Aesop's Fable Stories

The Bulls and the Frogs

2010-06-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

Two Bulls lived in the same herd, and each aspiring to be the leader and master, they finally engaged in a fierce battle.

An old Frog, who sat on the bank of a stream near by, began to groan and to quake with fear.

A thoughtless young Frog said to the old one: "Why need you be afraid? What is it to you that the Bulls fight for supremacy?"

"Do you not see," said the old Frog, "that one must defeat the other, and that the defeated Bull, being driven from the field, will be forced to stay in the marshes, and will thus trample us to death?"

The poor and weak are often made to suffer for the follies of the great.

The Astronomer

2010-06-14T20:49:00.000-07:00

An Astronomer used to walk out every night to gaze upon the stars. It happened one night that, with his whole thoughts rapt up in the skies, he fell into a well.

One who heard his cries ran up to him, and said: "While you are trying to pry into the mysteries of heaven, you overlook the common objects under your feet."

We should never look so high as to miss seeing the things that are around us.

The Hunter and the Wolf

2010-06-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

A greedy Hunter one day shot a fine Deer, and ere he could dress it, a pretty Fawn came that way, and an arrow brought it to the ground.

A Boar now chanced to be passing, and the Hunter wounded it so that it lay upon the ground as if dead.

Not satisfied with this game, he must needs pursue a Partridge that came fluttering near, and while he was doing so the wounded Boar regained enough strength to spring upon him and kill him.

A Wolf came that way, and seeing the four dead bodies, said: "Here is food for a month; but I will save the best, and be content to-day with the bow-string."

But when he seized the string it loosened the fixed arrow, which shot him through the heart.

The greedy man and the miser cannot enjoy their gains.

The Wild Boar and the Fox

2010-06-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

A Wild Boar was whetting his tusks against a tree, when a Fox coming by, asked why he did so; "for," said he, "I see no reason for it; there is neither hunter nor hound in sight, nor any other danger that I can see, at hand."

"True," replied the Boar; "but when that danger does arise, I shall have something else to do than to sharpen my weapons."

It is too late to whet the sword when the trumpet sounds to draw it.

The Wind and the Sun

2010-06-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

A dispute once arose between the Wind and the Sun, which was the stronger of the two, and they agreed to settle the point upon this issue—that whichever of the two soonest made a traveler take off his cloak, should be accounted the more powerful.

The Wind began, and blew with all his might and main a blast, cold and fierce as a Thracian storm; but the stronger he blew, the closer the traveler wrapped his cloak around him, and the tighter he grasped it with his hands.

Then broke out the Sun. With his welcome beams he dispersed the vapor and the cold; the traveler felt the genial warmth, and as the Sun shone brighter and brighter, he sat down, quite overcome with the heat, and taking off his cloak, cast it on the ground.

Thus the Sun was declared the conqueror; and it has ever been deemed that persuasion is better than force; and that the sunshine of a kind and gentle manner will sooner lay open a poor man's heart than all the threatenings and force of blustering authority.

The Dog Whose Ears were Cropped

2010-06-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

A Dog complained of the cruelty of her master in cutting off her ears, and was so ashamed of her appearance that she resolved to stay in her kennel with her family.

A friendly hunting dog said to her: "If you had been peaceful, and not always fighting, you would have saved your ears and your good looks. If you will fight, it is a kindness to crop your ears, that they may not give your enemy the advantage."

The Lion and the Gnat

2010-06-09T20:17:00.000-07:00

As a Gnat was buzzing around a Lion, the Lion said to him: "How dare you approach so near? Be off, or I will kill you with the least stroke of my paw."

The Gnat, knowing the advantage of his small size, and his alertness, immediately challenged the boaster to combat, and alighting first upon his nose and then upon his tail, made the Lion so furious that he injured himself grievously with his paws.

As the Gnat flew away he boasted of his own prowess in thus defeating the King of Beasts without the slightest injury to himself.

But, in his carelessness, he flew directly into a spider's web, and the spider instantly seized and killed him.

The Gnat and the Bull

2010-06-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

A Gnat that had been buzzing about the head of a Bull, at length settling himself down upon his horn, begged his pardon for incommoding him; "but if," says he, "my weight at all inconveniences you, pray say so, and I will be off in a moment."

"Oh, never trouble your head about that," says the Bull, "for 'tis all one to me whether you go or stay; and, to say the truth, I did not know you were there."

The smaller the Mind the greater the Conceit.

The Donkey Carrying Salt

2010-06-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

A certain Huckster who kept an Donkey, hearing that Salt was to be had cheap at the sea-side, drove down his Donkey thither to buy some.

Having loaded the beast as much as he could bear, he was driving him home, when, as they were passing a slippery ledge of rock, the Ass fell into the stream below, and the Salt being melted, the Donkey was relieved of his burden, and having gained the bank with ease, pursued his journey onward, light in body and in spirit.

The Huckster soon afterwards set off for the sea-shore for some more Salt, and loaded the Ass, if possible, yet more heavily than before. On their return, as they crossed the stream into which he had formerly fallen, the Ass fell down on purpose, and by the dissolving of the Salt, was again released from his load.

The Master, provoked at the loss, and thinking how he might cure him of this trick, on his next journey to the coast freighted the beast with a load of sponges.

When they arrived at the same stream as before, the Ass was at his old tricks again, and rolled himself into the water; but he found to his cost, as he proceeded homewards, that instead of lightening his burden, he had more than doubled its weight.

The same measures will not suit all circumstances.

The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar

2010-06-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

An Old Woman found 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.

The Lion, the Ass and the Fox Hunting

2010-06-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

The Lion, the Donkey and the Fox formed a party to go out hunting. They took a large booty, and when the sport was ended, bethought themselves of having a hearty meal.

The Lion bade the Donkey allot the spoil. So, dividing it into three equal parts, the Donkey begged his friends to make their choice; at which the Lion, in great indignation, fell upon the Donkey and tore him to pieces.

He then bade the Fox make a division; who, gathering the whole into one great heap, reserved but the smallest mite for himself.

"Ah! friend," says the Lion, "who taught you to make so equitable a division?" "I wanted no other lesson," replied the Fox, "than the Donkey's fate."

Better be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.

The Goose with the Golden Eggs

2010-06-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

A certain man had the good fortune to possess a Goose that laid him a Golden Egg every day.

But dissatisfied with so slow an income, and thinking to seize the whole treasure at once, he killed the Goose, and cutting her open, found her—just what any other goose would be!

Much wants more, and loses all.

The Goatherd and the Goats

2010-06-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

It was a stormy day, and the snow was falling fast, when a Goatherd drove his Goats, all white with snow, into a desert cave for shelter.

There he found that a herd of Wild Goats, more numerous and larger than his own, had already taken possession.

So, thinking to secure them all, he left his own Goats to take care of themselves, and threw the branches which he had brought for them to the Wild Goats to browse on.

But when the weather cleared up, he found his own Goats had perished from hunger, while the Wild Goats were off and away to the hills and woods.

So the Goatherd returned a laughing-stock to his neighbors, having failed to gain the Wild Goats, and having lost his own.

They who neglect their old friends for the sake of new ones, are rightly served if they lose both.

The Horse and The Wolf

2010-06-05T19:40:00.000-07:00

A Wolf saw a Horse grazing in a field. Putting on a grave air, he approached him and said: "Sir, you must be very ill; I have some skill as a physician, and if you will tell me where your ailment is, I shall be glad to be of service."

Said the horse: "If you will examine my foot, you will find what ails me."

But as the wily Wolf approached him, with a kick he sent him flying into the air.

The Man Bitten by a Dog

2010-06-05T19:37:00.000-07:00

A Man who had been bitten by a Dog was going about asking who could cure him. One that met him said: "Sir, if you would be cured, take a bit of bread and dip it in the blood of the wound, and give it to the dog that bit you."

The Man smiled, and said: "If I were to follow your advice, I should be bitten by all the dogs in the city."

He who proclaims himself ready to buy up his enemies will never want a supply of them.

The Widow and the Sheep

2010-06-05T19:34:00.000-07:00

There was a certain Widow who had an only Sheep, and, wishing to make the most of his wool, she sheared him so closely that she cut his skin as well as his fleece.

The Sheep, smarting under this treatment, cried out: "Why do you torture me thus? What will my blood add to the weight of the wool? If you want my flesh, Dame, send for the Butcher, who will put me out of my misery at once; but if you want my fleece, send for the Shearer, who will clip my wool without drawing my blood."

Economy may be carried too far.

The Rat and the Frog

2010-06-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

A Rat in an evil day made acquaintance with a Frog, and they set off on their travels together.

The Frog, on pretense of great affection, and of keeping his companion out of harm's way, tied the Rat's foot to his own hind-leg, and thus they proceeded for some distance by land.

Presently they came to some water, and the Frog, bidding the Rat have good courage, began to swim across. They had scarcely, however, arrived midway, when the Frog took a sudden plunge to the bottom, dragging the unfortunate Rat after him.

But the struggling and floundering of the Rat made so great a commotion in the water that it attracted the attention of a Kite, who, pouncing down and bearing off the Rat, carried away the Frog at the same time in his train.

Inconsiderate and ill-matched alliances generally end in ruin; and the man who compasses the destruction of his neighbor, is often caught in his own snare.

Cat, Weasel and Rabbit

2010-06-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

While a Rabbit was absent from his hole one day, a Weasel took possession of it.

On the Rabbit's return, seeing the Weasel's nose sticking out, he said: "You must leave this hole immediately.

There is only room for one, and it has always belonged to me and my fathers before me." "The more reason that you should give it up now," said the Weasel, "and leave its possession to me."

As they could not settle the dispute, they agreed to leave the question of ownership to a wise old Cat, to whom they went without more ado.

"I am deaf," said the Cat. "Put your noses close to my ears."

No sooner had they done so, than she clapped a paw upon each of them, and killed them both.

The strong are apt to settle all questions by the rule of might.

The Mule

2010-06-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

A Mule, frolicsome from want of work and from overmuch corn, galloped about in a very extravagant manner, and said to himself: "My father surely was a high-mettled racer, and I am his own child in speed and spirit."

On the next day, being driven a long journey, and feeling very weary, he exclaimed in a disconsolate tone: "I must have made a mistake; my father, after all, could have been only a donkey."

The Eagle and the Beetle

2010-06-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

The Eagle and the Beetle were at enmity together, and they destroyed one another's nests.

The Eagle gave the first provocation in seizing upon and in eating the young ones of the Beetle.

The Beetle got by stealth at the Eagle's eggs, and rolled them out of the nest, and followed the Eagle even into the presence of Jupiter.

On the Eagle making his complaint, Jupiter ordered him to make his nest in his lap; and while Jupiter had the eggs in his lap, the Beetle came flying about him, and Jupiter, rising up unawares to drive him away from his head, threw down the eggs, and broke them.

The weak often revenge themselves on those who use them ill, even though they be the more powerful.

The Dove and the Ant

2010-06-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

An Ant went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and, being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on 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 to her. The Ant, climbing on to it, floated in safety to the bank.

Shortly afterwards a bird catcher came close 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.

The Two Goatsl

2010-06-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

Two Goats started at the same moment, from opposite ends, to cross a rude bridge that was only wide enough for one to cross at a time. Meeting at the middle of the bridge, neither would give way to the other. They locked horns and fought for the right of way, until they both fell into the torrent below and were drowned.

The Peacock and the Magpie

2010-05-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Birds once met together to choose a king; and, among others, the Peacock was a candidate.

Spreading his showy tail, and stalking up and down with affected grandeur, he caught the eyes of the silly multitude by his brilliant appearance, and was elected with acclamation.

The Magpie then stepped forth into the midst of the assembly, and thus addressed the new king: "May it please your majesty, elect to permit a humble admirer to propose a question. As our king, we put our lives and fortunes in your hands. If, therefore, the Eagle, the Vulture, and the Kite, should make a descent upon us, what means would you take for our defense?"

This pithy question opened the eyes of the Birds to the weakness of their choice and they canceled the election.

The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow

2010-05-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

An Eagle had made her nest at the top of a lofty oak.

A Cat, having found a convenient hole, lived with her kittens in the middle of the trunk; and a Wild Sow with her young had taken shelter in a hollow at its foot.

The Cat resolved to destroy by her arts this chance-made colony. She climbed to the nest of the Eagle, and said: "Destruction is preparing for you, and for me too. The Wild Sow, whom you may see daily digging up the earth, wishes to uproot the oak, that she may, on its fall, seize our families as food."

Then she crept down to the cave of the Sow and said: "Your children are in great danger; for as soon as you shall go out with your litter to find food, the Eagle is prepared to pounce upon one of your little pigs."

When night came, she went forth with silent foot and obtained food for herself and her kittens; but, feigning to be afraid, she kept a look-out all through the day.

Meanwhile, the Eagle, full of fear of the Sow, sat still on the branches, and the Sow, terrified by the Eagle, did not dare to go out from her cave; and thus they each, with their families, perished from hunger.

Those who stir up enmities are not to be trusted.

The Fox and the Turkeys

2010-05-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

A Fox spied some turkeys roosting in a tree. He managed to attract their attention and then ran about the tree, pretended to climb, walked on his hind legs, and did all sorts of tricks.

Filled with fear, the Turkeys watched every one of his movements until they became dizzy, and, one by one, fell from their safe perch.

By too much attention to danger, we may fall victims to it.