Chapter 167 The peach and the apple decided to have a contest to determine which one was more beautiful than the other. However, when tempers flared and the competition appeared to be getting out of hand, a blackberry thrust his head from a nearby bush and cried out, “This dispute’s gone on long enough. Let’s […]
Chapter 166 Once the wolves sent an emissary to the sheep to make a peace treaty between them for the future.“Why should we continue such deadly strife?” the wolves asked. “The dogs are the cause of it all. They’re constantly barking at us and provoking us. Send them away, and there will no longer be
Chapter 165 Hard pressed by the hounds, a stag was driven out of his cover and bolted in terror over the fields. Blind through fear, he took refuge in a farmyard and hid himself in an ox stall, which happened to be open. As he was trying to conceal himself under some straw, an ox
Chapter 164 A sea gull, who was more at home swimming on the sea than walking on land, liked to catch live fish for its food. One day the gull pounced upon a fish, and as he tried to swallow it, he choked, burst a gullet, and lay down on the shore to die. A
Chapter 163 A cock was scratching the ground in a farmyard in search of food for himself and his hens, when he happened to turn up a jewel. Feeling quite sure that it was something precious, but not knowing exactly what to do with it, he remarked, “You’re undoubtedly a very fine thing for those
Chapter 162 A dog and a cock set out on their travels together, and by nightfall they found themselves in a forest. So the cock flew up into a tree and perched himself on a high branch, while the dog dozed below at the foot. When day finally dawned, the cock, as usual, crowed very
Chapter 161 A crow had snatched a large piece of cheese from a windowsill and was now perched securely on a high tree, about to enjoy her prize. A fox spied the dainty morsel in her beak and tried to think of a way to make it his.“Oh crow,” he said, “how beautiful your wings
Chapter 160 A man who went out to hunt lions in a forest met a woodcutter, and he asked him whether he had seen any lion’s tracks and whether he knew where the lion’s lair was.“Yes,” said the man, “and if you’ll come with me, I’ll show you the lion himself.”Upon hearing this, the hunter
Chapter 159 An astronomer used to walk around outside every night to watch the stars. Once, as he was wandering on the out-skirts of the city and gazing at the stars, he fell into a well. After hollering and crying for help, someone ran up to the well, and after listening to his story, remarked,
Chapter 158 Once when a wolf was roaming all over a farm, he came to a field of oats. But he was not able to eat the oats and thus went on his way. Soon he encountered a horse and told him to come with him into the field.“I’ve found some splendid oats,” he said,
Chapter 157 A miller and his son were driving their ass to a nearby fair to sell him. They had not gone far when they came across a group of girls returning from town. They were in a merry mood, talking and laughing, and when they saw the miller and his son, one of them
Chapter 156 Once Mercury wished to learn what men thought about him. So he disguised himself as a traveller and entered a sculptor’s workshop, where he began asking the price of the different statues he saw there. Pointing to an image of Jupiter, he asked how much the sculptor wanted for it.“A drachma,”* said the
Chapter 155 To make sure that his property would always remain safe and protected, a miser sold all that he had and converted it into one great lump of gold, which he hid in a hole in the ground. Since he went there continually to visit and inspect it, one of his workers became curious
Chapter 154 A bear used to boast of his excessive love for humankind, saying that he never touched or mauled a human corpse.The fox observed with a smile, “I would be more impressed by your kindness if you never did so to a human being alive.”Wait not for a person to die before showing him
Chapter 153 A hawk, who had been very ill for a long time, said to his mother, “Don’t cry, Mother. Do me a favor and pray to the gods so that I may recover from this dreadful disease and pain.”“Alas, child!” the mother said. “Which one of the gods do you think will pity you?