safe distance from the Lion. But entering a wood he became entangled by his horns, and the Lion quickly came Youth’s first duty is reverence to parents.
up to him and caught him. When too late, he thus reproached himself: “Woe is me! How I have deceived myself! These feet which would have saved me I despised, and I gloried in The Gnat and the Bull
these antlers which have proved my destruction.” A GNAT settled on the horn of a Bull, and sat there a long What is most truly valuable is often underrated.
time. Just as he was about to fly off, he made a buzzing noise, and inquired of the Bull if he would like him to go.
The Jackdaw and the Fox
The Bull replied, “I did not know you had come, and I shall not miss you when you go away.”
A HALF-FAMISHED JACKDAW seated himself on a fig-tree, which had produced some fruit entirely out of season, and Some men are of more consequence in their own eyes than waited in the hope that the figs would ripen. A Fox seeing in the eyes of their neighbors.
him sitting so long and learning the reason of his doing so, said to him, “You are indeed, sir, sadly deceiving yourself; you are indulging a hope strong enough to cheat you, but which will never reward you with enjoyment.” 84
Aesop’s Fables
The Bitch and Her Whelps
The Shepherd and the Sheep
A BITCH, ready to whelp, earnestly begged a shepherd for A SHEPHERD driving his Sheep to a wood, saw an oak of a place where she might litter. When her request was unusual size full of acorns, and spreading his cloak under granted, she besought permission to rear her puppies in the branches, he climbed up into the tree and shook them the same spot. The shepherd again consented. But at last down. The Sheep eating the acorns inadvertently frayed the Bitch, protected by the bodyguard of her Whelps, who and tore the cloak. When the Shepherd came down and saw had now grown up and were able to defend themselves, what was done, he said, “O you most ungrateful creatures!
asserted her exclusive right to the place and would not You provide wool to make garments for all other men, but permit the shepherd to approach.
you destroy the clothes of him who feeds you.” The Dogs and the Hides
The Grasshopper and the Owl
SOME DOGS famished with hunger saw a number of cow-hides steeping in a river. Not being able to reach them, AN OWL, accustomed to feed at night and to sleep during they agreed to drink up the river, but it happened that the day, was greatly disturbed by the noise of a Grasshop-they burst themselves with drinking long before they per and earnestly besought her to stop chirping. The Grass-reached the hides.
hopper refused to desist, and chirped louder and louder the more the Owl entreated. When she saw that she could Attempt not impossibilities.
get no redress and that her words were despised, the Owl attacked the chatterer by a stratagem. “Since I cannot sleep,” she said, “on account of your song which, believe me, is sweet as the lyre of Apollo, I shall indulge myself in drinking some nectar which Pallas lately gave me. If you do not dislike it, come to me and we will drink it together.” The Grasshopper, who was thirsty, and pleased with the praise of her voice, eagerly flew up. The Owl came forth from her hollow, seized her, and put her to death.
85
Aesop’s Fables
The Monkey and the Camel
Self-interest alone moves some men.
THE BEASTS of the forest gave a splendid entertainment at which the Monkey stood up and danced. Having vastly de-The Two Soldiers and the Robber
lighted the assembly, he sat down amidst universal applause.
The Camel, envious of the praises bestowed on the Monkey TWO SOLDIERS traveling together were set upon by a Rob-and desiring to divert to himself the favor of the guests, ber. The one fled away; the other stood his ground and proposed to stand up in his turn and dance for their amuse-defended himself with his stout right hand. The Robber ment. He moved about in so utterly ridiculous a manner being slain, the timid companion ran up and drew his sword, that the Beasts, in a fit of indignation, set upon him with and then, throwing back his traveling cloak said, “I’ll at clubs and drove him out of the assembly.
him, and I’ll take care he shall learn whom he has attacked.” On this, he who had fought with the Robber made answer, It is absurd to ape our betters.
“I only wish that you had helped me just now, even if it had been only with those words, for I should have been the more encouraged, believing them to be true; but now The Peasant and the Apple-Tree
put up your sword in its sheath and hold your equally useless tongue, till you can deceive others who do not know A PEASANT had in his garden an Apple-Tree which bore no you. I, indeed, who have experienced with what speed you fruit but only served as a harbor for the sparrows and grass-run away, know right well that no dependence can be placed hoppers. He resolved to cut it down, and taking his axe in on your valor.”
his hand, made a bold stroke at its roots. The grasshop-pers and sparrows entreated him not to cut down the tree that sheltered them, but to spare it, and they would sing to him and lighten his labors. He paid no attention to their request, but gave the tree a second and a third blow with his axe. When he reached the hollow of the tree, he found a hive full of honey. Having tasted the honeycomb, he threw down his axe, and looking on the tree as sacred, took great care of it.
86
Aesop’s Fables
The Trees Under the Protection of the Gods The Ass and the Horse
THE GODS, according to an ancient legend, made choice of AN ASS besought a Horse to spare him a small portion of certain trees to be under their special protection. Jupiter his feed. “Yes,” said the Horse; “if any remains out of what chose the oak, Venus the myrtle, Apollo the laurel, Cybele I am now eating I will give it you for the sake of my own the pine, and Hercules the poplar. Minerva, wondering why superior dignity, and if you will come when I reach my own they had preferred trees not yielding fruit, inquired the stall in the evening, I will give you a little sack full of reason for their choice. Jupiter replied, “It is lest we should barley.”
seem to covet the honor for the fruit.” But said Minerva, The Ass replied, “Thank you. But I can’t think that you,
“Let anyone say what he will the olive is more dear to me who refuse me a little matter now, will by and by confer on on account of its fruit.” Then said Jupiter, “My daughter, me a greater benefit.”
you are rightly called wise; for unless what we do is useful, the glory of it is vain.”
Truth and the Traveler
The Mother and the Wolf
A WAYFARING MAN, traveling in the desert, met a woman standing alone and terribly dejected. He inquired of her, A FAMISHED WOLF was prowling about in the morning in
“Who art thou?”
search of food. As he passed the door of a cottage built in
“My name is Truth,” she replied.
the forest, he heard a Mother say to her child, “Be quiet, or
“And for what cause,” he asked, “have you left the city I will throw you out of the window, and the Wolf shall eat to dwell alone here in the wilderness?”
you.” The Wolf sat all day waiting at the door. In the She made answer, “Because in former times, falsehood evening he heard the same woman fondling her child and was with few, but is now with all men.”
saying: “You are quiet now, and if the Wolf should come, we will kill him.” The Wolf, hearing these words, went home, gasping with cold and hunger. When he reached his den, Mistress Wolf inquired of him why he returned wearied and supperless, so contrary to his wont. He replied: “Why, forsooth! use I gave credence to the words of a woman!” 87
Aesop’s Fables
The Manslayer
requiring you to find surety for your good faith, for how can I trust anyone as a friend who is able to fly away from A MAN committed a murder, and was pursued by the rela-his bargain whenever he pleases?”
tions of the man whom he murdered. On his reaching the river Nile he saw a Lion on its bank and being fearfully Try before you trust.
afraid, climbed up a tree. He found a serpent in the upper branches of the tree, and again being greatly alarmed, he threw himself into the river, where a crocodile caught him The Hen and the Swallow
and ate him. Thus the earth, the air, and the water alike refused shelter to a murderer.
A HEN finding the eggs of a viper and carefully keeping them warm, nourished them into life. A Swallow, observing The Lion and the Fox
what she had done, said, “You silly creature! why have you hatched these vipers which, when they shall have grown, A FOX entered into partnership with a Lion on the pretense will inflict injury on all, beginning with yourself?’
of becoming his servant. Each undertook his proper duty in accordance with his own nature and powers. The Fox discovered and pointed out the prey; the Lion sprang on it and seized it. The Fox soon became jealous of the Lion carrying off the Lion’s share, and said that he would no longer find out the prey, but would capture it on his own account.
The next day he attempted to snatch a lamb from the fold, but he himself fell prey to the huntsmen and hounds.
The Lion and the Eagle
AN EAGLE stayed his flight and entreated a Lion to make an alliance with him to their mutual advantage. The Lion replied, “I have no objection, but you must excuse me for 88
Aesop’s Fables
The Buffoon and the Countryman
squeaked away first, and obtained, as on the preceding day, the applause and cheers of the spectators. Next the A RICH NOBLEMAN once opened the theaters without charge Countryman commenced, and pretending that he concealed to the people, and gave a public notice that he would hand-a little pig beneath his clothes (which in truth he did, but somely reward any person who invented a new amusement not suspected by the audience ) contrived to take hold of for the occasion. Various public performers contended for and to pull his ear causing the pig to squeak. The Crowd, the prize. Among them came a Buffoon well known among however, cried out with one consent that the Buffoon had the populace for his jokes, and said that he had a kind of given a far more exact imitation, and clamored for the Coun-entertainment which had never been brought out on any tryman to be kicked out of the theater. On this the rustic stage before. This report being spread about made a great produced the little pig from his cloak and showed by the stir, and the theater was crowded in every part. The Buf-most positive proof the greatness of their mistake. “Look foon appeared alone upon the platform, without any appa-here,” he said, “this shows what sort of judges you are.” ratus or confederates, and the very sense of expectation caused an intense silence. He suddenly bent his head towards his bosom and imitated the squeaking of a little pig The Crow and the Serpent
so admirably with his voice that the audience declared he had a porker under his cloak, and demanded that it should A CROW in great want of food saw a Serpent asleep in a be shaken out. When that was done and nothing was found, sunny nook, and flying down, greedily seized him. The Ser-they cheered the actor, and loaded him with the loudest pent, turning about, bit the Crow with a mortal wound. In applause. A Countryman in the crowd, observing all that the agony of death, the bird exclaimed: “O unhappy me!
has passed, said, “So help me, Hercules, he shall not beat who have found in that which I deemed a happy windfall me at that trick!” and at once proclaimed that he would do the source of my destruction.”
the same thing on the next day, though in a much more The Hunter and the Horseman
natural way.
On the morrow a still larger crowd assembled in the theater, but now partiality for their favorite actor very generally prevailed, and the audience came rather to ridicule the Countryman than to see the spectacle. Both of the performers appeared on the stage. The Buffoon grunted and 89
Aesop’s Fables
A CERTAIN HUNTER, having snared a hare, placed it upon suddenly set in, from which he died not many days later.
his shoulders and set out homewards. On his way he met a man on horseback who begged the hare of him, under the We had better bear our troubles bravely than try to escape pretense of purchasing it. However, when the Horseman them.
got the hare, he rode off as fast as he could. The Hunter ran after him, as if he was sure of overtaking him, but the Horseman increased more and more the distance between The Cat and Venus
them. The Hunter, sorely against his will, called out to him and said, “Get along with you! for I will now make you a A CAT fell in love with a handsome young man, and en-present of the hare.”
treated Venus to change her into the form of a woman.
Venus consented to her request and transformed her into a The King’s Son and the Painted Lion
beautiful damsel, so that the youth saw her and loved her, and took her home as his bride. While the two were reclin-A KING, whose only son was fond of martial exercises, had ing in their chamber, Venus wishing to discover if the Cat in a dream in which he was warned that his son would be her change of shape had also altered her habits of life, let killed by a lion. Afraid the dream should prove true, he down a mouse in the middle of the room. The Cat, quite built for his son a pleasant palace and adorned its walls for forgetting her present condition, started up from the couch his amusement with all kinds of life-sized animals, among and pursued the mouse, wishing to eat it. Venus was much which was the picture of a lion. When the young Prince saw disappointed and again caused her to return to her former this, his grief at being thus confined burst out afresh, shape.
and, standing near the lion, he said: “O you most detest-able of animals! through a lying dream of my father’s, which Nature exceeds nurture.
he saw in his sleep, I am shut up on your account in this palace as if I had been a girl: what shall I now do to you?” With these words he stretched out his hands toward a thorn-tree, meaning to cut a stick from its branches so that he might beat the lion. But one of the tree’s prickles pierced his finger and caused great pain and inflammation, so that the young Prince fell down in a fainting fit. A violent fever 90
Aesop’s Fables
The She-Goats and Their Beards
fellows, to be trudging along the road on foot when they might ride?”
THE SHE-GOATS having obtained a beard by request to Ju-The old man hearing this, quickly made his son mount piter, the He-Goats were sorely displeased and made com-the Ass, and continued to walk along merrily by his side.
plaint that the females equaled them in dignity. “Allow Presently they came up to a group of old men in earnest them,” said Jupiter, “to enjoy an empty honor and to as-debate.
sume the badge of your nobler sex, so long as they are not
“There,” said one of them, “it proves what I was a-say-your equals in strength or courage.”
ing. What respect is shown to old age in these days? Do you see that idle lad riding while his old father has to walk?
It matters little if those who are inferior to us in merit Get down, you young scapegrace, and let the old man rest should be like us in outside appearances.
his weary limbs.” Upon this the old man made his son dis-mount, and got up himself.
The Camel and the Arab
In this manner they had not proceeded far when they met a company of women and children: “Why, you lazy old fellow,” cried several tongues at once, “how can you ride AN ARAB CAMEL-DRIVER, after completing the loading of upon the beast, while that poor little lad there can hardly his Camel, asked him which he would like best, to go up keep pace by the side of you?”
hill or down. The poor beast replied, not without a touch The good-natured Miller immediately took up his son be-of reason: “Why do you ask me? Is it that the level way hind him. They had now almost reached the town.
through the desert is closed?”
“Pray, honest friend,” said a citizen, “is that Ass your own?”
“Yes,” replied the old man.
The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass
“O, one would not have thought so,” said the other, “by the way you load him. Why, you two fellows are better A MILLER and his son were driving their Ass to a neighbor-able to carry the poor beast than he you.”
ing fair to sell him. They had not gone far when they met
“Anything to please you,” said the old man; “we can but with a troop of women collected round a well, talking and try.”
laughing.
So, alighting with his son, they tied the legs of the Ass
“Look there,” cried one of them, “did you ever see such together and with the help of a pole endeavored to carry 91
Aesop’s Fables
him on their shoulders over a bridge near the entrance to interrupting him, said, “But you really must have been out the town. This entertaining sight brought the people in of your senses to fasten yourself on me, who am myself crowds to laugh at it, till the Ass, not liking the noise nor always accustomed to fasten upon others.”
the strange handling that he was subject to, broke the cords that bound him and, tumbling off the pole, fell into The Wolf and the Lion
the river.
Upon this, the old man, vexed and ashamed, made the A WOLF, having stolen a lamb from a fold, was carrying him best of his way home again, convinced that by endeavor-off to his lair. A Lion met him in the path, and seizing the ing to please everybody he had pleased nobody, and lost lamb, took it from him. Standing at a safe distance, the his Ass in the bargain.
Wolf exclaimed, “You have unrighteously taken that which was mine from me!” To which the Lion jeeringly replied, “It The Crow and the Sheep
was righteously yours, eh? The gift of a friend?” A TROUBLESOME CROW seated herself on the back of a Sheep.
The Dog and the Oyster
The Sheep, much against his will, carried her backward and forward for a long time, and at last said, “If you had treated A DOG, used to eating eggs, saw an Oyster and, opening his a dog in this way, you would have had your deserts from mouth to its widest extent, swallowed it down with the his sharp teeth.”
utmost relish, supposing it to be an egg. Soon afterwards To this the Crow replied, “I despise the weak and yield to suffering great pain in his stomach, he said, “I deserve all the strong. I know whom I may bully and whom I must this torment, for my folly in thinking that everything round flatter; and I thus prolong my life to a good old age.” must be an egg.”
The Fox and the Bramble
They who act without sufficient thought, will often fall into unsuspected danger.
A FOX was mounting a hedge when he lost his footing and caught hold of a Bramble to save himself. Having pricked and grievously tom the soles of his feet, he accused the Bramble because, when he had fled to her for assistance, she had used him worse than the hedge itself. The Bramble, 92
Aesop’s Fables
The Ant and the Dove
plied, “O my dear sir, pray spare my life, and destroy me not, for I cannot possibly do you much harm.” The Man, AN ANT went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, laughing, replied, “Now you shall certainly die by mine own and being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on hands, for no evil, whether it be small or large, ought to be the point of drowning. A Dove sitting on a tree overhang-tolerated.”
ing the water plucked a leaf and let it fall into the stream close to her. The Ant climbed onto it and floated in safety The Thieves and the Cock
to the bank. Shortly afterwards a birdcatcher came and stood under the tree, and laid his lime-twigs for the Dove, SOME THIEVES broke into a house and found nothing but a which sat in the branches. The Ant, perceiving his design, Cock, whom they stole, and got off as fast as they could.
stung him in the foot. In pain the birdcatcher threw down Upon arriving at home they prepared to kill the Cock, who the twigs, and the noise made the Dove take wing.
thus pleaded for his life: “Pray spare me; I am very serviceable to men. I wake them up in the night to their work.” The Partridge and the Fowler
“That is the very reason why we must the more kill you,” they replied; “for when you wake your neighbors, you en-A FOWLER caught a Partridge and was about to kill it. The tirely put an end to our business.”
Partridge earnestly begged him to spare his life, saying,
“Pray, master, permit me to live and I will entice many Par-The safeguards of virtue are hateful to those with evil in-tridges to you in recompense for your mercy to me.” The tentions.
Fowler replied, “I shall now with less scruple take your life, because you are willing to save it at the cost of betraying your friends and relations.”
The Flea and the Man
A MAN, very much annoyed with a Flea, caught him at last, and said, “Who are you who dare to feed on my limbs, and to cost me so much trouble in catching you?” The Flea re-93
Aesop’s Fables
The Dog and the Cook
useless tree is the Plane! It bears no fruit, and is not of the least service to man.”
A RICH MAN gave a great feast, to which he invited many The Plane-Tree, interrupting him, said, “You ungrateful friends and acquaintances. His Dog availed himself of the fellows! Do you, while receiving benefits from me and rest-occasion to invite a stranger Dog, a friend of his, saying, ing under my shade, dare to describe me as useless, and
“My master gives a feast, and there is always much food unprofitable?”
remaining; come and sup with me tonight.”
The Dog thus invited went at the hour appointed, and Some men underrate their best blessings.
seeing the preparations for so grand an entertainment, said in the joy of his heart, “How glad I am that I came! I do not often get such a chance as this. I will take care and eat The Hares and the Frogs
enough to last me both today and tomorrow.”
While he was congratulating himself and wagging his tail THE HARES, oppressed by their own exceeding timidity and to convey his pleasure to his friend, the Cook saw him weary of the perpetual alarm to which they were exposed, moving about among his dishes and, seizing him by his with one accord determined to put an end to themselves fore and hind paws, bundled him without ceremony out of and their troubles by jumping from a lofty precipice into a the window. He fell with force upon the ground and limped deep lake below. As they scampered off in large numbers away, howling dreadfully. His yelling soon attracted other to carry out their resolve, the Frogs lying on the banks of street dogs, who came up to him and inquired how he had the lake heard the noise of their feet and rushed helter-enjoyed his supper. He replied, “Why, to tell you the truth, skelter to the deep water for safety. On seeing the rapid I drank so much wine that I remember nothing. I do not disappearance of the Frogs, one of the Hares cried out to know how I got out of the house.”
his companions: “Stay, my friends, do not do as you intended; for you now see that there are creatures who are The Travelers and the Plane-Tree
still more timid than ourselves.”
TWO TRAVELERS, worn out by the heat of the summer’s sun, laid themselves down at noon under the widespreading branches of a Plane-Tree. As they rested under its shade, one of the Travelers said to the other, “What a singularly 94
Aesop’s Fables
The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant
The Lamb and the Wolf
THE LION wearied Jupiter with his frequent complaints. “It A WOLF pursued a Lamb, which fled for refuge to a certain is true, O Jupiter!” he said, “that I am gigantic in strength, Temple. The Wolf called out to him and said, “The Priest will handsome in shape, and powerful in attack. I have jaws slay you in sacrifice, if he should catch you.” On which the well provided with teeth, and feet furnished with claws, Lamb replied, “It would be better for me to be sacrificed in and I lord it over all the beasts of the forest, and what a the Temple than to be eaten by you.”
disgrace it is, that being such as I am, I should be frightened by the crowing of a cock.”
Jupiter replied, “Why do you blame me without a cause?
The Rich Man and the Tanner
I have given you all the attributes which I possess myself, and your courage never fails you except in this one in-A RICH MAN lived near a Tanner, and not being able to bear stance.”
the unpleasant smell of the tan-yard, he pressed his neigh-On hearing this the Lion groaned and lamented very much bor to go away. The Tanner put off his departure from time and, reproaching himself with his cowardice, wished that to time, saying that he would leave soon. But as he still he might die. As these thoughts passed through his mind, continued to stay, as time went on, the rich man became he met an Elephant and came close to hold a conversation accustomed to the smell, and feeling no manner of incon-with him. After a time he observed that the Elephant shook venience, made no further complaints.
his ears very often, and he inquired what was the matter and why his ears moved with such a tremor every now and then. Just at that moment a Gnat settled on the head of the Elephant, and he replied, “Do you see that little buzzing insect? If it enters my ear, my fate is sealed. I should die presently.”
The Lion said, “Well, since so huge a beast is afraid of a tiny gnat, I will no more complain, nor wish myself dead. I find myself, even as I am, better off than the Elephant.” 95
Aesop’s Fables
The Shipwrecked Man and the Sea
The Viper and the File
A SHIPWRECKED MAN, having been cast upon a certain shore, A LION, entering the workshop of a smith, sought from the slept after his buffetings with the deep. After a while he tools the means of satisfying his hunger. He more particu-awoke, and looking upon the Sea, loaded it with reproaches.
larly addressed himself to a File, and asked of him the fa-He argued that it enticed men with the calmness of its vor of a meal. The File replied, “You must indeed be a simple-looks, but when it had induced them to plow its waters, it minded fellow if you expect to get anything from me, who grew rough and destroyed them. The Sea, assuming the am accustomed to take from everyone, and never to give form of a woman, replied to him: “Blame not me, my good anything in return.”
sir, but the winds, for I am by my own nature as calm and firm even as this earth; but the winds suddenly falling on me create these waves, and lash me into fury.” The Lion and the Shepherd
A LION, roaming through a forest, trod upon a thorn. Soon The Mules and the Robbers
afterward he came up to a Shepherd and fawned upon him, wagging his tail as if to say, “I am a suppliant, and seek TWO MULES well-laden with packs were trudging along. One your aid.” The Shepherd boldly examined the beast, dis-carried panniers filled with money, the other sacks weighted covered the thorn, and placing his paw upon his lap, pulled with grain. The Mule carrying the treasure walked with head it out; thus relieved of his pain, the Lion returned into the erect, as if conscious of the value of his burden, and tossed forest.
up and down the clear-toned bells fastened to his neck.
Some time after, the Shepherd, being imprisoned on a His companion followed with quiet and easy step. All of a false accusation, was condemned