Chapter 86 Seeing a ship full of sailors being tossed about on the waves of the sea, a farmer cried out, “Oh sea, how deceitful and merciless you are! You can look so inviting and then you destroy all who venture out upon you!”The sea heard him and, disguising his voice as that of a […]
Chapter 85 An ass, who belonged to a gardener and had little to eat but much to do, prayed to Jupiter to release him from the gardener’s employ and provide him with another master. However, Jupiter was angry that the ass was discontent and placed him in the service of a potter. Now the ass
Chapter 84 According to an ancient lore, every man is born into the world with two bags suspended from his neck – one in front and one behind, and both are full of faults. But the one in front is full of his neighbor’s faults; the one behind, full of his own. Consequently, men are
Chapter 83 Once there was a knight who was growing old, and his hair was falling out. When he became bald, he decided to hide this imperfection by wearing a wig. One day, as he was out hunting with some friends, a sudden gust of wind blew off the wig and exposed his bald head.
Chapter 82 There was once a nest of young larks in a field of corn that had just become ripe, and the mother was on the lookout every day for the reapers. Whenever she went in search of food, she told her young ones to report all the news they heard to her. One day,
Chapter 81 A dishonest groom used to steal and sell a horse’s oats and grain on a regular basis. He would, however, spend hours busily grooming and rubbing him down to make him appear in good condition. Naturally the horse resented this treatment and, said, “If you really want me to look well, groom me
Chapter 80 A fisherman went to a river to fish, and when he had laid his nets, he tied a stone to a long cord and beat the water on both sides of the net to drive the fish into the meshes. One of his neighbors who lived nearby saw him doing this and became
Chapter 79 Two pots, one made of clay, the other of brass, were swept down a river in a flood. The brass pot told his companion to stay by his side, and he would protect him.“Thank you for your offer,” said the clay pot, “but that’s just what frightens me. If you’ll just keep your
Chapter 78 A bowman took aim at an eagle and struck him in the heart. As the eagle turned his head in the agony of death, he saw that the arrow was winged with his own feathers.“How sharper and more painful,” said he, “are the wounds made by weapons we ourselves have supplied to the
Chapter 77 One day a fir tree was boasting to a bramble, “Your life is really without significance and no use to anyone, whereas mine is filled with many high and noble purposes. How could barns and houses be built without me? I furnish taper spars for ships and beams for roofs of palaces.”“Good sir,”
Chapter 76 A hunter was returning from the mountains, loaded with game he had bagged, when he met a fisherman coming home with his basket full of fish. The hunter admired the fish and desired to have them for supper, while the fisherman longed to have a meal of game. So they quickly agreed to
Chapter 75 A trumpeter, who had bravely led the charging soldiers of his regiment, was taken prisoner in battle and begged hard for mercy from his captors.“Spare me, good sirs, I beseech you!” he cried. “There’s no reason to put me to death. I haven’t killed anyone, and I was not carrying any weapons. The
Chapter 74 A fox was once caught in a trap, and the only way he could save himself was by leaving his tail behind him. Knowing that without a tail he would be the laughing stock of all the other foxes, he almost wished that he had died rather than having saved himself. Determined to
Chapter 73 On a hot summer’s day, some travellers, worn out by the heat of the sun, noticed a plane tree and rushed toward it. Once they arrived, they threw themselves down on the ground and rested in the shade of its wide spreading branches. As they were lying there, one of the travellers said
Chapter 72 A long time ago when the world was young, a bee had stocked her combs with a bountiful harvest and flew up to heaven to make an offering of honey, Jupiter was so delighted with the gift that he promised to give her whatever she desired. In turn, she responded immediately and said,