[Illustration]
The Wolf Turned Shepherd.
A wolf, finding that the sheep were so afraid of him that he could not
get near them, disguised himself in the dress of a shepherd, and thus
attired approached the flock. As he came near, he found the shepherd
fast asleep. As the sheep did not run away, he resolved to imitate the
voice of the shepherd. In trying to do so, he only howled, and awoke the
shepherd. As he could not run away, he was soon killed.
Those who attempt to act in disguise are apt to overdo it.
The Stag at the Pool.
[Illustration]
A stag saw his shadow reflected in the water, and greatly admired the
size of his horns, but felt angry with himself for having such weak
feet. While he was thus contemplating himself, a Lion appeared at the
pool. The Stag betook himself to flight, and kept himself with ease at a
safe distance from the Lion, until he entered a wood and became
entangled with his horns. The Lion quickly came up with him and caught
him. When too late he thus reproached himself: "Woe is me! How have I
deceived myself! These feet which would have saved me I despised, and I
gloried in these antlers which have proved my destruction."
What is most truly valuable is often underrated.
[Illustration]
The Fox and the Mask.
A fox entered the house of an actor, and, rummaging through all his
properties, came upon a Mask, an admirable imitation of a human head. He
placed his paws on it, and said: "What a beautiful head! yet it is of
no value, as it entirely wants brains."
[Illustration]
A fair face is of little use without sense.
The Bear and the Fox.
A bear boasted very much of his philanthropy, saying "that of all
animals he was the most tender in his regard for man, for he had such
respect for him, that he would not even touch his dead body." A Fox
hearing these words said with a smile to the Bear: "Oh, that you would
eat the dead and not the living!"
We should not wait till a person is dead, to give him our respect.
The Wolf and the Lamb.
[Illustration]
A Wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay
violent hands on him, but to find some plea, which should justify to the
Lamb himself his right to eat him. He then addressed him: "Sirrah, last
year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful
tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf: "You feed in
my pasture." "No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted
grass." Again said the Wolf: "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the
Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food
and drink to me." On which the Wolf seized him, and ate him up, saying:
"Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my
imputations."
The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny, and it is useless
for the innocent to try by reasoning to get justice, when the oppressor
intends to be unjust.
[Illustration]
The One-Eyed Doe.
[Illustration]
A Doe, blind of an eye, was accustomed to graze as near to the edge of
the sea as she possibly could, to secure greater safety. She turned her
eye towards the land, that she might perceive the approach of a hunter
or hound, and her injured eye towards the sea, from which she
entertained no anticipation of danger. Some boatmen, sailing by, saw
her, and, taking a successful aim, mortally wounded her. Said she: "O
wretched creature that I am! to take such precaution against the land,
and, after all, to find this seashore, to which I had come for safety,
so much more perilous."
Danger sometimes comes from a source that is least suspected.
The Dog, Cock and Fox.
A Dog and a Cock, traveling together, took shelter at night in a thick
wood. The Cock perched himself on a high branch, while the Dog found a
bed at the foot of the tree. When morning dawned, the Cock, as usual,
crowed very loudly. A Fox, hearing the sound, and wishing to make a
breakfast on him, came and stood under the branches, saying how
earnestly he desired to make the acquaintance of the owner of so sweet a
voice.
"If you will admit me," said he, "I should very much like to spend the
day with you."
The Cock said: "Sir, do me the favor to go round and wake up my porter,
that he may open the door, and let you in." On the Fox approaching the
tree, the Dog sprang out and caught him and quickly tore him in pieces.
[Illustration]
Those who try to entrap others are often caught by their own schemes.
The Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk.
[Illustration]
A Mouse, by an unlucky chance, formed an intimate acquaintance with a
Frog. The Frog one day, intent on mischief, bound the foot of the Mouse
tightly to his own. Thus joined together, the Frog led his friend toward
the pool in which he lived, until he reached the very brink, when
suddenly jumping in, he dragged the Mouse in with him. The Frog enjoyed
the water amazingly, and swam croaking about as if he had done a
meritorious action. The unhappy Mouse was soon suffocated with the
water, and his dead body floated about on the surface, tied to the foot
of the Frog. A Hawk observed it, and, pouncing upon it, carried it up
aloft. The Frog, being still fastened to the leg of the Mouse, was also
carried off a prisoner, and was eaten by the Hawk.
Harm hatch, harm catch.
The Dog and the Oyster.
A Dog, used to eating eggs, saw an Oyster, and opening his mouth to its
widest extent, swallowed it down with the utmost relish, supposing it to
be an egg. Soon afterwards suffering great pain in his stomach, he said:
"I deserve all this torment, for my folly in thinking that everything
round must be an egg."
Who acts in haste repents at leisure.
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: "What a clamor you would
raise, if I were to do as you are doing!"
Men are too apt to condemn in others the very things they practice
themselves.
The Hares and the Frogs.
[Illustration]
The Hares, oppressed with a sense of their own exceeding timidity, and
weary of the perpetual alarm to which they were exposed, with one accord
determined to put an end to themselves and their troubles, by jumping
from a lofty precipice into a deep lake below. As they scampered off in
a very numerous body to carry out their resolve, the Frogs lying on the
banks of the lake heard the noise of their feet, and rushed
helter-skelter to the deep water for safety. On seeing the rapid
disappearance of the Frogs, one of the Hares cried out to his
companions: "Stay, my friends, do not do as you intended; for you now
see that other creatures who yet live are more timorous than ourselves."
[Illustration]
We are encouraged by seeing others that are worse off than ourselves.
The Lion and the Boar.
[Illustration]
On a summer day, when the great heat induced a general thirst, a Lion
and a Boar came at the same moment to a small well to drink. They
fiercely disputed which of them should drink first, and were soon
engaged in the agonies of a mortal combat. On their stopping on a
sudden to take breath for the fiercer renewal of the strife, they saw
some Vultures waiting in the distance to feast on the one which should
fall first. They at once made up their quarrel, saying: "It is better
for us to make friends, than to become the food of Crows or Vultures, as
will certainly happen if we are disabled."
Those who strive are often watched by others who will take advantage of
their defeat to benefit themselves.
The Mischievous Dog.
[Illustration]
A Dog used to run up quietly to the heels of those he met, and to bite
them without notice. His master sometimes suspended a bell about his
neck, that he might give notice of his presence wherever he went, and
sometimes he fastened a chain about his neck, to which was attached a
heavy clog, so that he could not be so quick at biting people's heels.
The Dog grew proud of his bell and clog, and went with them all over the
market-place. An old hound said to him: "Why do you make such an
exhibition of yourself? That bell and clog that you carry are not,
believe me, orders of merit, but, on the contrary, marks of disgrace, a
public notice to all men to avoid you as an ill-mannered dog."
Those who achieve notoriety often mistake it for fame.
[Illustration]
The Quack Frog.
[Illustration]
A Frog once made proclamation to all the beasts that he was a learned
physician, and able to heal all diseases. A Fox asked him: "How can you
pretend to prescribe for others, and you are unable to heal your own
lame gait and wrinkled skin?"
Those who pretend that they can mend others should first mend
themselves, and then they will be more readily believed.
The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion.
[Illustration]
The Ass and the Fox, having entered into a partnership together, went
out into the forest to hunt. They had not proceeded far, when they met a
Lion. The Fox approached the Lion and promised to contrive for him the
capture of the Ass, if he would pledge his word that his own life should
be spared. On his assuring him that he would not injure him, the Fox led
the Ass to a deep pit, and contrived that he should fall into it. The
Lion, seeing that the Ass was secured, immediately clutched the Fox,
and then attacked the Ass at his leisure.
Traitors must expect treachery.
The Wolf and the Sheep.
[Illustration]
A Wolf, being sick and maimed, called to a Sheep, who was passing, and
asked him to fetch some water from the stream. "For," he said, "if you
will bring me drink, I will find means to provide myself with meat."
"Yes," said the Sheep, "if I should bring you the draught, you would
doubtless make me provide the meat also."
Hypocritical speeches are easily seen through.
The Cock and the Jewel.
[Illustration]
A Cock, scratching for food for himself and his hens, found a precious
stone; on which he said: "If thy owner had found thee, and not I, he
would have taken thee up, and have set thee in thy first estate; but I
have found thee for no purpose. I would rather have one barleycorn than
all the jewels in the world."
The Two Pots.
[Illustration]
A river carried down in its stream two Pots, one made of earthenware,
and the other of brass. As they floated along on the surface of the
stream, the Earthen Pot said to the Brass Pot: "Pray keep at a distance,
and do not come near me, for if you touch me ever so slightly, I shall
be broken in pieces; and besides, I by no means wish to come near you."
Equals make the best friends.
The Gnat and the Lion.
A Gnat came and said to a Lion: "I do not the least fear you, nor are
you stronger than I am. For in what does your strength consist? You can
scratch with your claws, and bite with your teeth--so can a woman in her
quarrels. I repeat that I am altogether more powerful than you; and if
you doubt it, let us fight and see who will conquer." The Gnat, having
sounded his horn, fastened itself upon the Lion, and stung him on the
nostrils. The Lion, trying to crush him, tore himself with his claws,
until he punished himself severely. The Gnat thus prevailed over the
Lion, and buzzing about in a song of triumph, flew away. But shortly
afterwards he became entangled in the meshes of a cobweb, and was eaten
by a spider. He greatly lamented his fate, saying: "Woe is me, that I,
who can wage war successfully with the hugest beasts, should perish
myself from this spider."
The Widow and her Little Maidens.
A widow woman, fond of cleaning, had two little maidens to wait on her.
She was in the habit of waking them early in the morning, at cockcrow.
The maidens, being aggrieved by such excessive labor, resolved to kill
the cock who roused their mistress so early. When they had done this,
they found that they had only prepared for themselves greater troubles,
for their mistress, no longer hearing the cock, was unable to tell the
time, and so, woke them up to their work in the middle of the night.
Unlawful acts to escape trials only increase our troubles.
The Fox and the Lion.
[Illustration]
A Fox who had never yet seen a Lion, when he fell in with him by a
certain chance for the first time in the forest, was so frightened that
he was near dying with fear. On his meeting with him for the second
time, he was still much alarmed, but not to the same extent as at first.
On seeing him the third time, he so increased in boldness that he went
up to him, and commenced a familiar conversation with him.
Acquaintance softens prejudices.
[Illustration]
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.
[Illustration]
A Country Mouse invited a Town Mouse, an intimate friend, to pay him a
visit, and partake of his country fare. As they were on the bare
plough-lands, eating their wheat-stalks and roots pulled up from the
hedge-row, the Town Mouse said to his friend: "You live here the life of
the ants, while in my house is the horn of plenty. I am surrounded with
every luxury, and if you will come with me, as I much wish you would,
you shall have an ample share of my dainties." The Country Mouse was
easily persuaded, and returned to town with his friend. On his arrival,
the Town Mouse placed before him bread, barley, beans, dried figs,
honey, raisins, and, last of all, brought a dainty piece of cheese from
a basket. The Country Mouse, being much delighted at the sight of such
good cheer, expressed his satisfaction in warm terms, and lamented his
own hard fate. Just as they were beginning to eat, some one opened the
door, and they both ran off squeaking, as fast as they could, to a hole
so narrow that two could only find room in it by squeezing. They had
scarcely again begun their repast when some one else entered to take
something out of a cupboard, on which the two Mice, more frightened than
before, ran away and hid themselves. At last the Country Mouse, almost
famished, thus addressed his friend: "Although you have prepared for me
so dainty a feast, I must leave you to enjoy it by yourself. It is
surrounded by too many dangers to please me."
[Illustration]
Better a little in safety, than an abundance surrounded by danger.
The Monkey and the Dolphin.
[Illustration]
A Sailor, bound on a long voyage, took with him a Monkey to amuse him
while on shipboard. As he sailed off the coast of Greece, a violent
tempest arose, in which the ship was wrecked, and he, his Monkey and all
the crew were obliged to swim for their lives. A Dolphin saw the Monkey
contending with the waves, and supposing him to be a man (whom he is
always said to befriend), came and placed himself under him, to convey
him on his back in safety to the shore. When the Dolphin arrived with
his burden in sight of land not far from Athens, he demanded of the
Monkey if he were an Athenian, who answered that he was, and that he was
descended from one of the noblest families in that city.
The Dolphin then inquired if he knew the Piraeus (the famous harbor of
Athens). The Monkey, supposing that a man was meant, and being obliged
to support his previous lie, answered that he knew him very well, and
that he was an intimate friend, who would, no doubt, be very glad to see
him. The Dolphin, indignant at these falsehoods, dipped the Monkey under
the water, and drowned him.
He who once begins to tell falsehoods is obliged to tell others to make
them appear true, and, sooner or later, they will get him into trouble.
The Game-cocks and the Partridge.
A Man had two Game-cocks in his poultry yard. One day, by chance, he
fell in with a tame Partridge for sale. He purchased it, and brought it
home that it might be reared with his Game-cocks. On its being put into
the poultry-yard, they struck at it, and followed it about, so that the
Partridge was grievously troubled in mind, and supposed that he was
thus badly treated because he was a stranger. Not long afterwards he saw
the Cocks fighting together, and not separating before one had well
beaten the other. He then said to himself: "I shall no longer distress
myself at being struck at by these Game-cocks, when I see that they
cannot even refrain from quarreling with each other."
Strangers should avoid those who quarrel among themselves.
The Boy and the Nettle.
A Boy was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his mother, saying:
"Although it pains me so much, I did but touch it ever so gently." "That
was just it," said his mother, "which caused it to sting you. The next
time you touch a Nettle, grasp it boldly, and it will be soft as silk to
your hand, and not in the least hurt you."
Whatever you do, do with all your might.
The Trumpeter taken Prisoner.
[Illustration]
A Trumpeter, bravely leading on the soldiers, was captured by the enemy.
He cried out to his captors: "Pray spare me, and do not take my life
without cause or without injury. I have not slain a single man of your
troop. I have no arms, and carry nothing but this one brass trumpet."
"That is the very reason for which you should be put to death," they
said, "for while you do not fight yourself, your loud trumpet stirs up
all the other soldiers to battle."
He who incites strife is as guilty as they who strive.
The Fatal Marriage.
The Lion, touched with gratitude by the noble procedure of a Mouse, and
resolving not to be outdone in generosity by any wild beast whatsoever,
desired his little deliverer to name his own terms, for that he might
depend upon his complying with any proposal he should make. The Mouse,
fired with ambition at this gracious offer, did not so much consider
what was proper for him to ask, as what was in the powers of his prince
to grant; and so demanded his princely daughter, the young lioness, in
marriage. The Lion consented; but, when he would have given the royal
virgin into his possession, she, like a giddy thing as she was, not
minding how she walked, by chance set her paw upon her spouse, who was
coming to meet her, and crushed him to pieces.
Beware of unequal matches. Alliances prompted by ambition often prove
fatal.
The Ass and the Charger.
[Illustration]
An Ass congratulated a Horse on being so ungrudgingly and carefully
provided for, while he himself had scarcely enough to eat, nor even that
without hard work. But when war broke out, the heavy armed soldier
mounted the Horse, and rushed into the very midst of the enemy, and the
Horse, being wounded, fell dead on the battle-field. Then the Ass,
seeing all these things, changed his mind, and commiserated the Horse,
saying: "How much more fortunate am I than a charger. I can remain at
home in safety while he is exposed to all the perils of war."
Be not hasty to envy the condition of others.
The Vain Jackdaw.
[Illustration]
Jupiter determined, it is said, to create a sovereign over the birds,
and made proclamation that, on a certain day, they should all present
themselves before him, when he would himself choose the most beautiful
among them to be king. The Jackdaw, knowing his own ugliness, searched
through the woods and fields, and collected the feathers which had
fallen from the wings of his companions, and stuck them in all parts of
his body. When the appointed day arrived, and the birds had assembled
before Jupiter, the Jackdaw also made his appearance in his
many-feathered finery. On Jupiter proposing to make him king, on account
of the beauty of his plumage, the birds indignantly protested, and each
plucking from him his own feathers, the Jackdaw was again nothing but a
Jackdaw.
Hope not to succeed in borrowed plumes.
The Milkmaid and her Pot of Milk.
[Illustration]
A Maid was carrying her pail of milk to the farm-house, when she fell
a-musing. "The money for which this milk will be sold will buy at least
three hundred eggs. The eggs, allowing for all mishaps, will produce two
hundred and fifty chickens. The chickens will become ready for market
when poultry will fetch the highest price; so that by the end of the
year I shall have money enough to buy a new gown. In this dress I will
go to the Christmas junketings, when all the young fellows will propose
to me, but I will toss my head, and refuse them every one." At this
moment she tossed her head in unison with her thoughts, when down fell
the Milk-pot to the ground, and broke into a hundred pieces, and all
her fine schemes perished in a moment.
Count not your chickens before they are hatched.
[Illustration]
The Playful Ass.
An Ass climbed up to the roof of a building, and, frisking about there,
broke in the tiling. The owner went up after him, and quickly drove him
down, beating him severely with a thick wooden cudgel. The Ass said:
"Why, I saw the Monkey do this very thing yesterday, and you all laughed
heartily, as if it afforded you very great amusement."
Those who do not know their right place must be taught it.
The Man and the Satyr.
[Illustration]
A Man and a Satyr once formed a bond of alliance. One very cold wintry
day, as they talked together, the Man put his fingers to his mouth and
blew on them. On the Satyr inquiring the reason, he told him that he did
it to warm his hands. Later on in the day they sat down to eat, the food
prepared being quite scalding. The Man raised one of his dishes towards
his mouth and blew in it. On the Satyr again inquiring the reason, he
said that he did it to cool the meat. "I can no longer consider you as
a friend," said the Satyr; "a fellow who with the same breath blows hot
and cold I could never trust."
A man who talks for both sides is not to be trusted by either.
The Oak and the Reeds.
[Illustration]
A very large Oak was uprooted by the wind, and thrown across a stream.
It fell among some Reeds, which it thus addressed: "I wonder how you,
who are so light and weak, are not entirely crushed by these strong
winds." They replied:
"You fight and contend with the wind, and consequently you are
destroyed; while we, on the contrary, bend before the least breath of
air, and therefore remain unbroken."
Stoop to conquer.
The Huntsman and the Fisherman.
A Huntsman, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by chance
with a Fisherman, bringing home a basket laden with fish. The Huntsman
wished to have the fish, and their owner experienced an equal longing
for the contents of the game-bag. They quickly agreed to exchange the
produce of their day's sport. Each was so well pleased with his bargain,
that they made for some time the same exchange day after day. A neighbor
said to them: "If you go on in this way, you will soon destroy, by
frequent use, the pleasure of your exchange, and each will again wish to
retain the fruits of his own sport."
Pleasures are heightened by abstinence.
The Mother and the Wolf.
[Illustration]
A famished Wolf was prowling about in the morning in search of food. As
he passed the door of a cottage built in the forest, he heard a mother
say to her child: "Be quiet, or I will throw you out of the window, and
the Wolf shall eat you." The Wolf sat all day waiting at the door. In
the evening he heard the same woman fondling her child, and saying: "He
is quiet now, and if the Wolf should come, we will kill him." The Wolf,
hearing these words, went home, gaping with cold and hunger.
Be not in haste to believe what is said in anger or thoughtlessness.
[Illustration]
The Shepherd[B] and the Wolf.
A Shepherd once found a young Wolf, and brought it up, and after a while
taught it to steal lambs from the neighboring flocks. The Wolf, having
shown himself an apt pupil, said to the Shepherd: "Since you have taught
me to steal, you must keep a sharp look-out, or you will lose some of
your own flock."
The vices we teach may be practiced against us.
[Transcriber's note B: Original had "Sheperd".]
The Dove and the Crow.
[Illustration]
A Dove shut up in a cage was boasting of the large number of the young
ones which she had hatched. A Crow, hearing her, said: "My good friend,
cease from this unreasonable boasting. The larger the number of your
family, the greater your cause of sorrow, in seeing them shut up in this
prison-house."
To enjoy our blessings we must have freedom.
The Old Man and the Three Young Men.
[Illustration]
As an old man was planting a tree, three young men came along and began
to make sport of him, saying: "It shows your foolishness to be planting
a tree at your age. The tree cannot bear fruit for many years, while you
must very soon die. What is the use of your wasting your time in
providing pleasure for others to share long after you are dead?" The old
man stopped in his labor and replied: "Others before me provided for my
happiness, and it is my duty to provide for those who shall come after
me. As for life, who is sure of it for a day? You may all die before
me." The old man's words came true; one of the young men went on a
voyage at sea and was drowned, another went to war and was shot, and the
third fell from a tree and broke his neck.
We should not think wholly of ourselves, and we should remember that
life is uncertain.
The Lion and the Fox.
[Illustration]
A Fox entered into partnership with a Lion, on the pretense 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 fell himself a prey to the
huntsman and his hounds.
Keep to your place, if you would succeed.
The Horse and the Stag.
[Illustration]
The Horse had the plain entirely to himself. A Stag intruded into his
domain and shared his pasture. The Horse, desiring to revenge himself
on the stranger, requested a man, if he were willing, to help him in
punishing the Stag. The man replied, that if the Horse would receive a
bit in his mouth, and agree to carry him, he would contrive very
effectual weapons against the Stag. The Horse consented, and allowed the
man to mount him. From that hour he found that, instead of obtaining
revenge on the Stag, he had enslaved himself to the service of man.
He who seeks to injure others often injures only himself.
The Lion and the Dolphin.
A Lion, roaming by the sea-shore, saw a Dolphin lift up its head out of
the waves, and asked him to contract an alliance with him; saying that
of all the animals, they ought to be the best friends, since the one was
the king of beasts on the earth, and the other was the sovereign ruler
of all the inhabitants of the ocean. The Dolphin gladly consented to
this request. Not long afterwards the Lion had a combat with a wild
bull, and called on the Dolphin to help him. The Dolphin, though quite
willing to give him assistance, was unable to do so, as he could not by
any means reach the land. The Lion abused him as a traitor. The Dolphin
replied: "Nay, my friend, blame not me, but Nature, which, while giving
me the sovereignty of the sea, has quite denied me the power of living
upon the land."
Let every one stick to his own element.
The Mice in Council.
[Illustration]
The Mice summoned a council to decide how they might best devise means
for obtaining notice of the approach of their great enemy the Cat. Among
the many plans devised, the one that found most favor was the proposal
to tie a bell to the neck of the Cat, that the Mice, being warned by
the sound of the tinkling, might run away and hide themselves in their
holes at his approach. But when the Mice further debated who among them
should thus "bell the Cat," there was no one found to do it.
Let those who propose be willing to perform.
The Camel and the Arab.
[Illustration]
An Arab Camel-driver having completed the lading of his Camel, asked him
which he would like best, to go up hill or down hill. The poor beast
replied, not without a touch of reason: "Why do you ask me? Is it that
the level way through the desert is closed?"
The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle.
[Illustration]
Two Game Cocks were fiercely fighting for the mastery of the farm-yard.
One at last put the other to flight. The vanquished Cock skulked away
and hid himself in a quiet corner. The conqueror, flying up to a high
wall, flapped his wings and crowed exultingly with all his might. An
Eagle sailing through the air pounced upon him, and carried him off in
his talons. The vanquished Cock immediately came out of his corner, and
ruled henceforth with undisputed mastery.
Pride goes before destruction.
The Boys and the Frogs.
Some boys, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water, and
began to pelt them with stones. They killed several of them, when one of
the Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: "Pray stop, my
boys; what is sport to you is death to us."
What we do in sport often makes great trouble for others.
The Crab and its Mother.
A Crab said to her son: "Why do you walk so one-sided, my child? It is
far more becoming to go straight forward." The young Crab replied:
"Quite true, dear mother; and if you will show me the straight way, I
will promise to walk in it." The mother tried in vain, and submitted
without remonstrance to the reproof of her child.
Example is more powerful than precept.
The Wolf and the Shepherd.
[Illustration]
A Wolf followed a flock of sheep for a long time, and did not attempt to
injure one of them. The Shepherd at first stood on his guard against
him, as against an enemy, and kept a strict watch over his movements.
But when the Wolf, day after day, kept in the company of the sheep, and
did not make the slightest effort to seize them, the Shepherd began to
look upon him as a guardian of his flock rather than as a plotter of
evil against it; and when occasion called him one day into the city, he
left the sheep entirely in his charge. The Wolf, now that he had the
opportunity, fell upon the sheep, and destroyed the greater part of the
flock. The Shepherd, on his return, finding his flock destroyed,
exclaimed: "I have been rightly served; why did I trust my sheep to a
Wolf?"
[Illustration]
An evil mind will show in evil action, sooner or later.
The Man and the Lion.
A Man and a Lion traveled together through the forest. They soon began
to boast of their respective superiority to each other in strength and
prowess. As they were disputing, they passed a statue, carved in stone,
which represented "A Lion strangled by a Man." The traveler pointed to
it and said: "See there! How strong we are, and how we prevail over even
the king of beasts." The Lion replied: "This statue was made by one of
you men. If we Lions knew how to erect statues, you would see the man
placed under the paw of the Lion."
One story is good till another is told.
The Ox and the Frog.
[Illustration]
An Ox, drinking at a pool, trod on a brood of young frogs, and crushed
one of them to death. The mother, coming up and missing one of her sons,
inquired of his brothers what had become of him. "He is dead, dear
mother; for just now a very huge beast with four great feet came to the
pool, and crushed him to death with his cloven heel." The Frog, puffing
herself out, inquired, "If the beast was as big as that in size."
"Cease, mother, to puff yourself out," said her son, "and do not be
angry; for you would, I assure you, sooner burst than successfully
imitate the hugeness of that monster."
Impossible things we cannot hope to attain, and it is of no use to try.
The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat.
The Birds waged war with the Beasts, and each party were by turns the
conquerors. A Bat, fearing the uncertain issues of the fight, always
betook himself to that side which was the strongest. When peace was
proclaimed, his deceitful conduct was apparent to both the combatants;
he was driven forth from the light of day, and henceforth concealed
himself in dark hiding-places, flying always alone and at night.
Those who practice deceit must expect to be shunned.
The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller.
A Charcoal-burner carried on his trade in his own house. One day he met
a friend, a Fuller, and entreated him to come and live with him, saying
that they should be far better neighbors, and that their housekeeping
expenses would be lessened. The Fuller replied: "The arrangement is
impossible as far as I am concerned, for whatever I should whiten, you
would immediately blacken again with your charcoal."
Like will draw like.
The Bull and the Goat.
[Illustration]
A Bull, escaping from a Lion, entered a cave, which some shepherds had
lately occupied. A He-goat was left in it, who sharply attacked him with
his horns. The Bull quietly addressed him--"Butt away as much as you
will. I have no fear of you, but of the Lion. Let that monster once go,
and I will soon let you know what is the respective strength of a Goat
and a Bull."
It shows an evil disposition to take advantage of a friend in distress.
The Lion and the Mouse.
[Illustration]
A Lion was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising
up in anger, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse
piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would
be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go. It
happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters,
who bound him by strong ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his
roar, came up and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and, setting him
free, exclaimed: "You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help
you, not expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; but
now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on
a Lion."
No one is too weak to do good.
The Horse and the Ass.
A Horse, proud of his fine trappings, met an Ass on the highway. The Ass
being heavily laden moved slowly out of the way. "Hardly," said the
Horse, "can I resist kicking you with my heels." The Ass held his peace,
and made only a silent appeal to the justice of the gods. Not long
afterward, the Horse, having become broken-winded, was sent by his owner
to the farm. The Ass, seeing him drawing a dung-cart, thus derided him.
"Where, O boaster, are now all thy gay trappings, thou who art thyself
reduced to the condition you so lately treated with contempt?"
The Old Hound.
[Illustration]
A Hound, who in the days of his youth and strength had never yielded to
any beast of the forest, encountered in his old age a boar in the chase.
He seized him boldly by the ear, but could not retain his hold because
of the decay of his teeth, so that the boar escaped. His master, quickly
coming up, was very much disappointed, and fiercely abused the dog. The
Hound looked up and said: "It was not my fault, master; my spirit was as
good as ever, but I could not help mine infirmities. I rather deserve
to be praised for what I have been, than to be blamed for what I am."
No one should be blamed for his infirmities.
The Crow and the Pitcher.
[Illustration]
A Crow, perishing with thirst, saw a pitcher, and, hoping to find water,
flew to it with great delight. When he reached it, he discovered to his
grief that it contained so little water that he could not possibly get
at it. He tried everything he could think of to reach the water, but
all his efforts were in vain. At last he collected as many stones as he
could carry, and dropped them one by one with his beak into the pitcher,
until he brought the water within his reach, and thus saved his life.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
The Ass Eating Thistles.
An Ass was loaded with good provisions of several sorts, which, in time
of harvest, he was carrying into the field for his master and the
reapers to dine upon. By the way he met with a fine large Thistle, and,
being very hungry, began to mumble it; and while he was doing so he
entered into this reflection: "How many greedy epicures would think
themselves happy, amidst such a variety of delicate viands as I now
carry! But to me this bitter, prickly Thistle is more savory and
relishing than the most exquisite and sumptuous banquet. Let others
choose what they may for food, but give me, above everything, a fine
juicy thistle like this and I will be content."
Every one to his taste: one man's meat is another man's poison, and one
man's poison is another man's meat; what is rejected by one person may
be valued very highly by another.
The Wolf and the Lion.
[Illustration]
A Wolf, having stolen a lamb from a fold, was carrying him off to his
lair. A Lion met him in the path, and, seizing the lamb, took it from
him. The Wolf, standing at a safe distance, exclaimed: "You have
unrighteously taken from me that which was mine." The Lion jeeringly
replied: "It was righteously yours, eh? Was it the gift of a friend, or
did you get it by purchase? If you did not get it in one way or the
other, how then did you come by it?"
One thief is no better than another.
The King's Son and the Painted Lion.
[Illustration]
A King who had one only son, fond of martial exercises, had a dream in
which he was warned that his son would be killed by a lion. Afraid lest
the dream should prove true, he built for his son a pleasant palace, and
adorned its walls for his amusement with all kinds of animals of the
size of life, among which was the picture of a lion. When the young
Prince saw this, his grief at being thus confined burst out afresh, and
standing near the lion, he thus spoke: "O you most detestable of
animals! through a lying dream of my father's, which 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 that
he might beat the lion, when one of its sharp prickles pierced his
finger, and caused great pain and inflammation, so that the young Prince
fell down in a fainting fit. A violent fever suddenly set in, from which
he died not many days after.
We had better bear our troubles bravely than try to escape them.
The Trees and the Axe.
[Illustration]
A Man came into a forest, and made a petition to the Trees to provide
him a handle for his axe. The Trees consented to his request, and gave
him a young ash-tree. No sooner had the man fitted from it a new handle
to his axe, than he began to use it, and quickly felled with his strokes
the noblest giants of the forest. An old oak, lamenting when too late
the destruction of his companions, said to a neighboring cedar: "The
first step has lost us all. If we had not given up the rights of the
ash, we might yet have retained our own privileges and have stood for
ages."
In yielding the rights of others, we may endanger our own.
The Seaside Travelers.
Some travelers, journeying along the sea-shore, climbed to the summit of
a tall cliff, and from thence looking over the sea, saw in the distance
what they thought was a large ship, and waited in the hope of seeing it
enter the harbor. But as the object on which they looked was driven by
the wind nearer to the shore, they found that it could at the most be a
small boat, and not a ship. When, however, it reached the beach, they
discovered that it was only a large fagot of sticks, and one of them
said to his companions: "We have waited for no purpose, for after all
there is nothing to see but a fagot."
Our mere anticipations of life outrun its realities.
The Sea-gull and the Kite.
[Illustration]
A Sea-gull, who was more at home swimming on the sea than walking on the
land, was in the habit of catching live fish for its food. One day,
having bolted down too large a fish, it burst its deep gullet-bag, and
lay down on the shore to die. A Kite, seeing him, and thinking him a
land bird like itself, exclaimed: "You richly deserve your fate; for a
bird of the air has no business to seek its food from the sea."
Every man should be content to mind his own business.
The Monkey and the Camel.
[Illustration]
The beasts of the forest gave a splendid entertainment, at which the
Monkey stood up and danced. Having vastly delighted the assembly, he sat
down amidst universal applause. The Camel, envious of the praises
bestowed on the Monkey, and desirous to divert to himself the favor of
the guests, proposed to stand up in his turn, and dance for their
amusement. He moved about in so very ridiculous a manner, that the
Beasts, in a fit of indignation, set upon him with clubs, and drove him
out of the assembly.
It is absurd to ape our betters.
The Rat and the Elephant.
[Illustration]
A Rat, traveling on the highway, met a huge elephant, bearing his royal
master and his suite, and also his favorite cat and dog, and parrot and
monkey. The great beast and his attendants were followed by an admiring
crowd, taking up all of the road. "What fools you are," said the Rat to
the people, "to make such a hubbub over an elephant. Is it his great
bulk that you so much admire? It can only frighten little boys and
girls, and I can do that as well. I am a beast; as well as he, and have
as many legs and ears and eyes. He has no right to take up all the
highway, which belongs as much to me as to him." At this moment, the cat
spied the rat, and, jumping to the ground, soon convinced him that he
was not an elephant.
Because we are like the great in one respect we must not think we are
like them in all.
The Fisherman Piping.
[Illustration]
A Fisherman skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the
sea-shore. Standing on a projecting rock he played several tunes, in the
hope that the fish, attracted by his melody, would of their own accord
dance into his net, which he had placed below. At last, having long
waited in vain, he laid aside his flute, and casting his net into the
sea, made an excellent haul.
The Wolf and the House-dog.
[Illustration]
A Wolf, meeting with a big, well-fed Mastiff, having a wooden collar
about his neck, inquired of him who it was that fed him so well, and yet
compelled him to drag that heavy log about wherever he went. "The
master," he replied. Then, said the Wolf: "May no friend of mine ever be
in such a plight; for the weight of this chain is enough to spoil the
appetite."
Nothing can compensate us for the loss of our liberty.
The Eagle and the Kite.
[Illustration]
An Eagle, overwhelmed with sorrow, sat upon the branches of a tree, in
company with a Kite. "Why," said the Kite, "do I see you with such a
rueful look?" "I seek," she replied, "for a mate suitable for me, and am
not able to find one." "Take me," returned the Kite; "I am much stronger
than you are." "Why, are you able to secure the means of living by your
plunder?" "Well, I have often caught and carried away an ostrich in my
talons." The Eagle, persuaded by these words, accepted him as her mate.
Shortly after the nuptials, the Eagle said: "Fly off, and bring me back
the ostrich you promised me." The Kite, soaring aloft into the air,
brought back the shabbiest possible mouse. "Is this," said the Eagle,
"the faithful fulfillment of your promise to me?" The Kite replied:
"That I might attain to your royal hand, there is nothing that I would
not have promised, however much I knew that I must fail in the
performance."
Promises of a suitor must be taken with caution.
The Dogs and the Hides.
[Illustration]
Some Dogs, famished with hunger, saw some cow-hides steeping in a river.
Not being able to reach them, they agreed to drink up the river; but it
fell out that they burst themselves with drinking long before they
reached the hides.
Attempt not impossibilities.