AESOP'S FABLES (84 Fables) cnt

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

The Mountains in Labour



One day the Countrymen noticed that the Mountains were in

labour; smoke came out of their summits, the earth was quaking at

their feet, trees were crashing, and huge rocks were tumbling.

They felt sure that something horrible was going to happen.  They

all gathered together in one place to see what terrible thing this

could be.  They waited and they waited, but nothing came.  At last

there was a still more violent earthquake, and a huge gap appeared

in the side of the Mountains.  They all fell down upon their knees

and waited.  At last, and at last, a teeny, tiny mouse poked its

little head and bristles out of the gap and came running down

towards them, and ever after they used to say:


"Much outcry, little outcome."




  The Hares and the Frogs




The Hares were so persecuted by the other beasts, they did not

know where to go.  As soon as they saw a single animal approach

them, off they used to run.  One day they saw a troop of wild

Horses stampeding about, and in quite a panic all the Hares

scuttled off to a lake hard by, determined to drown themselves

rather than live in such a continual state of fear.  But just as

they got near the bank of the lake, a troop of Frogs, frightened

in their turn by the approach of the Hares scuttled off, and

jumped into the water.  "Truly," said one of the Hares, "things

are not so bad as they seem:


"There is always someone worse off than yourself."




  The Wolf and the Kid



A Kid was perched up on the top of a house, and looking down

saw a Wolf passing under him.  Immediately he began to revile and

attack his enemy.  "Murderer and thief," he cried, "what do you

here near honest folks' houses?  How dare you make an appearance

where your vile deeds are known?"


"Curse away, my young friend," said the Wolf.


"It is easy to be brave from a safe distance."




  The Woodman and the Serpent


One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when

he saw something black lying on the snow.  When he came closer he

saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead.  But he took it up

and put it in his bosom to warm while he hurried home.  As soon as

he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the

fire.  The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life

again.  Then one of them stooped down to stroke it, but thc

Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to

sting the child to death.  So the Woodman seized his axe, and with

one stroke cut the Serpent in two.  "Ah," said he,


"No gratitude from the wicked."




  The Bald Man and the Fly


There was once a Bald Man who sat down after work on a hot

summer's day.  A Fly came up and kept buzzing about his bald pate,

and stinging him from time to time.  The Man aimed a blow at his

little enemy, but acks palm came on his head instead;

again the Fly tormented him, but this time the Man was wiser and

said:


"You will only injure yourself if you

take notice of despicable enemies."




  The Fox and the Stork


At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting terms and

seemed very good friends.  So the Fox invited the Stork to dinner,

and for a joke put nothing before her but some soup in a very

shallow dish.  This the Fox could easily lap up, but the Stork

could only wet the end of her long bill in it, and left the meal

as hungry as when she began.  "I am sorry," said the Fox, "the

soup is not to your liking."


"Pray do not apologise," said the Stork.  "I hope you will

return this visit, and come and dine with me soon."  So a day was

appointed when the Fox should visit the Stork; but when they were

seated at table all that was for their dinner was contained in a

very long-necked jar with a narrow mouth, in which the Fox could

not insert his snout, so all he could manage to do was to lick the

outside of the jar.


"I will not apologise for the dinner," said the Stork:


"One bad turn deserves another."




  The Fox and the Mask


A Fox had by some means got into the store-room of a theatre.

Suddenly he observed a face glaring down on him and began to be

very frightened; but looking more closely he found it was only a

Mask such as actors use to put over their face.  "Ah," said the

Fox, "you look very fine; it is a pity you have not got any

brains."


Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.




  The Jay and the Peacock



A Jay venturing into a yard where Peacocks used to walk, found

there a number of feathers which had fallen from the Peacocks when

they were moulting.  He tied them all to his tail and strutted

down towards the Peacocks.  When he came near them they soon

discovered the cheat, and striding up to him pecked at him and

plucked away his borrowed plumes.  So the Jay could do no better

than go back to the other Jays, who had watched his behaviour from

a distance; but they were equally annoyed with him, and told him:


"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds."




The Frog and the Ox



"Oh Father," said a little Frog to the big one sitting by the

side of a pool, "I have seen such a terrible monster!  It was as

big as a mountain, with horns on its head, and a long tail, and it

had hoofs divided in two."


"Tush, child, tush," said the old Frog, "that was only Farmer

White's Ox.  It isn't so big either; he may be a little bit taller

than I, but I could easily make myself quite as broad; just you

see."  So he blew himself out, and blew himself out, and blew

himself out.  "Was he as big as that?" asked he.


"Oh, much bigger than that," said the young Frog.


Again the old one blew himself out, and asked the young one if

the Ox was as big as that.


"Bigger, father, bigger," was the reply.


So the Frog took a deep breath, and blew and blew and blew,

and swelled and swelled and swelled.  And then he said: "I'm sure

the Ox is not as big asBut at this moment he burst.


Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction.




Androcles


A slave named Androcles once escaped from his master and fled

to the forest.  As he was wandering about there he came upon a

Lion lying down moaning and groaning.  At first he turned to flee,

but finding that the Lion did not pursue him, he turned back and

went up to him.  As he came near, the Lion put out his paw, which

was all swollen and bleeding, and Androcles found that a huge

thorn had got into it, and was causing all the pain.  He pulled

out the thorn and bound up the paw of the Lion, who was soon able

to rise and lick the hand of Androcles like a dog.  Then the Lion

took Androcles to his cave, and every day used to bring him meat

from which to live.  But shortly afterwards both Androcles and the

Lion were captured, and the slave was sentenced to be thrown to

the Lion, after the latter had been kept without food for several

days.  The Emperor and all his Court came to see the spectacle,

and Androcles was led out into the middle of the arena.  Soon the

Lion was let loose from his den, and rushed bounding and roaring

towards his victim.  But as soon as he came near to Androcles he

recognised his friend, and fawned upon him, and licked his hands

like a friendly dog.  The Emperor, surprised at this, summoned

Androcles to him, who told him the whole story.  Whereupon the

slave was pardoned and freed, and the Lion let loose to his native

forest.