The Tortoise and the Eagle
A tortoise, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of her hard fate, read more

The Tortoise and the Eagle
A tortoise, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of her hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly. An Eagle, hovering near, heard her lamentation and demanded what reward she would give him if he would take her aloft and float her in the air. I will give you, she said, all the riches of the Red Sea. I will teach you to fly then, said the Eagle; and taking her up in his talons he carried her almost to the clouds suddenly he let her go, and she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing her shell to pieces. The Tortoise exclaimed in the moment of death: I have deserved my present fate; for what had I to do with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on the earth?'
If men had all they wished, they would be often ruined.

The Man Bitten by a Dog
A man who had been bitten by a Dog went about in quest of read more

The Man Bitten by a Dog
A man who had been bitten by a Dog went about in quest of someone who might heal him. A friend, meeting him and learning what he wanted, said, If you would be cured, take a piece of bread, and dip it in the blood from your wound, and go and give it to the Dog that bit you. The Man who had been bitten laughed at this advice and said, Why? If I should do so, it would be as if I should beg every Dog in the town to bite me.
Benefits bestowed upon the evil-disposed increase their means of injuring you.

The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar
An old woman found an empty jar which had lately been full of prime read more

The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar
An old woman found an empty jar which had lately been full of prime old wine and which still retained the fragrant smell of its former contents. She greedily placed it several times to her nose, and drawing it backwards and forwards said, O most delicious! How nice must the Wine itself have been, when it leaves behind in the very vessel which contained it so sweet a perfume!
The memory of a good deed lives.

The Father and His Two Daughters
A man had two daughters, the one married to a gardener, and the other read more

The Father and His Two Daughters
A man had two daughters, the one married to a gardener, and the other to a tile-maker. After a time he went to the daughter who had married the gardener, and inquired how she was and how all things went with her. She said, All things are prospering with me, and I have only one wish, that there may be a heavy fall of rain, in order that the plants may be well watered. Not long after, he went to the daughter who had married the tilemaker, and likewise inquired of her how she fared; she replied, I want for nothing, and have only one wish, that the dry weather may continue, and the sun shine hot and bright, so that the bricks might be dried. He said to her, If your sister wishes for rain, and you for dry weather, with which of the two am I to join my wishes?'.

The Ant and the Chrysalis
An Ant nimbly running about in the sunshine in search of food came
across a read more

The Ant and the Chrysalis
An Ant nimbly running about in the sunshine in search of food came
across a Chrysalis that was very near its time of change. The
Chrysalis moved its tail, and thus attracted the attention of the Ant,
who then saw for the first time that it was alive. Poor, pitiable
animal! cried the Ant disdainfully. What a sad fate is yours!
While I can run hither and thither, at my pleasure, and, if I wish,
ascend the tallest tree, you lie imprisoned here in your shell, with
power only to move a joint or two of your scaly tail. The Chrysalis
heard all this, but did not try to make any reply. A few days after,
when the Ant passed that way again, nothing but the shell remained.
Wondering what had become of its contents, he felt himself suddenly
shaded and fanned by the gorgeous wings of a beautiful Butterfly.
Behold in me, said the Butterfly, your much-pitied friend! Boast
now of your powers to run and climb as long as you can get me to
listen. So saying, the Butterfly rose in the air, and, borne along
and aloft on the summer breeze, was soon lost to the sight of the
Ant forever.
Appearances are deceptive.

The Old Woman and the Physician
An old woman having lost the use of her eyes, called in a Physician read more

The Old Woman and the Physician
An old woman having lost the use of her eyes, called in a Physician to heal them, and made this bargain with him in the presence of witnesses: that if he should cure her blindness, he should receive from her a sum of money; but if her infirmity remained, she should give him nothing. This agreement being made, the Physician, time after time, applied his salve to her eyes, and on every visit took something away, stealing all her property little by little. And when he had got all she had, he healed her and demanded the promised payment. The Old Woman, when she recovered her sight and saw none of her goods in her house, would give him nothing. The Physician insisted on his claim, and. as she still refused, summoned her before the Judge. The Old Woman, standing up in the Court, argued: This man here speaks the truth in what he says; for I did promise to give him a sum of money if I should recover my sight: but if I continued blind, I was to give him nothing. Now he declares that I am healed. I on the contrary affirm that I am still blind; for when I lost the use of my eyes, I saw in my house various chattels and valuable goods: but now, though he swears I am cured of my blindness, I am not able to see a single thing in it.

The Heifer and the Ox
A heifer saw an Ox hard at work harnessed to a plow, and tormented read more

The Heifer and the Ox
A heifer saw an Ox hard at work harnessed to a plow, and tormented him with reflections on his unhappy fate in being compelled to labor. Shortly afterwards, at the harvest festival, the owner released the Ox from his yoke, but bound the Heifer with cords and led him away to the altar to be slain in honor of the occasion. The Ox saw what was being done, and said with a smile to the Heifer: For this you were allowed to live in idleness, because you were presently to be sacrificed.

The Huntsman and the Fisherman
A huntsman, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by chance with a read more

The Huntsman and the Fisherman
A huntsman, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by chance with a Fisherman who was bringing home a basket well laden with fish. The Huntsman wished to have the fish, and their owner experienced an equal longing for the contents of the game-bag. They quickly agreed to exchange the produce of their day's sport. Each was so well pleased with his bargain that they made for some time the same exchange day after day. Finally a neighbor said to them, If you go on in this way, you will soon destroy by frequent use the pleasure of your exchange, and each will again wish to retain the fruits of his own sport.
Abstain and enjoy.

The Swallow, the Serpent, and the Court of Justice
A swallow, returning from abroad and especially fond of dwelling with read more

The Swallow, the Serpent, and the Court of Justice
A swallow, returning from abroad and especially fond of dwelling with men, built herself a nest in the wall of a Court of Justice and there hatched seven young birds. A Serpent gliding past the nest from its hole in the wall ate up the young unfledged nestlings. The Swallow, finding her nest empty, lamented greatly and exclaimed: Woe to me a stranger! that in this place where all others' rights are protected, I alone should suffer wrong.