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AESOP'S FABLES (84 Fables)


AESOP'S FABLES (84 Fables)



AESOP'S FABLES (84 Fables)

From The PaperLess Readers Club, Houston (713) 977-9505 (BBS)
     Voice/Fax (713) 977-1719


43-63                                   64-84
  The Shepherd's Boy                      The Miser and His Gold
  The Young Thief and His Mother          The Fox and the Mosquitoes
  The Man and His Two Wives               The Fox Without a Tail
  The Nurse and the Wolf                  The One-Eyed Doe
  The Tortoise and the Birds              Belling the Cat
  The Two Crabs                           The Hare and the Tortoise
  The Ass in the Lion's Skin              The Old Man and Death
  The Two Fellows and the Bear            The Hare With Many Friends
  The Two Pots                            The Lion in Love
  The Four Oxen and the Lion              The Bundle of Sticks
  The Fisher and the Little Fish          The Lion, the Fox, and the Beasts
  Avaricious and Envious                  The Ass's Brains
  The Crow and the Pitcher                The Eagle and the Arrow
  The Man and the Satyr                   The Milkmaid and Her Pail
  The Goose With the Golden Eggs          The Cat-Maiden
  The Labourer and the Nightingale        The Horse and the Ass
  The Fox, the Cock, and the Dog          The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner
  The Wind and the Sun                    The Buffoon and the Countryman
  Hercules and the Waggoner               The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar
  The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey        The Fox and the Goat
 


The Shepherd's Boy


There was once a young Shepherd Boy who tended his sheep at
the foot of a mountain near a dark forest.  It was rather lonely
for him all day, so he thought upon a plan by which he could get a
little company and some excitement.  He rushed down towards the
village calling out "Wolf, Wolf," and the villagers came out to
meet him, and some of them stopped with him for a considerable
time.  This pleased the boy so much that a few days afterwards he
tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to his help.
But shortly after this a Wolf actually did come out from the
forest, and began to worry the sheep, and the boy of course cried
out "Wolf, Wolf," still louder than before.  But this time the
villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the boy was
again deceiving them, and nobody stirred to come to his help.  So
the Wolf made a good meal off the boy's flock, and when the boy
complained, the wise man of the village said:

"A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth."



  The Young Thief and His Mother


A young Man had been caught in a daring act of theft and had
been condemned to be executed for it.  He expressed his desire to
see his Mother, and to speak with her before he was led to
execution, and of course this was granted.  When his Mother came
to him he said: "I want to whisper to you," and when she brought
her ear near him, he nearly bit it off.  All the bystanders were
horrified, and asked him what he could mean by such brutal and
inhuman conduct.  "It is to punish her," he said.  "When I was
young I began with stealing little things, and brought them home
to Mother.  Instead of rebuking and punishing me, she laughed and
said: "It will not be noticed."  It is because of her that I am
here to-day."

"He is right, woman," said the Priest; "the Lord hath said:

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and
when he is old he will not depart therefrom."



  The Man and His Two Wives



In the old days, when men were allowed to have many wives, a
middle-aged Man had one wife that was old and one that was young;
each loved him very much, and desired to see him like herself.
Now the Man's hair was turning grey, which the young Wife did not
like, as it made him look too old for her husband.  So every night
she used to comb his hair and pick out the white ones.  But the
elder Wife saw her husband growing grey with great pleasure, for
she did not like to be mistaken for his mother.  So every morning
she used to arrange his hair and pick out as many of the black
ones as she could.  The consequence was the Man soon found himself
entirely bald.

Yield to all and you will soon have nothing to yield.



  The Nurse and the Wolf


"Be quiet now," said an old Nurse to a child sitting on her
lap.  "If you make that noise again I will throw you to the Wolf."

Now it chanced that a Wolf was passing close under the window
as this was said.  So he crouched down by the side of the house
and waited.  "I am in good luck to-day," thought he.  "It is sure
to cry soon, and a daintier morsel I haven't had for many a long
day."  So he waited, and he waited, and he waited, till at last
the child began to cry, and the Wolf came forward before the
window, and looked up to the Nurse, wagging his tail.  But all the
Nurse did was to shut down the window and call for help, and the
dogs of the house came rushing out.  "Ah," said the Wolf as he
galloped away,

"Enemies promises were made to be broken."



  The Tortoise and the Birds


A Tortoise desired to change its place of residence, so he
asked an Eagle to carry him to his new home, promising her a rich
reward for her trouble.  The Eagle agreed and seizing the Tortoise
by the shell with her talons soared aloft.  On their way they met
a Crow, who said to the Eagle: "Tortoise is good eating."  "The
shell is too hard," said the Eagle in reply.  "The rocks will soon
crack the shell," was the Crow's answer; and the Eagle, taking the
hint, let fall the Tortoise on a sharp rock, and the two birds
made a hearty meal of the Tortoise.

Never soar aloft on an enemy's pinions.



  The Two Crabs


One fine day two Crabs came out from their home to take a
stroll on the sand.  "Child," said the mother, "you are walking
very ungracefully.  You should accustom yourself, to walking
straight forward without twisting from side to side."

"Pray, mother," said the young one, "do but set the example
yourself, and I will follow you."

Example is the best precept.



  The Ass in the Lion's Skin


An Ass once found a Lion's skin which the hunters had left out
in the sun to dry.  He put it on and went towards his native
village.  All fled at his approach, both men and animals, and he
was a proud Ass that day.  In his delight he lifted up his voice
and brayed, but then every one knew him, and his owner came up and
gave him a sound cudgelling for the fright he had caused.  And
shortly afterwards a Fox came up to him and said: "Ah, I knew you
by your voice."

Fine clothes may disguise, but
silly words will disclose a fool.



  The Two Fellows and the Bear


Two Fellows were travelling together through a wood, when a
Bear rushed out upon them.  One of the travellers happened to be
in front, and he seized hold of the branch of a tree, and hid
himself among the leaves.  The other, seeing no help for it, threw
himself flat down upon the ground, with his face in the dust.  The
Bear, coming up to him, put his muzzle close to his ear, and
sniffed and sniffed.  But at last with a growl he shook his head
and slouched off, for bears will not touch dead meat.  Then the
fellow in the tree came down to his comrade, and, laughing, said
"What was it that Master Bruin whispered to you?"

"He told me," said the other,

"Never trust a friend who deserts you at a pinch."



  The Two Pots


Two Pots had been left on the bank of a river, one of brass,
and one of earthenware.  When the tide rose they both floated off
down the stream.  Now the earthenware pot tried its best to keep
aloof from the brass one, which cried out: "Fear nothing, friend,
I will not strike you."

"But I may come in contact with you," said the other, "if I
come too close; and whether I hit you, or you hit me, I shall
suffer for it."

The strong and the weak cannot keep company.



  The Four Oxen and the Lion

A Lion used to prowl about a field in which Four Oxen used to
dwell.  Many a time he tried to attack them; but whenever he came
near they turned their tails to one another, so that whichever way
he approached them he was met by the horns of one of them.  At
last, however, they fell a-quarrelling among themselves, and each
went off to pasture alone in a separate corner of the field.  Then
the Lion attacked them one by one and soon made an end of all
four.

United we stand, divided we fall.



  The Fisher and the Little Fish


It happened that a Fisher, after fishing all day, caught only
a little fish.  "Pray, let me go, master," said the Fish.  "I am
much too small for your eating just now.  If you put me back into
the river I shall soon grow, then you can make a fine meal off
me."

"Nay, nay, my little Fish," said the Fisher, "I have you now.
I may not catch you hereafter."

A little thing in hand is worth more than
a great thing in prospect.



  Avaricious and Envious


Two neighbours came before Jupiter and prayed him to grant
their hearts' desire.  Now the one was full of avarice, and the
other eaten up with envy.  So to punish them both, Jupiter granted
that each might have whatever he wished for himself, but only on
condition that his neighbour had twice as much.  The Avaricious
man prayed to have a room full of gold.  No sooner said than done;
but all his joy was turned to grief when he found that his
neighbour had two rooms full of the precious metal.  Then came the
turn of the Envious man, who could not bear to think that his
neighbour had any joy at all.  So he prayed that he might have one
of his own eyes put out, by which means his companion would become
totally blind.

Vices are their own punishment.



  The Crow and the Pitcher


A Crow, half-dead with thirst, came upon a Pitcher which had
once been full of water; but when the Crow put its beak into the
mouth of the Pitcher he found that only very little water was left
in it, and that he could not reach far enough down to get at it.
He tried, and he tried, but at last had to give up in despair.
Then a thought came to him, and he took a pebble and dropped it
into the Pitcher.  Then he took another pebble and dropped it into
the Pitcher.  Then he took another pebble and dropped that into
the Pitcher.  Then he took another pebble and dropped that into
the Pitcher.  Then he took another pebble and dropped that into
the Pitcher.  Then he took another pebble and dropped that into
the Pitcher.  At last, at last, he saw the water mount up near
him, and after casting in a few more pebbles he was able to quench
his thirst and save his life.

Little by little does the trick.



  The Man and the Satyr


A Man had lost his way in a wood one bitter winter's night.
As he was roaming about, a Satyr came up to him, and finding that
he had lost his way, promised to give him a lodging for the night,
and guide him out of the forest in the morning.  As he went along
to the Satyr's cell, the Man raised both his hands to his mouth
and kept on blowing at them.  "What do you do that for?" said the
Satyr.

"My hands are numb with the cold," said the Man, "and my
breath warms them."

After this they arrived at the Satyr's home, and soon the
Satyr put a smoking dish of porridge before him.  But when the Man
raised his spoon to his mouth he began blowing upon it.  "And what
do you do that for?" said the Satyr.

"The porridge is too hot, and my breath will cool it."

"Out you go," said the Satyr.  "I will have nought to do with
a man who can blow hot and cold with the same breath."

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