said to the Belly, "live in luxury and sloth, and never do a stroke of
work; while we not only have to do all the hard work there is to be
done, but are actually your slaves and have to minister to all your
wants. Now, we will do so no longer, and you can shift for yourself
for the future." They were as good as their word, and left the Belly
to starve. The result was just what might have been expected: the
whole Body soon began to fail, and the Members and all shared in the
general collapse. And then they saw too late how foolish they had
been.
THE BALD MAN AND THE FLY
A Fly settled on the head of a Bald Man and bit him. In his eagerness
to kill it, he hit himself a smart slap. But the Fly escaped, and said
to him in derision, "You tried to kill me for just one little bite;
what will you do to yourself now, for the heavy smack you have just
given yourself?" "Oh, for that blow I bear no grudge," he replied,
"for I never intended myself any harm; but as for you, you
contemptible insect, who live by sucking human blood, I'd have borne a
good deal more than that for the satisfaction of dashing the life out
of you!"
THE ASS AND THE WOLF
An Ass was feeding in a meadow, and, catching sight of his enemy the
Wolf in the distance, pretended to be very lame and hobbled painfully
along. When the Wolf came up, he asked the Ass how he came to be so
lame, and the Ass replied that in going through a hedge he had trodden
on a thorn, and he begged the Wolf to pull it out with his teeth, "In
case," he said, "when you eat me, it should stick in your throat and
hurt you very much." The Wolf said he would, and told the Ass to lift
up his foot, and gave his whole mind to getting out the thorn. But the
Ass suddenly let out with his heels and fetched the Wolf a fearful
kick in the mouth, breaking his teeth; and then he galloped off at
full speed. As soon as he could speak the Wolf growled to himself,
"It serves me right: my father taught me to kill, and I ought to have
stuck to that trade instead of attempting to cure."
THE MONKEY AND THE CAMEL
At a gathering of all the beasts the Monkey gave an exhibition of
dancing and entertained the company vastly. There was great applause
at the finish, which excited the envy of the Camel and made him desire
to win the favour of the assembly by the same means. So he got up from
his place and began dancing, but he cut such a ridiculous figure as he
plunged about, and made such a grotesque exhibition of his ungainly
person, that the beasts all fell upon him with ridicule and drove him
away.
THE SICK MAN AND THE DOCTOR
A Sick Man received a visit from his Doctor, who asked him how he was.
"Fairly well, Doctor," said he, "but I find I sweat a great deal."
"Ah," said the Doctor, "that's a good sign." On his next visit he
asked the same question, and his patient replied, "I'm much as usual,
but I've taken to having shivering fits, which leave me cold all
over." "Ah," said the Doctor, "that's a good sign too." When he came
the third time and inquired as before about his patient's health, the
Sick Man said that he felt very feverish. "A very good sign," said the
Doctor; "you are doing very nicely indeed." Afterwards a friend came
to see the invalid, and on asking him how he did, received this reply:
"My dear friend, I'm dying of good signs."
THE TRAVELLERS AND THE PLANE-TREE
Two Travellers were walking along a bare and dusty road in the heat of
a summer's day. Coming presently to a Plane-tree, they joyfully turned
aside to shelter from the burning rays of the sun in the deep shade of
its spreading branches. As they rested, looking up into the tree, one
of them remarked to his companion, "What a useless tree the Plane is!
It bears no fruit and is of no service to man at all." The Plane-tree
interrupted him with indignation. "You ungrateful creature!" it cried:
"you come and take shelter under me from the scorching sun, and then,
in the very act of enjoying the cool shade of my foliage, you abuse me
and call me good for nothing!"
Many a service is met with ingratitude.
THE FLEA AND THE OX
A Flea once said to an Ox, "How comes it that a big strong fellow like
you is content to serve mankind, and do all their hard work for them,
while I, who am no bigger than you see, live on their bodies and drink
my fill of their blood, and never do a stroke for it all?" To which
the Ox replied, "Men are very kind to me, and so I am grateful to
them: they feed and house me well, and every now and then they show
their fondness for me by patting me on the head and neck." "They'd pat
me, too," said the Flea, "if I let them: but I take good care they
don't, or there would be nothing left of me."
THE BIRDS, THE BEASTS, AND THE BAT
The Birds were at war with the Beasts, and many battles were fought
with varying success on either side. The Bat did not throw in his lot
definitely with either party, but when things went well for the Birds
he was found fighting in their ranks; when, on the other hand, the
Beasts got the upper hand, he was to be found among the Beasts. No one
paid any attention to him while the war lasted: but when it was over,
and peace was restored, neither the Birds nor the Beasts would have
anything to do with so double-faced a traitor, and so he remains to
this day a solitary outcast from both.
THE MAN AND HIS TWO SWEETHEARTS
A Man of middle age, whose hair was turning grey, had two Sweethearts,
an old woman and a young one. The elder of the two didn't like having
a lover who looked so much younger than herself; so, whenever he came
to see her, she used to pull the dark hairs out of his head to make
him look old. The younger, on the other hand, didn't like him to look
so much older than herself, and took every opportunity of pulling out
the grey hairs, to make him look young. Between them, they left not a
hair in his head, and he became perfectly bald.
THE EAGLE, THE JACKDAW, AND THE SHEPHERD
One day a Jackdaw saw an Eagle swoop down on a lamb and carry it off
in its talons. "My word," said the Jackdaw, "I'll do that myself." So
it flew high up into the air, and then came shooting down with a
great whirring of wings on to the back of a big ram. It had no sooner
alighted than its claws got caught fast in the wool, and nothing it
could do was of any use: there it stuck, flapping away, and only
making things worse instead of better. By and by up came the Shepherd.
"Oho," he said, "so that's what you'd be doing, is it?" And he
took the Jackdaw, and clipped its wings and carried it home to his
children. It looked so odd that they didn't know what to make of it.
"What sort of bird is it, father?" they asked. "It's a Jackdaw," he
replied, "and nothing but a Jackdaw: but it wants to be taken for an
Eagle."
If you attempt what is beyond your power, your trouble will be
wasted and you court not only misfortune but ridicule.
THE WOLF AND THE BOY
A Wolf, who had just enjoyed a good meal and was in a playful mood,
caught sight of a Boy lying flat upon the ground, and, realising that
he was trying to hide, and that it was fear of himself that made him
do this, he went up to him and said, "Aha, I've found you, you see;
but if you can say three things to me, the truth of which cannot be
disputed, I will spare your life." The Boy plucked up courage and
thought for a moment, and then he said, "First, it is a pity you saw
me; secondly, I was a fool to let myself be seen; and thirdly, we all
hate wolves because they are always making unprovoked attacks upon our
flocks." The Wolf replied, "Well, what you say is true enough from
your point of view; so you may go."
THE MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR ASS
A Miller, accompanied by his young Son, was driving his Ass to market
in hopes of finding a purchaser for him. On the road they met a troop
of girls, laughing and talking, who exclaimed, "Did you ever see such
a pair of fools? To be trudging along the dusty road when they might
be riding!" The Miller thought there was sense in what they said;
so he made his Son mount the Ass, and himself walked at the side.
Presently they met some of his old cronies, who greeted them and said,
"You'll spoil that Son of yours, letting him ride while you toil along
on foot! Make him walk, young lazybones! It'll do him all the good in
the world." The Miller followed their advice, and took his Son's place
on the back of the Ass while the boy trudged along behind. They had
not gone far when they overtook a party of women and children, and the
Miller heard them say, "What a selfish old man! He himself rides in
comfort, but lets his poor little boy follow as best he can on his own
legs!" So he made his Son get up behind him. Further along the road
they met some travellers, who asked the Miller whether the Ass he was
riding was his own property, or a beast hired for the occasion. He
replied that it was his own, and that he was taking it to market to
sell. "Good heavens!" said they, "with a load like that the poor beast
will be so exhausted by the time he gets there that no one will look
at him. Why, you'd do better to carry him!" "Anything to please you,"
said the old man, "we can but try." So they got off, tied the Ass's
legs together with a rope and slung him on a pole, and at last reached
the town, carrying him between them. This was so absurd a sight that
the people ran out in crowds to laugh at it, and chaffed the Father
and Son unmercifully, some even calling them lunatics. They had then
got to a bridge over the river, where the Ass, frightened by the noise
and his unusual situation, kicked and struggled till he broke the
ropes that bound him, and fell into the water and was drowned.
Whereupon the unfortunate Miller, vexed and ashamed, made the best
of his way home again, convinced that in trying to please all he had
pleased none, and had lost his Ass into the bargain.
THE STAG AND THE VINE
A Stag, pursued by the huntsmen, concealed himself under cover of a
thick Vine. They lost track of him and passed by his hiding-place
without being aware that he was anywhere near. Supposing all danger to
be over, he presently began to browse on the leaves of the Vine. The
movement drew the attention of the returning huntsmen, and one of
them, supposing some animal to be hidden there, shot an arrow at a
venture into the foliage. The unlucky Stag was pierced to the heart,
and, as he expired, he said, "I deserve my fate for my treachery in
feeding upon the leaves of my protector."
Ingratitude sometimes brings its own punishment.
THE LAMB CHASED BY A WOLF
A Wolf was chasing a Lamb, which took refuge in a temple. The Wolf
urged it to come out of the precincts, and said, "If you don't, the
priest is sure to catch you and offer you up in sacrifice on the
altar." To which the Lamb replied, "Thanks, I think I'll stay where I
am: I'd rather be sacrificed any day than be eaten up by a Wolf."
THE ARCHER AND THE LION
An Archer went up into the hills to get some sport with his bow, and
all the animals fled at the sight of him with the exception of the
Lion, who stayed behind and challenged him to fight. But he shot an
arrow at the Lion and hit him, and said, "There, you see what my
messenger can do: just you wait a moment and I'll tackle you myself."
The Lion, however, when he felt the sting of the arrow, ran away as
fast as his legs could carry him. A fox, who had seen it all happen,
said to the Lion, "Come, don't be a coward: why don't you stay and
show fight?" But the Lion replied, "You won't get me to stay, not you:
why, when he sends a messenger like that before him, he must himself
be a terrible fellow to deal with."
Give a wide berth to those who can do damage at a distance.
THE WOLF AND THE GOAT
A Wolf caught sight of a Goat browsing above him on the scanty herbage
that grew on the top of a steep rock; and being unable to get at her,
tried to induce her to come lower down. "You are risking your life up
there, madam, indeed you are," he called out: "pray take my advice and
come down here, where you will find plenty of better food." The Goat
turned a knowing eye upon him. "It's little you care whether I get
good grass or bad," said she: "what you want is to eat me."
THE SICK STAG
A Stag fell sick and lay in a clearing in the forest, too weak to move
from the spot. When the news of his illness spread, a number of the
other beasts came to inquire after his health, and they one and all
nibbled a little of the grass that grew round the invalid till at last
there was not a blade within his reach. In a few days he began to
mend, but was still too feeble to get up and go in search of fodder;
and thus he perished miserably of hunger owing to the thoughtlessness
of his friends.
THE ASS AND THE MULE
A certain man who had an Ass and a Mule loaded them both up one day
and set out upon a journey. So long as the road was fairly level, the
Ass got on very well: but by and by they came to a place among the
hills where the road was very rough and steep, and the Ass was at his
last gasp. So he begged the Mule to relieve him of a part of his load:
but the Mule refused. At last, from sheer weariness, the Ass stumbled
and fell down a steep place and was killed. The driver was in despair,
but he did the best he could: he added the Ass's load to the Mule's,
and he also flayed the Ass and put his skin on the top of the double
load. The Mule could only just manage the extra weight, and, as he
staggered painfully along, he said to himself, "I have only got what I
deserved: if I had been willing to help the Ass at first, I should not
now be carrying his load and his skin into the bargain."
BROTHER AND SISTER
A certain man had two children, a boy and a girl: and the boy was as
good-looking as the girl was plain. One day, as they were playing
together in their mother's chamber, they chanced upon a mirror and saw
their own features for the first time. The boy saw what a handsome
fellow he was, and began to boast to his Sister about his good looks:
she, on her part, was ready to cry with vexation when she was aware of
her plainness, and took his remarks as an insult to herself. Running
to her father, she told him of her Brother's conceit, and accused him
of meddling with his mother's things. He laughed and kissed them both,
and said, "My children, learn from now onwards to make a good use of
the glass. You, my boy, strive to be as good as it shows you to be
handsome; and you, my girl, resolve to make up for the plainness of
your features by the sweetness of your disposition."
THE HEIFER AND THE OX
A Heifer went up to an Ox, who was straining hard at the plough,
and sympathised with him in a rather patronising sort of way on the
necessity of his having to work so hard. Not long afterwards there was
a festival in the village and every one kept holiday: but, whereas the
Ox was turned loose into the pasture, the Heifer was seized and led
off to sacrifice. "Ah," said the Ox, with a grim smile, "I see now why
you were allowed to have such an idle time: it was because you were
always intended for the altar."
THE KINGDOM OF THE LION
When the Lion reigned over the beasts of the earth he was never cruel
or tyrannical, but as gentle and just as a King ought to be. During
his reign he called a general assembly of the beasts, and drew up a
code of laws under which all were to live in perfect equality and
harmony: the wolf and the lamb, the tiger and the stag, the leopard
and the kid, the dog and the hare, all should dwell side by side in
unbroken peace and friendship. The hare said, "Oh! how I have longed
for this day when the weak take their place without fear by the side
of the strong!"
THE ASS AND HIS DRIVER
An Ass was being driven down a mountain road, and after jogging along
for a while sensibly enough he suddenly quitted the track and rushed
to the edge of a precipice. He was just about to leap over the edge
when his Driver caught hold of his tail and did his best to pull him
back: but pull as he might he couldn't get the Ass to budge from the
brink. At last he gave up, crying, "All right, then, get to the bottom
your own way; but it's the way to sudden death, as you'll find out
quick enough."
THE LION AND THE HARE
A Lion found a Hare sleeping in her form, and was just going to devour
her when he caught sight of a passing stag. Dropping the Hare, he at
once made for the bigger game; but finding, after a long chase, that
he could not overtake the stag, he abandoned the attempt and came back
for the Hare. When he reached the spot, however, he found she was
nowhere to be seen, and he had to go without his dinner. "It serves
me right," he said; "I should have been content with what I had got,
instead of hankering after a better prize."
THE WOLVES AND THE DOGS
Once upon a time the Wolves said to the Dogs, "Why should we continue
to be enemies any longer? You are very like us in most ways: the main
difference between us is one of training only. We live a life of
freedom; but you are enslaved to mankind, who beat you, and put heavy
collars round your necks, and compel you to keep watch over their
flocks and herds for them, and, to crown all, they give you nothing
but bones to eat. Don't put up with it any longer, but hand over the
flocks to us, and we will all live on the fat of the land and feast
together." The Dogs allowed themselves to be persuaded by these words,
and accompanied the Wolves into their den. But no sooner were they
well inside than the Wolves set upon them and tore them to pieces.
Traitors richly deserve their fate.
THE BULL AND THE CALF
A full-grown Bull was struggling to force his huge bulk through the
narrow entrance to a cow-house where his stall was, when a young Calf
came up and said to him, "If you'll step aside a moment, I'll show you
the way to get through." The Bull turned upon him an amused look. "I
knew that way," said he, "before you were born."
THE TREES AND THE AXE
A Woodman went into the forest and begged of the Trees the favour of a
handle for his Axe. The principal Trees at once agreed to so modest a
request, and unhesitatingly gave him a young ash sapling, out of which
he fashioned the handle he desired. No sooner had he done so than he
set to work to fell the noblest Trees in the wood. When they saw the
use to which he was putting their gift, they cried, "Alas! alas! We
are undone, but we are ourselves to blame. The little we gave has
cost us all: had we not sacrificed the rights of the ash, we might
ourselves have stood for ages."
THE ASTRONOMER
There was once an Astronomer whose habit it was to go out at night and
observe the stars. One night, as he was walking about outside the town
gates, gazing up absorbed into the sky and not looking where he was
going, he fell into a dry well. As he lay there groaning, some one
passing by heard him, and, coming to the edge of the well, looked down
and, on learning what had happened, said, "If you really mean to say
that you were looking so hard at the sky that you didn't even see
where your feet were carrying you along the ground, it appears to me
that you deserve all you've got."
THE LABOURER AND THE SNAKE
A Labourer's little son was bitten by a Snake and died of the wound.
The father was beside himself with grief, and in his anger against
the Snake he caught up an axe and went and stood close to the Snake's
hole, and watched for a chance of killing it. Presently the Snake came
out, and the man aimed a blow at it, but only succeeded in cutting off
the tip of its tail before it wriggled in again. He then tried to get
it to come out a second time, pretending that he wished to make up the
quarrel. But the Snake said, "I can never be your friend because of my
lost tail, nor you mine because of your lost child."
Injuries are never forgotten in the presence of those who caused
them.
THE CAGE-BIRD AND THE BAT
A Singing-bird was confined in a cage which hung outside a window, and
had a way of singing at night when all other birds were asleep. One
night a Bat came and clung to the bars of the cage, and asked the Bird
why she was silent by day and sang only at night. "I have a very good
reason for doing so," said the Bird: "it was once when I was singing
in the daytime that a fowler was attracted by my voice, and set his
nets for me and caught me. Since then I have never sung except by
night." But the Bat replied, "It is no use your doing that now when
you are a prisoner: if only you had done so before you were caught,
you might still have been free."
Precautions are useless after the event.
THE ASS AND HIS PURCHASER
A Man who wanted to buy an Ass went to market, and, coming across
a likely-looking beast, arranged with the owner that he should be
allowed to take him home on trial to see what he was like. When he
reached home, he put him into his stable along with the other asses.
The newcomer took a look round, and immediately went and chose a place
next to the laziest and greediest beast in the stable. When the master
saw this he put a halter on him at once, and led him off and handed
him over to his owner again. The latter was a good deal surprised to
see him back so soon, and said, "Why, do you mean to say you have
tested him already?" "I don't want to put him through any more tests,"
replied the other: "I could see what sort of beast he is from the
companion he chose for himself."
A man is known by the company he keeps.
THE KID AND THE WOLF
A Kid strayed from the flock and was chased by a Wolf. When he saw he
must be caught he turned round and said to the Wolf, "I know, sir,
that I can't escape being eaten by you: and so, as my life is bound to
be short, I pray you let it be as merry as may be. Will you not play
me a tune to dance to before I die?" The Wolf saw no objection to
having some music before his dinner: so he took out his pipe and began
to play, while the Kid danced before him. Before many minutes were
passed the gods who guarded the flock heard the sound and came up to
see what was going on. They no sooner clapped eyes on the Wolf than
they gave chase and drove him away. As he ran off, he turned and
said to the Kid, "It's what I thoroughly deserve: my trade is the
butcher's, and I had no business to turn piper to please you."
THE DEBTOR AND HIS SOW
A Man of Athens fell into debt and was pressed for the money by his
creditor; but he had no means of paying at the time, so he begged for
delay. But the creditor refused and said he must pay at once. Then the
Debtor fetched a Sow--the only one he had--and took her to market
to offer her for sale. It happened that his creditor was there too.
Presently a buyer came along and asked if the Sow produced good
litters. "Yes," said the Debtor, "very fine ones; and the remarkable
thing is that she produces females at the Mysteries and males at the
Panathenea." (Festivals these were: and the Athenians always sacrifice
a sow at one, and a boar at the other; while at the Dionysia they
sacrifice a kid.) At that the creditor, who was standing by, put in,
"Don't be surprised, sir; why, still better, at the Dionysia this Sow
has kids!"
THE BALD HUNTSMAN
A Man who had lost all his hair took to wearing a wig, and one day
he went out hunting. It was blowing rather hard at the time, and he
hadn't gone far before a gust of wind caught his hat and carried it
off, and his wig too, much to the amusement of the hunt. But he quite
entered into the joke, and said, "Ah, well! the hair that wig is made
of didn't stick to the head on which it grew; so it's no wonder it
won't stick to mine."
THE HERDSMAN AND THE LOST BULL
A Herdsman was tending his cattle when he missed a young Bull, one of
the finest of the herd. He went at once to look for him, but, meeting
with no success in his search, he made a vow that, if he should
discover the thief, he would sacrifice a calf to Jupiter. Continuing
his search, he entered a thicket, where he presently espied a lion
devouring the lost Bull. Terrified with fear, he raised his hands to
heaven and cried, "Great Jupiter, I vowed I would sacrifice a calf
to thee if I should discover the thief: but now a full-grown Bull
I promise thee if only I myself escape unhurt from his clutches."
THE MULE
One morning a Mule, who had too much to eat and too little to do,
began to think himself a very fine fellow indeed, and frisked about
saying, "My father was undoubtedly a high-spirited horse and I take
after him entirely." But very soon afterwards he was put into the
harness and compelled to go a very long way with a heavy load behind
him. At the end of the day, exhausted by his unusual exertions, he
said dejectedly to himself, "I must have been mistaken about my
father; he can only have been an ass after all."
THE HOUND AND THE FOX
A Hound, roaming in the forest, spied a lion, and being well used
to lesser game, gave chase, thinking he would make a fine quarry.
Presently the lion perceived that he was being pursued; so, stopping
short, he rounded on his pursuer and gave a loud roar. The Hound
immediately turned tail and fled. A Fox, seeing him running away,
jeered at him and said, "Ho! ho! There goes the coward who chased a
lion and ran away the moment he roared!"
THE FATHER AND HIS DAUGHTERS