The Cat and the Cock
A cat caught a Cock, and pondered how he might find a reasonable excuse for read more

The Cat and the Cock
A cat caught a Cock, and pondered how he might find a reasonable excuse for eating him. He accused him of being a nuisance to men by crowing in the nighttime and not permitting them to sleep. The Cock defended himself by saying that he did this for the benefit of men, that they might rise in time for their labors. The Cat replied, Although you abound in specious apologies, I shall not remain supperless; and he made a meal of him.

The Ass Carrying the Image
AN ASS once carried through the streets of a city a famous wooden
Image, read more

The Ass Carrying the Image
AN ASS once carried through the streets of a city a famous wooden
Image, to be placed in one of its Temples. As he passed along,
the crowd made lowly prostration before the Image. The Ass,
thinking that they bowed their heads in token of respect for
himself, bristled up with pride, gave himself airs, and refused
to move another step. The driver, seeing him thus stop, laid his
whip lustily about his shoulders and said, O you perverse
dull-head! it is not yet come to this, that men pay worship to an
Ass.
They are not wise who give to themselves the credit due to others.

The Mischievous Dog
A dog used to run up quietly to the heels of everyone he met, and to bite read more

The Mischievous Dog
A dog used to run up quietly to the heels of everyone he met, and to bite them without notice. His master suspended a bell about his neck so that the Dog might give notice of his presence wherever he went. Thinking it a mark of distinction, the Dog grew proud of his bell and went tinkling it all over the marketplace. One day an old hound said to him: Why do you make such an exhibition of yourself? That bell that you carry is not, believe me, any order of merit, but on the contrary a mark of disgrace, a public notice to all men to avoid you as an ill mannered dog.
Notoriety is often mistaken for fame.

The Man and His Two Sweethearts
A middle aged man, whose hair had begun to turn gray, courted two women read more

The Man and His Two Sweethearts
A middle aged man, whose hair had begun to turn gray, courted two women at the same time. One of them was young, and the other well advanced in years. The elder woman, ashamed to be courted by a man younger than herself, made a point, whenever her admirer visited her, to pull out some portion of his black hairs. The younger, on the contrary, not wishing to become the wife of an old man, was equally zealous in removing every gray hair she could find. Thus it came to pass that between them both he very soon found that he had not a hair left on his head.
Those who seek to please everybody please nobody.

Jupiter and the Monkey
Jupiter issued a proclamation to all the beasts of the forest and promised a royal reward read more

Jupiter and the Monkey
Jupiter issued a proclamation to all the beasts of the forest and promised a royal reward to the one whose offspring should be deemed the handsomest. The Monkey came with the rest and presented, with all a mother's tenderness, a flat-nosed, hairless, ill-featured young Monkey as a candidate for the promised reward. A general laugh saluted her on the presentation of her son. She resolutely said, I know not whether Jupiter will allot the prize to my son, but this I do know, that he is at least in the eyes of me his mother, the dearest, handsomest, and most beautiful of all.

The Ass and the Frogs
AN ASS, carrying a load of wood, passed through a pond. As he
was read more

The Ass and the Frogs
AN ASS, carrying a load of wood, passed through a pond. As he
was crossing through the water he lost his footing, stumbled and
fell, and not being able to rise on account of his load, groaned
heavily. Some Frogs frequenting the pool heard his lamentation,
and said, What would you do if you had to live here always as we
do, when you make such a fuss about a mere fall into the water?
Men often bear little grievances with less courage thanthey do large misfortunes.

The Ass and the Old Shepherd
A SHEPHERD, watching his Ass feeding in a meadow, was alarmed all
of read more

The Ass and the Old Shepherd
A SHEPHERD, watching his Ass feeding in a meadow, was alarmed all
of a sudden by the cries of the enemy. He appealed to the Ass to
fly with him, lest they should both be captured, but the animal
lazily replied, Why should I, pray? Do you think it likely the
conqueror will place on me two sets of panniers?' No, rejoined
the Shepherd. Then, said the Ass, as long as I carry the
panniers, what matters it to me whom I serve?'
In a change of government the poor change nothing beyond the name of their master.

The Farmer and the Snake
One winter a Farmer found a Snake stiff and frozen with cold. He had compassion read more

The Farmer and the Snake
One winter a Farmer found a Snake stiff and frozen with cold. He had compassion on it, and taking it up, placed it in his bosom. The Snake was quickly revived by the warmth, and resuming its natural instincts, bit its benefactor, inflicting on him a mortal wound. Oh, cried the Farmer with his last breath, I am rightly served for pitying a scoundrel.
The greatest kindness will not bind the ungrateful.

The Mountain in Labor
A mountain was once greatly agitated. Loud groans and noises were heard, and crowds of people read more

The Mountain in Labor
A mountain was once greatly agitated. Loud groans and noises were heard, and crowds of people came from all parts to see what was the matter. While they were assembled in anxious expectation of some terrible calamity, out came a Mouse.
Don't make much ado about nothing.