Reading Help Aesop's Fables
Jupiter, the Jackdaw also made his appearance in his many `
` feathered finery. But when Jupiter proposed to make him king `
` because of the beauty of his plumage, the birds indignantly `
` protested, and each plucked from him his own feathers, leaving `
` the Jackdaw nothing but a Jackdaw. `
` `
` `
` The Goatherd and the Wild Goats `
` `
` A GOATHERD, driving his flock from their pasture at eventide, `
` found some Wild Goats mingled among them, and shut them up `
` together with his own for the night. The next day it snowed very `
` hard, so that he could not take the herd to their usual feeding `
` places, but was obliged to keep them in the fold. He gave his `
` own goats just sufficient food to keep them alive, but fed the `
` strangers more abundantly in the hope of enticing them to stay `
` with him and of making them his own. When the thaw set in, he `
` led them all out to feed, and the Wild Goats scampered away as `
` fast as they could to the mountains. The Goatherd scolded them `
` for their ingratitude in leaving him, when during the storm he `
` had taken more care of them than of his own herd. One of them, `
` turning about, said to him: "That is the very reason why we are `
` so cautious; for if you yesterday treated us better than the `
` Goats you have had so long, it is plain also that if others came `
` after us, you would in the same manner prefer them to ourselves." `
` `
` `
` Old friends cannot with impunity be sacrificed for new ones. `
` `
` `
` The Mischievous Dog `
` `
` A DOG used to run up quietly to the heels of everyone he met, and `
` to bite them without notice. His master suspended a bell about `
` his neck so that the Dog might give notice of his presence `
` wherever he went. Thinking it a mark of distinction, the Dog `
` grew proud of his bell and went tinkling it all over the `
` marketplace. One day an old hound said to him: Why do you make `
` such an exhibition of yourself? That bell that you carry is not, `
` believe me, any order of merit, but on the contrary a mark of `
` disgrace, a public notice to all men to avoid you as an ill `
` mannered dog." `
` `
` Notoriety is often mistaken for fame. `
` `
` `
` The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail `
` `
` A FOX caught in a trap escaped, but in so doing lost his tail. `
` Thereafter, feeling his life a burden from the shame and ridicule `
` to which he was exposed, he schemed to convince all the other `
` Foxes that being tailless was much more attractive, thus making `
` up for his own deprivation. He assembled a good many Foxes and `
` publicly advised them to cut off their tails, saying that they `
` would not only look much better without them, but that they would `
` get rid of the weight of the brush, which was a very great `
` inconvenience. One of them interrupting him said, "If you had `
` not yourself lost your tail, my friend, you would not thus `
` counsel us." `
` `
` `
` The Boy and the Nettles `
` `
` A BOY was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his Mother, `
` saying, "Although it hurts me very much, I only touched it `
` gently." "That was just why it stung you," said his Mother. "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 Man and His Two Sweethearts `
` `
` A MIDDLE-AGED MAN, whose hair had begun to turn gray, 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 gray 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. `
` `
` `
` The Astronomer `
` `
` AN ASTRONOMER used to go out at night to observe the stars. One `
` evening, as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole `
` attention fixed on the sky, he fell accidentally into a deep `
` well. While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and `
` cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning `
` what had happened said: "Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to `
` pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on `
` earth?' `
` `
` `
` The Wolves and the Sheep `
` `
` "WHY SHOULD there always be this fear and slaughter between us?" `
` said the Wolves to the Sheep. "Those evil-disposed Dogs have `
` much to answer for. They always bark whenever we approach you `
` and attack us before we have done any harm. If you would only `
` dismiss them from your heels, there might soon be treaties of `
` peace and reconciliation between us." The Sheep, poor silly `
` creatures, were easily beguiled and dismissed the Dogs, whereupon `
` the Wolves destroyed the unguarded flock at their own pleasure. `
` `
` `
` The Old Woman and the Physician `
` `
` AN OLD WOMAN having lost the use of her eyes, called in a `
` Physician to heal them, and made this bargain with him in the `
` presence of witnesses: that if he should cure her blindness, he `
` should receive from her a sum of money; but if her infirmity `
` remained, she should give him nothing. This agreement being `
` made, the Physician, time after time, applied his salve to her `
` eyes, and on every visit took something away, stealing all her `
` property little by little. And when he had got all she had, he `
` healed her and demanded the promised payment. The Old Woman, `
` when she recovered her sight and saw none of her goods in her `
` house, would give him nothing. The Physician insisted on his `
` claim, and. as she still refused, summoned her before the Judge. `
` The Old Woman, standing up in the Court, argued: "This man here `
` speaks the truth in what he says; for I did promise to give him a `
` sum of money if I should recover my sight: but if I continued `
` blind, I was to give him nothing. Now he declares that I am `
` healed. I on the contrary affirm that I am still blind; for when `
` I lost the use of my eyes, I saw in my house various chattels and `
` valuable goods: but now, though he swears I am cured of my `
` blindness, I am not able to see a single thing in it." `
` `
` `
` The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle `
` `
` TWO GAME COCKS were fiercely fighting for the mastery of the `
` farmyard. One at last put the other to flight. The vanquished `
` Cock skulked away and hid himself in a quiet corner, while 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 Charger and the Miller `
` `
` A CHARGER, feeling the infirmities of age, was sent to work in a `
` mill instead of going out to battle. But when he was compelled `
` to grind instead of serving in the wars, he bewailed his change `
` of fortune and called to mind his former state, saying, "Ah! `
` Miller, I had indeed to go campaigning before, but I was barbed `
` from counter to tail, and a man went along to groom me; and now I `
` cannot understand what ailed me to prefer the mill before the `
` battle." "Forbear," said the Miller to him, "harping on what was `
` of yore, for it is the common lot of mortals to sustain the ups `
` and downs of fortune." `
` `
` `
` The Fox and the Monkey `
` `
` A MONKEY once danced in an assembly of the Beasts, and so pleased `
` them all by his performance that they elected him their King. A `
` Fox, envying him the honor, 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, she had kept it for him `
` as treasure trove of his kingdom, and counseled 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 be King over the Beasts?" `
` `
` `
` The Horse and His Rider `
` `
` A HORSE SOLDIER took the utmost pains with his charger. As long `
` as the war lasted, he looked upon him as his fellow-helper in all `
` emergencies and fed him carefully with hay and corn. But when `
` the war was over, he only allowed him chaff to eat and made him `
` carry heavy loads of wood, subjecting him to much slavish `
` drudgery and ill-treatment. War was again proclaimed, however, `
` and when the trumpet summoned him to his standard, the Soldier `
` put on his charger its military trappings, and mounted, being `
` clad in his heavy coat of mail. The Horse fell down straightway `
` under the weight, no longer equal to the burden, and said to his `
` master, "You must now go to the war on foot, for you have `
` transformed me from a Horse into an Ass; and how can you expect `
` that I can again turn in a moment from an Ass to a Horse?' `
` `
` `
` The Belly and the Members `
` `
` THE MEMBERS of the Body rebelled against the Belly, and said, `
` "Why should we be perpetually engaged in administering to your `
` wants, while you do nothing but take your rest, and enjoy `
` yourself in luxury and self-indulgence?' The Members carried out `
` their resolve and refused their assistance to the Belly. The `
`
` feathered finery. But when Jupiter proposed to make him king `
` because of the beauty of his plumage, the birds indignantly `
` protested, and each plucked from him his own feathers, leaving `
` the Jackdaw nothing but a Jackdaw. `
` `
` `
` The Goatherd and the Wild Goats `
` `
` A GOATHERD, driving his flock from their pasture at eventide, `
` found some Wild Goats mingled among them, and shut them up `
` together with his own for the night. The next day it snowed very `
` hard, so that he could not take the herd to their usual feeding `
` places, but was obliged to keep them in the fold. He gave his `
` own goats just sufficient food to keep them alive, but fed the `
` strangers more abundantly in the hope of enticing them to stay `
` with him and of making them his own. When the thaw set in, he `
` led them all out to feed, and the Wild Goats scampered away as `
` fast as they could to the mountains. The Goatherd scolded them `
` for their ingratitude in leaving him, when during the storm he `
` had taken more care of them than of his own herd. One of them, `
` turning about, said to him: "That is the very reason why we are `
` so cautious; for if you yesterday treated us better than the `
` Goats you have had so long, it is plain also that if others came `
` after us, you would in the same manner prefer them to ourselves." `
` `
` `
` Old friends cannot with impunity be sacrificed for new ones. `
` `
` `
` The Mischievous Dog `
` `
` A DOG used to run up quietly to the heels of everyone he met, and `
` to bite them without notice. His master suspended a bell about `
` his neck so that the Dog might give notice of his presence `
` wherever he went. Thinking it a mark of distinction, the Dog `
` grew proud of his bell and went tinkling it all over the `
` marketplace. One day an old hound said to him: Why do you make `
` such an exhibition of yourself? That bell that you carry is not, `
` believe me, any order of merit, but on the contrary a mark of `
` disgrace, a public notice to all men to avoid you as an ill `
` mannered dog." `
` `
` Notoriety is often mistaken for fame. `
` `
` `
` The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail `
` `
` A FOX caught in a trap escaped, but in so doing lost his tail. `
` Thereafter, feeling his life a burden from the shame and ridicule `
` to which he was exposed, he schemed to convince all the other `
` Foxes that being tailless was much more attractive, thus making `
` up for his own deprivation. He assembled a good many Foxes and `
` publicly advised them to cut off their tails, saying that they `
` would not only look much better without them, but that they would `
` get rid of the weight of the brush, which was a very great `
` inconvenience. One of them interrupting him said, "If you had `
` not yourself lost your tail, my friend, you would not thus `
` counsel us." `
` `
` `
` The Boy and the Nettles `
` `
` A BOY was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his Mother, `
` saying, "Although it hurts me very much, I only touched it `
` gently." "That was just why it stung you," said his Mother. "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 Man and His Two Sweethearts `
` `
` A MIDDLE-AGED MAN, whose hair had begun to turn gray, 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 gray 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. `
` `
` `
` The Astronomer `
` `
` AN ASTRONOMER used to go out at night to observe the stars. One `
` evening, as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole `
` attention fixed on the sky, he fell accidentally into a deep `
` well. While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and `
` cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning `
` what had happened said: "Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to `
` pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on `
` earth?' `
` `
` `
` The Wolves and the Sheep `
` `
` "WHY SHOULD there always be this fear and slaughter between us?" `
` said the Wolves to the Sheep. "Those evil-disposed Dogs have `
` much to answer for. They always bark whenever we approach you `
` and attack us before we have done any harm. If you would only `
` dismiss them from your heels, there might soon be treaties of `
` peace and reconciliation between us." The Sheep, poor silly `
` creatures, were easily beguiled and dismissed the Dogs, whereupon `
` the Wolves destroyed the unguarded flock at their own pleasure. `
` `
` `
` The Old Woman and the Physician `
` `
` AN OLD WOMAN having lost the use of her eyes, called in a `
` Physician to heal them, and made this bargain with him in the `
` presence of witnesses: that if he should cure her blindness, he `
` should receive from her a sum of money; but if her infirmity `
` remained, she should give him nothing. This agreement being `
` made, the Physician, time after time, applied his salve to her `
` eyes, and on every visit took something away, stealing all her `
` property little by little. And when he had got all she had, he `
` healed her and demanded the promised payment. The Old Woman, `
` when she recovered her sight and saw none of her goods in her `
` house, would give him nothing. The Physician insisted on his `
` claim, and. as she still refused, summoned her before the Judge. `
` The Old Woman, standing up in the Court, argued: "This man here `
` speaks the truth in what he says; for I did promise to give him a `
` sum of money if I should recover my sight: but if I continued `
` blind, I was to give him nothing. Now he declares that I am `
` healed. I on the contrary affirm that I am still blind; for when `
` I lost the use of my eyes, I saw in my house various chattels and `
` valuable goods: but now, though he swears I am cured of my `
` blindness, I am not able to see a single thing in it." `
` `
` `
` The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle `
` `
` TWO GAME COCKS were fiercely fighting for the mastery of the `
` farmyard. One at last put the other to flight. The vanquished `
` Cock skulked away and hid himself in a quiet corner, while 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 Charger and the Miller `
` `
` A CHARGER, feeling the infirmities of age, was sent to work in a `
` mill instead of going out to battle. But when he was compelled `
` to grind instead of serving in the wars, he bewailed his change `
` of fortune and called to mind his former state, saying, "Ah! `
` Miller, I had indeed to go campaigning before, but I was barbed `
` from counter to tail, and a man went along to groom me; and now I `
` cannot understand what ailed me to prefer the mill before the `
` battle." "Forbear," said the Miller to him, "harping on what was `
` of yore, for it is the common lot of mortals to sustain the ups `
` and downs of fortune." `
` `
` `
` The Fox and the Monkey `
` `
` A MONKEY once danced in an assembly of the Beasts, and so pleased `
` them all by his performance that they elected him their King. A `
` Fox, envying him the honor, 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, she had kept it for him `
` as treasure trove of his kingdom, and counseled 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 be King over the Beasts?" `
` `
` `
` The Horse and His Rider `
` `
` A HORSE SOLDIER took the utmost pains with his charger. As long `
` as the war lasted, he looked upon him as his fellow-helper in all `
` emergencies and fed him carefully with hay and corn. But when `
` the war was over, he only allowed him chaff to eat and made him `
` carry heavy loads of wood, subjecting him to much slavish `
` drudgery and ill-treatment. War was again proclaimed, however, `
` and when the trumpet summoned him to his standard, the Soldier `
` put on his charger its military trappings, and mounted, being `
` clad in his heavy coat of mail. The Horse fell down straightway `
` under the weight, no longer equal to the burden, and said to his `
` master, "You must now go to the war on foot, for you have `
` transformed me from a Horse into an Ass; and how can you expect `
` that I can again turn in a moment from an Ass to a Horse?' `
` `
` `
` The Belly and the Members `
` `
` THE MEMBERS of the Body rebelled against the Belly, and said, `
` "Why should we be perpetually engaged in administering to your `
` wants, while you do nothing but take your rest, and enjoy `
` yourself in luxury and self-indulgence?' The Members carried out `
` their resolve and refused their assistance to the Belly. The `
`