The Fly and the Moth A fly alighted one night upon a pot of honey, and findint it very much to his taste, began to eat it along the edges.
Little by little, however, he had soon crept away from the edge and into the jar, until at last he found himself stuck fast. His legs and wings had become so smeared with the honey that he could not use them.
Just then a Moth flew by, and seeing him struggling there, said: "Oh, you foolish Fly! Were you so greedy as to be caught like that? Your appetite was too much for you."
The poor Fly had nothing to say in reply. What the Moth said was true. But by and by, when evening came, he saw the Moth flying round a lighted Page 87 candle in the giddiest way, and eat time a little closer to the flame, until at last he flew straight into it and was burned.
"What!" said the Fly, "are you foolish, too? You found fault with me for being too fond of honey; yet all your wisdom did not keep you from playing with fire." It is sometimes easier to see the foolishness of other than to detect our own.
The Boy Bathing A little Boy once went in bathing where the water was too deep for him. When found himself sinking, he cried out to a Man who was passing by, to come and help him.
"Can’t you swim?" asked the Man.
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"No," replied the Boy, "I don’t know how."
"How foolish you were, then," said the Man, "to go into deep water! Didn’t you know better?"
"Oh, good sir, please help me now, or I shall drown!" cried the Boy. "You can scold me when I am safe on shore again."
The Hare and the Tortoise A Hare one day made himself merry over the slow pace of the Tortoise, vainly boasting of his own great speed in running.
The Tortoise took the laughing and boasting in good part. "Let us try a race," she said; "I will run with you five miles for five dollars, and the Fox out yonder shall be the judge."
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The Hare agreed, a course was arranged, and away they started together. True to his boasting the Hare was out of sight in a moment.
The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but jogged along with a slow, steady pace, straight to the end of the course. Full of sport, the Hare first outran the Tortoise, then fell behind. Having come midday to the goal, he began to nibble at the young herbage, and to amuse himself in many ways. After a while, the day being warm, he lay down for a nap, saying: "She is behind me now. If she should go by, I can easily enough catch up."
When the Hare awoke, the Tortoise was not in sight; and running as fast as he could, he found her comfortably dozing at their goal.
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Those who are very quick are apt to be too sure. Slow and steady often wins the race.
The Arab and His Camel As an Arab sat in his tent one cold night, he saw the curtain gently lifted, and the face of his Camel looking in.
"What is it?" he asked kindly.
"It is cold, master," said the Camel; "suffer me, I pray thee, to hold my head within the tent."
"By all means," replied the hospitable Arab; and the Camel stood with his head inside the tent.
"Might I also warm my neck a little?" he entreated after a moment.
The Arab readily consented and the Camel’s neck was thrust within the tent.
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He stood, moving his head from side to side uneasily, and presently said: "It is awkward standing thus. It would take but a little more room if I were to place my forelegs inside the tent."
"You may place your forelegs within the tent," said the Arab. And now he had to move a little to make room, for the tent was small.
The Camel spoke again: "I keep the tent open by standing thus, and make it cold for us both. May I not stand wholly within?"
"Yes," said the Arab, whose compassion included his beast as well as himself; "come in wholly if you wish." But now the tent proved to be too small to hold both.
"I think, after all," said the Camel, as he crowded himself in, "that there Page 92 will not be room here for us both. You are the smaller; it will be best for you to stand outside. There will be room then for me." So he pushed a little, and the Arab with all haste went outside the tent.
The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail A Fox was once caught in a trap by his tail. He succeeded in getting away, but was forced to leave his "brush" behind. He soon realized that his life would be a burden, from the shame and ridicule to which his tailless condition would expose him.
"I must not own that it is a misfortune not to have a bushy tail," he said to himself.
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So he set about to induce all the other Foxes to part with theirs. At the next assembly he boldly made a speech, in which he set forth the advantages of his present state.
"The tail," he said, "is no real part of our persons, and besides being very ugly to see, it exposes us to danger from the dogs. I have never moved about with such ease as since I gave up my own."
When he had ended his speech, a sly old Fox arose, and giving his own brush a graceful wave, said, with the kind of sneer which all Foxes know so well how to give, that if he had lost by accident his own tail, he should, without doubt, agree with his friend; but that, as the brush was a fox’s chief ornament and distinction, until such a mishap should occur as had befallen Page 94 his friend, he should retain his own and should advise the others to do the same. And the vote to retain the tails was given by a wave of the brush. Yet many fashions have been set by Foxes who have met with some such accident.
The Boys and the Frogs Some Boys, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs sporting in the water.
"Let us see if we can hit them; it is great fun to make them dive," said one; and they all began to pelt them with stones.
At last, after several Frogs had been hit, one of them put his head up out of the water, and said: "Pray stop, Boys. Throwing stones at us may be Page 95 great sport for you, but it is death to us. We have done you no harm, and alas! you have already killed or wounded three of our family."
The Swallow and the Other Birds
A wise Swallow, seeing a man sow seed in a field, went behind him and picked up one of the seeds to see what it was.
She found that it was flax. "When this flax has grown," she said to herself, "the man will make it into linen thread and use it to make nets for catching us Birds."
So she went to all the Birds and told them what she had discovered, begging them to come and help her eat up the flaxseed before it should Page 96 sprout. "This field," she said, "is as much ours as it is his. And while one of us can do but little, all working together can quickly remove our danger."
But the Birds would not listen to her. Not one of them could she persuade to help her pick up the seeds which the farmer had sown.
By and by the flax sprang up, and the Swallow tried again to persuade the Birds to pull the young flax before it grew large. But they all made fun of her caution and let the flax keep growing.
When she saw how heedless all the Birds were, the Swallow would have nothing more to do with them, but left the woods where they lived and came among men, building her nests in barns and along the eaves of houses.
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The Farmer and the Snake One wintry day a Farmer found a Snake lying on the frozen ground, quite still and nearly dead and cold.
In a fit of compassion the Farmer brought him carefully to his house, and laid him near the fire. But as soon as the Snake began to feel the pleasant warmth, he raised his head and tried to bite his kind friend.
"Oh!" said the Farmer, "is that the way you repay me for my trouble? You are a venomous creature, I am sure, and the sooner you die the better." And he killed him with one blow of his stick.
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The Raven and the Swan A Raven saw a snowy Swan floating on the lake.
"No wonder the Swan is so white," thought the Raven, as he looked at his own black feathers. "I dare say I should be, if I were all the time washing myself. I believe I’ll try it."
Then he left his home, where he always found plenty to eat, and came and lived by the lake. He washed himself from morning till night, but he grew no whiter; and, as he found nothing to eat, he came near dying for want of food.
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The Birds, the Beasts and the Bat There was once a big battle between the Birds and the Beasts. Hesitating as to which to join, the Bat kept away from the contest and looked on till he thought the Beasts would win the day.
Then he went among them. When they saw him, they said, "But you are a Bird."
"No, indeed," said the Bat. "Look at my body covered with hair and at my mouth with its sharp teeth."
After a while, as the fight went on, the Birds began to have the best of it, and then away flew the Bat to their side. "What Beast comes here?" said the Birds.
"I am not a Beast," said the Bat;
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"I am a Bird. Look at my wings. This is my battle as truly as it is yours."
But the Birds would have nothing to do with him. And to this day the Bat seems ashamed to show himself in the daytime but hides in lonely places, away from all other creatures, and only flits about noiselessly in the dark, when both Birds and Beasts are asleep.
The Man, His Son, and His Donkey A Man and his Son were once driving their Donkey along a country road, to sell him at the fair. They soon passed some girls, who were drawing water at a well.
"Look," said one of the girls; "see those silly people trudging along in Page 101 the dust, while their Donkey walks at his ease."
The Man heard what they said, and put his boy on the Donkey’s back. They had not gone far before they came to some old men.
"See here, now," said one of them to the others, "this shows that what I said is true. Nowadays the young take no care of the old. See this boy riding while his poor old father has to walk by his side."
Hearing this, the Man told his Son to get down, and he mounted the Donkey himself. In a little while they met three women with children in their arms.
"For shame!" said the women. "How can you let that poor boy walk when he looks so tired, and you ride like a king?"
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The Man then took the boy up behind him on the saddle, and they rode on to the town. Just before they got there, some young men stopped them and said:
"Is that Donkey yours?" "Yes," said the Man.
"One would not think so," said they, "by the way you load him. You look more fit to carry him than he to carry you."
So the Man and the boy got off, tied the Donkey’s legs with a rope, fastened him to a pole, and, each taking one end of the pole, carried him along, while everyone they met laughed outright.
By and by they came to a bridge. Then the Donkey began to kick, and breaking the rope, fell into the water and was drowned.
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The old Man and his Son made their way home as best they could, thinking to themselves, "When we try to please everybody, we please nobody."
The Country Mouse and the City Mouse A mouse from the city went on a visit to a friend in the country.
The Country Mouse, with many apologies, brought out the best that he had and waited on his guest.
There was plenty of oatmeal and peas, a nice scrap of bacon, and even a paring of cheese for dessert. While the guest was dining, the Country Mouse, out of politeness, would eat none of these dainties, for fear there should not be enough for both, but Page 104 nibbled a piece of straw to keep his guest company.
When the dinner was over, the City Mouse said: "Old friend, I thank you for your courtesy, but I must have a plain talk with you. I do not see how you can bear to live so poor a life in this little hole. Why not ocme with me to the city, where you will have all sorts of good things to eat and a gay time? You are wasting your life. When you have once seen the city you will never be willing to return to this quiet place."
After being urged a long time, the Country Mouse at last agreed to go to the city that very night. So they started off together, and about midnight came to the great house where the City Mouse lived. In the dining room was spread a rich feast; and the City Mouse, Page 106 with many airs and graces, ran about the table, and, picking out the nicest bits, waited upon his country friend, who, amazed at the good things, ate to his heart’s content.
All at once the doors of the dining room were flung open, and in came a crowd of people, followed by a big dog, who barked loudly and ran about the room.
The Mice rushed for the hole, to escape, and the little field Mouse almost died of fright. As soon as he was able to speak, he said:
"Well! if this is city life, I have seen enough of it. Stay in this fine place if you like. I shall be only too glad to get home to my quiet, safer, country house and my plain oatmeal and peas."
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The Cock and the Jewel "Come, my dears," said a Cock to his hens one morning; "I am hungry, and so are you. Let us go out. I will scratch up some nice worms and beetles for our breakfast."
The hens stood waiting while he scratched.
But the first thing that he found was neither a beetle nor a worm but a precious stone. It may have been a ruby or an emerald.
"Dear me!" said the Cock; "what is this? a Jewel! How glad anybody else might be to have found such a prize; but I have no need of it. I would rather have a few kernels of good corn than all the Jewels in the world."
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"And so would we," said the hens. "Nothing can do us good if it is not a thing that we ourselves want."
The Old Hound Once there was a beautiful Hound. He had long, silky ears and a smooth, bright skin; and he was not only beautiful but strong and swift, and a faithful servant. Whenever his master went hunting, the Hound went with him and chased the deer. After many years the Hound grew old and feeble, but still he followed his master, with the other dogs.
One day a stag had been chased till it was almost tired out, and the old Hound came up with it and seized it; but his teeth were old and broken and Page 109 could not hold fast, so that the stag gave a sudden bound and got away. Just then the master rode up, and seeing what had happened, was very angry. He took his whip to strike his faithful old Hound.
"Hold! hold! O dear Master," said he, "do not strike me. I meant to do well. It is not my fault that I am old. Remember what I have been, if you do not like me as I am now."
The Vain Jackdaw Jupiter having determined, it is said, to appoint a sovereign over the birds, proclamation was made that on a certain day the candidates should present themselves before him, and he would choose the most beautiful to be king.
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The Jackdaw, knowing his own ugliness, yet wishing to rule over the birds, searched through woods and fields for feathers which had fallen from the wings of his companions, and stuck them all over his body.
When the appointed day arrived, and the birds had assembled, the Jackdaw made his appearance in his many-feathered finery, and Jupiter proposed to make him king.
Upon seeing this, the other birds were indignant, and each plucking from the Jackdaw his own kind of feathers, they left the proposed king a plain Jackdaw with no claim to superior beauty.
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The Donkey and the Lap Dog There was once a man who had a Donkey and a little pet Dog. The Donkey worked all day in the fields and slept in the barn at night.
But the Lap Dog frisked about and played, jumping in his master’s lap whenever he pleased, feeding from his hand, and sleeping by his bed at night.
The Donkey grumbled a great deal at this. "How hard I work!" said he, "and I never get any pay but blows and hard words. Why should I not be petted like that wretched little Dog? It may be partly my own fault. Perhaps if I played with my master as he does, I too might be treated like him."
So the Donkey pushed his way into the house, and jumped up on his Page 112 master’s knee, putting his forefeet on his shoulders and giving a loud bray.
The master, almost deafened by the noise and in danger from the great clumsy creature called out, "Help! help!" and the servants, running in, drove the Donkey out of doors with sticks and stones.
The One-Eyed Doe A Doe, blind in one eye, used to graze as near as she could to the edge of a cliff, so that she might keep her blind eye to the water, while with the other she kept watch against the approach of hunters or hounds on the shore.
Some boatmen sailing by saw her standing thus on the edge of a cliff, and finding that she did not perceive Page 114 their approach, they came very close and taking aim, shot her.
Finding herself wounded, she said, "O unhappy creature that I am, to take such care as I did against the dangers of the land, and then, after all, to find this seashore, to which I had come for safety, so much more perilous!"
The Camel When man first beheld the Camel, he was so awed by his vast size that he fled away from him in terror.
But after a time, perceiving the meekness and gentleness of the animal’s temper, he summoned courage to approach him. The Camel so readily obeyed the commands that were given him, and seemed so wanting in spirit, Page 115 that at last the man put a bridle in his mouth and set a child to guide him.
Since then Camels are valued for the service they render.
The Wolf and the House Dog A Wolf met a Dog, and seeing that he looked fat and sleek, said to him, "How does it happen, my friend, that you are so plump, while I, although I run after game day and night, am half starved?"
"Why," said the Dog, "I do not have to run after my food. I only guard the house at night, and all the family pet me and feed me with scraps from their own plates. Come and live with me, and you shall be as well as I am."
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"That I should like," said the Wolf. "I will at least go with you and try the life."
As they trotted along the road together, the Wolf saw a mark on the Dog’s neck, and asked him what it was.
"Oh, that is nothing," said the Dog; "only a little mark made by the fretting of my chain."
"Do you wear a chain?" asked the Wolf; "and do you mean to say that you are tied up?"
"Why, yes," said the Dog; "they tie me in the daytime, but at night I can go where I please. It is a bit annoying at first, but one soon gets used to it."
"Good-by," said the Wolf; "that is enough for me. Though I may not be fat, I will at least be free."
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The Oak and the Reed On the bank of a river grew a tall Oak Tree. It stood with its roots firm in the ground, and its head high in the air, and said to itself: "How strong I am! Nothing shall make me bow. I look down upon all other trees."
But one day there was a storm. The terrible unseen wind came and struck the proud Oak. Crash! went the trunk, down came all the beautiful branches, and the Tree fell into the river. As the water carried it away, it passed a Reed that grew on the bank. The little Reed stood up tall and slender, and looked at the poor broken Tree.
"O Reed," said the Tree, "how did it happen that you were not broken Page 118 down and spoiled when the wind came? You are so little and weak, and I was so strong and proud."
"Ah, poor Tree!" said the Reed, "that is just the reason that the wind did not hurt me. I bent low until it had gone by, but you stood stiff and tried to stop it on its way. No one can stop the wind. It must go where it is sent, but it will not hurt those who are not proud and stubborn."
The Dog and the Hare A Dog once gave chase to a Hare. Having not long since made a good meal, the Dog was not hungry, and so was not in haste to end the sport by killing the Hare.
At times he would snap at his prey, and at times play with him and lick Page 120 him with his tongue, till at last the bewildered Hare cried:
"Pray tell me, are you an enemy or a friend? If a friend, why do you bite me so? and if an enemy, why do you caress me?"
No one can trust a person who is neither the one thing nor the other.
The Hawk, Kite, and Pigeons The Pigeons, terrified by the frequent appearance of a Kite, asked the Hawk to help them.
"You are the only bird of our acquaintance," they said, "that can protect us from our enemy. If you will take care of us, we shall feel safe."
The Hawk at once consented and took up his abode in the dovecote. But when the Pigeons had let him Page 121 come in, they found that he slew more of them in a single day than the Kite could possibly pounce upon in a whole year.
The oldest, wisest pigeon among them said: "When we are in trouble, we must not forget that there are other dangers than the ones we are suffering from. There is a proverb among men that tells them to avoid a rememdy that is worse than the disease."
The War Horse and the Mule A War Horse, ready for battle with his splendid saddle and jingling bridle, came galloping swiftly along the highroad, his hoofs sounding like thunder on the hard ground.
A poor old Mule, with a heavy load Page 122 on his back, was going slowly down the same road.
"Out of my way," said the War Horse, "or I will trample you in the dust!"
The poor Mule made room for him as fast as he could, and the Horse went proudly on his way.
Not long after this the Horse was shot in the eye; and, as he was no longer fit for the army, his fine saddle and bridle were taken off, and he was sold to a farmer, who made him drag heavy loads.
Since he had not been trained to the work, it came hard to him, and he complained bitterly.
The Mule meeting him soon after, knew him and called out: "Aha! is it you? I thought pride would have a fall some day."
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The Wind and the Sun The North Wind and the Sun once fell into a dispute as to which was the stronger of the two. They related their most famous exploits, and each ended as he began, by thinking he had the greater power.
Just then a traveler came in sight, and they agreed to test the matter by trying to see which of them could soonest make the traveler remove his cloak.
The boastful North Wind was the first to try, the Sun meanwhile watching behind a gray cloud. He blew a furious blast and nearly tore the cloak from its fastenings; but the Man only held his cloak more closely, and old Boreas spent his strength in vain.
Mortified by his failure to do so simple a thing, the Wind withdrew at Page 124 last in despair. "I don’t believe you can do it either, he said.
Then out came the kindly Sun in all his splendor, dispelling the clouds that had gathered and sending his warmest rays down upon the traveler’s head.
The Man looked up gratefully, but, growing faint with sudden heat, he quickly flung aside his cloak, and hastened for comfort to the nearest shade.
Persuasion is often better than force.
The Bear and the Two Travelers Two men were traveling together, when a Bear suddenly crossed their path.
One of the men climbed quickly into a tree, and tried to conceal himself in its branches.
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Seeing that he must be attacked, the other one fell flat upon the ground; and when the Bear came up, felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, the man held his breath, feigning death.
The Bear soon left him, for it is said a Bear will not touch a dead body.
When the Bear had gone, the man in the tree came down to join his companion, and, as a pleasant joke, inquired, "What was it that the Bear whispered in your ear when he bent over you for so long?"
His friend replied very gravely: "He gave me this bit of advice, 'Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger.’ "
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The Two Goats Two Goats started at the same moment, from opposite ends, to cross a rude bridge that was only wide enough for one to cross at a time.
Meeting at the middle of the bridge, neither would yield to the other. They locked horns and fought for the right of way, until both fell into the torrent below and were drowned.
The Bull and the Calf A Bull was once striving with all his might to squeeze himself through a narrow passage which led to his stall.
"I will go through," said a young Calf, "and show you the way. I have done it many a time."
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"Save yourself the trouble," said the Bull; "I knew the way before you were born."
The Fawn and His Mother A young Fawn once said to his Mother: "I do not see, Mother, how it is that you should be so afraid of the dogs. You are larger than a dog, and swifter; and you are much more used to running. Why is it that the mere mention of a hound puts you into such a terrible fright?"
The Mother smiled upon her brave young son. "I know very well," she said, "that all you say is true. I look at my long legs, and remember all the advantages that you mention, yet when I hear the bark of but a single dog, I faint with terror."
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The Mule and His Shadow One very hot day a Traveler hired a Mule with his driver to carry some merchandise to a distant place.
The way lay across a sandy plain, and the day being intensely hot, the Traveler called upon the driver to stop for rest. To escape from the direct heat of the sun, which was shining in all its strength, the Traveler proceeded to sit down in the shadow of the Mule.
But a violent dispute arose, for the shadow was sufficient for but one, and the driver, a lusty fellow, rudely pushed the Traveler one side, claiming the spot for himself, saying: "When you hired this Mule of me, you said nothing about the shadow. If now you want that too, you must pay for it.
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The discussion grew so violent that they forgot the Mule, who took advantage of his freedom and ran away. And so, in disputing about the shadow they lost the substance.
The Blind Man and the Lame Man A Blind Man, being stopped in a bad piece of road, met a Lame Man, and entreated him to help him out of the difficulty into which he had fallen.
"How can I," replied the Lame Man, "since I can scarcely drag myself along? I am lame, and you look very strong."
"I am strong enough," said the other. "I could go if I could see the way."
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"Oh, then we may help each other," said the Lame Man. "If you will take me on your shoulders, we will seek our fortunes together. I will be eyes for you, and you shall be feet for me."
"With all my heart," said the Blind Man. "Let us render each other our mutual services." So he took his lame companion upon his back, and they traveled on with safety and pleasure.
The Two Pots A River carried down, in its stream, two Pots, one made of Earthenware and the other of Brass.
The Brass Pot was disposed to be social. "Since we must be companions, let us be friendly," he said. "In union is strength. Though we are carried Page 132 away against our will, it is of no use to repine. We may yet see much good."
But the Earthen Pot said: "I beg you not to come so near me. I am as much afraid of you as the river; for if you do but touch me ever so slightly, I shall be sure to break. To be really social and friendly people must have ways and needs in common."
The Quack Frog There was once a Frog who made proclamation that he was a learned physician, able to heal all diseases.
He went so far as to tell the beasts that it was their own fault that they were ill, since if they would be submit to his treatment, he would restore them to perfect health.
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A Fox, hearing it, asked: "How is it, since you can do such great things for others, you do not first try to mend your own ugly gait and your wrinkled skin? They who assume to help others should first improve themselves."
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing A Wolf once clothed himself in the fleece of a sheep, and being mistaken for one of the flock got into the fold. He had a chance to make way with as many sheep as he liked; but his time for doing so was short, for the Shepherd, coming into the fold during the night, discovered him.
Tying him to a tree, he left him hanging there, still in his sheep’s dress, as a warning to other wolves who might be prowling about.
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Some shepherds who chanced to pass by saw him there, and stopped to inquire why sheep should be thus served. As they came nearer and saw that it was not a sheep but a Wolf, the Shepherd said, "This is the way I serve a Wolf, even though I find him wearing the habit of a sheep."
The Boy and the Filberts A Boy once thrust his hand into a pitcher nearly filled with Filberts. He grasped as many as his hand could possibly hold; but when he tried to draw out his closed fist, the narrowness of the neck prevented him from doing so. Unwilling to lose his nuts, yet unable to get them by drawing out his hand, he burst into tears and bitterly lamented Page 135 his hard fortune. A person standing by finally gave him this wise and reasonable advice:
"Be satisfied to take half as many my boy, and you will get them easily."
The Miser A Miser who had buried a lump of gold in the ground came to the spot every day to look at it.
Finding one day that it had been stolen, he began to tear his hair and lament loudly.
A neighbor, seeing him, said: "Pray do not grieve so. Bury a stone in the same hole and fancy it is the gold. It will serve you just as well, for when the gold was there you made no use of it."
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The Widow and Her Little Maids A Widow who had great reputation as a housekeeper, because she was so fond of cleaning, was waited upon by two little Maids.
She herself was wakened before dawn by the crowing of the cock, and would rise at once and call her Maids.
The Maids, who had no taste for such excessive tidiness, and who were kept weary by such constant labor, held a spite against the poor cock for rousing their mistress so early.
"If it were not for him," they said, "the mistress would sleep till the sun is well up. Let us kill the cock, since there is no other way to stop his loud crowing."
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But the mistress, no longer hearing the cock, was unable to tell the time, and so often woke her Maids in the middle of the night and set them to work.
The Charcoal Burner and the Fuller A Charcoal Burner carried on his trade at his own house. One day he met a friend who was Fuller, and begged him to come and live with him.
"We shall be far better friends if we live together," he said, "and then our housekeeping expenses will be greatly lessened."
The Fuller replied, "The arrangement would not suit me in the least, for whatever I should take pains Page 138 to whiten, your charcoal would immediately blacken. I am afraid we should not grow better friends under such circumstances."
The Porcupine and the Snakes A prickly Porcupine came wandering along one day, looking for a place to live. He found a family of Snakes in a warm cave, and asked them to let him share shelter.
The Snakes consented, though much against their will, and the Porcupine crept into their home. But it was not long before they found that his sharp quills stuck into them and hurt them, and they wished they had never let him in.
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"Dear Porcupine, please go away," they said; "you are so large and so prickly."
But the Porcupine was very rude, and said: "Oh, no. If you do not like it here, you can go away. I find it very comfortable."
It was too late that the Snakes learned that it is easier to keep an intruder out than to compel him to go when you have once let him in.
The Bundle of Sticks An old Man had many Sons, who were often quarreling. He tried to make them good friends, but could not. As the end of his life drew near, the old Man called them all to him and showed them a bundle of sticks tied tightly together.
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"Now," said the Father, "see if you can break this bundle of sticks."
Each of the Sons in turn took the bundle and tried with all his might to break it, but could not. When all had tried and given up, the Father said, "Untie the bundle, and each of you take a stick and see if you can break that." This they could do very easily. Then said the Father:
"You saw when the sticks were bound together how strong they were; but as soon as they were untied, you broke them easily. Now, if you will stop quarreling and stand by each other, you will be like the bundle of sticks–no one can do you any harm; but if you do not keep together, you will be as weak as is one of the little sticks by itself, which any one can break."
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The Mischievous Dog There was once a Dog who used to run at every one whom he met, but so quietly that no one suspected harm from him till he began to bite his heels.
In order to give notice to strangers that the Dog could not be trusted, and at the same time to punish the Dog himself, the master would sometimes hang a bell about his neck an compel him to drag a heavy clog, which he firmly attached to his collar by a chain.
For a time the Dog hung his head; but seeing that his bell and clog brought him into notice, he grew proud of them, and ran about the market place to display them and attract attention to himself. He even went so far as to give Page 143 himself airs with the other dogs, who had no such mark of distinction.
An old Hound, seeing it, said: "Why do you make such an exhibition of yourself, as if your bell and clog were marks of merit? They do indeed bring you into notice; but when their meaning is understood, they are marks of disgrace#8212a reminder that you are an ill-mannered cur. It is one thing to be renowned when our virtues give occasion for it; it is quite another to become notorious for our faults."
The Dog and the Oyster A Dog, seeing an Oyster, took it to be an egg and swallowed it. Soon after, suffering great pain, he said, "It was my greedy haste that brought me this torment."
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The Fox and the Leopard The Fox and the Leopard once disputed who was the more beautiful. The Leopard exhibited, one by one, the various spots which covered his skin. The Fox, who was even more proud of his wits than of his person, interrupted him at last by saying: "Yet when all is said, how much more beautiful am I, who am decorated not simply in body but in mind. The person should be of more value than his coat."
The Dog and the Hides Some Dogs, famished with hunger, saw cowhides steeping in a river, close by a tannery, and thought they might be eaten. Not being able to reach them, they set to Page 145 Work first to drink up the river, but burst themselves with drinking long before they reached the hides.
The Woodman and the Trees A Woodman came into a forest, and made a petition to the Trees to provide him a handle for his ax.
The Trees, honored by his civility, acceded to his request, and held a consultation to decide which of them should be given him.
Without a dissenting voice, they chose the Ash, who, it seems, is not a favorite among the Trees. Some of them were bold enough to say that bad luck went with the Ash, and that at heart they were not bound to be in sympathy with woodcutters.
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The Woodman cut down the Tree, and fitted the handle to his ax; then to the dismay of the Trees, set to work and, with strong strokes, quickly felled all the noblest giants of the forest.
Lamenting too late the fate of his companions, an old Oak remarked to a neighboring Cedar:
"The first step has lost us all. If we had not so willingly given up the rights of the Ash, we might have stood for ages."
The Milkmaid and Her Pail of Milk Dolly the Milkmaid having been a good girl and careful in her work, her mistress gave her a pail of new milk for herself.
With the pail upon her head, Dolly Page 147 Tripped gaily along on her way to the town, wither she was going to sell her milk.
"For this milk," said Dolly, "I shall get a shilling, and with it I will buy twenty of the eggs laid by our neighbor’s fine fowls. The mistress will surely lend me a hen, and, allowing for all mishaps, I shall raise a good dozen of chicks. They will be well grown before the next fair-time comes around, and it is then that chickens bring the highest price. I shall be able to sell mine for a guinea.
"Then I shall buy that jacket that I saw in the village the other day, and a hat and ribbons too. And when I go to the fair, how smart I shall be!
"Robin will be there and will come up and offer to be friends again. But I won’t make up too easily; and when Page 148 he wants me for a partner in the dance, I shall just toss up my head and –"
Here Dolly gave her head the least bit of a toss, when down came the pail, and all the milk was spilled upon the ground.
Poor Dolly! it was her good-by to eggs, chickens, jacket, hat, ribbons, and all.
The Cat and the Fox The Cat and the Fox were once talking together in the middle of the forest.
"I do not care what happens," said the Fox, "for I have a thousand tricks, any one of which would get me out of difficulty. But pray, Mrs. Puss," he added, "What would you do if there should be an invasion?"
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"I have but one course," Puss replied. "If that would not serve me, I should be undone."
"I am sorry for you," said the Fox. "I would gladly teach you one or two of my tricks, but it is not wise to trust another. We must each take for himself."
These words were hardly spoken, when a pack of hounds came upon them in full cry.
The Cat, by means of her one well-proved safeguard, ran up a tree and sat serenely among the branches. "This is my way," she said to the Fox. "What is yours to be?"
The Fox, with all his thousand tricks, was not able to get out of sight and fell a prey to the dogs.
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The Monkey and the Cat A Monkey and a Cat lived in the same family, and it was hard to tell which was the greater thief.
One day, as they were roaming together, they spied some chestnuts roasting in the ashes of a fire.
"Come," said the cunning Monkey, "we shall not go dinnerless to-day. Your claws are better than mine for the purpose; pull the chestnuts out of the ashes and you shall have half."
Puss pulled them out, burning her paws very much in doing so. When she had stolen every one, she turned to the Monkey for her share of the booty; but, to her chagrin, she could find no chestnuts, for he had eaten them all.
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The Wolf and the Shepherd For a long time the Wolf had followed the Sheep without attempting to injure one of them. The Shepherd stood on his guard against him for a while, and kept strict watch that he did not come too near. But as day after day passed and the Wolf showed no disposition to injure any of the flock, he allowed him to approach nearer, till at last he came among the Sheep, and seemed to watch over them like a dog.
"He is really quite a help to me," said the Shepherd to himself; "and I have never seen him make the slightest effort to seize a sheep or a lamb."
So, having occasion to go to town one day, he left his flock in the care Page 153 of the Wolf, whom he regarded as a guardian over them.
But no sooner was the man gone, than the Wolf, seeing his opportunity, fell upon the Sheep and destroyed the greater part of them.
"I have been rightly served," said the Shepherd, on his return. "Why did I not know better than to trust my Sheep to their worst enemy? Soon or late, nature will show itself."
The Wolf, the Fox and the Ape A Wolf accused of theft a Fox, who utterly denied the charge, whereupon an Ape undertook to adjudge the matter with question.
When each had fully stated his case, the Ape pronounced this sentence:
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"I am fully satisfied that you, Wolf, never lost what you claim." Then turning to the Fox, he said, "And I believe you have done that which you so stoutly deny."
The Blind Man and the Whelp A Blind Man was accustomed to distinguish different animals by touching them with his hands.
The whelp of a wolf was brought him, with the request that he should feel it and tell what it was.
Being in doubt, he said, "I do not quite know whether it is the cub of a fox or the whelp of a wolf; but this I know full well, that it would not be safe to admit it to the sheepfold."
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The Spendthrift and the Swallow A young man who had been a great spendthrift, and had run through all the money he had inherited, and even sold all his outer clothing except his cloak, saw a Swallow skimming over the meadows in the early springtime and twittering gaily. Believing that summer was really come, he sold his cloak also.
The next day there happened to be a severe frost, and shivering himself, he found the Swallow lying frozen and stiff upon the ground.
"Unhappy bird," he said, "had you not come before your time, I should not now be so wretched, and you might have escaped your fate. A single swallow does not make a summer."
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The Boar and the Fox A Boar stood whetting his tusks against a tree.
"What do you mean," asked a Fox, "by such warlike preparation? There is no enemy in sight."
"When the enemy is in sight," said the Boar, "It is time to think of something else."
Hercules and the Wagoner As a Wagoner drove his wagon through a miry lane, the wheels stuck fast in the clay, so that the horses could proceed no further.
The Man, without making the least effort to remedy the matter, fell upon his knees and began to call upon Page 157 Hercules to come and help him out of his trouble.
"Lazy fellow," said Hercules, "lay your own shoulder to the wheel. Stir yourself and do what you can. Then, if you want aid from the gods, you shall have it. Remember the proverb, Heaven helps those who help themselves."
The Mules and the Robbers Two Mules, laden with packs were trudging along the highway. One carried panniers filled with money, the other sacks of grain.
The Mule that carried the treasure walked with head erect and stately step, jingling the bells about his neck as he went.
His companion followed at a quiet easy pace.
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Suddenly a band of Robbers sprang upon them, attracted by the strong proud step and the jingling bells. The Mule that carried the gold made so great an ado that the Robbers seized his pack, wounding him with their weapons, and hearing footsteps, fled.
"I am glad," said the other, "that I was thought of so little consequence for I have lost nothing, nor am I hurt with any wound."
The Swallow and the Crow The Swallow and the Crow were once contending about their plumage. The Crow finally put an end to the dispute by saying, "Your feathers are well enough now while it is warm, but mine protect me against the winter."
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Jupiter and the Bee A Bee made Jupiter a present of a pot of honey, which was so kindly taken that he bade her ask what she would in exchange.
The Bee, who was nursing a private for the loss of some of her winter’s store, desired of Jupiter that wherever she should set her sting it might be mortal.
Jupiter was loath to leave mankind at the mercy of a little spiteful insect, and was annoyed at the ill nature shown in her wish. He said, therefore, that while, for his promises’s sake, he would give her the power to harm, she must be careful how she used the power, for where she planted her sting, she would leave it, and would thereby risk her own life.
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Ill will often does greater harm to the one who acts from it than to the one on whom it falls.
The Two Travelers As two men were traveling through a wood, one of them took up an ax which he saw laying upon the ground. "Look here," said he to his companion; "I have found an ax."
"Don’t say I have found it," said the other, "but we. As we are companions, we ought to share it between us."
"No," said the first, "I found the ax. It is mine."
They had not gone far when they heard the owner of the ax pursuing them, and calling out to them in great passion.
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'We are in for it now," said he who had the ax.
"Nay," said the other; "say I am in for it, not we. When you thought you had a prize, you would not let me share it with you, and now you cannot expect me to share in the danger."
The Kid and the Wolf A Kid, mounted on a high rock where she felt safe, bestowed all manner of abuse upon a Wolf on the ground below.
The Wolf replied: "Do not think, silly little creature, that you can annoy me. This ill language that you are using I regard as coming, not from you, but from the safe place on which you stand. You would be in a different mood if you were down here by my side."
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The Gourd and the Pine A Gourd was once planted close beside a large and noble Pine Tree. The season was kindly, and the Gourd shot itself up in a short time, climbing by the boughs and twining about them, till it covered and overtopped the Tree itself.
The leaves were so large and the flowers and fruit so fair that the Gourd, comparing them with the slender needles of the Pine, had the assurance to think itself of greater value in the comparison.
"Why," said the Gourd, "you have been more years in growing to this stature than I have been days."
"That is true, " said the Pine; "but after many winters and summers that I have endured, the many blasting Page 163 Colds and parching heats, you see me the same that I was long years ago. Nothing has overcome me. But when your race is put to the proof, the first blight or frost is sure to bring down that pride of yours. In an hour you are stripped of all your glory."
The Hare and the Hound A Hound, having started a Hare which proved to be a capital runner, at length gave up the chase. His master, seeing it, said, "The little one is the best runner, eh?"
"Ah, Master," answered the Dog, "it’s all very well to laugh; but you do not see the difference between us. He was running for his life, while I was only running for my dinner."
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The Owl and the Grasshopper An Owl, who was sitting in a hollow tree, dozing away a long summer afternoon, was much disturbed by a rogue of a Grasshopper, singing in the grass below.
So far from moving away at the request of the Owl, or keeping quiet, the Grasshopper sang all the more, saying that honest people got their sleep at night.
The Owl waited in silence for a while, and then artfully addressed the Grasshopper thus: "I suppose I ought to be angry with you, my dear, for I confess I would rather sleep than listen to your singing. But if one cannot be allowed to sleep, it is something to be kept awake by such a pleasant little pipe as yours. And now it occurs to Page 166 me that I have some delicious nectar with which to reward a musician who sings so sweetly. If you will take the trouble to come up, you shall have a drop. It will clear your voice nicely."
The silly Grasshopper came hopping up to the Owl, who at once caught and killed him, and so finished her nap in comfort.
The Mule Eating Thistles A Mule, laden with choice provision of several sorts, was on his way to the field. His master and the reapers were at work there, and the provision that he carried was for the refreshment of both man and beast.
Seeing a large, strong thistle by the roadside, he stopped to eat it. "Many people would wonder," thought he, Page 167 "that with such dainty food upon my back, I should have appetite for the despised thistle; but to me the bitter, prickly weed has a more savory relish than anything else in the world. Let others choose what they will, but give me a fine, juicy thistle like this, and I shall be content. Every one to his taste. It is wisely ordered that what one rejects should be the choice of another. A wise man has said that a weed is a plant that people have not yet found a use for."
The Sick Stag A Stag, whose joints had become stiff with age, was at great pains to gather an abundant supply of food#8212enough, as he thought, for the remainder of his days.
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He stretched himself beside it, in a quiet, sunny corner of his pasture, and now dozing, now nibbling, was passing a happy old age.
He had been a favorite among his companions, and they now came often, and in great numbers, to call upon him and wish him good luck. He made them welcome in a hospitable manner, and each, as often as he came, helped himself to a little of the food so abundantly provided.
The end of the matter was, that the poor Stag died, not so much from either sickness or old age as from want of the food which his friends had eaten for him. Before doing a thing, it is well sometimes to consider, "What if every one should do it?"
The Wolf and the Shepherds A Wolf, passing by, saw some Shepherds in a hut, eating for their dinner a haunch of mutton. Approaching them, he said: "Ah! Gentlemen, you are feasting on mutton. I like you taste. But what a hue and cry you would raise if I were to do it."
The Boy and the Nettle A Boy was once stung by a Nettle. Crying with pain, he ran home and told his mother, saying, "Although it pains me so much, I did but touch it ever so gently, for I had been hurt by it before."
"That was just it," said his mother. "It was that which gave you so bad a Page 170 sting. The next time you have occasion to touch a Nettle, grasp it boldly, with courage and resolution. It will be as soft as silk in your hand and will not hurt you in the least. And you will meet many persons, as well as things, that must be handled in the same way, if you would escape discomfort from them."
The Hares and the Foxes The Hares waged war with the Eagles and called upon the Foxes to help them.
The Foxes replied: "We would willingly have helped you, if we had not known so well who you were and with whom you were fighting. Before we can commit ourselves, we must count the cost."
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Mercury and the Woodman A Woodman, felling a tree by the side of the river, let his ax drop by accident into the stream.
Being thus suddenly deprived of the tool by means of which he gained his livelihood, he sat down upon the bank and lamented his hard fate.
To his surprise Mercury appeared and asked him what was the matter. Having heard the story of the man’s misfortune, he dived to the bottom of the river, and bringing up a golden ax, inquired if that was the one he had lost.
On saying that it was not his, Mercury dived a second time, and returning with a silver ax in his hand, again demanded of the Woodman if it was his.
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This also the Woodman refused, saying that it was none of his. Mercury disappeared a third time and brought up the ax that the man had lost. This the poor man took with joy and thankfulness.
So pleased was Mercury with the honesty of the man, that he gave him the other two axes in addition to his own.
The Woodman, on his return home, related to his companions all that had happened. One of them resolved to see if he could secure the same good fortune to himself.
He ran to the river and threw his ax in, then sat down upon the bank to lament his sad fate.
Mercury appeared as before and demanded to know the cause of his grief. After hearing the man’s account, he Page 173 dived and brought up a golden ax and asked the man if that was his.
Transported at the sight of the precious metal, the fellow eagerly attempted to snatch it. The god, detecting his falsehood and greed, not only declined to give him the golden ax but refused to recover for him his own.
The Rat and the Elephant A Rat, traveling on the highway, met a huge Elephant, bearing his royal master and the master’s favorite dog, cat, parrot and monkey. Behind them came a retinue of servants and many courtiers.
An admiring crowd followed the great beast and his attendants, so that the entire road was filled
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"How foolish you are," said the Rat to the people, "to make such a fuss at seeing an elephant. Is it his great bulk that you so much admire? Mere size is nothing. At most it can only frighten little girls and boys, and I can do that as well. I am a beast as well as he. I have as many legs, and ears, and eyes. If you will take the trouble to compare us, you will see that I have finer parts. What right, then, has he to take up all the highway, which belongs to me as well as to him?
At this moment, the Cat from her high place spied the Rat. She jumped to the ground and soon convinced him that he was not an Elephant.
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The Husbandman and the Stork A Husbandman pitched a net in his fields, to take the cranes and wild geese that came daily to feed upon the newly sown corn.
In this net he captured several cranes and geese, and among them, on one occasion, was a Stork. The cranes and geese accepted their lot as one of the chances to which such lives as theirs were subject; but the Stork was in very sad case and pleaded hard for his life.
Among other reasons why he should not be put to death, the Stork urged that he was neither goose nor crane but a poor, harmless Stork, who performed his duty to his parents as well Page 176 as ever he could, feeding them when they were old, and carrying them, when required, from place to place upon his back.
"All this may be true," replied the Husbandman; "but, as I have taken you in bad company, and in the same crime, you must expect to suffer the same punishment.
The Satyr and the Traveler A Satyr, ranging in the forest in winter, once came across a Traveler who was half starved and nearly frozen.
He took pity upon him and invited him to come to his cave for food and shelter.
On their way, the Man kept blowing upon his fingers. "Why do you do Page 177 that?" said the Satyr, who had seen but little of the world of men.
"To warm my hands," replied the Man; "they are nearly frozen."
Arriving at the cave, the Satyr poured out a smoking mess of pottage and set it before the Traveler, who eagerly seized it and began to blow upon it with all his might.
"What, blowing again!" exclaimed the Satyr. "Is it not hot enough?"
"It is indeed," answered the Man; "that is the very reason why I am blowing it. I want to cool it enough to be able to eat it."
Upon this the Satyr exclaimed in alarm, "Be off with you! I will have no part with a Man who can blow hot and cold from the same mouth."
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The Stag at the Lake A Stag, one hot day, came to drink from a clear lake, and stopped to look at his own image in the water.
"How beautiful are my fine spreading horns!" said he. "How strong and graceful they are, branching from each side of my head! What a pity it is that my legs should be so thin and ugly!
Just at this moment a lion came crashing through the forest and made ready to spring upon him. Away went the stag! and the legs that he had despised would soon have carried him out of danger; but when he came to the thick woods, his beautiful antlers, of which he had been so vain, caught in the branches and held him fast until the lion came up and seized him.
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The Peasant and the Apple Tree A Peasant had in his garden an Apple Tree which for year after year had borne no fruit, but served only as a harbor for sparrows and grasshoppers.
Seeing no good to himself in the tree, he resolved to cut it down, and, taking his ax in his hand, he made a bold stroke at its roots.
Each in his own way, the grasshoppers and sparrows entreated him not to cut down the tree that sheltered them. "We will do our best to make up to you the worth of the wood, if you will spare it," they said, "lightening your labor by our cheering songs." But he paid no heed to them and gave a second and a third blow with his ax.
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When he reached the hollow of the tree, he found a hive full of honey. He tasted the honeycomb and at once threw down his ax. From that time the greatest of care was taken of the tree, and the sparrows and grasshoppers still found shelter in it. They could not forget, however, that the man had only saved their home for them from self-interest.
Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus According to an old legend, the first man was made by Jupiter, the first bull by Neptune, and the first house by Minerva.
On the completion of their labors, a dispute arose as to which had made the most perfect work.
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They agreed to rest the decision with Momus, a judge, and to abide by his word.
Momus, however, being very envious of the handicraft of each, found fault in turn with all.
He criticized the work of Neptune because he had not made the horns of the bull below the eyes, that the animal might better see where to strike.
He condemned the work of Jupiter because he had not placed the heart of man on the outside, so that every one might read the thoughts of the evil-disposed and take precautions against intended mischief.
And last of all, he inveighed against Minerva, not because of any fault in the house itself but because she had not contrived iron wheels in its foundation, so that its inhabitants might more Page 183 Easily remove if a neighbor proved unpleasant.
Indignant at such inveterate fault-finding, Jupiter drove Momus from his office as judge and expelled him from the mansions of Olympus.
The Farthing Rushlight A Rushlight, in love with its own brilliancy, once boasted that its light was brighter even than that of the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Just then a door opened, and a puff of wind blew it out.
As the owner relighted it, he said: "Cease now your boasting. Be content to shine in silence. Heavenly lights do not blow out. Know that not even the stars need to be relit."
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The Horse and the Groom A Groom, who used to steal a Horse’s corn and sell it, was yet very busy all the day long in grooming and wisping him. "If you really wish me," said the Horse, "to look sleek and fine, give me less currying and more corn."
The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner A Trumpeter who had been taken prisoner in a battle begged hard for his life. "Spare me, I entreat you," said he; "put me not to death without cause. I have killed on one, nor do I carry arms, but only this trumpet."
"For that very reason," said they Page 185 who held him captive, "you shall the more surely die; for though without the spirit to fight yourself, you stir up others to violence and bloodshed."
He who incites to strife is worse than he who takes part in it.
The Boasting Traveler A Man who had traveled in foreign parts bragged, on his return home, of the great feats he had performed in different places. In Rhodes, for instance, he had taken so extraordinary a leap that no man could approach it; and, he said, he had witnesses there to prove that it was so.
"It is quite possible," said one who heard him boasting of it, "but just suppose this to be Rhodes, and try the leap again."
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The Hedge and the Vineyard A foolish young Heir, who had come into possession of his wise father’s estate, broke up all the Hedges about his Vineyard because they bore no grapes. The throwing down of these fences laid his grounds open to man and beast, and his vines were presently destroyed. The simple fellow learned, when it was too late, that it was quite as necessary to protect his Vineyard as to possess it.
The Mouse and the Weasel A little starveling Mouse had made his way with some difficulty into a basket of corn, where finding the entertainment much to his liking, he stuffed and crammed Page 187 himself to such an extent that when he was ready to get out again, he found the hole by which he had entered too small to allow his puffed-out body to pass through. A Weasel, who was drawn to the spot by his cries, thus counseled him: "Stay where you are, my friend, and fast till you are thin; for you will never come out till you reduce yourself to the same condition as when you went in."
The Wolf and the Sheep A Wolf, that had been bitten by a dog and was unable to move, begged a Sheep that passed by to take pity on his sad case and fetch him some water from a stream. "If you will bring me a drink," said he, "I will find meat myself."
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A Widow and Her Sheep A certain widow, who had only a single Sheep and wished to make the most of his wool, sheared him so closely as to cut his skin as well as his fleece. The Sheep, smarting under this treatment, cried out: "Why do you torture me thus? It is not gain to yourself. My blood will not add to the weight of the wool. If you are after flesh send for the Butcher, who will end my misery; but if it is only wool that you want, send for the Shearer, who will clip my fleece without drawing my blood."
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The Man and the Lion A man and a Lion were once journeying together and came at length to high words as to which was the braver and stronger creature of the two. As the dispute waxed warmer they happened to pass on the roadside, the statue of a man strangling a lion. "See there," said the Man. "What more proof can you have of our undeniable superiority than that?" "That," said the Lion, "is a man’s version of the story; let us be the sculptors, and for one lion under the feet of man, you shall have twenty men under the paws of lions."
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The Lioness A great stir was once made as to which of the Beasts could boast of the largest family. They came in turn to the Lioness. "And how many," was asked, "do you have at a birth?"
"One," she replied; "but that one is a Lion!"
Quality is before quantity.
The Boy Who Stole Apples An old Man once found a rude Boy in his Apple Tree and sternly ordered him to come down. The young rogue answered that he would not.
"Then I will fetch you down," said the Old Man. So he threw twigs and Page 191 Bundles of grass up at him, but this only made the young scapegrace laugh.
"Very well," said the Old Man. "If neither words nor grass will bring you down, I will try what virtue there is in stones." With that he pelted the Boy heartily with stones, which soon brought him down from the tree to beg the Old Man’s pardon.
The Goose with the Golden Eggs A certain man had the good fortune to possess a Goose which had laid him a Golden Egg each day of the year. For a while the man rejoiced in his daily gain, but becoming impatient with so slow an income, he killed the Goose, to get all at once the gold which they thought was 192 inside her. When he had laid her open, he found that she was exactly like all other geese.
Wanting more, he lost all.
The Old Man and Death An Old Laborer, bent with age and toil, was gathering brush in a forest. Growing tired and hopeless, he threw down his bundle and cried out: "I can bear this no longer! If only Death would come and relieve me!"
As he spoke Death came and asked him what it was that he wanted. "Pray, good sir," replied the Man, "do me but the favor to lift this bundle of sticks to my back.
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A Father and His Two Daughters A Man who had two Daughters married one to a Gardener, the other to a Potter. Going to visit at the Gardener’s, he asked his Daughter how it fared with her. "Excellently well," said she; "we have all that we want if only we may have a heavy rain to water our plants."
Going on to the Potter’s, he asked his other Daughter how matters went with her. "There is nothing that we want but that this fine weather and hot sun may continue, so that our tiles will bake well."
"Alas," said the Father, "if you wish for fine weather, and your sister for rain, which shall I myself pray for?"
(194) who was too old and feeble to hunt for prey saw that he must get it, if at all, by cunning. He crept into a corner of his den and feigned sickness. All the animals that came by went in to take a look at him, and, as they came, he sprang upon them and ate them up. Now, when this had happened to a good many, the Fox, who had guessed the trick, came by. From a safe distance he called to the Lion, asking how he did. The Lion said he was very sick and asked the Fox to come in and see him. "So I would, gladly," replied the Fox, "but I notice that all the footprints point into the den, and there are none pointing out."
Days of old, a mighty rumbling was heard in a Mountain. It was said to be in Labor, and multitudes of people flocked together, from near and from far, to see what the great Mountain would produce. After long expectation and wise conjecturing from the bystanders, out popped—a mouse.A magnificent promise, but a paltry performance.
Camel, in days of yore, besought Jupiter to grant him horns, because it was a great grief to him to see other animals furnished with what he had not. Jupiter not only refused him horns but cropped his ears short for his foolish importunity. By asking for what we do not need, we may lose what we already have. Moon once asked her Mother to make her a little coat that would fit her well. "How," replied the Mother, "can I make a cloak to fit you, when now you are a New Moon, and then a Full Moon and then again neither the one nor the other?" once had the whole range of a meadow to himself; but when a Stag came and threatened to damage the pasture, the Horse asked a Man to assist him in ridding him of the Stag. "I will," said the Man, "if you will let me put a bit in your mouth and get upon your back so as to go and find weapons." The Horse consented, and the Man accordingly mounted. But instead of being revenged on the Stag, the Horse has been from that time the slave of Man.Revenge is dearly punished at the price of liberty.
But the Mountain replied: "What good have you done by such generosity? And how can any one help being pained at the sight of it? If you had poured your showers over the land, you might have saved a whole district from famine. But as to the sea, my friend, it has plenty of water already, without additions from you."
upon a time the Elephant stood high in the good graces of the lion. The forest immediately began to talk of the matter, and, as usual, many guesses were made as to the means by which the Elephant had gained such favor."It is no beauty," say the beasts to each other, "and it is not amusing: and what habits it has! what manners!"
"If it had possessed such a bushy tail as mine, I should not have wondered," says the Fox.
Or, sister," says the Bear, "if it had gotten into favor on account of its claws, no one would have found the matter at all extraordinary; but it has no claws at all, as we all know well."
"Isn’t it its tusks that have gotten it into favor?" thus the Ox broke in upon their conversation. "Haven’t they, perhaps, been mistaken for horns?"
Then said the Ass, shaking its ears, "Is it possible that you don’t know how it has succeeded I making itself liked, and in becoming distinguished. Why, I have guessed the reason. If it hadn’t been remarkable for its long ears, it would never in the world have gotten into favor."
Eagle promoted the Cuckoo to the rank of a Nightingale, and at once, proud of its new position the Cuckoo seated itself upon an aspen and began to exercise its musical talents.After a time it looked around. All the other birds were flying away, some laughing and others abusing it. The cuckoo grew angry, and hastened to the Eagle with a complaint against the birds.
"Have pity on me!" it begged. "I have been appointed Nightingale to these woods, and yet the birds dare laugh at my singing."
"My friend," answered the Eagle, I am a king, but I am nota a god. It is impossible for me to remedy the cause of your complaint. I can order a Cuckoo to be styled a Nightingale, but to make a Nightingale out of a Cuckoo—that I cannot do."
early one winter morning, during a hard frost, a Fox was drinking at a hole in the ice not far from the haunts of men.Meanwhile, whether by accident or from negligence doesn’t not matter, the end of its tail got wet and froze to the ice.
No great harm was done; the Fox could easily remedy it. It had only to give a tolerably hard pull and leave about a score of hairs behind; then it could run home quickly before any one came.
But how could it make up its mind to spoil its tail? Such a bushy tail as it was—so ample, so golden! No; better wait a little. Surely men are sleeping still. It is even possible that a thaw may set in meanwhile. In that case it will be able to withdraw its tail easily from the ice hole.
So it waits; it goes on waiting, but its tail only freezes all the more. The Fox looks round; the day is already beginning to dawn. People are stirring; voices are to be heard. Our poor Fox begins to move wildly about, now this way and now that. But still it cannot free itself from the hole.
Luckily, a Wolf comes running that way.
"Dear friend! father!" cried the Fox; "do save me; I am all but lost!"
So the Wolf stopped and set to work to rescue the Fox. Its method was a simple one—it bit the tail clean off.
So our foolish fried went home tailless, but rejoicing that its skin was still on its back.
day, dear friend; where do you come from?""From the Museum, where I have spend three hours. I saw everything they have there, and examined it carefully. So much have I seen to astonish me that, if you will believe me, I am neither strong nor clever enough to give you the description of it. Upon my word, it is a palace of wonders.
"How rich is Nature in inventions! What birds and beasts have I not seen there! What flies, butterflies, cockroaches, and curious beetles—some like emeralds, others like corals! And what tiny cochineal insects! Why, really, some of them are smaller than a pin’s head."
"But did you see the elephant? What did you think of it? I’ll be bound you felt as if you were at a mountain."
"The elephant? Are you quite sure it is there?
"Quite sure."
"Well, brother, you mustn’t be too hard on me; but to tell the truth, I didn’t remark the elephant."
once served a Lion—I know not where or in what capacity. But this much is certain—the Squirrel found favor in the Lion’s eyes, and to satisfy the Lion is certainly no light affair.In return for this he was promised a whole wagonload of nuts.
Promised—yes; but meanwhile time continues to fly by. The Squirrel often suffers hunger and, while grinning in his master’s presence, has eyes full of tears.
When he looks around in the forest, his former comrades show themselves here and there, high up among the trees. He looks at them till his eyes begin to blink, but they keep on cracking nuts.
The Squirrel takes a look at them—he can do no more. At one time he is called away; at another, even dragged off in the Lion’s service.
But see! At last the Squirrel has grown old and become tiresome to the Lion. It is time for him to retire. They have granted the Squirrel his discharge, and they have actually given him the full load of nuts—excellent nuts, such as the world has never seen before; all picked fruit, one as good as another, a perfect marvel. Only one thing is unlucky—the Squirrel has long ago lost all his teeth.
ran out of the forest into a village—not to pay a visit, but to save its life; for it trembled for its skin.The huntsman and a pack of hounds were after it.
It would fain have rushed in through the first gateway, but there was this unfortunate circumstance in the way all the gateways were closed.
The Wolf saw a Cat on a partition fence and said pleadingly: "Vaska, my friend, tell me quickly, which of the moujiks here is the kindest, so that I may hide myself from my evil foes. Listen to the cry of the dogs and the terrible sound of the horns. All that noise is actually made in chase of me."
"Go quickly and ask Stefan," said Vaska, the Cat; "he is a very kind man."
"Quite true; only I have torn the skin off one of his sheep."
"Well, then, try Demian."
"I’m afraid he’s angry with me, too; I carried off one of his kids."
"Run over there, then; Trofim lives there."
"Trofim! I should be afraid of even meeting him. Ever since the spring he has been threatening me about a lamb."
"Dear me , that’s bad! But perhaps Klim will protect you."
(214) "Oh, Vaska, I have killed one of his calves!"
"What do I hear, friend? You’ve quarreled with all the village," said Vaska to the Wolf.
"What sort of protection can you hope for here? No, no; our peasants are not so destitute of sense as to be willing to save you to their own hurt. And, really, you have only yourself to blame. What you have sown, that you must now reap."
the purpose of the fable is not merely to entertain but especially to point some general truth or to draw a helpful lesson, no two versions of the same fable are exactly alike. In editions of Aesop intended for young children, it has been the custom to elaborate the slender story in such a way as to arouse thoroughly the child’s interest before the moral is drawn. Hence the modern popular versions often contain conversation and descriptive details not to be found in the accounts which are truest to the Greek versions. This popular elaborated form of the fable, however, needs no apology so long as the editor is true to the spirit of the original. In the preceding fables, the spirit if not the letter of the most trustworthy account available, has been carefully adhered to, but the editor has had always in mind the youthful readers and has neglected no opportunity to make the text fit their limited experience and understanding. But to both teacher and pupil the current short forms of some of the longer fables will have interest. In this Appendix, therefore, have been collected the short forms of the first fables which appear in the text. Much pleasure and profit can be had from a comparison of the two renderings, and such a comparison will open the way to a discussion of the difficulties in handing down literature orally and in preserving it in correct form. and a Lamb came to a running brook to quench their thirst. The Wolf stood high up the stream and the Lamb a little distance below. Having made up his mind to seize the Lamb, the Wolf bethought himself how he might justify his act of violence. Running down to her, he roared, "How dare you muddle the water so that I cannot drink it?"The Lamb, affrighted by the charge, humbly replied that she could not see how that could be, since the water ran down from him to her and not from her to him. "Be that as it may," retorted the Wolf. "You are a rascal, all the same, and I have heard that you said bad things of me last year behind my back."
"Nay," said the Lamb, "that could not have been, for a year ago I was not born."
"Well, if it was not you it was your father, and that is all the same," replied the Wolf, and he fell upon the Lamb and tore her to pieces.
first time the Fox saw the Lion, he was ready to die of fear. The second time he took courage and could even bear to look upon him. The third time he had the impudence to come up to him, to salute him, and to enter into familiar conversation with him. had stolen a piece of meat out of a butcher’s shop and was crossing a river on his way home, when he saw his own shadow reflected in the stream below. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he resolved to secure it. He snapped at his supposed treasure, but in doing so dropped the piece he was carrying and so lost all. An old Crab to a young one, "Why do you walk so crooked, child? Walk straight!" "Mother," said the young Crab, "show me the way, will you? When I see you taking a straight course, I will try and follow."Example is better that precept.
came at vintage time to a place where ripe grapes were hanging in tempting clusters over the branch of a tree. "I will get them," said the Fox. He made many a spring and jump, but failing each time to secure the prize, he at length walked away, muttering, "Well, what does it matter? The grapes are sour." had a bone in his throat and ran up and down in the greatest agony, begging every animal he met to relieve him, hinting at the same time that there would be a substantial reward. A Crane, moved by his entreaties, ventured her long neck down the Wolf’s throat and drew forth the bone. When she had done it, she modestly asked for the promised reward. To which the Wolf, grinning and showing his teeth, replied, "Ungrateful creature, is it not enough that you have had your head in a Wolf’s mouth and brought it out safe?" of Ants were busily employed in the care and preservation of their food, which they exposed to the air in heaps around their country habitation.A Grasshopper, who had chanced to outlive the summer and was ready to die from cold and hunger, approached with great humility and begged that they would relieve his necessity with one grain of wheat or rye. One of the Ants asked him how he had disposed of his time in the summer, that he had not taken pains and laid in a stock as they had done.
"Alas! gentlemen," said he, "I passed away the time merrily and pleasantly in drinking, singing, and dancing, and never once thought of winter."
"If that be the case," replied the Ant, "all I have to say is that they who drink, sing, and dance in summer must starve in winter."
commonwealth of Frogs, a discontented race, weary of liberty and fond of change, petitioned Jupiter to grant them a King.The good-natured deity, in order to grant their request with as little mischief to them as possible, threw them down a Log. The splash sent them into the greatest terror and amazement, and at first they regarded their new monarch with great reverence and kept at a respectful distance. But by degrees, perceiving his amiable and peaceable disposition, they gradually ventured to approach him with more familiarity, till at length they conceived for him the upmost contempt.
Dissatisfied with this state of things, they renewed their request to Jupiter and entreated him to bestow upon them another King.
In his wrath the Thunderer sent them a Crane, who no sooner took possession of his new dominion than he began to devour his subjects, one after another.
They were now far more dissatisfied than before. Applying to Jupiter a third time, they were dismissed with the reproof that the evil of which they complained they had imprudently brought upon themselves; and that now they had no other remedy but to submit to it with patience.
having put on the skin of a Lion, which he found drying by the roadside, roamed about the forest and amused himself by frightening all the animals that he met. At length, meeting a Fox, he tried to frighten him also; but the Fox no sooner heard the sound of his voice than he exclaimed, "I might possibly have been frightened if I had not heard you bray." Mice, being sadly distressed on account of their common enemy the Cat, called a council to devise means of ridding themselves of the annoyance. Many plans were proposed and rejected, till at last it was suggested by a young Mouse that a bell should be hung round the Cat’s neck, that having notice of her coming, they might escape to their holes.The proposal was hailed with applause and agreed to unanimously. Whereupon an old Mouse, who had sat in silence, got up and said, "That is well, but who will belt the Cat:" The Mice looked one at another, but no one answered.
The old Mouse said, "It is easy to advise; what is wanted is some one to act."
coming alone from its pasture, was pursued by a Wolf. With great presence of mind the kid turned and said: "I know, Friend Wolf, that you mean to kill me; but as my life is to be short, let it be a merry one. Do your pipe and let me have one more dance before I die." While the Wolf was piping and the Kid was dancing, some Dogs, hearing the music, ran to the place to see what was going on; and the Wolf was glad to take himself off as fast as his legs would carry him. Nightingale, sitting aloft upon an oak, was seen by a Hawk, who swooped down and seized her. The Nightingale earnestly prayed the Hawk to let her go, saying that she was not big enough to satisfy the hunger of a Hawk who ought to find plenty of larger birds. "Do you happen to see many large birds flying about?" the Hawk asked. "I should be foolish, indeed, to let you go for the sake of larger birds that are not in sight. A morsel is better than nothing." who was nearly perishing with thirst spied a pitcher with a little water in it. Reaching down, he found the water so low that, stooping and straining as he might, he was unable to reach it with his beak. Thereupon he tried to overturn and break the Pitcher. This he was not strong enough to do. At last, seeing some small pebbles, he brought a great many and dropped them one by one, and so raised the water to the brim and quenched his thirst. to a fountain to quench his thirst, an Ant tumbled in and was ready to drown. But a Dove happened to be perching on a neighboring tree and saw the Ant’s danger. Plucking a leaf, the Dove dropped it down into the water, so that the Ant mounting upon it was blown safely to the shore. A Fowler, shortly after, spread his net to entrap the unwary Dove. This the Ant perceived, and bit the Fowler’s heel. Distracted by the pain, the Fowler dropped his net with a quick start, and the Dove, aroused to a sense of danger, flew away.One good turn deserves another. Ox, grazing in a swampy meadow, chanced to set his foot among a number of young Frogs and trampled nearly all of them to death. One that escaped ran off to his mother with the dreadful news. "It was a beast—such a big four-footed beast—that did it."
"Big?" asked the old Frog, and she puffed herself out, "as big as this?"
"A great deal bigger," said the little one.
"Well, was it so big?" and she swelled herself out yet more.
"Indeed, Mother, but it was; and if you were to burst yourself you would never reach half its size." Vexed that her child should disparage her powers, the Mother Frog made one more trial and burst herself indeed.
falling to the ground, was caught by a Weasel, whom he entreated not to take his life. The Weasel protested that it was against nature for a Weasel to let a bird go. Whereupon the Bat insisted that he was not a bird, and to prove it, called attention to his mouselike head and ears, which so confused the Weasel that he let the Bat go.Some time afterward, on another flight, the Bat fell again to the ground, and another Weasel caught him. On perceiving that the Weasel thought he was a mouse, the Bat contended that he had wings and therefore was not a mouse, and was again allowed to go free.
who had fallen into a deep well was casting about to find how he should get out again. At length a Goat came to the place, and seeing Reynard, asked whether the water was good, and if there was plenty.Hiding the real danger in his case, the Fox replied: "The best in the word, and so much of it that it cannot be exhausted. Come down and see." Whereupon the goat jumped down without more ado. Upon this the crafty Fox jumped upon her horns and nimble leaped out, remarking to the deluded Goat, "If you had brains to match your beard, you would have looked before you leaped."
Woman kept a Hen that could be depended on to lay an egg every morning. The watchful Woman thought within herself, "If I were to double my Hen’s allowance of barley, she would lay twice a day." So she tried her plan, and the Hen become so fat and sleek that she left off laying at all.Thrift sometime overreaches, and figures are not always facts.
once made his bed in a manger and lay there snarling and growling at whoever came by. The Oxen coming for their prevender said: "What a miserable cur! neither to eat the grain himself nor to let any one else eat it!" in an evil day made the acquaintance of a Frog, and together they set off on their travels. On pretense of affection and of keeping his companion safe from harm, the Frog tied the Mouse’s forefoot to his own hind leg, and thus they proceeded. It worked well enough till they came to some water, and the Frog, bidding the Mouse to have good courage, plunged in and began to swim across. They were barely halfway when the Frog took a sudden plunge to the bottom, dragging the unfortunate Mouse after him. But the struggling of the Mouse made so great a commotion in the water that it attracted the attention of a Hawk, who, pouncing down and bearing away the mouse, carried the Frog also.Alliances that are ill-matched generally end in disaster; and the one who compasses the destruction of his neighbor is often caught in his own snare.
boy, tending his flock on the ledge of a village, used to amuse himself at times by crying out, "Wolf! Wolf!" Twice or thrice his trick succeeded. The whole village ran to his assistance, only to be laughed at for their pains. At last, one day, the Wolf came indeed. The Bow cried out as before, and this time in earnest. But the villagers, supposing him to be at his old sport, paid no heed to his cried, and the wolf devoured the sheep. toiling all day and catching nothing, a Fisherman pulled up a little Fish. The Fish besought him to let him go, for he was small now, but by and by he would grow to be a big fish and so be worth catching. But the Fisherman answered, "No, no, I have you now, it would be foolish for me to let you go; I might not get you when you had grown bigger."A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
snatched a piece of cheese out of a window and flew with it up into a tree, to eat it at leisure. A Fox passing by chance to look up and saw her. He coveted the prize and thus made his approaches to secure it. "O Crow," said he, "how beautiful are thy wings and how bright are thine eyes! How graceful thy neck! What a pity that such a bird should want only a voice!" Yielding to the flattery, the Crow opened her mouth to surprise the Fox with her caw, when down, dropped the cheese, which the Fox, snapping up, ate as he walked away, remarking that whatever he had said of her voice he did not say of her brains. having been taken in the net of a Fowler, cried out piteously, "Spare me, good Master Fowler, and I promise you, on my word, that I will decoy other partridges into your net.""No," replied the man, "whatever I might have done, I am determined now not to let you go; for no death is too bad for one who is ready to betray his friends."
pressed by thirst and seeing a glass of water painted on a sign, supposed it to be real. Dashing down at it with all her might, she struck against the hard board, and breaking her wing, she fell helpless to the ground and was soon captured by one who passed by.Great haste is not always good speed.
was a certain city in danger of being besieged, and a council was called accordingly, to consider the best means of fortifying it. A Bricklayer gave his judgment that no material was so good for the purpose as brick. A Carpenter begged leave to suggest that timber would be preferable, upon which a Currier started up and said, "Sirs, when all has been said that can be said, there is nothing in the world like leather." Desperation over the hard times they had on account of their many enemies, the Hares came together and, after rehearsing their situation, came to the sad conclusion that nothing was left to them but to drown themselves as the most miserable and unfortunate of creatures. They repaired to a pond to throw themselves off a rock into the water and thus make an end of their troubles. A shoal of frogs were sitting around the ledge of the pond, and at the approach of the Hares they were startled, and with the greatest confusion jumped into the water. Whereupon the foremost of the Hares said to his fellows: "Nay, then, friends, our case may not be as desperate as we thought. Here are other creatures more faint-hearted than are we." Eagle and a Fox had lived together as good neighbors, the former on the summit of a high tree, the latter in a hole at the foot of it. One day when the Fox was abroad, the Eagle swooped down and snatched the Fox’s cub and carried it up to her nest, thinking that her high dwelling made her secure from the fox’s revenge. The Fox returning upbraided the Eagle for such a breach of confidence and begged to have her young one returned to her. Finding that her entreaties availed nothing, the Fox snatched a brand from an altar fire which had been lighted hard by and proceeded to involve the whole tree in flames. The Eagle, to protect her nest and her own young ones, restored the cub to its mother, which she would not do in answer to the most earnest entreaties.