1. A Bat
falling upon the ground was caught by a Weasel, of whom he earnestly besought
his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy
of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse,
and thus saved his life. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell on
the ground, and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated
not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special hostility to
mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat; and
thus as second time escaped.
It is wise to turn circumstances to
good account
2.
The Swallow and the Crow had a contention about
their plumage. The Crow put an end to the dispute by saying: "Your
feathers are all very well in the spring, but mine protect me against the
winter."
Fine weather friends are not worth
much
3. A Dog,
crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of flesh in his mouth, saw
his own shadow in the water, and took it for that of another Dog, with
a piece of meat double his own in size. He therefore let go his own,
an fiercely attacked the other Dog, to get his larger piece from him.
He thus lost both: that which he grasped at in the water, because it was
a shadow; and his own, because the stream swept it away.
4.
A jar of Honey having been upset in a housekeeper's
room, a number of flies were attracted by its sweetness, and placing their
feet in it, ate it greedily. Their feet, however, became so smeared
with the honey that they could not use their wings, nor release themselves,
and were suffocated. Just as they were expiring, they exclaimed,
"O foolish creatures that we are, for the sake of a little pleasure we
have destroyed ourselves."
Pleasure bought with pains, hurts.
5. A controversy
prevailed among the beasts of the field, so to which of the animals deserved
the most credit for producing the greatest number of whelps at a birth.
They rushed glamorously into the presence of the Lioness, and demanded
of her the settlement of the dispute, "And you," they said, "how many sons
have you at a birth?" The Lioness laughed at them, and said: "Why!
I have only one; but that one is altogether a thorough-bred Lion."
The value is in the worth, not in
the number.
6.
A Farmer found in the winter time a Snake stiff and
frozen with cold. He had compassion on it, and taking it up placed
it in his bosom. The Snake on being thawed by the warmth quickly
revived, when, resuming its natural instincts, he bit his benefactor, inflicting
on him a mortal wound. The Farmer said with his latest breath, "I
am rightly served for pitying a scoundrel!"
The greatest benefits will not bind
the ungrateful.
7. A Tortoise,
lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of her hard fate,
that no one would teach her to fly. An Eagle hovering near, heard
her lamentation, and demanded what reward she would give him, if he would
take her aloft, and float her in the air. "I will give you," she
said, "all the riches of the Red Sea." " I will teach you to fly
then," said the Eagle; and taking her up in his talons, he carried her
almost to the clouds, - when suddenly letting her go, she fell on a lofty
mountain, and dashed her shell to pieces. The Tortoise exclaimed
in the moment of death: "I have deserved my present fate; for what had
I to do with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on the
earth?"
If men had all they wished, they would
be often ruined.
8.
A Pigeon, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw
a globlet of water painted on a sign-board. Not supposing it to be
only a picture, she flew towards it with a loud whir, and unwittingly dashed
against the sign-board and jarred herself terribly. Having broken
her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground, and was caught by one of
the bystanders.
Zeal should not outrun discretion.
9. A heavy wagon
was being dragged along a country lane by a team of oxen. The axle-trees
groaned and creaked terribly; when the oxen turning round, thus addressed
the wheels. "Hullo there? Why do you make so much noise? We
bear all the labour, an we, not you, ought to cry out."
Those who suffer most cry out the
least.
10. A lion
being unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself with food
by force, resolved to do so by artifice. He betook himself to his
den, and lying down there, pretended to be sick, taking care that his sickness
should be publicly known. The beasts expressed their sorrow, and
came one by one to his den to visit him, when the Lion devoured them.
After many of the beasts had thus disappeared, the Fox discovered the trick,
and presenting himself to the Lion, stood on the outside of the cave, at
a respectful distance, and asked of him how he did; to whom he replied,
"I am very middling, but whey do you stand without? Pray enter within
to talk with me." The Fox replied, "No, thank you, I notice that
there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but I see no trace of
any returning.
He is wise who is warned by the misfortunes
of others.
11. A Goatherd
had sought to bring back a stray goat to his flock. He whistled and
sounded his horn in vain; the straggler paid no attention to the summons.
At last the Goatherd threw a stone, and breaking its horn besought the
Goat not to tell his master. The Goat replied, "why, you silly fellow,
the horn will speak though I be silent."
Do not attempt to hide things which
cannot be hidden.
12.
A Groom used to spend whole days in currycombing
and rubbing down his Horse, but at the same time stole his oats, and sold
them for his own profit. "Alas!" said the Horse, "if you really wish
me to be in good condition, you should groom me less, and feed me more."
Honest is the best policy.
13.
The Oxen once on a time sought to destroy the Butchers,
who practised a trade destructive to their race. They assembled on
a certain day to carry out their purpose, and sharpened their horns for
the contest. One of them, an exceedingly old one (for many a field
had he ploughed), thus spoke: "These Butchers, it is true, slaughter us,
but they do so with skilful hands, and with no unnecessary pain.
If we get rid of them, we shall fall into the hands of unskilful operators,
and thus suffer a double death: for you many be assured, that though all
the Butchers should perish, yet will men never want beef."
Do not be in a hurry to change one
evil for another.
14.
A middle-aged men, whose hair had begun
to turn grey, courted two women at the same time. One of them was
young; and the other well advanced in years. The elder woman, ashamed
to be courted by a man younger than herself, made a point, whenever her
admirer visited her, to pull out some portion of his black hairs.
The younger, on the contrary, not wishing to become the wife of an old
man, was equally zealous in removing every grey hair she could find.
Thus it came to pass, that between them both he very soon found that he
had not a hair left on his head.
Those who seek to please everybody
please nobody.
15.
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 every 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 as soft as silk to your hand, and not in the least
hurt you."
Whatever you do, do with all your
might.
16.
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.
17.
A Monkey once danced in an assembly of the Beasts,
and so pleased them all by is performance that they elected him their King.
A Fox envying him the honour, discovered a piece of meat lying in a trap,
and leading the Monkey to the place where it was, said "that she had found
a store, but had not used it, but had kept it for him as a treasure trove
of his kingdom, and counselled him to lay hold of it. "The Monkey
approached carelessly, and was caught in the trap; and on his accusing
the Fox of purposely leading him into the snare, she replied, "O Monkey,
and are you, with such a mind as yours, going to the King over the Beasts?"
18.
A River carried down in its stream two Pots, one
made of earthenware and the other of brass. 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.
19.
An Old Woman founded an empty jar which had
lately been full of prime old wine, and which still retained the fragrant
smell of its former contents. She greedily placed it several times
to her nose, and drawing it backwards and forwards said, "O most delicious!
How nice must the wine itself have been, when it leaves behind in the very
vessel which contained it so sweet a perfume!"
The memory of a good deed lives.
20.
A certain poor Widow had one solitary Sheep.
At shearing time, wishing to take his fleece, and to avoid expense, she
sheared him herself, but used the shears so unskilfully, that with the
fleece she sheared the flesh. The sheep, writhing with pain, said,
"Why do you hurt me so, Mistress? What weight can my blood add to
the wool? If you want my flesh, there is the butcher, who will kill
me in a trice; but if you want my fleece and wool, there is the shearer,
who will shear and not hurt me."
The least outlay is not always the
greatest gain.
21.
A Man had two dogs; a Hound, trained to assist
him in his sports, and a House-dog, taught to watch the house. When
he returned home after a good day's sport, he always gave the House-dog
a large share of his spoil. the Hound feeling much aggrieved at this,
reproached his companion, saying, "It is very hard to have all this labour,
while you, who do not assist in the chase, luxuriate on the fruits of my
exertions." The House-dog replied, "Do not blame me, my friend, but
find fault with the master, who has not taught me to labour, but to depend
for subsistence on the labour of others."
Children are not to be blamed for
the faults of their parents.
22.
A wild Boar stood under a tree, and rubbed his
tusks against the trunk. A Fox passing by, asked him why he thus
sharpened his teeth when there was no danger threatening from either huntsman
or hound. He replied, "I do it advisedly; for it would never do to
have to sharpen my weapons just at the time I ought to be using them."
To be well prepared for war is the
best guarantee of peace.
23.
A certain man, detained by a storm in his country
house, first of all killed his sheep, and then his goats, for the maintenance
of his household. The storm still continuing, he was obliged to slaughter
his yoke oxen for food. On seeing this, his Dogs took counsel together,
and said, "It is time for us to be off; for if the master spare not the
oxen, who work for his gain, how can we expect him to spare us?"
He is not to be trusted as a friend
who illtreats his own family.
24.
Some travellers, journeying along the seashore,
climbed to the summit of a tall cliff, and form 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 harbour. 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 men anticipation's of life outrun
its realities.
25.
An Ant went to the bank of a river to quench its
thirst, and being carried away by the rush of the stream, was o the point
of being drowned. A Dove, sitting on a tree overhanging the water,
plucked a leaf, and let it fall into the stream close ot her. The
Ant, climbing on to it, floated in safety to the bank. shortly afterwards
a birdcatcher came and stood under the tree and laid his lime-twigs for
the Dove, which sat in the branches. The Ant, perceiving his design,
stung him in the foot. He suddenly threw down the twigs, and thereupon
made the Dove take wing.
The grateful heart will always find
opportunities to show its gratitude.
26.
A Hunter, not very bold, was searching for the
tracks of a Lion. He asked a man felling oaks in the forest if he
had seen any marks of his footsteps, or if he knew where his lair was.
"I will," he said, "at once show you the Lion himself." The Hunter,
turning very pale, and chattering with his teeth from fear, replied, "No,
thank you. I didn't ask that; it is his track only I am in search
of, not the Lion himself?"
The hero is brave in deeds as well
as words.
27.
Two Frogs dwelt in the same pool. The pool
being dried up under the summer's heat, they left it, and set out together
for another home. As they went along they chanced to pass a deep
well, amply supplied with water, on seeing which one of the Frogs said
to the other, "Let us descend and make our abode in this well; it will
furnish us with shelter and food." The other replied with greater
caution. "But suppose the water should fail us, how can we get out
again from so great a depth?"
Do nothing without a regard in the
consequences.
28.
A Traveller, wearied with a long journey,
lay down overcome with fatigue on the very brink of a deep well.
Being within an inch of falling into the water, Dame Fortune, it is said,
appeared to him, and waking him from his slumber, thus addressed him: "Good
Sir, pray wake up; for had you fallen into the well, the blame will be
thrown on me, and I shall get an ill name among mortals; for I find that
men are sure to impute their calamities to me, however much by their own
folly they have really brought them on themselves."
Every one is more or less master of
his own fate.
29.
A Hound having started a Hare from his form, after
a long rn, gave up the chase. A Goat-herd seeing him stop, mocked
him, saying, "The little one is the best runner of the two." The
Hound replied, "You do not see the difference between us: I was only running
for a dinner, but he, for his life."
30.
The Wood-cutters cut down a Mountain Oak
split it in pieces, making wedges of its own branches for dividing the
trunk, and for saving their labour. The Oak said with a sigh, "I
do not care about the blows of the axe aimed at my roots, but I do grieve
at being torn in pieces by these wedges made from my own branches."
Misfortunes springing from ourselves
are the hardest to bear.
31.
The Kites of old time had equally with the Swans,
the privilege of song. But having heard the neigh of the horse, they
were so enchanted with the sound, that they tried to intimate it; and ,
in trying to neigh, they forgot how to sing.
The desire for imaginary benefits
often involves the loss of present blessings.
32.
The Hares waged war with the Eagles, and called
upon the Foxes to help them. They replied, "we would willingly have
helped you, if we had not know who ye were, and with whom ye were fighting."
Count the cost before you commit yourselves.
33.
The 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.
34.
A Boy bathing in a river was in danger of
being drowned. He called out to a traveller, passing by for help.
The traveller, instead of holding out a helping hand, stood by unconcernedly,
and scolded the boy for his imprudence. "Oh, sir!" cried the youth,
"pray help me now, and scold me afterwards."
35.
Some Dogs, finding the skin of a lion, began
to tear it in pieces with their teeth. A Fox, seeing them, said,
"If this lion wee alive, you would soon find out that his claws were stronger
than your teeth."
It is easy to kick a man that is down.
36.
A Wolf coming out of a field of oats met with a
Horse, and thus addressed him: "I would advise you to go into that field.
It is full of capital oats, which I have left untouched for you, as you
are a friend the very sound of whose teeth it will be a pleasure to me
to hear." The Horse replied, "If oats had been the food of wolves,
you would never have indulged your ears at the cost of your belly."
Men of evil reputation, when they
perform a good deed, fail to get credit for it.
37.
Every man, according to an ancient legend, is born
into the world with two bags suspended from his neck - a small bag in front
full of his neighbours'' faults, and a large bag behind filled with his
own faults. Hence it is that men are quick to see the faults of others,
and yet are often blind to their own failings.
38.
A Gnat settled on the horn of a Bull, and sat there
a long time. Just as he was about to fly off, he made a buzzing noise,
and inquired of the Bull if he would like him to go. The Bull replied,
"I did not know you had come, and I shall not miss you when you go away."
Some men are of more consequence in
their own eyes than in the eyes of their neighbours.
39.
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
40.
An Eagle stayed his flight, and entreated a Lion
to make an alliance with him to their mutual advantage. The Lion
replied, "I have no objection, but you must excuse me for requiring you
to find surety for your good faith; for how can I trust any one as a friend,
who is able to fly away from the bargain whenever he pleases?"
Try before you trust.
41.
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 any egg."
They who act without sufficient thought
will often fall into unsuspected danger.
|
