Chapter 62 A blind man could distinguish any kind of animal simply by touching it. One time, some friends wanted to test him and brought him a wolf’s whelp.After feeling it all over, the blind man was not entirely certain about the animal, but said correctly: “I’m not sure whether your father was a dog […]
Chapter 61 One day a leopard and a fox had a contest to decide who was the handsomer of the two. The leopard boasted about the beauty of its innumerable spots. But the fox replied, “You may have beautiful spots, but it’s better to have a versatile mind than a variegated* body.”Beware! The good-looking may
Chapter 60 An old woman found an empty wine bottle that had once been filled with choice wine and still retained the fragrant smell of its former contents. Though not a drop of the choice wine remained, the old woman pressed her nose to the top of the bottle as close as she could, and
Chapter 59 Hearing that a hen was laid up sick in her nest, a cat paid a visit out of sympathy. After creeping up to her he said, “How are you, my dear friend? What can I do for you? Do you need anything? Just tell me, and I’ll bring you anything in the world
Chapter 58 A mule had grown fat and wanton from his huge daily rations of corn, and one day, as he was jumping, kicking, and gamboling about the fields, he thought to himself, “My mother must surely have been a thoroughbred racer, and I’m quite as good as she ever was!”But he was soon exhausted
Chapter 57 A tortoise was dissatisfied with his lowly life and with crawling about on the ground at a snail’s pace. He envied the birds, which could soar high into the cloud whenever they desired. He thought that, if he could but once get up into the air, he would be able to fly with
Chapter 56 After a man and a satyr became friends, they began talking together. Since it was a cold wintry day, the man put his fingers to his mouth and blew on them.“Why are you doing that, my friend?” the satyr asked.“To warm my hands,” said the man. “They’re nearly frozen.”Later on in the day,
Chapter 55 Two young cocks were fighting fiercely for the right to rule a dunghill. At last, the one who was beaten crept into the corner of the hen house, covered with wounds. The victor flew straight to the top of an out-house, clapped his wings, and crowed loudly to announce his victory. Just then
Chapter 53 A dog had stolen a piece of meat out of a butcher shop and was crossing a river on his way home when he saw his own shadow reflected in the water below. Thinking that it was another dog with another piece of meat, he became intent on capturing the other piece as
Chapter 52 Once upon a time a country mouse, who had a friend in town, invited him to pay a visit in the country for old acquaintance’s sake. After the invitation was accepted, the country mouse, though plain, coarse, and somewhat frugal, opened his heart and pantry to honor his old friend and to show
Chapter 51 As a fisherman was drawing-in his net that he had cast into the sea, he noticed that it was full of all sorts of fish. However, little fish escaped through the meshes of the net and swam back into the deep water, while the big fish remained trapped and were hauled into the
Chapter 50 One day a fawn said to her mother, “You’re larger than a dog and swifter. You also have greater endurance and horns to defend yourself. Why is it then, Mother, that you’re so afraid of the hounds?”She smiled and said, “I know all this full well, my child. But no sooner do I
Chapter 49 On a cold, frosty day the ants began dragging out some of the grain they had stored during the summer and began drying it. A grasshopper, half-dead with hunger, came by and asked the ants for a morsel to save his life.“What did you do this past summer?” responded the ants.“Oh,” said the
Chapter 48 An old hound had served his master extremely well in the field but had lost his strength over the years and now had many troubles. One day, while out hunting with his master, he encountered a wild boar and boldly seized the beast by the ear, but his teeth gave way, and the
Chapter 47 A fox had fallen into a well and could not find any means to escape. Eventually, a thirsty goat appeared, and upon noticing the fox, he asked him whether the water was good and plentiful.Pretending that his situation was not precarious, the fox replied, “Come down, my friend. The water is so good