But the Cock was not to be so easily fooled. “Is this your axe?” Mercury asked the Woodman. It was enough to hang anyone for, much more an Ass. A fine hide makes an excellent meal for a hungry Dog, but the water was deep and the Dogs could not reach the hides from the bank. Now I am 80, I have followed the morals and have learnt a lot. They had so much freedom that it had spoiled them, and they did nothing but sit around croaking in a bored manner and wishing for a government that could entertain them with the pomp and display of royalty, and rule them in a way to make them know they were being ruled. A raven tries to copy an eagle, but finds it’s not so easy! The Shepherd wanted to make the Wild Goats part of his flock; so he fed them well. So thereafter the Ass would eat nothing and drink nothing but dew. Don’t talk to me about a drink!”. The Ass was so pleased to see the animals running away from him, just as if he were King Lion himself, that he could not keep from expressing his delight by a loud, harsh bray. “Your highness,” he said in an undertone, so the Ass could not hear him, “I’ve got a fine scheme in my head. But at last he stopped to argue. I don’t care a rap for your feasts and I wouldn’t take all the tender young lambs in the world at that price.” And away ran the Wolf to the woods. Their pride would not permit either to stand aside for the other. But she was grasping in nature, so she did what the Wolf asked her to do. “Goodby,” he said, “I’ve seen enough. This next part falls to me because I am the strongest; and this is mine because I am the bravest.”, He now began to glare at the others very savagely. An Ass was being driven along a road leading down the mountain side, when he suddenly took it into his silly head to choose his own path. Be not greedy for a little passing pleasure. Now it was the custom among the Greeks to take their pet monkeys and dogs with them whenever they went on a voyage. A Stork of a very simple and trusting nature had been asked by a gay party of Cranes to visit a field that had been newly planted. But she kept her beak tightly closed on the cheese and did not return his greeting. But when the tide of battle turned, they immediately sided with the Beasts. Neither would give way, and so they both fell, to be swept away by the roaring torrent below. “I did not even know you were there.”. A wise old Cat heard the dispute and offered to settle it. Instead he gave them each a hard whack over the head with it and sent them home. Then, it is said, Hercules really did appear, saying: “Put your shoulder to the wheel, man, and urge on your horses. That’s what you get. “Haven’t you got it? I am healthy, happy and honest. Please rate this story from 1 to 10 stars. When the Rabbit returned, there was the Weasel’s nose sticking out of the Rabbit’s own doorway, sniffing the fine air. The Dog could creep inside and the Cock would fly up on one of the branches. And, as usually happens when comrades argue, the talk began to get personal. (Presumably, a slave in ancient Greece would have been hard-pressed to attain the fame that Aesop did.) So he commanded that all animals with horns should leave his domains within twenty-four hours. And to save their skins, the Snakes had to look for another home. A Fox chanced to see them and laughed scornfully. But his plans were very much changed when he met a Lion, who, without making any excuses, took the Lamb away from him. “You deserve to be punished severely for your rashness!”, “But, your highness,” replied the trembling Lamb, “do not be angry! No hidden gold did they find; but at harvest time when they had settled their accounts and had pocketed a rich profit far greater than that of any of their neighbors, they understood that the treasure their father had told them about was the wealth of a bountiful crop, and that in their industry had they found the treasure. The Cock that had won the battle flew to the top of the hen-house, and, proudly flapping his wings, crowed with all his might to tell the world about his victory. Now the Fox was always looking for a chance to make fun of his neighbors. Aesop was a Greek storyteller born in approximately 620 BCE. If you try to please all, you please none. At the ford the Ass again tumbled over; but when he had scrambled to his feet, it was a very disconsolate Ass that dragged himself homeward under a load ten times heavier than before. by Team Tell-A-Tale. “I was mistaken,” he said. Many a Hare and many a Mouse died. The two soon became the best of comrades, living together in the Man’s hut. Bluff is no proof that hard fists are lacking. “And so far as shepherds are concerned, we all know they belong to that puny race that pretends to be our masters.”. A Traveler had hired an Ass to carry him to a distant part of the country. They made several attempts to steal it from him. All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. I saw you kiss Miss Geranium, and you fluttered around Miss Mignonette until Honey Bee chased you away. The stranger picked up a large stone and threw it into the hole. Mercury dived down for the third time, and when he came up again he had the very axe that had been lost. A Rat was traveling along the King’s highway. If we should happen to meet anything hard I will step between and save you.”. Up he jumped to the Owl’s den, but as soon as he was near enough so the old Owl could see him clearly, she pounced upon him and ate him up. One of the Men, thinking of his own safety, climbed a tree. “There, child, there! “Yes,” replied the Tortoise, “and I get there sooner than you think. In a twinkling the Oyster was resting in the Dog’s stomach, shell and all. “I learned a lesson from the Ass,” replied the Fox, carefully edging away. How to get them was the question. “How her feathers shine! “Get away from here, sir,” she said to the Grasshopper. As the Ass walked along, the people bowed their heads reverently or fell on their knees, and the Ass thought the honor was being paid to himself. But the Grasshopper answered saucily that he had as much right to his place in the sun as the Owl had to her place in the old oak. The Fox came too, but he was very cautious about it. A Farmer was driving his wagon along a miry country road after a heavy rain. The Bat begged for his life, but the Weasel would not listen. And when she wanted to turn her toes out she tripped and fell on her nose. So one day he left his stable and clattered eagerly into the house. The hungry Stork was much displeased at the trick, but he was a calm, even-tempered fellow and saw no good in flying into a rage. A Fox and a Leopard, resting lazily after a generous dinner, amused themselves by disputing about their good looks. That one had not been able to run fast enough because of the weight of his brush. Said the Swallow: “Just look at my bright and downy feathers. The Lion had little hope of eating them, for he was no match for three strong Bullocks with their sharp horns and hoofs. This Weasel happened to be a bitter enemy of Birds, and he soon had the Bat under his claws, ready to eat him. “It is ages since you went away, and all the time, you have been carrying on with all sorts of flowers. But the best he could do was to get his head out. “Why are you doing that?” asked the Fox at last with a grin. This one had been caught by hounds when his tail had become entangled in the hedge. Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail. Two Travelers were walking along the seashore. Instead he seemed to be helping the Shepherd take care of the Sheep. Pull them out and I’ll divide them between us.”. When at last he had succeeded, he gorged himself to bursting. As fast as she pulled the chestnuts out of the fire, the Monkey ate them up. Please listen to me and come down! At last one day they flew up to fight it out, beak and claw. “What is it you see?” asked the Fox a little anxiously. Read More ». (Archivist / Adobe Stock) The fables also reflect on Greek mythology and are often centered on either Gods or mythical heroes and creatures. You carried on scandalously with Mr. Bumble Bee and you made eyes at every single Bug you could see. His eyes were fixed on the stars. But in spite of its squeals and struggles to escape, the Shepherd tucked his prize under his arm and started off to the butcher’s in the market place. Here are 15 of the most read, most popular and most loved Aesop’s fables. So he loaded his sling with stones and killed several of the Cranes. As the days passed, the wheat stalks grew tall and the young birds, too, grew in strength. It is easy to be brave when there is no danger. Presently the Peacock saw an Eagle soaring high up in the blue sky and felt a desire to fly, as he had been accustomed to do. But just as he was about to put his head under his wing, his beady eyes caught a flash of red and a glimpse of a long pointed nose, and there just below him stood Master Fox. He gobbled up the poor Frogs right and left and they soon saw what fools they had been. “I’m off. But they soon saw who he was. I am so strong I can carry away an Ostrich in my talons as if it were a feather!”. But it was set out in a very shallow dish, and all the Stork could do was to wet the very tip of his bill. 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