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 Man and the Serpent
A Countryman's son by accident trod upon a Serpent's tail,
which turned and bit him so that he died. The father in a rage
got his axe, and pursuing the Serpent, cut off part of its tail.
So the Serpent in revenge began stinging several of the Farmer's
cattle and caused him severe loss. Well, the Farmer thought it
best to make it up with the Serpent, and brought food and honey to
the mouth of its lair, and said to it: "Let's forget and forgive;
perhaps you were right to punish my son, and take vengeance on my
cattle, but surely I was right in trying to revenge him; now that
we are both satisfied why should not we be friends again?"
"No, no," said the Serpent; "take away your gifts; you can
never forget the death of your son, nor I the loss of my tail."
Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a
visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this
cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily
welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to
offer, but he offered them freely. The Town Mouse rather turned
up his long nose at this country fare, and said: "I cannot
understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as
this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the
country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When
you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever
have stood a country life." No sooner said than done: the two
mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse's
residence late at night. "You will want some refreshment after
our long journey," said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend
into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a
fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes
and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking.
"What is that?" said the Country Mouse. "It is only the dogs of
the house," answered the other. "Only!" said the Country Mouse.
"I do not like that music at my dinner." Just at that moment the
door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to
scamper down and run off. "Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country
Mouse, "What! going so soon?" said the other. "Yes," he replied;
"Better beans and bacon in peace
than cakes and ale in fear."
The Fox and the Crow
A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its
beak and settle on a branch of a tree. "That's for me, as I am a
Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the
tree. "Good-day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are
looking to-day: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I
feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as
your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may
greet you as the Queen of Birds." The Crow lifted up her head and
began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the
piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by
Master Fox. "That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In
exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the
future
."Do not trust flatterers."
The Sick Lion
A Lion had come to the end of his days and lay sick unto death
at the mouth of his cave, gasping for breath. The animals, his
subjects, came round him and drew nearer as he grew more and more
helpless. When they saw him on the point of death they thought to
themselves: "Now is the time to pay off old grudges." So the Boar
came up and drove at him with his tusks; then a Bull gored him
with his horns; still the Lion lay helpless before them: so the
Ass, feeling quite safe from danger, came up, and turning his tail
to the Lion kicked up his heels into his face. "This is a double
death," growled the Lion.
Only cowards insult dying majesty.
The Ass and the Lapdog
A Farmer one day came to the stables to see to his beasts of
burden: among them was his favourite Ass, that was always well fed
and often carried his master. With the Farmer came his Lapdog,
who danced about and licked his hand and frisked about as happy as
could be. The Farmer felt in his pocket, gave the Lapdog some
dainty food, and sat down while he gave his orders to his
servants. The Lapdog jumped into his master's lap, and lay there
blinking while the Farmer stroked his ears. The Ass, seeing this,
broke loose from his halter and commenced prancing about in
imitation of the Lapdog. The Farmer could not hold his sides with
laughter, so the Ass went up to him, and putting his feet upon the
Farmer's shoulder attempted to climb into his lap. The Farmer's
servants rushed up with sticks and pitchforks and soon taught the
Ass that
.Clumsy jesting is no joke.
The Lion and the Mouse
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up
and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge
paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O
King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall
never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn
some of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the
Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let
him go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the
hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a
tree while they went in search of a waggon to carry him on. Just
then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad
plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away
the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?"
said the little Mouse.
Little friends may prove great friends.
A Countryman's son by accident trod upon a Serpent's tail,
which turned and bit him so that he died. The father in a rage
got his axe, and pursuing the Serpent, cut off part of its tail.
So the Serpent in revenge began stinging several of the Farmer's
cattle and caused him severe loss. Well, the Farmer thought it
best to make it up with the Serpent, and brought food and honey to
the mouth of its lair, and said to it: "Let's forget and forgive;
perhaps you were right to punish my son, and take vengeance on my
cattle, but surely I was right in trying to revenge him; now that
we are both satisfied why should not we be friends again?"
"No, no," said the Serpent; "take away your gifts; you can
never forget the death of your son, nor I the loss of my tail."
Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a
visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this
cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily
welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to
offer, but he offered them freely. The Town Mouse rather turned
up his long nose at this country fare, and said: "I cannot
understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as
this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the
country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When
you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever
have stood a country life." No sooner said than done: the two
mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse's
residence late at night. "You will want some refreshment after
our long journey," said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend
into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a
fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes
and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking.
"What is that?" said the Country Mouse. "It is only the dogs of
the house," answered the other. "Only!" said the Country Mouse.
"I do not like that music at my dinner." Just at that moment the
door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to
scamper down and run off. "Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country
Mouse, "What! going so soon?" said the other. "Yes," he replied;
"Better beans and bacon in peace
than cakes and ale in fear."
The Fox and the Crow
A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its
beak and settle on a branch of a tree. "That's for me, as I am a
Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the
tree. "Good-day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are
looking to-day: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I
feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as
your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may
greet you as the Queen of Birds." The Crow lifted up her head and
began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the
piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by
Master Fox. "That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In
exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the
future
."Do not trust flatterers."
The Sick Lion
A Lion had come to the end of his days and lay sick unto death
at the mouth of his cave, gasping for breath. The animals, his
subjects, came round him and drew nearer as he grew more and more
helpless. When they saw him on the point of death they thought to
themselves: "Now is the time to pay off old grudges." So the Boar
came up and drove at him with his tusks; then a Bull gored him
with his horns; still the Lion lay helpless before them: so the
Ass, feeling quite safe from danger, came up, and turning his tail
to the Lion kicked up his heels into his face. "This is a double
death," growled the Lion.
Only cowards insult dying majesty.
The Ass and the Lapdog
A Farmer one day came to the stables to see to his beasts of
burden: among them was his favourite Ass, that was always well fed
and often carried his master. With the Farmer came his Lapdog,
who danced about and licked his hand and frisked about as happy as
could be. The Farmer felt in his pocket, gave the Lapdog some
dainty food, and sat down while he gave his orders to his
servants. The Lapdog jumped into his master's lap, and lay there
blinking while the Farmer stroked his ears. The Ass, seeing this,
broke loose from his halter and commenced prancing about in
imitation of the Lapdog. The Farmer could not hold his sides with
laughter, so the Ass went up to him, and putting his feet upon the
Farmer's shoulder attempted to climb into his lap. The Farmer's
servants rushed up with sticks and pitchforks and soon taught the
Ass that
.Clumsy jesting is no joke.
The Lion and the Mouse
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up
and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge
paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O
King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall
never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn
some of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the
Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let
him go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the
hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a
tree while they went in search of a waggon to carry him on. Just
then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad
plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away
the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?"
said the little Mouse.
Little friends may prove great friends.
The Swallow and the Other Birds
It happened that a Countryman was sowing some hemp seeds in a
field where a Swallow and some other birds were hopping about
picking up their food. "Beware of that man," quoth the Swallow.
"Why, what is he doing?" said the others. "That is hemp seed he
is sowing; be careful to pick up every one of the seeds, or else
you will repent it." The birds paid no heed to the Swallow's
words, and by and by the hemp grew up and was made into cord, and
of the cords nets were made, and many a bird that had despised the
Swallow's advice was caught in nets made out of that very hemp.
"What did I tell you?" said the Swallow.
Destroy the seed of evil, or it will grow up to your ruin.
The Frogs Desiring a King
The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy swamp
that just suited them; they went splashing about caring for nobody
and nobody troubling with them. But some of them thought that
this was not right, that they should have a king and a proper
constitution, so they determined to send up a petition to Jove to
give them what they wanted. "Mighty Jove," they cried, "send unto
us a king that will rule over us and keep us in order." Jove
laughed at their croaking, and threw down into the swamp a huge
Log, which came downrplashto the swamp. The Frogs
were frightened out of their lives by the commotion made in their
midst, and all rushed to the bank to look at the horrible monster;
but after a time, seeing that it did not move, one or two of the
boldest of them ventured out towards the Log, and even dared to
touch it; still it did not move. Then the greatest hero of the
Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced dancing up and down upon
it, thereupon all the Frogs came and did the same; and for some
time the Frogs went about their business every day without taking
the slightest notice of their new King Log lying in their midst.
But this did not suit them, so they sent another petition to Jove,
and said to him, "We want a real king; one that will really rule
over us." Now this made Jove angry, so he sent among them a big
Stork that soon set to work gobbling them all up. Then the Frogs
repented when too late.
Better no rule than cruel rule.
It happened that a Countryman was sowing some hemp seeds in a
field where a Swallow and some other birds were hopping about
picking up their food. "Beware of that man," quoth the Swallow.
"Why, what is he doing?" said the others. "That is hemp seed he
is sowing; be careful to pick up every one of the seeds, or else
you will repent it." The birds paid no heed to the Swallow's
words, and by and by the hemp grew up and was made into cord, and
of the cords nets were made, and many a bird that had despised the
Swallow's advice was caught in nets made out of that very hemp.
"What did I tell you?" said the Swallow.
Destroy the seed of evil, or it will grow up to your ruin.
The Frogs Desiring a King
The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy swamp
that just suited them; they went splashing about caring for nobody
and nobody troubling with them. But some of them thought that
this was not right, that they should have a king and a proper
constitution, so they determined to send up a petition to Jove to
give them what they wanted. "Mighty Jove," they cried, "send unto
us a king that will rule over us and keep us in order." Jove
laughed at their croaking, and threw down into the swamp a huge
Log, which came downrplashto the swamp. The Frogs
were frightened out of their lives by the commotion made in their
midst, and all rushed to the bank to look at the horrible monster;
but after a time, seeing that it did not move, one or two of the
boldest of them ventured out towards the Log, and even dared to
touch it; still it did not move. Then the greatest hero of the
Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced dancing up and down upon
it, thereupon all the Frogs came and did the same; and for some
time the Frogs went about their business every day without taking
the slightest notice of their new King Log lying in their midst.
But this did not suit them, so they sent another petition to Jove,
and said to him, "We want a real king; one that will really rule
over us." Now this made Jove angry, so he sent among them a big
Stork that soon set to work gobbling them all up. Then the Frogs
repented when too late.
Better no rule than cruel rule.
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