Chapter 92 An old man who had traveled a long way with a huge bundle of sticks became so weary that he threw his bundle down on the ground and called upon death to deliver him from his most miserable existence. Death came straight to his side and asked him what he wanted.“Please, good sir,” […]
Chapter 91 Once when a bull was being pursued by a lion, he hid in a cave where a wild goat was living. The goat was an ornery* creature and began attacking the bull by butting with his horns.“If I put up with this now,” the bull said, “don’t suppose it’s because I’m afraid of
Chapter 90 A young pig, hoping to avoid the slaughterhouse, set up quarters in a fold of sheep. One day the shepherd grabbed hold of him, and he squeaked and struggled with all his might to get away. The sheep reproached him for making such a commotion and said, “The master often grabs hold of
Chapter 89 After hearing some grasshoppers chirping, an ass was enchanted by their music and wanted to acquire the same melodic charms. When he asked them what they ate to sing so sweetly, they told him that they dined on nothing but dew. Consequently, the ass followed the same diet, but he soon died of
Chapter 88 A hart, who was mercilessly pursued by hunters, hid himself among the branches of a vine. When the hunters passed by without discovering him and he thought that the coast was clear, he began browsing upon the leaves that had concealed him. But one of the hunters, attracted by the rustling of the
Chapter 87 After having loaded his camel, an Arab asked the beast whether he preferred to go up hill or down hill.“Tell me, master,” responded the camel, “has someone blocked the straight way across the plain?”Why seek turbulent path when there is one ‘plainly’ simple?
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