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With over 140 of Aesop's fables in this book, readers can dip in and enjoy stories that have been passed down through the ages by listeners, and writers well into Christian times. According to Herodotus, Aesop lived in the region of Amasis, Egypt in the mid-sixth century BC. Aesop was born a slave, but through his gift as a storyteller he found favour at the court of King Croesus. He earned his freedom, granted as a reward for the entertainment he gave with his stories. He travelled after that, and went to Lydia and Greece. The stories contained in this book include the famous 'Hare and the Tortoise' and 'The Crow and the Pitcher'.
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Cover
Title page
The Fox and the Crow
The Gardener and his Dog
The Milkmaid and her Pail
The Ant and the Grasshopper
The Mice in Council
The Fox and the Grapes
The Fox and the Goat
The Donkey carrying Salt
The Gnat and the Bull
The Hare with Many Friends
The Hare and the Hound
The House Dog and the Wolf
The Goose with the Golden Eggs
The Fox and the Hedgehog
The Horse and the Stag
The Lion and the Bulls
The Goatherd and the Goats
Androcles and the Lion
The Hare and the Tortoise
The Ant and the Dove
The One-Eyed Doe
The Donkey and his Masters
The Lion and the Dolphin
The Donkey’s Shadow
The Donkey eating Thistles
The Hawk and the Pigeons
The Belly and the Other Members
The Frogs desiring a King
The Cat and the Mice
The Miller, his Son, and their Donkey
The Donkey, the Cock, and the Lion
The Hen and the Fox
The Lion and the Goat
The Fox and the Lion
The Crow and the Pitcher
The Boasting Traveller
The Eagle, the Wildcat, and the Sow
The Donkey and the Grasshopper
The Heifer and the Ox
The Fox and the Stork
The Farmer and the Nightingale
The Donkey and the Lapdog
Jupiter and the Bee
The Horse and the Groom
The Mischievous Dog
The Blind Man and the Whelp
The Hares and the Frogs
The Eagle and the Fox
The Cock and the Fox
The Horse and the Laden Donkey
The Miser
The Kid and the Wolf
The Porcupine and the Snakes
The Falconer and the Partridge
The Creaking Wheels
Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus
The Lion in Love
The Arab and the Camel
The Fox without a Tail
The Raven and the Swan
Hercules and the Wagoner
The Man and the Satyr
The Lark and her Young Ones
The Boy and the Filberts
The Lion, the Donkey, and the Fox
The Frog and the Ox
The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox
The Cat and the Fox
The Donkey in the Lion’s Skin
The Monkey and the Camel
The Hawk and the Farmer
The Lioness
Mercury and the Sculptor
The Farmer and his Sons
The Bundle of Sticks
The Eagle and the Crow
The Stag at the Pool
The Wolf and the Lamb
The Bull and the Goat
The Wind and the Sun
The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf
The Hen and the Cat
The Wolf and the Goat
The Farthing Rushlight
The Lion and the Mouse
The Thief and his Mother
The Eagle and the Beetle
The Wolf and the Crane
The Country Mouse and the Town Mouse
The Two Pots
The Young Man and the Swallow
The Farmer and the Stork
The Man and the Lion
The Lion and his Three Counsellors
The Stag in the Ox Stall
The Fox and the Woodman
The Lion and Other Beasts Go Hunting
The Sick Lion
The Mule
The Nurse and the Wolf
The Travellers and the Bear
The Father and his Two Daughters
The Tortoise and the Eagle
The Dog invited to Supper
The Dog and the Shadow
The Mouse and the Frog
The Oak and the Reed
The Old Man and Death
The Swallow’s Advice
The Old Woman and the Physician
The Eagle and the Arrow
The Thief and the Boy
The Fir Tree and the Bramble
The Vain Crow
The Two Crabs
The Mountain in Labour
The Fisherman Piping
The Man and his Two Wives
The Old Woman and her Maids
The Monkey and the Dolphin
The Wild Boar and the Fox
The Trees and the Axe
The Mouse and the Weasel
The Lion and the Donkey go Hunting
The Fox and the Bramble
The Horse and the Lion
The Two Frogs
The Travellers and the Hatchet
The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle
The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat
The Thief and the Dog
The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner
The Shepherd and the Sea
The Farmer and his Dogs
The Quack Frog
The Bald Knight
The Donkey and his Driver
Venus and the Cat
The Wolf and the Shepherds
The Hedge and the Vineyard
The Widow and the Hen
The Stag and the Vine
The Boy Bathing
Copyright
Other titles
A crow who had stolen a piece of cheese was flying towards the top of a tall tree where she hoped to enjoy her prize, when a fox spied her. “If I plan this right,” said he to himself, “I shall have cheese for supper.”
So, as he sat under the tree, he began to speak in his politest tones: “Good day, mistress crow, how well you are looking today! How glossy your wings, and your breast is the breast of an eagle. And your claws—I beg pardon—your talons are as strong as steel. I have not heard your voice, but I am certain that it must surpass that of any bird, just as your beauty does.”
The vain crow was pleased by all the flattery. She believed every word of it and wagged her tail and flapped her wings to show her pleasure. She liked especially what friend fox said about her voice, for she had sometimes been told that her caw was a bit rusty. So, chuckling to think how she was going to surprise the fox with her most beautiful caw, she opened wide her mouth.
Down dropped the piece of cheese! The wily fox snatched it before it touched the ground, and as he walked away, licking his chops, he offered these words of advice to the silly crow: “The next time someone praises your beauty be sure to hold your tongue.”
MORAL:
Flatterers are not to be trusted.
The gardener was drawing water at the well to water his garden plants. His little dog was jumping and barking on the well curb until he lost his balance and fell in.
Hearing the splash, the gardener quickly drew off his clothes and descended into the well to rescue his dog. Just as he was bringing the struggling and slippery animal to the top, the ungrateful wretch bit his master’s hand.
“Why, you little monster,” exclaimed the gardener. “If that is your idea of gratitude to a master who feeds you and pets you and treats you kindly, then pull yourself out of the well.” With that he dropped the dog right back into the well again.
MORAL:
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you!
A milkmaid was on her way to market, carrying a pail of milk on the top of her head. As she walked along the road in the early morning, she began to turn in her mind what she would do with the money she would receive for the milk.
“I shall buy some hens from a neighbour,” said she to herself, “and they will lay eggs every day which I shall sell to the pastor’s wife. And with the egg money I’ll buy myself a new frock and ribbon. Green they should be, for green suits my complexion best. And in this lovely green gown I will go to the fair. All the young men will strive to have me for a partner. I shall pretend that I do not see them. When they become too insistent I shall disdainfully toss my head—like this.”
As the milkmaid spoke she tossed her head back, and down came the pail of milk, spilling all over the ground. And so all her imaginary happiness vanished, and nothing was left but an empty pail and the promise of a scolding when she returned home.
MORAL:
Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.
One frosty autumn day an ant was busily storing away some of the kernels of wheat which he had gathered during the summer to tide him over the coming winter.
A grasshopper, half perishing from hunger, came limping by. Seeing what the industrious ant was doing, he asked for a morsel from the ant’s store to save his life.
“What were you doing all during the summer while I was busy harvesting?” inquired the ant.
“Oh,” replied the grasshopper, “I was not idle. I was singing and chirping all day long.”
“Well,” said the ant, smiling grimly as he locked his granary door, “since you sang all summer, it looks as though you will have to dance all winter.”
MORAL:
It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.
For many years the mice had been living in constant dread of their enemy, the cat. It was decided to call a meeting to determine the best means of handling the situation. Many plans were discussed and rejected.
At last a young mouse got up. “I propose,” said he, looking very important, “that a bell be hung around the cat’s neck. Then whenever the cat approaches, we shall always have notice of her presence, and so be able to escape.”
The young mouse sat down amidst tremendous applause. The suggestion was put to a motion and passed almost unanimously.
But just then an old mouse, who had sat silent all the while, rose to his feet and said, “My friends, it takes a young mouse to think of a plan so ingenious and yet so simple. With a bell about the cat’s neck to warn us we shall all be safe. I have but one brief question to put to the supporters of the plan—which one of you is going to bell the cat?”
MORAL:
It is one thing to propose, another to execute.
Mister Fox was just about famished, and thirsty too, when he stole into a vineyard where the sun-ripened grapes were hanging up on a trellis in a tempting show, but too high for him to reach. He took a run and a jump, snapping at the nearest bunch, but missed. Again and again he jumped, only to miss the luscious prize. At last, worn out with his efforts, he retreated, muttering, “Well, I never really wanted those grapes anyway. I am sure they are sour, and perhaps wormy into the bargain.”
MORAL:
Any fool can despise what he cannot get.