The Wolf and the Kid
A Kid was perched up on the top of a house, and looking down
saw a Wolf passing under him. Immediately he began to revile and
attack his enemy. "Murderer and thief," he cried, "what do you
here near honest folks' houses? How dare you make an appearance
where your vile deeds are known?"
"Curse away, my young friend," said the Wolf.
"It is easy to be brave from a safe distance."
The Woodman and the Serpent
One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when
he saw something black lying on the snow. When he came closer he
saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up
and put it in his bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as
he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the
fire. The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life
again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke it, but thc
Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to
sting the child to death. So the Woodman seized his axe, and with
one stroke cut the Serpent in two. "Ah," said he,
"No gratitude from the wicked."
The Bald Man and the Fly
There was once a Bald Man who sat down after work on a hot
summer's day. A Fly came up and kept buzzing about his bald pate,
and stinging him from time to time. The Man aimed a blow at his
little enemy, but acks palm came on his head instead;
again the Fly tormented him, but this time the Man was wiser and
said:
"You will only injure yourself if you
take notice of despicable enemies."
The Fox and the Stork
At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting terms and
seemed very good friends. So the Fox invited the Stork to dinner,
and for a joke put nothing before her but some soup in a very
shallow dish. This the Fox could easily lap up, but the Stork
could only wet the end of her long bill in it, and left the meal
as hungry as when she began. "I am sorry," said the Fox, "the
soup is not to your liking."
"Pray do not apologise," said the Stork. "I hope you will
return this visit, and come and dine with me soon." So a day was
appointed when the Fox should visit the Stork; but when they were
seated at table all that was for their dinner was contained in a
very long-necked jar with a narrow mouth, in which the Fox could
not insert his snout, so all he could manage to do was to lick the
outside of the jar.
"I will not apologise for the dinner," said the Stork:
"One bad turn deserves another."
The Fox and the Mask
A Fox had by some means got into the store-room of a theatre.
Suddenly he observed a face glaring down on him and began to be
very frightened; but looking more closely he found it was only a
Mask such as actors use to put over their face. "Ah," said the
Fox, "you look very fine; it is a pity you have not got any
brains."
Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
The Jay and the Peacock
A Jay venturing into a yard where Peacocks used to walk, found
there a number of feathers which had fallen from the Peacocks when
they were moulting. He tied them all to his tail and strutted
down towards the Peacocks. When he came near them they soon
discovered the cheat, and striding up to him pecked at him and
plucked away his borrowed plumes. So the Jay could do no better
than go back to the other Jays, who had watched his behaviour from
a distance; but they were equally annoyed with him, and told him:
"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds."
The Frog and the Ox
"Oh Father," said a little Frog to the big one sitting by the
side of a pool, "I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as
big as a mountain, with horns on its head, and a long tail, and it
had hoofs divided in two."
"Tush, child, tush," said the old Frog, "that was only Farmer
White's Ox. It isn't so big either; he may be a little bit taller
than I, but I could easily make myself quite as broad; just you
see." So he blew himself out, and blew himself out, and blew
himself out. "Was he as big as that?" asked he.
"Oh, much bigger than that," said the young Frog.
Again the old one blew himself out, and asked the young one if
the Ox was as big as that.
"Bigger, father, bigger," was the reply.
So the Frog took a deep breath, and blew and blew and blew,
and swelled and swelled and swelled. And then he said: "I'm sure
the Ox is not as big asBut at this moment he burst.
Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction.
Androcles
A slave named Androcles once escaped from his master and fled
to the forest. As he was wandering about there he came upon a
Lion lying down moaning and groaning. At first he turned to flee,
but finding that the Lion did not pursue him, he turned back and
went up to him. As he came near, the Lion put out his paw, which
was all swollen and bleeding, and Androcles found that a huge
thorn had got into it, and was causing all the pain. He pulled
out the thorn and bound up the paw of the Lion, who was soon able
to rise and lick the hand of Androcles like a dog. Then the Lion
took Androcles to his cave, and every day used to bring him meat
from which to live. But shortly afterwards both Androcles and the
Lion were captured, and the slave was sentenced to be thrown to
the Lion, after the latter had been kept without food for several
days. The Emperor and all his Court came to see the spectacle,
and Androcles was led out into the middle of the arena. Soon the
Lion was let loose from his den, and rushed bounding and roaring
towards his victim. But as soon as he came near to Androcles he
recognised his friend, and fawned upon him, and licked his hands
like a friendly dog. The Emperor, surprised at this, summoned
Androcles to him, who told him the whole story. Whereupon the
slave was pardoned and freed, and the Lion let loose to his native
forest.
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts
A great conflict was about to come off between the Birds and
the Beasts. When the two armies were collected together the Bat
hesitated which to join. The Birds that passed his perch said:
"Come with us"; but he said: "I am a Beast." Later on, some
Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said: "Come
with us"; but he said: "I am a Bird." Luckily at the last moment
peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the
Birds and wished to join in the rejoicings, but they all turned
against him and he had to fly away. He then went to the Beasts,
but soon had to beat a retreat, or else they would have torn him
to pieces. "Ah," said the Bat, "I see now,
"He that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends."
The Hart and the Hunter
The Hart was once drinking from a pool and admiring the noble
figure he made there. "Ah," said he, "where can you see such
noble horns as these, with such antlers! I wish I had legs more
worthy to bear such a noble crown; it is a pity they are so slim
and slight." At that moment a Hunter approached and sent an arrow
whistling after him. Away bounded the Hart, and soon, by the aid
of his nimble legs, was nearly out of sight of the Hunter; but not
noticing where he was going, he passed under some trees with
branches growing low down in which his antlers were caught, so
that the Hunter had time to come up. "Alas! alas!" cried the
Hart:
"We often despise what is most useful to us."
The Serpent and the File
A Serpent in the course of its wanderings came into an
armourer's shop. As he glided over the floor he felt his skin
pricked by a file lying there. In a rage he turned round upon it
and tried to dart his fangs into it; but he could do no harm to
heavy iron and had soon to give over his wrath.
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