the least like to those of a Crane.\" The Farmer\nlaughed aloud, and said: \"It may be all as you say; I only know this, I\nhave taken you with these robbers, the Cranes, and you must die in their\ncompany.\"\n\nBirds of a feather flock together.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass and his Driver.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Ass, being driven along the high road, suddenly started off, and\nbolted to the brink of a deep precipice. When he was in the act of\nthrowing himself over, his owner, seizing him by the tail, endeavored to\npull him back. The Ass persisting in his effort, the man let him go,\nand said: \"Conquer; but conquer to your cost.\"\n\nThe perverse generally come to harm.\n\n\n\n\nThe Hare and the Hound\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Hound having started a Hare from his form, after a long run, gave up\nthe chase. A Goat-herd, seeing him stop, mocked him, saying: \"The little\none is the best runner of the two.\" The hound replied; \"You do not see\nthe difference between us; I was only running for a dinner, but he for\nhis life.\"\n\nIncentive spurs effort.\n\n\n\n\nThe Kites and the Swans.\n\n\nThe Kites of old time had, equally with the Swans, the privilege of\nsong. But having heard the neigh of the horse, they were so enchanted\nwith the sound, that they tried to imitate it; and, in trying to neigh,\nthey forgot how to sing.\n\nThe desire for imaginary benefits often involves the loss of present\nblessings.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dog in the Manger.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Dog lay in a manger, and by his growling and snapping prevented the\noxen from eating the hay which had been placed for them. \"What a\nselfish Dog!\" said one of them to his companions; \"he cannot eat the hay\nhimself, and yet refuses to allow those to eat who can.\"\n\nWe should not deprive others of blessings because we cannot enjoy them\nourselves.\n\n\n\n\nThe Crow and the Serpent.\n\n\nA Crow, in great want of food, saw a Serpent asleep in a sunny nook, and\nflying down, greedily seized him. The Serpent, turning about, bit the\nCrow with a mortal wound. The Crow in the agony of death exclaimed: \"O\nunhappy me! who have found in that which I deemed a most happy windfall\nthe source of my certain destruction.\"\n\nWhat seem to be blessings are not always so.\n\n\n\n\nThe Cat and the Fox.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAs the Cat and the Fox were talking politics together, Reynard said:\n\"Let things turn out ever so bad, he did not care, for he had a thousand\ntricks for them yet, before they should hurt him.\" \"But pray,\" says he,\n\"Mrs. Puss, suppose there should be an invasion, what course do you\ndesign to take?\" \"Nay,\" says the Cat, \"I have but one shift for it, and\nif that won't do, I am undone.\" \"I am sorry for you,\" replies Reynard,\n\"with all my heart, and would gladly help you, but indeed, neighbor, as\ntimes go, it is not good to trust; we must even be every one for\nhimself, as the saying is.\" These words were scarcely out of his mouth,\nwhen they were alarmed with a pack of hounds, that came upon them in\nfull cry. The Cat, by the help of her single shift, ran up a tree, and\nsat securely among the top branches; from whence she beheld Reynard,\nwho had not been able to get out of sight, overtaken with his thousand\ntricks, and torn in as many pieces by the dogs which had surrounded him.\n\nA little common sense is often of more value than much cunning.\n\n\n\n\nThe Eagle and the Arrow.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Eagle sat on a lofty rock, watching the movements of a Hare, whom he\nsought to make his prey. An archer, who saw him from a place of\nconcealment, took an accurate aim, and wounded him mortally. The Eagle\ngave one look at the arrow that had entered his heart, and saw in that\nsingle glance that its feathers had been furnished by himself. \"It is a\ndouble grief to me,\" he exclaimed, \"that I should perish by an arrow\nfeathered from my own wings.\"\n\nThe misfortunes arising from a man's own misconduct are the hardest to\nbear.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dog Invited to Supper.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Gentleman, having prepared a great feast, invited a Friend to supper;\nand the Gentleman's Dog, meeting the Friend's Dog, \"Come,\" said he, \"my\ngood fellow, and sup with us to-night.\" The Dog was delighted with the\ninvitation, and as he stood by and saw the preparations for the feast,\nsaid to himself: \"Capital fare indeed! this is, in truth, good luck. I\nshall revel in dainties, and I will take good care to lay in an ample\nstock to-night, for I may have nothing to eat to-morrow.\" As he said\nthis to himself, he wagged his tail, and gave a sly look at his friend\nwho had incited him. But his tail wagging to and fro caught the cook's\neye, who, seeing a stranger, straightway seized him by the legs, and\nthrew him out the window to the street below. When he reached the\nground, he set off yelping down the street; upon which the neighbors'\ndogs ran up to him and asked him how he liked his supper. \"In faith,\"\nsaid he, with a sorry smile, \"I hardly know, for we drank so deeply,\nthat I can't even tell you which way I got out.\"\n\nThose who enter by the back stairs must not complain if they are thrown\nout by the window.\n\n\n\n\nThe Frogs Asking for a King.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Frogs, grieved at having no established Ruler, sent ambassadors to\nJupiter entreating for a King. He, perceiving their simplicity, cast\ndown a huge log into the lake. The Frogs, terrified at the splash\noccasioned by its fall, hid themselves in the depth of the pool. But no\nsooner did they see that the huge log continued motionless, than they\nswam again to the top of the water, dismissed their fears, and came so\nto despise it as to climb up, and to squat upon it. After some time they\nbegan to think themselves ill-treated in the appointment of so inert a\nRuler, and sent a second deputation to Jupiter to pray that he would set\nover them another sovereign. He then gave them an Eel to govern them.\nWhen the Frogs discovered his easy good-nature, they yet a third time\nsent to Jupiter to beg that he would once more choose for them another\nKing. Jupiter, displeased at their complaints, sent a Heron, who preyed\nupon the Frogs day by day, till there were none left to complain.\n\nWhen you seek to change your condition, be sure that you can better it.\n\n\n\n\nThe Prophet.\n\n\nA Wizard, sitting in the market-place, told the fortunes of the\npassers-by. A person ran up in great haste, and announced to him that\nthe doors of his house had been broken open, and that all his goods\nwere being stolen. He sighed heavily, and hastened away as fast as he\ncould run. A neighbor saw him running, and said: \"Oh! you follow those?\nyou say you can foretell the fortunes of others; how is it you did not\nforesee your own?\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Dog and his Master's Dinner.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Dog had been taught to take his master's dinner to him every day. As\nhe smelled the good things in the basket, he was sorely tempted to taste\nthem, but he resisted the temptation and continued day after day to\ncarry the basket faithfully. One day all the dogs in the neighborhood\nfollowed him with longing eyes and greedy jaws, and tried to steal the\ndinner from the basket. At first the faithful dog tried to run away\nfrom them, but they pressed him so close that at last he stopped to\nargue with them. This was what the thieves desired, and they soon\nridiculed him to that extent that he said: \"Very well, I will divide\nwith you,\" and he seized the best piece of chicken in the basket, and\nleft the rest for the others to enjoy.\n\nHe who stops to parley with temptation, will be very likely to yield.\n\n\n\n\nThe Buffoon and the Countryman.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA rich nobleman once opened the theater to the public without charge,\nand gave notice that he would handsomely reward any one who would\nproduce a new amusement. A Buffoon, well known for his jokes, said that\nhe had a kind of entertainment that had never been produced in a\ntheater. This report, being spread about, created a great stir in the\nplace, and the theater was crowded to see the new entertainment. The\nBuffoon appeared, and imitated the squeaking of a little pig so\nadmirably with his voice, that the audience declared that he had a\nporker under his cloak, and demanded that it should be shaken out. When\nthat was done, and yet nothing was found, they cheered the actor, with\nthe loudest applause. A countryman in the crowd proclaimed that he would\ndo the same thing on the next day. On the morrow a still larger crowd\nassembled in the theater. Both of the performers appeared on the stage.\nThe Buffoon grunted and squeaked, and obtained, as on the preceding\nday, the applause and cheers of the spectators. Next the Countryman\ncommenced, and pretending that he concealed a little pig beneath his\nclothes (which in truth he did), contrived to lay hold of and to pull\nhis ear, when he began to squeak. The crowd, however, cried out that the\nBuffoon had given a far more exact imitation. On this the Rustic\nproduced the pig, and showed them the greatness of their mistake.\n\nCritics are not always to be depended upon.\n\n\n\n\nThe Boar and the Ass.\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA little scoundrel of an Ass, happening to meet with a Boar, had a mind\nto be arch upon him, and so, says he: \"Your humble servant.\" The Boar,\nsomewhat nettled at his familiarity, bristled up to him, and told him he\nwas surprised to hear him utter so impudent an untruth, and was just\ngoing to show his resentment by giving him a rip in the flank; but\nwisely stifling his passion, he contented himself with saying: \"Go, you\nsorry beast! I do not care to foul my tusks with the blood of so base a\ncreature.\"\n\nDignity cannot afford to quarrel with its inferiors.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Goat.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fox, having fallen into a well, could find no means of escape. A Goat,\novercome with thirst, came to the well, and, seeing the Fox, inquired if\nthe water was good. The Fox, concealing his sad plight under a merry\nguise, indulged in lavish praise of the water, saying it was beyond\nmeasure excellent, and encouraged him to descend. The Goat, mindful only\nof his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, when, just as he quenched his\nthirst, the Fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in, and\nsuggested a scheme for their common escape. \"If,\" said he, \"you will\nplace your fore-feet upon the wall, and bend your head, I will run up\nyour back and escape, and will help you out.\" On the Goat readily\nassenting to this proposal, the Fox leaped upon his back, and steadying\nhimself with the goat's horns reached in safety the mouth of the well,\nand immediately made off as fast as he could. The Goat upbraided him\nwith the breach of his bargain, when he turned round and cried out:\n\"You foolish fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have\nhairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had\ninspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which\nyou had determined upon no means of escape.\"\n\nLook before you leap.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Oxen and the Butchers.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Oxen, once on a time, sought to destroy the Butchers, who practiced\na trade destructive to their race. They assembled on a certain day to\ncarry out their purpose, and sharpened their horns for the contest. One\nof them, an exceedingly old one (for many a field had he ploughed), thus\nspoke: \"These Butchers, it is true, slaughter us, but they do so with\nskillful hands, and with no unnecessary pain. If we get rid of them, we\nshall fall into the hands of unskillful operators, and thus suffer a\ndouble death; for you may be assured that, though all the Butchers\nshould perish, yet will men never want beef.\"\n\nDo not be in a hurry to change one evil for another.\n\n\n\n\nThe Horse and his Rider.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Horse-soldier took great pains with his charger. As long as the war\nlasted, he looked upon him as his fellow-helper in all emergencies, and\nfed him carefully with hay and corn. When the war was over, he only\nallowed him chaff to eat, and made him carry heavy loads of wood, and\nsubjected him to much slavish drudgery and ill-treatment. War, however,\nbeing again proclaimed, the Soldier put on his charger its military\ntrappings, and mounted, being clad in his heavy coat of mail. The Horse\nfell down straightway under the weight, no longer equal to the burden,\nand said to his master: \"You must now e'en go to the war on foot, for\nyou have transformed me from a Horse into an Ass.\"\n\nHe who slights his friends when they are not needed must not expect them\nto serve him when he needs them.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dog and the Hare.\n\n\nA Hound, having started a Hare on the hill-side, pursued her for some\ndistance, at one time biting her with his teeth as if he would take her\nlife, and at another time fawning upon her, as if in play with another\ndog. The Hare said to him: \"I wish you would act sincerely by me, and\nshow yourself in your true colors. If you are a friend, why do you bite\nme so hard? If an enemy, why do you fawn on me?\"\n\nThey are no friends whom you know not whether to trust or to distrust.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fawn and his Mother.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA young Fawn once said to his mother: \"You are larger than a dog, and\nswifter, and more used to running; why, then, O Mother! are you always\nin such a terrible fright of the hounds?\" She smiled, and said: \"I know\nfull well, my son, that all you say is true. I have the advantages you\nmention, but yet when I hear the bark of a single dog I feel ready to\nfaint.\"\n\nNo arguments will give courage to the coward.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lark and her Young Ones.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Lark had made her nest in the young green wheat. The brood had almost\ngrown, when the owner of the field, overlooking his crop, said: \"I must\nsend to all my neighbors to help me with my harvest.\" One of the young\nLarks heard him, and asked his mother to what place they should move for\nsafety. \"There is no occasion to move yet, my son,\" she replied. The\nowner of the field came a few days later, and said: \"I will come myself\nto-morrow, and will get in the harvest.\" Then the Lark said to her\nbrood: \"It is time now to be off--he no longer trusts to his friends,\nbut will reap the field himself.\"\n\nSelf-help is the best help.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bowman and the Lion.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA very skillful Bowman went to the mountains in search of game. All the\nbeasts of the forest fled at his approach. The Lion alone challenged him\nto combat. The Bowman immediately let fly an arrow; and said to the\nLion: \"I send thee my messenger, that from him thou mayest learn what I\nmyself shall be when I assail thee.\" The Lion, thus wounded, rushed,\naway in great fear, and on a Fox exhorting him to be of good courage,\nand not to run away at the first attack, he replied: \"You counsel me in\nvain, for if he sends so fearful a messenger, how shall I abide the\nattack of the man himself?\"\n\nA man who can strike from a distance is no pleasant neighbor.\n\n\n\n\nThe Boy and the Filberts.\n\n\nA Boy put his hand into a pitcher full of filberts. He grasped as many\nas he could possibly hold, but when he endeavored to pull out his hand,\nhe was prevented from doing so by the neck of the pitcher, which was\nmuch smaller than his closed hand. Unwilling to lose his filberts, and\nyet unable to withdraw his hand, he burst into tears, and bitterly\nlamented his disappointment. A bystander said to him: \"Be satisfied with\nhalf the quantity, and you will readily draw out your hand.\"\n\nDo not attempt too much at once.\n\n\n\n\nThe Woman and her Hen.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Woman possessed a Hen that gave her an egg every day. She often\nthought with herself how she might obtain two eggs daily instead of\none, and at last, to gain her purpose, determined to give the Hen a\ndouble allowance of barley. From that day the Hen became fat and sleek,\nand never once laid another egg.\n\nCovetousness overreacheth itself.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lamb and the Wolf.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf pursued a Lamb, which fled for refuge to a certain temple. The\nWolf called out to him and said: \"The priest will slay you in\nsacrifice, if he should catch you;\" on which the Lamb replied: \"It would\nbe better for me to be sacrificed in the temple, than to be eaten by\nyou.\"\n\nIt is safer to be among friends than enemies.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bear and the Gardener.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Gardener, who lived alone, became discontented, and set out, one day,\nto seek a friend who would be a suitable companion. He had not gone far\nwhen he met a Bear, whom he invited to come and live with him. The Bear\nwas a very silly one, who was also discontented with living alone, so he\nwent home with the Gardener very willingly. The Gardener provided all\nthe food, and the only service he required of the Bear was to keep the\nflies off his face while he slept in the shade. One day, a fly insisted\nupon lighting on the Gardener's face, although he was brushed off again\nand again. The silly Bear finally became so enraged that he threw a\nheavy stone upon it. He killed the fly, but, alas! he also killed his\nfriend.\n\nBetter have no friend at all than a foolish one.\n\n\n\n\nThe Heifer and the Ox.\n\n\nA Heifer saw an Ox hard at work harnessed to a plough, and tormented him\nwith reflections on his unhappy fate in being compelled to labor.\nShortly afterward, at the harvest home, the owner released the Ox from\nhis yoke, but bound the Heifer with cords, and led her away to the altar\nto be slain in honor of the festival. The Ox saw what was being done,\nand said to the Heifer: \"For this you were allowed to live in idleness,\nbecause you were presently to be sacrificed.\"\n\nThe lives of the idle can best be spared.\n\n\n\n\nThe Eagle and the Fox.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Eagle and a Fox formed an intimate friendship, and decided to live\nnear each other. The Eagle built her nest in a tall tree, while the Fox\ncrept into the underwood and there produced her young. Not long after,\nwhen the Fox was ranging for food, the Eagle, being in want of provision\nfor her young ones, swooped down and seized upon one of the little cubs,\nand feasted herself and brood. The Fox on her return, discovering what\nhad happened, was less grieved for the death of her young than for her\ninability to avenge them. A just retribution, however, quickly fell upon\nthe Eagle. While hovering near an altar, on which some villagers were\nsacrificing a goat, she suddenly seized a piece of flesh, and carried\nwith it to her nest a burning cinder. A strong breeze soon fanned the\nspark into a flame, and the eaglets, as yet unfledged and helpless, were\nroasted in their nest and dropped down dead at the bottom of the tree.\nThe Fox gobbled them up in the sight of the Eagle.\n\nThe tyrant is never safe from those whom he oppresses.\n\n\n\n\nThe Hawk and the Nightingale.\n\n\nA Nightingale, sitting aloft upon an oak, was seen by a Hawk, who made a\nswoop down, and seized him. The Nightingale earnestly besought the Hawk\nto let him go, saying that he was not big enough to satisfy the hunger\nof a Hawk, who ought to pursue the larger birds. The Hawk said: \"I\nshould indeed have lost my senses if I should let go food ready to my\nhand, for the sake of pursuing birds which are not yet even within\nsight.\"\n\nA bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.\n\n\n\n\nThe Hen and the Swallow.\n\n\nA Hen finding the eggs of a viper, and carefully keeping them warm,\nnourished them into life. A Swallow observing what she had done, said:\n\"You silly creature! Why have you hatched these vipers, which, when they\nshall have grown, will surely inflict injury on all of us, beginning\nwith yourself?\"\n\nIf we nourish evil, it will sooner or later turn upon us.\n\n\n\n\nThe Herdsman and the Lost Bull.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Herdsman, tending kine in a forest, lost a Bull-calf from the fold.\nAfter a long and fruitless search, he made a vow that, if he could only\ndiscover the thief who had stolen the Calf he would offer a lamb in\nsacrifice to the Guardian Deities of the forest. Not long afterwards, as\nhe ascended a small hillock, he saw at its foot a Lion feeding on the\nCalf. Terrified at the sight, he lifted his eyes and his hands to\nheaven, and said: \"Just now I vowed to offer a lamb to the Guardian\nDeities of the forest if I could only find out who had robbed me; but\nnow that I have discovered the thief, I would willingly add a full-grown\nBull to the Calf I have lost, and give them both to the guardians of the\nforest, if I may only secure my own escape from this terrible Lion in\nsafety.\"\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThat which we are anxious to find, we are sometimes even more anxious to\nescape from, when we have succeeded in finding it.\n\n\n\n\nThe Shepherd's Boy and Wolf.\n\n\nA Shepherd-boy, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, brought out\nthe villagers three or four times by crying out, \"Wolf! Wolf!\" and when\nhis neighbors came to help him, laughed at them for their pains. The\nWolf, however, did truly come at last. The Shepherd-boy, now really\nalarmed, shouted in an agony of terror: \"Pray, do come and help me; the\nWolf is killing the sheep;\" but no one paid any heed to his cries.\n\nThere is no believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth.\n\n\n\n\nThe Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Pigeons, terrified by the appearance of a Kite, called upon the Hawk\nto defend them. He at once consented. When they had admitted him into\nthe cote, they found that he made more havoc and slew a larger number of\nthem in a single day, than the Kite could possibly pounce upon in a\nwhole year.\n\nAvoid a remedy that is worse than the disease.\n\n\n\n\nThe Farmer and the Cranes.\n\n\nSome Cranes made their feeding grounds on some plough-lands newly sown\nwith wheat. For a long time the Farmer, brandishing an empty sling,\nchased them away by the terror he inspired; but when the birds found\nthat the sling was only swung in the air, they ceased to take any notice\nof it, and would not move. The farmer, on seeing this, charged his sling\nwith stones, and killed a great number. They at once forsook his\nplough-lands, and cried to each other: \"It is time for us to be off, for\nthis man is no longer content to scare us, but begins to show us in\nearnest what he can do.\"\n\nIf words suffice not, blows must follow.\n\n\n\n\nThe Cat and the Mice.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA certain house was overrun with Mice. A Cat, discovering this, made her\nway into it, and began to catch and eat them one by one. The Mice, being\ncontinually devoured, kept themselves close in their holes. The Cat, no\nlonger able to get at them, perceived that she must tempt them forth by\nsome device. For this purpose she jumped upon a peg, and, suspending\nherself from it, pretended to be dead. When the Mice came near she\npounced among them and killed a great number. Pleased with the success\nof the trick, she tried another. She whitened herself with flour, and\nlay still on the heap of bags, as though she was one of them. The young\nMice crept dangerously near her, but an old one peeping stealthily out\nsaid: \"Ah, my good madam, though you should turn into a real flour-bag,\nI will not come too near you.\"\n\nAvoid even appearances of danger.\n\n\n\n\nThe Father and his Sons.\n\n\nA Father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among\nthemselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations,\nhe one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done\nso, he placed the bundle into the hands of each of them in succession,\nand ordered them to break it in pieces. They each tried with all their\nstrength, and were not able to do it. He next unclosed the faggot, and\ntook the sticks, separately, one by one, and again put them into their\nhands, on which they broke them easily. He then addressed them in these\nwords: \"My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other,\nyou will be as this faggot, uninjured by all attempts of your enemies;\nbut if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily\nas these sticks.\"\n\nDisunited families are easily injured by others.\n\n\n\n\nThe Owl and the Grasshopper.\n\n\nAn Owl who was sitting in a hollow tree, dozing away a summer's\nafternoon, was very much disturbed by a rogue of a Grasshopper singing\nin the grass beneath. So far from keeping quiet, or moving away at the\nrequest of the Owl, the Grasshopper sang all the more, and called her an\nold blinker, that only came out at night when all honest people had gone\nto bed. The Owl waited in silence for a time, and then artfully\naddressed the Grasshopper as follows: \"Well, my dear, if one cannot be\nallowed to sleep, it is something to be kept awake by such a pleasant\nvoice. And now I think of it, I have a bottle of delicious nectar. If\nyou will come up, you shall have a drop.\" The silly Grasshopper, came\nhopping up to the Owl, who at once caught and killed him, and finished\nher nap in comfort.\n\nFlattery is not a proof of admiration.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Grapes.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA famished Fox saw some clusters of ripe black grapes hanging from a\ntrellised vine. She resorted to all her tricks to get at them, but\nwearied herself in vain, for she could not reach them. At last she\nturned away, beguiling herself of her disappointment, and saying: \"The\nGrapes are sour, and not ripe as I thought.\"\n\nRevile not things beyond your reach.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass carrying the Image.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Ass once carried through the streets of the city a famous wooden\nImage, to be placed in one of its temples. The crowd as he passed along\nmade lowly prostration before the Image. The Ass, thinking that they\nbowed their heads in token of respect for him, bristled up with pride\nand gave himself airs, and refused to move another step. The driver,\nseeing him thus stop, laid his whip lustily about his shoulders and\nsaid: \"O you perverse dull-head! it is not yet come to this, that men\npay worship to an Ass.\"\n\nThey are not wise who take to themselves the credit due to others.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass and the Lap-Dog.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA man had an Ass and a Maltese Lap-dog, a very great beauty. The Ass was\nleft in a stable, and had plenty of oats and hay to eat, just as any\nother Ass would. The Lap-dog was a great favorite with his master, and\nhe frisked and jumped about him in a manner pleasant to see. The Ass had\nmuch work to do, in grinding the corn-mill, and in carrying wood from\nthe forest or burdens from the farm. He often lamented his own hard\nfate, and contrasted it with the luxury and idleness of the Lap-dog,\ntill at last one day he broke his halter, and galloped into his master's\nhouse, kicking up his heels without measure, and frisking and fawning as\nwell as he could. He next tried to jump about his master as he had seen\nthe Lap-dog do, but he broke the table and smashed all the dishes upon\nit to atoms. He then attempted to lick his master, and jumped upon his\nback. The servants hearing the strange hubbub, and perceiving the danger\nof their master, quickly relieved him, and drove out the Ass to his\nstable, with kicks, and clubs, and cuffs. The Ass, beaten nearly to\ndeath, thus lamented: \"I have brought it all on myself! Why could I not\nhave been contented to labor with my companions, and not try to live by\nidleness?\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Tortoise and the Eagle.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Tortoise, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of\nher hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly. An Eagle, hovering\nnear, heard her lamentation, and demanded what reward she would give\nhim, if he would take her aloft, and float her in the air. \"I will give\nyou,\" she said, \"all the riches of the Red Sea.\" \"I will teach you to\nfly then,\" said the Eagle; and taking her up in his talons, he carried\nher almost to the clouds,--when suddenly letting her go, she fell on a\nlofty mountain, and dashed her shell to pieces. The Tortoise exclaimed\nin the moment of death: \"I have deserved my present fate; for what had I\nto do with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on the\nearth?\"\n\nIf men had all they wished, they would be often ruined.\n\n\n\n\nThe Porcupine and the Snakes.\n\n\nA Porcupine, wanting to shelter himself, desired a nest of Snakes to\ngive him admittance into their cave. They were prevailed upon, and let\nhim in accordingly; but were so annoyed with his sharp prickly quills\nthat they soon repented of their easy compliance, and entreated the\nPorcupine to withdraw, and leave them their hole to themselves. \"No,\"\nsays he, \"let them quit the place that don't like it; for my part, I am\nwell enough satisfied as I am.\"\n\nHospitality is a virtue, but should be wisely exercised; we may by\nthoughtlessness entertain foes instead of friends.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox who had Lost his Tail.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fox, caught in a trap, escaped with the loss of his \"brush.\"\nHenceforth, feeling his life a burden from the shame and ridicule to\nwhich he was exposed, he schemed to bring all the other Foxes into a\nlike condition with himself. He publicly advised them to cut off their\ntails, saying \"that they would not only look much better without them,\nbut that they would get rid of the weight of the brush.\" One of them\nsaid: \"If you had not yourself lost your tail, my friend, you would not\nthus counsel us.\"\n\nAdvice prompted by selfishness should not be heeded.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Old Lion.\n\n\nA Lion, worn out with years, lay on the ground at the point of death. A\nBoar rushed upon him, and avenged with a stroke of his tusks a long\nremembered injury. Shortly afterwards the Bull with his horns gored him\nas if he were an enemy. When the Ass saw that the huge beast could be\nassailed with impunity, he let drive at his forehead with his heels.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass and the Wolf.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Ass, feeding in a meadow, saw a Wolf approaching to seize him, and\nimmediately pretended to be lame. The Wolf, coming up, inquired the\ncause of his lameness. The Ass said that he had a thorn in his foot, and\nrequested the Wolf to pull it out. The Wolf consenting, the Ass with his\nheels kicked his teeth into his mouth, and galloped away. The Wolf\nsaid: \"I am rightly served, for why did I attempt the art of healing,\nwhen my father only taught me the trade of a butcher?\"\n\nEvery one to his trade.\n\n\n\n\nThe Horse and the Groom.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Groom used to spend whole days in currycombing and rubbing down his\nHorse, but at the same time stole his oats, and sold them for his own\nprofit. \"Alas!\" said the Horse, \"if you really wish me to be in good\ncondition, you should groom me less, and feed me more.\"\n\nIf you wish to do a service, do it right.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass and his Shadow.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA traveler hired an Ass to convey him to a distant place. The day being\nintensely hot, and the sun shining in its strength, the traveler stopped\nto rest, and sought shelter from the heat under the Shadow of the Ass.\nAs this afforded only protection for one, and as the traveler and the\nowner of the Ass both claimed it, a violent dispute arose between them\nas to which of them had the right to it. The owner maintained that he\nhad let the Ass only, and not his Shadow. The traveler asserted that he\nhad, with the hire of the Ass, hired his Shadow also. The quarrel\nproceeded from words to blows, and while the men fought the Ass galloped\noff.\n\nIn quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance.\n\n\n\n\nThe Horse and the Loaded Ass.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn idle Horse, and an Ass laboring under a heavy burden, were traveling\nthe road together. The Ass, ready to faint under his heavy load,\nentreated the Horse to assist him, and lighten his burden, by taking\nsome of it upon his back. The Horse was ill-natured and refused to do\nit; upon which the poor Ass tumbled down in the midst of the highway,\nand expired. The countryman then took the whole burden, and laid it\nupon the Horse, together with the skin of the dead Ass.\n\nLaziness often prepares a burden for its own back.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Mules and the Robbers.\n\n\nTwo Mules laden with packs were trudging along. One carried panniers\nfilled with money, the other sacks of grain. The Mule carrying the\ntreasure walked with head erect, and tossed up and down the bells\nfastened to his neck. His companion followed with quiet and easy step.\nAll on a sudden Robbers rushed from their hiding-places upon them, and\nin the scuffle with their owners wounded the Mule carrying the treasure,\nwhich they greedily seized upon, while they took no notice of the grain.\nThe Mule which had been wounded bewailed his misfortunes. The other\nreplied: \"I am glad that I was thought so little of, for I have lost\nnothing, nor am I hurt with any wound.\"\n\nThe conspicuous run the greatest risk.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion and the Three Bulls.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThree Bulls for a long time pastured together. A Lion lay in ambush in\nthe hope of making them his prey, but was afraid to attack them whilst\nthey kept together. Having at last by guileful speeches succeeded in\nseparating them, he attacked them without fear, as they fed alone, and\nfeasted on them one by one at his own leisure.\n\nIn union is strength.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dog and the Shadow.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Dog, crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of flesh in his\nmouth, saw his own shadow in the water, and took it for another Dog,\nwith a piece of meat double his own in size. He therefore let go his\nown, and fiercely attacked the other Dog, to get his larger piece from\nhim. He thus lost both--that which he grasped at in the water, because\nit was a shadow and his own, because the stream swept it away.\n\nIt is not wise to be too greedy.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Ants and the Grasshopper.\n\n\nThe Ants were employing a fine winter's day in drying grain collected in\nthe summer time. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and\nearnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him: \"Why did\nyou not treasure up food during the summer?\" He replied: \"I had not\nleisure; I passed the days in singing.\" They then said: \"If you were\nfoolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed\nin the winter.\"\n\nIdleness brings want.\n\n\n\n\nThe Thirsty Pigeon.\n\n\nA Pigeon, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water painted\non a sign-board. Not supposing it to be only a picture, she flew toward\nit with a loud whirr, and unwittingly dashed against the sign-board and\njarred herself terribly. Having broken her wings by the blow, she fell\nto the ground, and was caught by one of the bystanders.\n\nZeal should not outrun discretion.\n\n\n\n\nThe Flies and the Honey.\n\n\nA Jar of Honey having been upset in a housekeeper's room, a number of\nflies were attracted by its sweetness, and placing their feet in it, ate\nit greedily. Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that\nthey could not use their wings, nor release themselves, and were\nsuffocated. Just as they were expiring, they exclaimed, \"O foolish\ncreatures that we are! For the sake of a little pleasure we have\ndestroyed ourselves.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Great and the Little Fishes.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fisherman was drawing up a net which he had cast into the sea, full of\nall sorts of fish. The Little Fish escaped through the meshes of the\nnet, and got back into the deep, but the Great Fish were all caught and\nhauled into the ship.\n\nOur insignificance is often the cause of our safety.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolves and the Sheep.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\"Why should there always be this implacable warfare between us?\" said\nthe Wolves to the Sheep. \"Those evil-disposed Dogs have much to answer\nfor. They always bark whenever we approach you, and attack us before we\nhave done any harm. If you would only dismiss them from your heels,\nthere might soon be treaties of peace between us.\" The sheep, poor\nsilly creatures! were easily beguiled, and dismissed the Dogs. The\nWolves destroyed the unguarded flock at their pleasure.\n\nChange not friends for foes.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Stork.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Fox invited the Stork to dinner, and provided nothing but a soup, in\na wide, shallow dish. This he could lap up with ease; but the Stork, who\ncould but just dip in the point of his bill, was not a bit better. A few\ndays after, he returned the compliment, and invited the Fox; but\nsuffered nothing to be brought to the table but some minced meat in a\nglass jar, the neck of which was so deep and so narrow, that, though the\nStork with his long bill could eat very well, all that the Fox could do\nwas to lick the brims. Reynard was heartily vexed, but owned that he had\nbeen used as he deserved.\n\nThose who practice cunning must expect to suffer by it.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bat and the Weasels.\n\n\nA Bat, falling upon the ground, was caught by a Weasel, of whom he\nearnestly besought his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by\nnature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a\nbird, but a mouse, and thus saved his life. Shortly afterward the Bat\nagain fell on the ground, and was caught by another Weasel, whom he\nlikewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special\nhostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a\nbat; and thus a second time escaped.\n\n\n\n\nThe Hare and the Tortoise.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise.\nThe latter, laughing, said: \"Though you be swift as the wind, I will\nbeat you in a race.\" The Hare, deeming her assertion to be simply\nimpossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox\nshould choose the course, and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the\nrace they started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but\nwent on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course.\nThe Hare, trusting to his native swiftness, cared little about the race,\nand lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and\nmoving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal,\nand was comfortably dozing after her fatigue.\n\nPerseverance is surer than swiftness.\n\n\n\n\nJupiter and the Monkey.\n\nJupiter issued a proclamation to all the beasts of the forest, and\npromised a royal reward to the one whose offspring should be deemed the\nhandsomest. The Monkey came with the rest, and presented, with all a\nmother's tenderness, a flat-nosed, hairless, ill-featured young Monkey\nas a candidate for the promised reward. A general laugh saluted her on\nthe presentation of her son. She resolutely said: \"I know not whether\nJupiter will allot the prize to my son; but this I do know, that he is\nthe dearest, handsomest, and most beautiful of all who are here.\"\n\nA mother's love blinds her to many imperfections.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion in Love.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Lion demanded the daughter of a woodcutter in marriage. The Father,\nunwilling to grant and yet afraid to refuse his request, hit upon this\nexpedient. He expressed his willingness to accept him as the suitor of\nhis daughter on one condition; that he should allow him to extract his\nteeth, and cut off his claws. The Lion cheerfully assented to the\nproposal: when, however, he next repeated his request, the woodman set\nupon him with his club.\n\n\n\n\nThe Miser.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Miser had a lump of gold which he buried in the ground, coming to look\nat the spot every day. One day he found that it was stolen, and he began\nto tear his hair and loudly lament. A neighbor, seeing him, said: \"Pray\ndo not grieve so; bury a stone in the hole, and fancy it is the gold. It\nwill serve you just as well, for when the gold was there you made no use\nof it.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf and the Goat.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf saw a Goat feeding at the summit of a steep precipice, where he\nhad not a chance of reaching her. He called to her, and earnestly\nbesought her to come lower down, lest she should by some mishap get a\nfall; and he added that the meadows lay where he was standing, and that\nthe herbage was most tender. She replied: \"No, my friend, it is not of\nme you are thinking, but of yourself.\"\n\nInvitations prompted by selfishness are not to be accepted.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bald Knight.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Bald Knight, who wore a wig, went out to hunt. A sudden puff of wind\nblew off his hat and wig, at which a loud laugh rang forth from his\ncompanions. He joined in the joke by saying: \"What marvel that hairs\nwhich are not mine should fly from me, when my own have forsaken even\nthe man with whom they were born.\"\n\nThose who cannot take care of their own, should not be entrusted with\nthe care of another's property.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Wood-Cutter.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fox, running before the hounds, came across a Wood-cutter felling an\noak, and besought him to show him a safe hiding-place. The Wood-cutter\nadvised him to take shelter in his own hut. The Fox crept in, and hid\nhimself in a corner. The Huntsman came up, with his hounds, in a few\nminutes, and inquired of the Wood-cutter if he had seen the Fox. He\ndeclared that he had not seen him, and yet pointed, all the time he was\nspeaking, to the hut where the Fox lay hid. The Huntsman took no notice\nof the signs, but, believing his word, hastened forward in the chase. As\nsoon as they were well away, the Fox departed without taking any notice\nof the Wood-cutter; whereon he called to him, and reproached him,\nsaying: \"You ungrateful fellow, you owe your life to me, and yet you\nleave me without a word of thanks.\" The Fox replied: \"Indeed, I should\nhave thanked you most fervently, if your deeds had been as good as your\nwords.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Kid and the Wolf.\n\n\nA Kid, mounted on a high rock, bestowed all manner of abuse upon a Wolf\non the ground below. The Wolf, looking up, replied: \"Do not think, vain\ncreature, that you annoy me. I regard this ill language as coming not\nfrom you, but from the place on which you stand.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion, the Bear, and the Fox.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Lion and a Bear seized upon a kid at the same moment, and fought\nfiercely for its possession. When they had fearfully lacerated each\nother, and were faint from the long combat, they lay down exhausted with\nfatigue. A Fox who had gone round them at a distance several times, saw\nthem both stretched on the ground, and the Kid lying untouched in the\nmiddle, ran in between them, and seizing the Kid, scampered off as fast\nas he could. The Lion and the Bear saw him, but not being able to get\nup, said: \"Woe betide us, that we should have fought and belabored\nourselves only to serve the turn of a Fox!\"\n\nIt sometimes happens that one man has all the toil, and another all the\nprofit.\n\n\n\n\nThe Stag in the Ox-Stall.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Stag, hardly pressed by the hounds, and blind through fear to the\ndanger he was running into, took shelter in a farm-yard, and hid himself\nin a shed among the oxen. An Ox gave him this kindly warning: \"O unhappy\ncreature! why should you thus, of your own accord, incur destruction,\nand trust yourself in the house of your enemy?\" The Stag replied: \"Do\nyou only suffer me, friend, to stay where I am, and I will undertake to\nfind some favorable opportunity of effecting my escape.\" At the approach\nof the evening the herdsman came to feed his cattle, but did not see the\nStag. The Stag, congratulating himself on his safety, began to express\nhis sincere thanks to the Oxen who had kindly afforded him help in the\nhour of need. One of them again answered him: \"We indeed wish you well,\nbut the danger is not over. There is one other yet to pass through the\nshed, who has as it were a hundred eyes, and, until he has come and\ngone, your life is still in peril.\" At that moment the master himself\nentered, and having had to complain that his oxen had not been properly\nfed, he went up to their racks, and cried out: \"Why is there such a\nscarcity of fodder? There is not half enough straw for them to lie on.\nThose lazy fellows have not even swept the cobwebs away.\" While he thus\nexamined everything, he spied the antlers of the Stag peeping out of the\nstraw. Summoning his laborers, he ordered that the Stag should be\nkilled.\n\nWhat is safety for one is not always safety for another.\n\n\n\n\nThe Eagle and the Jackdaw.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Eagle, flying down from his eyrie on a lofty rock, seized upon a\nlamb, and carried him aloft in his talons. A Jackdaw who witnessed the\ncapture of the lamb, was stirred with envy, and determined to emulate\nthe strength and flight of the Eagle. He flew round with a great whirr\nof his wings, and settled upon a large sheep, with the intention of\ncarrying it off, but his claws becoming entangled in its fleece, he was\nunable to release himself, although he fluttered with his feathers as\nmuch as he could. The shepherd, seeing what had happened, ran up and\ncaught him. He at once clipped his wings, and, taking him home at night,\ngave him to his children.\n\nWe should not permit our ambition to lead us beyond the limits of our\npower.\n\n\n\n\nThe Three Tradesmen.\n\n\nA great city was besieged, and its inhabitants were called together to\nconsider the best means of protecting it from the enemy. A Bricklayer\npresent earnestly recommended bricks, as affording the best materials\nfor an effectual resistance. A Carpenter, with equal energy, proposed\ntimber, as providing a preferable method of defense. Upon which a\nCurrier stood up, and said: \"Sirs, I differ from you altogether; there\nis no material for resistance equal to a covering of hides; and nothing\nso good as leather.\"\n\nEvery man for his trade.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dancing Monkeys.\n\n\nA Prince had some Monkeys trained to dance. Being naturally great mimics\nof men's actions, they showed themselves most apt pupils; and when\narrayed in their rich clothes and masks, they danced as well as any of\nthe courtiers. The spectacle was often repeated with great applause,\ntill on one occasion a courtier, bent on mischief, took from his pocket\na handful of nuts, and threw them upon the stage. The Monkeys, at the\nsight of the nuts, forgot their dancing, and became (as indeed they\nwere) Monkeys instead of actors, and pulling off their masks and tearing\ntheir robes, they fought with one another for the nuts. The dancing\nspectacle thus came to an end, amidst the laughter and ridicule of the\naudience.\n\nThey who assume a character will betray themselves by their actions.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass and the Grasshopper.\n\n\nAn Ass, having heard some Grasshoppers chirping, was highly enchanted;\nand desiring to possess the same charms of melody, demanded what sort of\nfood they lived on, to give them such beautiful voices. They replied:\n\"The dew.\" The Ass resolved that he would live only upon dew, and in a\nshort time died of hunger.\n\nWhere one may live, another may starve.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass in the Lion's Skin.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Ass, having put on the Lion's skin, roamed about in the forest, and\namused himself by frightening all the foolish animals he met with in\nhis wanderings. At last, meeting a Fox, he tried to frighten him also,\nbut the Fox no sooner heard the sound of his voice, than he exclaimed:\n\"I might possibly have been frightened myself, if I had not heard your\nbray.\"\n\nNo disguise will hide one's true character.\n\n\n\n\nThe Boy Bathing.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Boy bathing in a river was in danger of being drowned. He called out\nto a traveler passing by for help. The traveler, instead of holding out\na helping hand, stood up unconcernedly, and scolded the boy for his\nimprudence. \"Oh, sir!\" cried the youth, \"pray help me now, and scold me\nafterwards.\"\n\nCounsel, without help, is useless.\n\n\n\n\nThe Cock and the Fox.\n\n\nThe Fox, passing early one summer's morning near a farm-yard, was caught\nin a springe, which the farmer had planted there for that end. The Cock,\nat a distance, saw what happened, and, hardly yet daring to trust\nhimself too near so dangerous a foe, approached him cautiously, and\npeeped at him. Reynard addressed himself to him, with all the designing\nartifice imaginable. \"Dear cousin,\" says he, \"you see what an\nunfortunate accident has befallen me here, and all upon your account:\nfor, as I was creeping through yonder hedge, in my way homeward, I heard\nyou crow, and was resolved to ask you how you did before I went any\nfarther; but I met with this disaster; and therefore now I must ask you\nfor a knife to cut this string; or, at least, to conceal my misfortune\ntill I have gnawed it asunder.\" The Cock, seeing how the case stood,\nmade no reply, but posted away as fast as he could, and told the farmer,\nwho came and killed the Fox.\n\nTo aid the vicious is to become a partner in their guilt.\n\n\n\n\nThe Viper and the File.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Viper, entering the workshop of a smith, sought from the tools the\nmeans of satisfying his hunger. He more particularly addressed himself\nto a File, and asked of him the favor of a meal. The File replied: \"You\nmust indeed be a simple-minded fellow if you expect to get anything from\nme, who am accustomed to take from every one, and never to give anything\nin return.\"\n\nThe covetous are poor givers.\n\n\n\n\nThe Oxen and the Axle-Trees.\n\n\nA heavy wagon was being dragged along a country lane by a team of oxen.\nThe axle-trees groaned and creaked terribly, when the oxen, turning\nround, thus addressed the wheels: \"Hallo there! why do you make so much\nnoise? We bear all the labor, and we, not you, ought to cry out.\"\n\nThose who suffer most cry out the least.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bear and the Bee-Hives.\n\n\nA Bear that had found his way into a garden where Bees were kept began\nto turn over the hives and devour the honey. The Bees settled in swarms\nabout his head, and stung his eyes and nose so much, that, maddened with\npain, he tore the skin from his head with his own claws.\n\n\n\n\nThe Thrush and the Swallow.\n\n\nA young Thrush, who lived in an orchard once became acquainted with a\nSwallow. A friendship sprang up between them; and the Swallow, after\nskimming the orchard and the neighboring meadow, would every now and\nthen come and visit the Thrush. The Thrush, hopping from branch to\nbranch, would welcome him with his most cheerful note. \"O mother!\" said\nhe to his parent one day, \"never had creature such a friend as I have in\nthis same Swallow.\"--\"Nor ever any mother,\" replied the parent-bird,\n\"such a silly son as I have in this same Thrush. Long before the\napproach of winter, your friend will have left you; and while you sit\nshivering on a leafless bough he will be sporting under sunny skies\nhundreds of miles away.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Sensible Ass.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Old Fellow, in time of war, was allowing his Ass to feed in a green\nmeadow, when he was alarmed by a sudden advance of the enemy. He tried\nevery means in his power to urge the Ass to fly, but in vain. \"The\nenemy are upon us!\" said he. \"And what will the enemy do?\" asked the\nAss. \"Will they put two pairs of panniers on my back, instead of\none?\"--\"No,\" answered the Man; \"there is no fear of that.\"--\"Why, then,\"\nreplied the Ass, \"I'll not stir an inch. I am born to be a slave; and my\ngreatest enemy is he who gives me most to carry.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion and the Ass.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Lion and an Ass made an agreement to go out hunting together.\nBy-and-by they came to a cave, where wild goats abode. The Lion took up\nhis station at the mouth of the cave, and the Ass, going within, kicked\nand brayed, and made a mighty fuss to frighten them out. When the Lion\nhad caught them, the Ass came out and asked him if he had not made a\nnoble fight. \"Yes, indeed,\" said the Lion; \"and I assure you, you would\nhave frightened me too, if I had not known you to be an Ass.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Ape.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nUpon the decease of the Lion, the beasts of the forest assembled to\nchoose another king. The Ape played so many grimaces, gambols, and antic\ntricks, that he was elected by a large majority; and the crown was\nplaced upon his head. The Fox, envious of this distinction, seeing, soon\nafter, a trap baited with a piece of meat, approached the new king, and\nsaid with mock humility: \"May it please your majesty, I have found on\nyour domain a treasure, to which, if you will deign to accompany me, I\nwill conduct you.\" The Ape thereupon set off with the Fox, and, on\narriving at the spot, laid his paw upon the meat. Snap! went the trap,\nand caught him by the fingers. Mad with the shame and the pain, he\nreproached the Fox for a false thief and a traitor. Reynard laughed\nheartily, and said, with a sneer: \"You a king, and not understand a\ntrap!\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion and the Wolf.\n\n\nA Wolf, roaming by the mountain's side, saw his own shadow, as the sun\nwas setting, become greatly extended and magnified, and he said to\nhimself: \"Why should I, being of such an immense size, and extending\nnearly an acre in length, be afraid of the Lion? Ought I not to be\nacknowledged as King of all the collected beasts?\" While he was\nindulging in these proud thoughts, a Lion fell upon him, and killed him.\nHe exclaimed with a too-late repentance, \"Wretched me! this\nover-estimation of myself is the cause of my destruction.\"\n\nIt is not wise, to hold too exalted an opinion of one's self.\n\n\n\n\nThe Miller, his Son and their Ass.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA miller and his Son were driving their Ass to a fair. On the way, they\nmet a troop of girls. \"Look there!\" cried one of them, \"did you ever see\nsuch fools, to be trudging along on foot when they might be riding?\"\nThe old Man, hearing this, quietly bade his Son get on the Ass, and\nwalked along merrily by his side.\n\n[Illustration]\n\nPresently they came to a group of old men in earnest debate. \"There!\"\nsaid one of them, \"it proves what I was saying. What respect is shown to\nold age in these days? Do you see that idle young rogue riding, while\nhis old father has to walk?--Get down, you scapegrace! and let the old\nMan rest his weary limbs.\" Upon this the Father made his Son dismount,\nand got up himself. In this manner they had not proceeded far when they\nmet a company of women and children. \"Why, you lazy old fellow!\" cried\nseveral tongues at once, \"how can you ride upon the beast, while that\npoor little lad there can hardly keep pace by the side of you.\" The\ngood-natured Miller immediately took up his Son behind him. They had now\nalmost reached the town. \"Pray, honest friend,\" said a townsman, \"is\nthat Ass your own?\" \"Yes,\" says the old Man. \"Oh! One would not have\nthought so by the way you load him. Why, you two fellows are better\nable to carry the poor beast than he you!\" \"Anything to please you,\"\nsaid the old Man. So, alighting with his Son, they tied the Ass's legs\ntogether, and by the help of a pole endeavored to carry him on their\nshoulders over a bridge. The people ran out in crowds to laugh at the\nsight; till the Ass, not liking the noise nor his situation, kicked\nasunder the cords and, tumbling off the pole, fell into the river. Upon\nthis the old Man made the best of his way home with his Son--convinced\nthat, by endeavoring to please every-body, he had succeeded in pleasing\nnobody, and lost his Ass into the bargain.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Travelers and the Plane-Tree.\n\n\nTwo Travelers, worn out by the heat of the summer's sun, laid themselves\ndown at noon under the wide-spreading branches of a Plane-tree. As they\nrested under its shade, one of the Travelers said to the other: \"What a\nsingularly useless tree is the Plane. It bears no fruit, and is not of\nthe least service to man.\" The Plane-tree interrupting him said: \"You\nungrateful fellows! Do you, while receiving benefits from me, and\nresting under my shade, dare to describe me as useless, and\nunprofitable?\"\n\nSome men despise their best blessings because they come without cost.\n\n\n\n\nThe Tortoise and the Two Ducks.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Tortoise, becoming tired of her humble home, resolved to visit foreign\nlands, but she did not know which way to go. She repaired to two Ducks\nto show her the road, and they told her that the best way to travel was\nthrough the air. On her imploring their help, they made her grasp a\nstick with her mouth, and so they bore her aloft. As they flew along,\nthe gaping people beneath shouted at sight of the spectacle. The vain\nTortoise mistook their shouts for applause. \"I am surely a queen,\" said\nshe. But, alas! as she opened her mouth to speak she lost her hold of\nthe stick, and, falling to the ground, was dashed to pieces.\n\nThose who are not able to roam should stay at home.\n\n\n\n\nThe Countryman and the Snake.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Villager found a Snake under a hedge, almost dead with cold. He could\nnot help having a compassion for the poor creature, so he brought it\nhome, and laid it upon the hearth near the fire; but it had not lain\nthere long, before (being revived with the heat) it began to erect\nitself, and fly at his wife and children. The Countryman, hearing an\noutcry, and perceiving what the matter was, caught up a mattock, and\nsoon dispatched him, upbraiding him at the same time in these words: \"Is\nthis, vile wretch, the reward you make to him that saved your life?\"\n\nKindness to the ungrateful and the vicious is thrown away.\n\n\n\n\nThe Madman who Sold Wisdom.\n\n\nA Madman once set himself up in the market place, and with loud cries\nannounced that he would sell Wisdom. The people at once crowded about\nhim, and some gave him gold for his wares, but they each got only a blow\non the ear and a bunch of thread, and were well laughed at by their\ncompanions. One of them, however, took it more seriously than the\nothers, and asked a wise sage what it meant. \"It means,\" said the sage,\n\"that if one would not be hurt by a Madman, he must put a bunch of\nthread over his ears.\" So the Madman was really selling Wisdom.\n\n\n\n\nThe Leopard and the Fox.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Leopard, being no longer able, by reason of old age, to pursue his\nprey, feigned illness, and gave out that he would confer great favors\nupon any animal that would cure him. A cunning Fox heard of the\nproclamation, and lost no time in visiting the Leopard, first making\nhimself look as much like a physician as he could. On seeing him, the\nLeopard declared that such a distinguished looking animal could not\nfail to cure him. This so flattered the Fox that he came near, and at\nonce fell a victim to his vanity, being unable to flee because of the\ndisguise, which fettered his limbs.\n\nFlattery is a dangerous weapon in the hands of an enemy.\n\n\n\n\nThe Hare afraid of his Ears.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Lion, being badly hurt by the horns of a goat, swore in a great rage\nthat every animal with horns should be banished from his kingdom. A\nsilly Hare, seeing the shadow of his ears, was in great fear lest they\nshould be taken for horns, and scampered away.\n\n\n\n\nThe Peacock and the Crane.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Peacock, spreading its gorgeous tail, mocked a Crane that passed by,\nridiculing the ashen hue of its plumage, and saying: \"I am robed like a\nking, in gold and purple, and all the colors of the rainbow; while you\nhave not a bit of color on your wings.\" \"True,\" replied the Crane, \"but\nI soar to the heights of heaven, and lift up my voice to the stars,\nwhile you walk below, like a cock, among the birds of the dunghill.\"\n\nFine feathers don't make fine birds.\n\n\n\n\nThe Mouse and the Weasel.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA little starveling Mouse had made his way with some difficulty into a\nbasket of corn, where, finding the entertainment so good, he stuffed and\ncrammed himself to such an extent, that when he would have got out again\nhe found the hole was too small to allow his puffed-up body to pass. As\nhe sat at the hole groaning over his fate, a Weasel, who was brought to\nthe spot by his cries, thus addressed him: \"Stop there, my friend, and\nfast till you are thin; for you will never come out till you reduce\nyourself to the same condition as when you entered.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Tiger.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA skillful archer, coming into the woods, directed his arrows so\nsuccessfully that he slew many wild beasts, and pursued several others.\nThis put the whole savage kind into a fearful consternation, and made\nthem fly to the most retired thickets for refuge. At last, the Tiger\nresumed courage, and, bidding them not be afraid, said that he alone\nwould engage the enemy; telling them they might depend upon his valor\nand strength to revenge their wrongs. In the midst of these threats,\nwhile he was lashing himself with his tail, and tearing up the ground\nfor anger, an arrow pierced his ribs, and hung by its barbed point in\nhis side. He set up an hideous and loud roar, occasioned by the anguish\nwhich he felt, and endeavored to draw out the painful dart with his\nteeth; when the Fox, approaching him, inquired with an air of surprise\nwho it was that could have strength and courage enough to wound so\nmighty and valorous a beast! \"Ah!\" says the Tiger, \"I was mistaken in my\nreckoning: it was that invincible man yonder.\"\n\nThere is always some vulnerable point in the strongest armor.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Turkeys.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fox spied some turkeys roosting in a tree. He managed to attract\ntheir attention and then ran about the tree, pretended to climb, walked\non his hind legs, and did all sorts of tricks. Filled with fear, the\nTurkeys watched every one of his movements until they became dizzy, and,\none by one, fell from their safe perch.\n\nBy too much attention to danger, we may fall victims to it.\n\n\n\n\nThe Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Eagle had made her nest at the top of a lofty oak. A Cat, having\nfound a convenient hole, lived with her kittens in the middle of the\ntrunk; and a Wild Sow with her young had taken shelter in a hollow at\nits foot. The Cat resolved to destroy by her arts this chance-made\ncolony. She climbed to the nest of the Eagle, and said: \"Destruction is\npreparing for you, and for me too. The Wild Sow, whom you may see daily\ndigging up the earth, wishes to uproot the oak, that she may, on its\nfall, seize our families as food.\" Then she crept down to the cave of\nthe Sow and said: \"Your children are in great danger; for as soon as you\nshall go out with your litter to find food, the Eagle is prepared to\npounce upon one of your little pigs.\" When night came, she went forth\nwith silent foot and obtained food for herself and her kittens; but,\nfeigning to be afraid, she kept a look-out all through the day.\nMeanwhile, the Eagle, full of fear of the Sow, sat still on the\nbranches, and the Sow, terrified by the Eagle, did not dare to go out\nfrom her cave; and thus they each, with their families, perished from\nhunger.\n\nThose who stir up enmities are not to be trusted.\n\n\n\n\nThe Peacock and the Magpie.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Birds once met together to choose a king; and, among others, the\nPeacock was a candidate. Spreading his showy tail, and stalking up and\ndown with affected grandeur, he caught the eyes of the silly multitude\nby his brilliant appearance, and was elected with acclamation. The\nMagpie then stepped forth into the midst of the assembly, and thus\naddressed the new king: \"May it please your majesty, elect to permit a\nhumble admirer to propose a question. As our king, we put our lives and\nfortunes in your hands. If, therefore, the Eagle, the Vulture, and the\nKite, should make a descent upon us, what means would you take for our\ndefense?\" This pithy question opened the eyes of the Birds to the\nweakness of their choice and they canceled the election.\n\n\n\n\nThe Two Goats.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nTwo Goats started at the same moment, from opposite ends, to cross a\nrude bridge that was only wide enough for one to cross at a time.\nMeeting at the middle of the bridge, neither would give way to the\nother. They locked horns and fought for the right of way, until they\nboth fell into the torrent below and were drowned.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dove and the Ant.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Ant went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and, being\ncarried away by the rush of the stream, was on the point of being\ndrowned. A Dove, sitting on a tree overhanging the water, plucked a\nleaf, and let it fall into the stream close to her. The Ant, climbing on\nto it, floated in safety to the bank. Shortly afterwards a bird catcher\ncame close and stood under the tree, and laid his lime-twigs for the\nDove, which sat in the branches. The Ant, perceiving his design, stung\nhim in the foot. He suddenly threw down the twigs, and thereupon made\nthe Dove take wing.\n\nThe grateful heart will always find opportunities to show its gratitude.\n\n\n\n\nThe Eagle and the Beetle.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe Eagle and the Beetle were at enmity together, and they destroyed one\nanother's nests. The Eagle gave the first provocation in seizing upon\nand in eating the young ones of the Beetle. The Beetle got by stealth at\nthe Eagle's eggs, and rolled them out of the nest, and followed the\nEagle even into the presence of Jupiter. On the Eagle making his\ncomplaint, Jupiter ordered him to make his nest in his lap; and while\nJupiter had the eggs in his lap, the Beetle came flying about him, and\nJupiter, rising up unawares to drive him away from his head, threw down\nthe eggs, and broke them.\n\nThe weak often revenge themselves on those who use them ill, even though\nthey be the more powerful.\n\n\n\n\nThe Mule.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Mule, frolicsome from want of work and from overmuch corn, galloped\nabout in a very extravagant manner, and said to himself: \"My father\nsurely was a high-mettled racer, and I am his own child in speed and\nspirit.\" On the next day, being driven a long journey, and feeling very\nweary, he exclaimed in a disconsolate tone: \"I must have made a mistake;\nmy father, after all, could have been only an ass.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Cat, the Weasel and the Rabbit.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nWhile a Rabbit was absent from his hole one day, a Weasel took\npossession of it. On the Rabbit's return, seeing the Weasel's nose\nsticking out, he said: \"You must leave this hole immediately. There is\nonly room for one, and it has always belonged to me and my fathers\nbefore me.\" \"The more reason that you should give it up now,\" said the\nWeasel, \"and leave its possession to me.\" As they could not settle the\ndispute, they agreed to leave the question of ownership to a wise old\nCat, to whom they went without more ado. \"I am deaf,\" said the Cat. \"Put\nyour noses close to my ears.\" No sooner had they done so, than she\nclapped a paw upon each of them, and killed them both.\n\nThe strong are apt to settle all questions by the rule of might.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Rat and the Frog.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Rat in an evil day made acquaintance with a Frog, and they set off on\ntheir travels together. The Frog, on pretense of great affection, and of\nkeeping his companion out of harm's way, tied the Rat's foot to his own\nhind-leg, and thus they proceeded for some distance by land. Presently\nthey came to some water, and the Frog, bidding the Rat have good\ncourage, began to swim across. They had scarcely, however, arrived\nmidway, when the Frog took a sudden plunge to the bottom, dragging the\nunfortunate Rat after him. But the struggling and floundering of the Rat\nmade so great a commotion in the water that it attracted the attention\nof a Kite, who, pouncing down and bearing off the Rat, carried away the\nFrog at the same time in his train.\n\nInconsiderate and ill-matched alliances generally end in ruin; and the\nman who compasses the destruction of his neighbor, is often caught in\nhis own snare.\n\n\n\n\nThe Widow and the Sheep.\n\n\nThere was a certain Widow who had an only Sheep, and, wishing to make\nthe most of his wool, she sheared him so closely that she cut his skin\nas well as his fleece. The Sheep, smarting under this treatment, cried\nout: \"Why do you torture me thus? What will my blood add to the weight\nof the wool? If you want my flesh, Dame, send for the Butcher, who will\nput me out of my misery at once; but if you want my fleece, send for the\nShearer, who will clip my wool without drawing my blood.\"\n\nEconomy may be carried too far.\n\n\n\n\nThe Man Bitten by a Dog.\n\n\nA Man who had been bitten by a Dog was going about asking who could cure\nhim. One that met him said: \"Sir, if you would be cured, take a bit of\nbread and dip it in the blood of the wound, and give it to the dog that\nbit you.\" The Man smiled, and said: \"If I were to follow your advice, I\nshould be bitten by all the dogs in the city.\"\n\nHe who proclaims himself ready to buy up his enemies will never want a\nsupply of them.\n\n\n\n\nThe Horse and the Wolf.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Wolf saw a Horse grazing in a field. Putting on a grave air, he\napproached him and said: \"Sir, you must be very ill; I have some skill\nas a physician, and if you will tell me where your ailment is, I shall\nbe glad to be of service.\" Said the horse: \"If you will examine my foot,\nyou will find what ails me.\" But as the wily Wolf approached him, with a\nkick he sent him flying into the air.\n\n\n\n\nThe Goatherd and the Goats.\n\n\nIt was a stormy day, and the snow was falling fast, when a Goatherd\ndrove his Goats, all white with snow, into a desert cave for shelter.\nThere he found that a herd of Wild Goats, more numerous and larger than\nhis own, had already taken possession. So, thinking to secure them all,\nhe left his own Goats to take care of themselves, and threw the branches\nwhich he had brought for them to the Wild Goats to browse on. But when\nthe weather cleared up, he found his own Goats had perished from hunger,\nwhile the Wild Goats were off and away to the hills and woods. So the\nGoatherd returned a laughing-stock to his neighbors, having failed to\ngain the Wild Goats, and having lost his own.\n\nThey who neglect their old friends for the sake of new ones, are rightly\nserved if they lose both.\n\n\n\n\nThe Goose with the Golden Eggs.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA certain man had the good fortune to possess a Goose that laid him a\nGolden Egg every day. But dissatisfied with so slow an income, and\nthinking to seize the whole treasure at once, he killed the Goose, and\ncutting her open, found her--just what any other goose would be!\n\nMuch wants more, and loses all.\n\n\n\n\nThe Old Woman and the Wine-Jar.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAn Old Woman found an empty jar which had lately been full of prime old\nwine, and which still retained the fragrant smell of its former\ncontents. She greedily placed it several times to her nose, and drawing\nit backwards and forwards, said: \"O most delicious! How nice must the\nWine itself have been when it leaves behind in the very vessel which\ncontained it so sweet a perfume!\"\n\nThe memory of a good deed lives.\n\n\n\n\nThe Ass Carrying Salt.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA certain Huckster who kept an Ass, hearing that Salt was to be had\ncheap at the sea-side, drove down his Ass thither to buy some. Having\nloaded the beast as much as he could bear, he was driving him home,\nwhen, as they were passing a slippery ledge of rock, the Ass fell into\nthe stream below, and the Salt being melted, the Ass was relieved of his\nburden, and having gained the bank with ease, pursued his journey\nonward, light in body and in spirit. The Huckster soon afterwards set\noff for the sea-shore for some more Salt, and loaded the Ass, if\npossible, yet more heavily than before. On their return, as they crossed\nthe stream into which he had formerly fallen, the Ass fell down on\npurpose, and by the dissolving of the Salt, was again released from his\nload. The Master, provoked at the loss, and thinking how he might cure\nhim of this trick, on his next journey to the coast freighted the beast\nwith a load of sponges. When they arrived at the same stream as before,\nthe Ass was at his old tricks again, and rolled himself into the water;\nbut he found to his cost, as he proceeded homewards, that instead of\nlightening his burden, he had more than doubled its weight.\n\nThe same measures will not suit all circumstances.\n\n\n\n\nThe Gnat and the Bull.\n\n\nA Gnat that had been buzzing about the head of a Bull, at length\nsettling himself down upon his horn, begged his pardon for incommoding\nhim; \"but if,\" says he, \"my weight at all inconveniences you, pray say\nso, and I will be off in a moment.\" \"Oh, never trouble your head about\nthat,\" says the Bull, \"for 'tis all one to me whether you go or stay;\nand, to say the truth, I did not know you were there.\"\n\nThe smaller the Mind the greater the Conceit.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion and the Gnat.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAs a Gnat was buzzing around a Lion, the Lion said to him: \"How dare you\napproach so near? Be off, or I will kill you with the least stroke of\nmy paw.\" The Gnat, knowing the advantage of his small size, and his\nalertness, immediately challenged the boaster to combat, and alighting\nfirst upon his nose and then upon his tail, made the Lion so furious\nthat he injured himself grievously with his paws. As the Gnat flew away\nhe boasted of his own prowess in thus defeating the King of Beasts\nwithout the slightest injury to himself. But, in his carelessness, he\nflew directly into a spider's web, and the spider instantly seized and\nkilled him.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lion, the Ass and the Fox Hunting.\n\n\nThe Lion, the Ass and the Fox formed a party to go out hunting. They\ntook a large booty, and when the sport was ended, bethought themselves\nof having a hearty meal. The Lion bade the Ass allot the spoil. So,\ndividing it into three equal parts, the Ass begged his friends to make\ntheir choice; at which the Lion, in great indignation, fell upon the Ass\nand tore him to pieces. He then bade the Fox make a division; who,\ngathering the whole into one great heap, reserved but the smallest mite\nfor himself. \"Ah! friend,\" says the Lion, \"who taught you to make so\nequitable a division?\" \"I wanted no other lesson,\" replied the Fox,\n\"than the Ass's fate.\"\n\nBetter be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dog Whose Ears were Cropped.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Dog complained of the cruelty of her master in cutting off her ears,\nand was so ashamed of her appearance that she resolved to stay in her\nkennel with her family. A friendly hunting dog said to her: \"If you had\nbeen peaceful, and not always fighting, you would have saved your ears\nand your good looks. If you will fight, it is a kindness to crop your\nears, that they may not give your enemy the advantage.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Wind and the Sun.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA dispute once arose between the Wind and the Sun, which was the\nstronger of the two, and they agreed to settle the point upon this\nissue--that whichever of the two soonest made a traveler take off his\ncloak, should be accounted the more powerful. The Wind began, and blew\nwith all his might and main a blast, cold and fierce as a Thracian\nstorm; but the stronger he blew, the closer the traveler wrapped his\ncloak around him, and the tighter he grasped it with his hands. Then\nbroke out the Sun. With his welcome beams he dispersed the vapor and the\ncold; the traveler felt the genial warmth, and as the Sun shone brighter\nand brighter, he sat down, quite overcome with the heat, and taking off\nhis cloak, cast it on the ground.\n\nThus the Sun was declared the conqueror; and it has ever been deemed\nthat persuasion is better than force; and that the sunshine of a kind\nand gentle manner will sooner lay open a poor man's heart than all the\nthreatenings and force of blustering authority.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wild Boar and the Fox.\n\n\nA Wild Boar was whetting his tusks against a tree, when a Fox coming by,\nasked why he did so; \"for,\" said he, \"I see no reason for it; there is\nneither hunter nor hound in sight, nor any other danger that I can see,\nat hand.\" \"True,\" replied the Boar; \"but when that danger does arise, I\nshall have something else to do than to sharpen my weapons.\"\n\nIt is too late to whet the sword when the trumpet sounds to draw it.\n\n\n\n\nThe Hunter and the Wolf.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA greedy Hunter one day shot a fine Deer, and ere he could dress it, a\npretty Fawn came that way, and an arrow brought it to the ground. A Boar\nnow chanced to be passing, and the Hunter wounded it so that it lay upon\nthe ground as if dead. Not satisfied with this game, he must needs\npursue a Partridge that came fluttering near, and while he was doing so\nthe wounded Boar regained enough strength to spring upon him and kill\nhim. A Wolf came that way, and seeing the four dead bodies, said: \"Here\nis food for a month; but I will save the best, and be content to-day\nwith the bow-string.\" But when he seized the string it loosened the\nfixed arrow, which shot him through the heart.\n\nThe greedy man and the miser cannot enjoy their gains.\n\n\n\n\nThe Astronomer.\n\n\nAn Astronomer used to walk out every night to gaze upon the stars. It\nhappened one night that, with his whole thoughts rapt up in the skies,\nhe fell into a well. One who heard his cries ran up to him, and said:\n\"While you are trying to pry into the mysteries of heaven, you overlook\nthe common objects under your feet.\"\n\nWe should never look so high as to miss seeing the things that are\naround us.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bulls and the Frogs.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nTwo Bulls lived in the same herd, and each aspiring to be the leader and\nmaster, they finally engaged in a fierce battle. An old Frog, who sat on\nthe bank of a stream near by, began to groan and to quake with fear. A\nthoughtless young Frog said to the old one: \"Why need you be afraid?\nWhat is it to you that the Bulls fight for supremacy?\" \"Do you not see,\"\nsaid the old Frog, \"that one must defeat the other, and that the\ndefeated Bull, being driven from the field, will be forced to stay in\nthe marshes, and will thus trample us to death?\"\n\nThe poor and weak are often made to suffer for the follies of the\ngreat.\n\n\n\n\nThe Thief and His Mother.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Schoolboy stole a horn-book from one of his schoolfellows, and brought\nit home to his mother. Instead of chastising him, she rather encouraged\nhim in the deed. In course of time the boy, now grown into a man, began\nto steal things of greater value, until, at last, being caught in the\nvery act, he was brought to the Judge and sentenced to be hung. As he\nwas being led to the scaffold, the mother bowed herself to the ground\nwith grief. A neighbor seeing her thus, said to her: \"It is too late for\nyou to moan and sob now. If you had been as much grieved when he\ncommitted his first theft, you would have corrected him in time, and\nthus have saved yourself this sorrowful day.\"\n\nNip evil in the bud.\n\n\n\n\nThe Man and His Two Wives.\n\n\nIn days when a man was allowed more wives than one, a middle-aged\nbachelor, who could be called neither young nor old, and whose hair was\nonly just beginning to turn gray, must needs fall in love with two women\nat once, and marry them both. The one was young and blooming, and wished\nher husband to appear as youthful as herself; the other was somewhat\nmore advanced in age, and was as anxious that her husband should appear\na suitable match for her. So, while the young one seized every\nopportunity of pulling out the good man's gray hairs, the old one was\nas industrious in plucking out every black hair she could find, till he\nfound that, between the one and the other, he had not a hair left.\n\nHe that submits his principles to the influence and caprices of opposite\nparties will end in having no principles at all.\n\n\n\n\nThe Heifer, the Goat, the Sheep and the Lion.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Heifer, a Goat, a Sheep, and a Lion formed a partnership, and agreed\nto divide their earnings. The Goat having snared a stag, they sent for\nthe Lion to divide it for them. The Lion said: \"I will make four\nparts--the first shall be mine as judge; the second, because I am\nstrongest; the third, because I am bravest; and the fourth--I will kill\nany one who dares touch it.\"\n\nHe who will steal a part will steal the whole.\n\n\n\n\nThe Camel and the Travelers.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nTwo Travelers on a desert saw a Camel in the distance, and were greatly\nfrightened at his huge appearance, thinking it to be some huge monster.\nWhile they hid behind some low shrubs, the animal came nearer, and they\ndiscovered that it was only a harmless Camel which had excited their\nfears.\n\nDistance exaggerates dangers.\n\n\n\n\nThe Swan and the Goose.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA certain rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan. He fed the\none for his table, and kept the other for the sake of its song. When the\ntime came for killing the Goose, the cook went to take him at night,\nwhen it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the\nother, and he caught the Swan instead of the Goose. The Swan, threatened\nwith death, burst forth into song, and thus made himself known by his\nvoice, and preserved his life by his melody.\n\nSweet words may deliver us from peril, when harsh words would fail.\n\n\n\n\nThe Dolphins and the Sprat.\n\n\nThe Dolphins and the Whales were at war with one another, and the Sprat\nstepped in and endeavored to separate them. But one of the Dolphins\ncried out: \"We would rather perish in the contest, than be reconciled by\nyou.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Shepherd and the Sea.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Shepherd moved down his flock to feed near the shore, and beholding\nthe Sea lying in a smooth calm, he was seized with a strong desire to\nsail over it. So he sold all his sheep and bought a cargo of Dates, and\nloaded a vessel, and set sail. He had not gone far when a storm arose;\nhis ship was wrecked, and his Dates and everything lost, and he himself\nwith difficulty escaped to land. Not long after, when the Sea was again\ncalm, and one of his friends came up to him and was admiring its repose,\nhe said: \"Have a care, my good fellow, of that smooth surface, it is\nonly looking out for your Dates.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Bees, the Drones, and the Wasp.\n\n\nSome Bees had built their comb in the hollow trunk of an oak. The Drones\nasserted that it was their doing, and belonged to them. The cause was\nbrought into court before Judge Wasp. Knowing something of the parties,\nhe thus addressed them: \"The plaintiffs and defendants are so much alike\nin shape and color as to render the ownership a doubtful matter. Let\neach party take a hive to itself, and build up a new comb, that from the\nshape of the cells and the taste of the honey, the lawful proprietors of\nthe property in dispute may appear.\" The Bees readily assented to the\nWasp's plan. The Drones declined it. Whereupon the Wasp gave judgment:\n\"It is clear now who made the comb, and who cannot make it; the Court\nadjudges the honey to the Bees.\"\n\nProfessions are best tested by deeds.\n\n\n\n\nThe Wolf, the Goat and the Kid.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAs an old Goat was going forth to pasture, she carefully latched her\ndoor, and bid her kid not to open it to any one who could not give this\npass-word: \"Beware of the Wolf and all his race.\" A Wolf happened to be\npassing, and overheard what the old Goat said. When she was gone, he\nwent to the door, and, knocking, said: \"Beware of the Wolf and all his\nrace.\" But the Kid, peeping through a crack, said: \"Show me a white paw\nand I will open the door.\" As the Wolf could not do this, he had to\ndepart, no better than he came.\n\nTwo sureties are better than one.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Hedgehog.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nA Fox, while crossing over a river, was driven by the stream into a\nnarrow gorge, and lay there for a long time unable to get out, covered\nwith myriads of horse-flies that had fastened themselves upon him. A\nHedgehog, who was wandering in that direction, saw him, and taking\ncompassion on him, asked him if he should drive away the flies that were\nso tormenting him. But the Fox begged him to do nothing of the sort.\n\"Why not?\" asked the Hedgehog. \"Because,\" replied the Fox, \"these flies\nthat are upon me now are already full, and draw but little blood, but\nshould you remove them, a swarm of fresh and hungry ones will come, who\nwill not leave a drop of blood in my body.\"\n\nWhen we throw off rulers or dependents, who have already made the most\nof us, we do but, for the most part, lay ourselves open to others, who\nwill make us bleed yet more freely.\n\n\n\n\nThe Brazier and His Dog.\n\n\nA Brazier had a little Dog, which was a great favorite with his master,\nand his constant companion. While he hammered away at his metals the Dog\nslept; but when, on the other hand, he went to dinner, and began to eat,\nthe Dog woke up, and wagged his tail, as if he would ask for a share of\nhis meal. His master one day, pretending to be angry, and shaking his\nstick at him, said: \"You wretched little sluggard! what shall I do to\nyou? While I am hammering on the anvil, you sleep on the mat, and when I\nbegin to eat after my toil, you wake up and wag your tail for food. Do\nyou not know that labor is the source of every blessing, and that none\nbut those who work are entitled to eat?\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Wild Ass and the Lion.\n\n\nA Wild Ass and a Lion entered into an alliance that they might capture\nthe beasts of the forest with the greater ease. The Lion agreed to\nassist the Wild Ass with strength, while the Wild Ass gave the Lion the\nbenefit of his greater speed. When they had taken as many beasts as\ntheir necessities required, the Lion undertook to distribute the prey,\nand for this purpose divided it into three shares. \"I will take the\nfirst share,\" he said, \"because I am king; and the second share, as a\npartner with you in the chase; and the third share (believe me) will be\na source of great evil to you, unless you willingly resign it to me, and\nset off as fast as you can.\"\n\nMight makes right.\n\n\n\n\nThe Father and His Two Daughters.\n\n\nA man had two daughters, the one married to a gardener, and the other to\na tile-maker. After a time he went to the daughter who had married the\ngardener, and inquired how she was, and how all things went with her.\nShe said: \"All things are prospering with me, and I have only one wish,\nthat there may be a heavy fall of rain, in order that the plants may be\nwell watered.\" Not long after he went to the daughter who had married\nthe tile-maker, and likewise inquired of her how she fared; she replied:\n\"I want for nothing, and have only one wish, that the dry weather may\ncontinue, and the sun shine hot and bright, so that the bricks might be\ndried.\" He said to her: \"If your sister wishes for rain, and you for dry\nweather, with which of the two am I to join my wishes?\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Fir Tree and the Bramble.\n\n\nA Fir Tree said boastingly to the Bramble: \"You are useful for nothing\nat all, while I am everywhere used for roofs and houses.\" The Bramble\nmade answer: \"You poor creature, if you would only call to mind the axes\nand saws which are about to hew you down, you would have reason to wish\nthat you had grown up a Bramble, not a Fir Tree.\"\n\nBetter poverty without care, than riches with.\n\n\n\n\nThe Fox and the Monkey.\n\n\nA Monkey once danced in an assembly of the Beasts, and so pleased them\nall by his performance that they elected him their king. A Fox envying\nhim the honor, discovered a piece of meat lying in a trap, and leading\nthe Monkey to the place where it was, said \"that she had found a store,\nbut had not used it, but had kept it for him as treasure trove of his\nkingdom, and counseled him to lay hold of it.\" The Monkey approached\ncarelessly, and was caught in the trap; and on his accusing the Fox of\npurposely leading him into the snare, she replied: \"O Monkey, and are\nyou, with such a mind as yours, going to be king over the Beasts?\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Farmer and His Sons.\n\n\nA Farmer being on the point of death, wished to insure from his sons the\nsame attention to his farm as he had himself given it. He called them to\nhis bedside, and said: \"My sons, there is a great treasure hid in one of\nmy vineyards.\" The sons, after his death, took their spades and\nmattocks, and carefully dug over every portion of their land. They found\nno treasure, but the vines repaid their labor by an extraordinary and\nsuperabundant crop.\n\n\n\n\nThe Cat and the Birds.\n\n\nA Cat, hearing that the Birds in a certain aviary were ailing, dressed\nhimself up as a physician, and, taking with him his cane and the\ninstruments becoming his profession, went to the aviary, knocked at the\ndoor, and inquired of the inmates how they all did, saying that if they\nwere ill, he would be happy to prescribe for them and cure them. They\nreplied: \"We are all very well, and shall continue so, if you will only\nbe good enough to go away, and leave us as we are.\"\n\n\n\n\nThe Stag, the Wolf and the Sheep.\n\n\nA Stag asked a Sheep to lend him a measure of wheat, and said that the\nWolf would be his surety. The Sheep, fearing some fraud was intended,\nexcused herself, saying: \"The Wolf is accustomed to seize what he wants,\nand to run off, and you, too, can quickly out-strip me in your rapid\nflight. How then shall I be able to find you when the day of payment\ncomes?\"\n\nTwo blacks do not make one white.\n\n\n\n\nThe Raven and the Swan.\n\n\nA Raven saw a Swan, and desired to secure for himself a like beauty of\nplumage. Supposing that his splendid white color arose from his washing\nin the water in which he swam, the Raven left the altars in the\nneighborhood of which he picked up his living, and took up his abode in\nthe lakes and pools. But cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he\ncould not change their color, while through want of food he perished.\n\nChange of habit cannot alter nature.\n\n\n\n\nThe Lioness.\n\n\nA controversy prevailed among the beasts of the field, as to which of\nthe animals deserved the most credit for producing the greatest number\nof whelps at a birth. They rushed clamorously into the presence of the\nLioness, and demanded of her the settlement of the dispute. \"And you,\"\nthey said, \"how many sons have you at a birth?\" The Lioness laughed at\nthem, and said: \"Why! I have only one; but that one is altogether a\nthorough-bred Lion.\"\n\nThe value is in the worth, not in the number.","title":"Aesop's Fables: A New Revised Version From Original Sources","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":29197}