The Cock and the Jewel
A COCK, scratching for food for himself and his hens, found a precious stone read more

The Cock and the Jewel
A COCK, scratching for food for himself and his hens, found a precious stone and exclaimed: If your owner had found thee, and not I, he would have taken thee up, and have set thee in thy first estate; but I have found thee for no purpose. I would rather have one barleycorn than all the jewels in the world.

The Kid and the Wolf
A kid standing on the roof of a house, out of harm's way, saw a read more

The Kid and the Wolf
A kid standing on the roof of a house, out of harm's way, saw a Wolf passing by and immediately began to taunt and revile him. The Wolf, looking up, said, Sirrah! I hear thee: yet it is not thou who mockest me, but the roof on which thou art standing.
Time and place often give the advantage to the weak over the strong.

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.

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 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 Apes and the Two Travelers
TWO MEN, one who always spoke the truth and the other who told
read more

The Apes and the Two Travelers
TWO MEN, one who always spoke the truth and the other who told
nothing but lies, were traveling together and by chance came to
the land of Apes. One of the Apes, who had raised himself to be
king, commanded them to be seized and brought before him, that he
might know what was said of him among men. He ordered at the
same time that all the Apes be arranged in a long row on his
right hand and on his left, and that a throne be placed for him,
as was the custom among men. After these preparations he
signified that the two men should be brought before him, and
greeted them with this salutation: What sort of a king do I seem
to you to be, O strangers?' The Lying Traveler replied, You seem
to me a most mighty king. And what is your estimate of those
you see around me?' These, he made answer, are worthy
companions of yourself, fit at least to be ambassadors and
leaders of armies. The Ape and all his court, gratified with the
lie, commanded that a handsome present be given to the flatterer.
On this the truthful Traveler thought to himself, If so great a
reward be given for a lie, with what gift may not I be rewarded,
if, according to my custom, I tell the truth?' The Ape quickly
turned to him. And pray how do I and these my friends around me
seem to you?' Thou art, he said, a most excellent Ape, and all
these thy companions after thy example are excellent Apes too.
The King of the Apes, enraged at hearing these truths, gave him
over to the teeth and claws of his companions.

The Fawn and His Mother
A young fawn once said to his Mother, You are larger than a dog, and read more

The Fawn and His Mother
A young fawn once said to his Mother, You are larger than a dog, and swifter, and more used to running, and you have your horns as a defense; why, then, O Mother! do the hounds frighten you so? She smiled, and said: I know full well, my son, that all you say is true. I have the advantages you mention, but when I hear even the bark of a single dog I feel ready to faint, and fly away as fast as I can.
No arguments will give courage to the coward.

The Lion in Love
A lion demanded the daughter of a woodcutter in marriage. The Father, unwilling to grant, and read more

The Lion in Love
A lion demanded the daughter of a woodcutter in marriage. The Father, unwilling to grant, and yet afraid to refuse his request, hit upon this expedient to rid himself of his importunities. He expressed his willingness to accept the Lion as the suitor of his daughter on one condition: that he should allow him to extract his teeth, and cut off his claws, as his daughter was fearfully afraid of both. The Lion cheerfully assented to the proposal. But when the toothless, clawless Lion returned to repeat his request, the Woodman, no longer afraid, set upon him with his club, and drove him away into the forest.

The Ass and His Masters
AN ASS, belonging to an herb-seller who gave him too little food
and too read more

The Ass and His Masters
AN ASS, belonging to an herb-seller who gave him too little food
and too much work made a petition to Jupiter to be released from
his present service and provided with another master. Jupiter,
after warning him that he would repent his request, caused him to
be sold to a tile-maker. Shortly afterwards, finding that he had
heavier loads to carry and harder work in the brick-field, he
petitioned for another change of master. Jupiter, telling him
that it would be the last time that he could grant his request,
ordained that he be sold to a tanner. The Ass found that he had
fallen into worse hands, and noting his master's occupation,
said, groaning: It would have been better for me to have been
either starved by the one, or to have been overworked by the
other of my former masters, than to have been bought by my
present owner, who will even after I am dead tan my hide, and
make me useful to him.
He that finds discontentment in one place is not likely to find happiness in another.