Chapter 107 A seagull having bolted down too large a fish, burst its deep gullet-bag and lay down on the shore to die. A Kite saw him and exclaimed: “You richly deserve your fate; for a bird of the air has no business to seek its food from the sea.”It’s the greed that prompts indiscreet […]
Chapter 106 A man who had travelled widely in foreign countries returned home and was always bragging and boasting about the great feats he had performed in different places. Among other things he said that, when he was in Rhodes, he had made such an extraordinary leap that no man could come close to it,
Chapter 105 Some cranes invited geese, and began feeding together in the same field one day, when a bird-catcher suddenly came upon them. Since the cranes were slim and light, they could fly off right away and escape the bird-catcher’s nets. The geese, however, weighed down by their fat, could not take off so easily
Chapter 104 Thinking that it would be easier to earn a living if he disguised himself, a wolf put on a sheep’s skin. Soon afterward he managed to slip into a flock of sheep and grazed among them so that even the shepherd was fooled by his disguise. When night came and the fold was
Chapter 103 One summer’s day a stag came to a pool to quench his thirst, and as he stood drinking, he saw his form reflected in the mirror. “How beautiful and strong my horns are!” he remarked. “But how weak and unseemly these feet of mine are!”While he was examining and criticizing the features that
Chapter 102 A candlelight that had grown fat and saucy with too much grease boasted one evening before a large gathering that it shone brighter than the sun, the moon, and all the stars put together. Right at that moment, a puff of wind came and blew it out. Someone lit it again and said,
Chapter 101 A wild boar was whetting his tusks against a tree when a fox came by and asked him why he was doing this. “I see no reason,” he remarked. “There are no hunters nor hounds in sight. In fact, at the moment I can’t see any danger at all.”“True,” responded the boar, “but
Chapter 100 A raven was jealous of a swan’s white feathers, and he thought that her beauty was due to the water in which she lived. Therefore, he deserted the altars, where he used to find his livelihood, and flew to the ponds and streams. After arriving, he plumed himself and washed his coat, but
Chapter 99 There was once a vine teeming with ripe fruit and tender shoots and looking forward to the day when it would provide a bountiful vintage. Suddenly a wanton goat appeared and gnawed its bark and nibbled its young leaves.“You have no right to harm me like this,” said the vine. “But I won’t
Chapter 98 One day a fox invited a stork to dinner, and since he wanted to amuse himself at the expense of his guest, he provided a meal that consisted only of some thin soup in a large flat dish. The fox was able to lap this soup up very easily, while the stork, unable
Chapter 97 Pursued by a wolf, a lamb took refuge in a temple. When the wolf cried out to the lamb that the priest would slay him if he caught him, the lamb responded, “So be it. I’d rather be sacrificed in the temple than be devoured by you!”Wisdom lies in avoiding the known danger,
Chapter 96 A wolf saw a goat grazing on the top of a high cliff where he could not get at her. Pretending to be concerned for her safety, the wolf advised her to move down. “You might lose your footing at that dizzy height,” he said. “Besides, the grass is much sweeter and more
Chapter 95 “Why do you walk so crooked, child?” said an old crab to her young one. “Walk straight!”“Mother,” the young crab replied, “show me the way, and when I see you moving straight ahead, I’ll try to follow.”Actions speak louder than words. (Also, the kids are always smarter than you think!)
Chapter 94 An ass and a cock lived together in a farmyard. One day a hungry lion passed by and saw the ass in such good condition that he decided to make a meal out of him. Now, they say that nothing irritates a lion so much as the crowing of a cock, and at
Chapter 93 The lion called the sheep to him to ask her if his breath smelled. She said yes, and he bit off her head for being a fool. He called the wolf and asked him as well. The wolf said no, and the lion tore him to pieces for being a flatterer. Finally he