Complete Aesop’s Fables

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?

Chapter 152 A boy was swimming in a river and went so far out that he was in danger of drowning. Fortunately, he saw a man walking by and yelled to him with all his might. Instead of rushing to his aid, however, the man began to lecture the boy for being so foolhardy and

Chapter 151 As some travellers were making their way along seashore, they came to a high cliff, and looking out at the sea, they saw a log floating at some distance. At first they thought it must be a large ship, and so they waited in hope of seeing it enter the harbor. But as

Chapter 150 A boy who was playing in the fields was stung by a nettle. He ran home to his mother and told her that he had merely touched the nasty weed and it had stung him.“It was just your touching it, my boy,” said his mother, “that caused it to sting you. The next

Chapter 149 Once a man bought a black-a-moor and assumed that the color of the slave’s skin was due to the neglect of his former master. No sooner did he bring him home than he procured all kinds of scouring utensils, scrubbing brushes, soaps, and sandpaper and set to work with his servants to wash