ONE day a Wolf and a Lamb happened to come at the same time to drink from a brook that ran down the side of the mountain.
The Wolf wished very much to eat the Lamb, but meeting her as he did, face to face, he thought he must find some excuse for doing so.
So he began by trying to pick a quarrel, and said angrily: “How dare you come to my brook and muddy the water so that I cannot drink it? What do you mean?”
The Lamb, very much alarmed, said gently: “I do not see how it can be that I have spoiled the water. You stand higher up the stream, and the water runs from you to me, not from me to you.”
“Be that as it may,” said the Wolf, with a snarl, “you are a rascal all the same, for I have heard that last year you said bad things of me behind my back.”
“Dear Mr. Wolf,” cried the poor Lamb, “that could not be, for a year ago I was not born; I am only six months old.”
Finding it of no use to argue any more, the Wolf began to snarl and show his teeth. Coming closer to the Lamb, he said, “You little wretch, if it was not you it was your father, so it’s all the same”; and he pounced upon the poor Lamb and ate her up.
THE FOX AND THE LION
A LITTLE fox was out playing one day, when a Lion came roaring along. “Dear me,” said the Fox, as he hid behind a tree, “I never saw a Lion before. What a terrible creature! His voice makes me tremble.”
The next time the Fox met the Lion he was not so much afraid, but he kept a safe distance and said to himself, “I wish he would not make such a noise!”
The third time they met, the Fox was not frightened at all. He ran up to the Lion, and said, “What are you roaring about?”
And the Lion was so taken by surprise that, without saying a word, he let the Fox walk away.
It would not be safe for little foxes always to follow the example of this one; but it is often true that what our fear makes seem a lion in the way has no danger in it if we meet it bravely.
THE DOG AND HIS SHADOW
A DOG once had a nice piece of meat for his dinner. Some say that it was stolen, but others, that it had been given him by a butcher, which we hope was the case.
Dogs like best to eat at home, and he went trotting along with the meat in his mouth, as happy as a king.
On the dog’s way there was a stream with a plank across it. As the water was still and clear, he stopped to take a look at it. What should he see, as he gazed into its bright depths, but a dog as big as himself, looking up at him, and lo! the dog had meat in his mouth.
“I’ll try to get that,” said he; “then with both mine and his what a feast I shall have!” As quick as thought he snapped at the meat, but in doing so he had to open his mouth, and his own piece fell to the bottom of the stream.
Then he saw that the other dog had lost his piece, too. He went sadly home. In trying to grasp a shadow he lost his substance.
THE CRAB AND HIS MOTHER
“MY child,” said a Crab to her son, “why do you walk so awkwardly? If you wish to make a good appearance, you should go straight forward, and not to one side as you do so constantly.”
“I do wish to make a good appearance, mamma,” said the young Crab; “and if you will show me how, I will try to walk straight forward.”
“Why, this is the way, of course,” said the mother, as she started off to the right. “No, this is the way,” said she, as she made another attempt, to the left.
The little Crab smiled. “When you learn to do it yourself, you can teach me,” he said, and went back to his play.
THE FOX AND THE GRAPES
IT WAS a sultry day, and a Fox was almost famishing with hunger and thirst. He was just saying to himself that anything would be acceptable to him, when, looking up, he spied some great clusters of ripe, black grapes hanging from a trellised vine.
“What luck!” he said; “if only they weren’t quite so high, I should be sure of a fine feast. I wonder if I can get them. I can think of nothing that would so refresh me.”
Jumping into the air is not the easiest thing in the world for a Fox to do; but he gave a great spring and nearly reached the lowest clusters.
“I’ll do better next time,” he said.
He tried again and again, but did not succeed so well as at first. Finding that he was losing his strength and that he had little chance of getting the grapes, he walked slowly off, grumbling as he did so: “The grapes are sour, and not at all fit for my eating. I’ll leave them to the greedy birds. They eat anything.”
THE WOLF AND THE CRANE
ONE day a Wolf, who was eating his dinner much too fast, swallowed a bone, which stuck in his throat and pained him very much. He tried to get it out, but could not.
Just then he saw a Crane passing by. “Dear friend,” said he to the Crane, “there is a bone sticking in my throat. You have a good long neck; can’t you reach down and pull it out? I will pay you well for it.”
“I’ll try,” said the Crane. Then he put his head into the Wolf’s mouth, between his sharp teeth, and reaching down, pulled out the bone.
“There!” said the Wolf, “I am glad it is out; I must be more careful another time.”
“I will go now, if you will pay me,” said the Crane.
“Pay you, indeed!” cried the Wolf. “Be thankful that I did not bite your head off when it was in my mouth. You ought to be content with that.”
Gentle, kindly folk sometimes have to learn that kindness must be mixed with caution.
THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPERS
THE Ants and the Grasshoppers lived together in the great field. The Ants were busy all the time gathering a store of grain to lay by for winter use. They gave themselves so little pleasure that their merry neighbors, the Grasshoppers, began at last to take scarcely any notice of them.
When the frost came, it put an end to the work of the Ants and the chirping and merrymaking of the Grasshoppers. But one fine winter’s day, when the Ants were employed in spreading their grain in the sun to dry, a Grasshopper, who was nearly perishing with hunger, chanced to pass by.
“Good day to you, kind neighbor,” said she; “will you not lend me a little food? I will certainly pay you before this time next year.”
“How does it happen that you have no food of your own?” asked an old Ant. “There was an abundance in the field where we lived side by side all summer, and your people seemed to be active enough. What were you doing, pray?”
“Oh,” said the Grasshopper, forgetting his hunger, “I sang all the day long, and all the night, too.”
“Well, then,” interrupted the Ant, “I must not deprive my own family for you. If Grasshoppers find it so gay to sing away the summer, they must starve in winter,” and she went on with her work, all the while singing the old song, “We ants never borrow; we ants never lend.”
THE FROGS WHO ASKED FOR A KING
THERE were once some Frogs who lived together in perfect security in a beautiful lake. They were a large company, and were very comfortable, but they came to think that they might be still happier if they had a King to rule over them.
So they sent to Jupiter, their god, to ask him to give them a King.
Jupiter laughed at their folly, for he knew that they were better off as they were; but he said to them, “Well, here is a King for you,” and into the water he threw a big Log.
It fell with such a splash that the Frogs were terrified and hid themselves in the deep mud under the water.
By and by, one braver than the rest peeped out to look at the King, and saw the Log, as it lay quietly on the top of the water. Soon, one after another they all came out of their hiding places and ventured to look at their great King.
As the Log did not move, they swam round it, keeping a safe distance away, and at last one by one hopped upon it.
“This is not a King,” said a wise old Frog; “it is nothing but a stupid Log. If we had a King, Jupiter would pay more attention to us.”
Again they sent to Jupiter, and begged him to give them a King who could rule over them.
Jupiter did not like to be disturbed again by the silly Frogs, and this time he sent them a Stork, saying, “You will have some one to rule over you now.”
As they saw the Stork solemnly walking down to the lake, they were delighted.
“Ah!” they said, “see how grand he looks! How he strides along! How he throws back his head! This is a King indeed. He shall rule over us,” and they went joyfully to meet him.
As their new King came nearer, he paused, stretched out his long neck, picked up the head Frog, and swallowed him at one mouthful. And then the next—and the next!
“What is this?” cried the Frogs, and they began to draw back in terror.
But the Stork with his long legs easily followed them to the water, and kept on eating them as fast as he could.
“Oh! if we had only been—” said the oldest Frog. He was going to add “content,” but was eaten up before he could finish the sentence.
The remaining Frogs cried to Jupiter to help them, but he would not listen. And the Stork-King ate them for breakfast, dinner, and supper, every day, till in a short time there was not a Frog left in the lake. Poor, foolish Frogs, not to have known when they were well off.
THE DONKEY IN THE LION’S SKIN
A DONKEY once put on a Lion’s skin which some hunters had spread out to dry. It did not fit the Donkey very well, but he found that in it he could frighten all the timid, foolish little animals, so he amused himself by chasing them about.
By and by he met a Fox, and tried to frighten him by roaring.
“My dear Donkey,” said the wise Fox, “you are braying, and not roaring. I might, perhaps, have been frightened by your looks, if you had not tried to roar; but I know your voice too well to mistake you for a Lion.”
THE MICE IN COUNCIL
SOME little Mice, who lived in the walls of a house, met together one night, to talk of the wicked Cat and to consider what could be done to get rid of her. The head Mice were Brown-back, Gray-ear, and White-whisker.
“There is no comfort in the house,” said Brown-back. “If I but step into the pantry to pick up a few crumbs, down comes the Cat, and I have hardly time to run to my nest again.”
“What can we do?” asked Gray-ear. “Shall we all run at her at once and bite her, and frighten her away?”
“No,” said White-whisker; “she is so bold we could not frighten her. I have thought of something better than that. Let us hang a bell round her neck. Then, if she moves, the bell will ring, and we shall hear it, and have time to run away.”
“O yes! yes!” cried all the Mice. “That is a capital idea. We will bell the Cat! Hurrah! hurrah! No more fear of the Cat!” and they danced in glee.
When their glee had subsided a little, Brown-back asked, “But who will hang the bell round her neck?”
No one answered. “Will you?” he asked of White-whisker.
“I don’t think I can,” replied White-whisker; “I am lame, you know. It needs some one who can move quickly.”
“Will you, Gray-ear?” said Brown-back.
“Excuse me,” answered Gray-ear; “I have not been well since that time when I was almost caught in the trap.”
“Who will bell the Cat, then?” said Brown-back. “If it is to be done, some one must do it.”
Not a sound was heard, and one by one the little Mice stole away to their holes, no better off than they were before.
When there is trouble there is need of some one to act, as well as some one to advise.
THE KID AND THE WOLF
A KID coming home alone one night met a big Wolf. “Oh, oh, I know you will kill me,” said the little Kid; “but please play me a tune, so that I may have one more dance before I die; I am so fond of dancing.”
“Very well,” said the Wolf, “I will try, for I should like to see you dance before I eat you.”
Then the Wolf took up the shepherd’s pipe that was lying near, and began to play. But while he was playing, and the Kid was dancing a jig, the Dogs heard the sound, and came running up.
“It is my own fault,” said the Wolf, as the Dogs caught him. “My business is to kill Kids and eat them, and not to play for them to dance. Why did I try to be a Piper, when I am really only a Butcher?”
“You didn’t play very well, either,” said the Kid.
THE HAWK AND THE NIGHTINGALE
A NIGHTINGALE sitting on the top of an oak, singing her evening song, was spied by a hungry Hawk, who swooped down and seized her. The frightened Nightingale prayed the Hawk to let her go.
“If you are hungry,” said she, “why not catch some large bird? I am not big enough for even a luncheon.”
“Do you happen to see many large birds flying about?” said the Hawk. “You are the only bird I have seen to-day, and I should be foolish indeed to let you go for the sake of larger birds that are not in sight. A morsel is better than nothing.”
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER
A THIRSTY Crow once spied a pitcher, and flew to it to see if by chance there was any water in it.
When she looked in, she saw that there was water, but that it was so far from the top that she could not reach it, though she stretched her neck as far as she could.
She stopped, and thought to herself, “How shall I get that water? I am perishing with thirst, and there must be some way for me to get some of it.” Some pebbles were lying on the ground; and, picking them up in her beak, she dropped them one by one into the pitcher.
They sank to the bottom; and at last the water was pushed up by them to the top, so that the Crow could easily drink it.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” said the Crow.
THE ANT AND THE DOVE
AN Ant, walking by the river one day, said to himself, “How nice and cool this water looks! I must drink some of it.” But as he began to drink, his foot slipped, and he fell in.
“Oh, somebody please help me, or I shall drown!” cried he.
A Dove, sitting in a tree that overhung the river, heard him, and threw him a leaf. “Climb up on that leaf,” said she, “and you will float ashore.”
The Ant climbed up onto the leaf, which the wind blew to the shore, and he stepped upon dry land again.
“Good-by, kind Dove,” said he, as he ran home. “You have saved my life, and I wish I could do something for you.”
“Good-by,” said the Dove; “be careful not to fall in again.”
A few days after this, when the Dove was busy building her nest, the Ant saw a man just raising his gun to shoot her.
He ran quickly, and bit the man’s leg so hard that he cried “Oh! oh!” and dropped his gun.
This startled the Dove, and she flew away. The man picked up his gun, and walked on.
When he was gone, the Dove came back to her nest.
“Thank you, my little friend,” she said. “You have saved my life.”
And the little Ant was overjoyed to think he had been able to do for the Dove what the Dove had so lately done for him.
THE OX AND THE FROG
AN Ox, drinking at a pool, chanced to set his foot on a young Frog, and crushed him to death.
His brothers and sisters, who were playing near, ran at once to tell their mother what had happened. “Oh, Mother,” they cried, “a very huge beast, with four great feet, came to the pool, and crushed our brother to death in an instant, with his hard, cloven heel.”
The old Frog was very vain. She was rather large, as Frogs go, and gave herself airs on account of it. “Was the cruel beast so very large?” she said. “How big?”
“Oh!” said the young Frogs. “It was a terrible monster!”
“Was it as big as this?” she said, blowing and puffing herself out.
“Oh, much bigger,” replied the young Frogs.
“As big as this, then?” she added, puffing and blowing with all her might.
“A great deal bigger,” they answered.
“Well, was it so big?”
“Oh, Mother!” cried the Frogs; “pray do not try to be so big. If you were to puff till you burst, you could not make yourself half so big as the creature we tell you of.”
But the silly old Frog would not give up. She tried again to puff herself out, saying, “As big as”—and she did indeed burst.
It is useless to attempt what is impossible.
THE BAT AND THE WEASELS
A BAT, trying to fly one day, fell to the ground, and a Weasel caught him. The Bat begged the Weasel not to kill him.
“There is nothing I hate like a bird,” said the Weasel; “I always kill them.”
“But I am not a bird,” said the Bat, as he folded his wings close to his sides; “birds don’t come tumbling down as I did; and besides, don’t you see my little smooth head, and my ears?”
“Yes, yes,” said the Weasel, “I did not notice them at first. I see, you are a mouse”; so he let the Bat go.
Some time after, the Bat took another flight, and again fell to the ground. Another Weasel came out of his hole and caught him.
“Pray don’t kill me,” said the Bat.
“Certainly I shall,” said the Weasel; “I kill mice wherever I find them.”
“But stop a moment,” said the Bat, spreading his wings; “I am not a mouse. Don’t you see my great wings? A mouse can’t fly, can it?”
“I beg your pardon,” said the Weasel; “I did not know that you were a bird; I thought you were a mouse. I see I was mistaken.” Then he let him go.
So the cunning Bat escaped a second time, but it is not often safe to use such arguments.
THE FOX AND THE GOAT
A FOX once happened to fall into a deep well. He tried in every way to get out, but at last began to think that it was impossible, and that he must die there, a prisoner. While he was thinking how sad that would be, a thirsty Goat came and looked down into the well, wishing that he could get some water. He soon saw the Fox.
“Halloo,” said the Goat, “what are you doing down there? Is the water good?”
“The best I ever tasted,” answered the Fox. “It is cool, and clear, and delicious. Come down and try it yourself.”
“I will,” said the Goat, “for I am nearly dead with thirst.”
So he jumped down, and drank as much water as he wanted.
“Oh, how refreshing!” cried he.
“Yes,” said the Fox; “and now, if you have finished drinking, let me ask how you expect to get out of this well again.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” replied the Goat. “How do you expect to get out?”
“That is what I have been wondering about for the last hour,” said the Fox, “and have just now thought of a good plan. If you will put your forefeet high up on the wall, I will climb up your back, and so get out, and then, of course, I can help you out.”
“Very well,” said the Goat, who was a simple creature, “that is a good plan. How I wish I had your brains!” He put his forefeet on the wall, and the Fox easily climbed out and started to go on his way.
“Wait a moment,” called the Goat; “you forgot to help me out.”
“You foolish fellow!” said the Fox, with a mocking laugh; “you ought to have thought how you would get out, before you jumped down. I fell in, but you went down of your own accord. Look before you leap next time,” and off he ran.
THE WOMAN AND HER HEN
A WOMAN had a Hen that laid an egg every day. The eggs were large, and sold for a good price. The Woman often thought, as she took them to market: “How glad they all are to get my eggs! I could sell as many more just as easily.”
It began to look a small thing to her to get but a single egg each day. “If I were to give a double allowance of barley, the Hen might be made to lay two eggs a day instead of one,” she said.
So she doubled the food, and the Hen grew very fat and sleek; but she stopped laying eggs.
THE DOG IN THE MANGER
A SLEEPY Dog went to the barn, and jumped into a manger full of hay, curling himself up there for an afternoon nap.
When he had been sleeping comfortably for some time, the Oxen came in for their supper.
The Dog awoke in a great rage at being disturbed, and began to growl and bark at them. He would not let them get at the hay.
“Stop a moment,” said one of the Oxen. “Do you want to eat this hay?”
“No,” said the Dog; “I shouldn’t think of such a thing.”
“Very well, then,” said the Ox, “we do want to eat it, for we are hungry and tired.”
“Oh, go away,” growled the Dog, “and let me sleep.”
“What an ugly, snappish fellow!” said the Ox. “He will neither eat the hay himself nor let us eat it!”
THE MOUSE, THE FROG, AND THE HAWK
A MOUSE, who had always lived on the land, and a Frog, who passed most of his time in the water, became friends.
The Mouse showed the Frog his nest and everything he could think of that was pleasant to see; and the Frog invited the Mouse to go home with him and see all the beautiful things that are under the water.
“Can you swim?” asked the Frog.
“Not much,” said the Mouse.
“No matter,” said the Frog; “I will tie your foot to my foot with a piece of this strong grass, and then I can pull you along nicely.” The Frog laughed as he said this. He thought it would be good fun for him, but he well knew that the Mouse would not enjoy it.
When the Frog had tied the Mouse’s foot to his own, they started together across the meadow. They soon came to the edge of the water, and the Frog jumped in, pulling the Mouse in with him.
“Oh, how cool and nice the water is, after the dry, hot land!” said the Frog, as he swam gayly about. But the poor Mouse was frightened.
“Please let me go,” said he, “or I shall die.”
“Oh, never mind,” said the unkind Frog; “you will get used to the water. I just love it.”
But soon the poor Mouse was drowned, and floated up to the top of the water, while the Frog frisked about down below.
Just then a Hawk saw the Mouse, and pounced upon it.
As he flew away with it the Frog was dragged out of the water, too, for he was still tied to the Mouse.
“Stop, stop!” cried the Frog. “Let me go. It is the Mouse you want.”
“Come along,” said the Hawk; “I want you both. I will eat you first, for I like Frog meat even better than I do Mouse.”
In a few moments the Hawk had made a good supper, and there was nothing left of either the false Frog or the foolish Mouse.
THE SHEPHERD’S BOY AND THE WOLF
A MAN who had a fine flock of Sheep put them all into a field, and hired a Boy to take care of them, while he worked near by with his Men.
The Sheep went nibbling the grass all day, up and down the hills and along the brook; and all that the Boy had to do was to look out for the Wolf, and see that he did not come prowling into the field.
After a while the Boy began to wish that something would happen, it was so tiresome staying there all alone, with no one to speak to and nothing to do. He wished he could be with the Men in the next field, or that they could come and stay with him. All at once he thought to himself, “I will make them think the Wolf has come. That will be great fun.”
So he called out as loudly as he could, “Help! help! The Wolf!” and all the Men came running up.
When they found it was only a joke, they laughed, and went back to their work.
On the next day the Boy tried the same trick again. As before, the Men dropped their mattocks and spades, for fear there might be danger, and ran to the help of the Boy. He only laughed at them for their pains, and this time they did not relish the joke. Still the Boy did not give it up. Again he shouted “Wolf! Wolf!” till the Men took no notice of him when he called them, no matter how loudly or how long he shouted.
After a while, the Wolf did get into the field. Then in real terror the Boy called and called: “Pray do come and help me. The Wolf is killing the sheep. The Wolf! the Wolf!” But no one gave heed to his cries. Finding only a terrified coward in care of the flock, the Wolf left few of them uninjured.
THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH
ALL day long a Fisherman had been toiling and had caught nothing.
“I will make one more effort,” thought he, “and then I must go home.”
He threw in his line, and soon drew up a very small perch.
The little Fish was terribly frightened when he found himself out of water, and with a sharp hook sticking in his mouth; and he said to the Fisherman:
“O sir, take pity upon me, and throw me into the water again! See what a little thing I am. I should not make one mouthful for you now; but if you leave me in the water, I shall grow large and stout, and then I shall be worth catching. You can make a dinner of me then, or sell me for a good price.”
“Ah!” said the Fisherman, “it is true you are small, but I have you safely now. If I should throw you back, I might never catch you again. You are better than nothing. I will keep you”; and he put the little Fish into his basket, and took him home with him.
THE FOX AND THE CROW
A CROW stole a piece of cheese one day, and flew with it up into a tree, so as to eat it at her leisure.
As she sat there, holding it in her beak, a Fox chanced to pass by, and looking up saw her. “How good that cheese smells!” thought he; “I’ll have it, sure as I’m a Fox.”
Coming close to the tree, he said, “My dear Madam, what a beautiful creature you are! I was not aware till this moment what rare beauty your family possesses. What eyes! What glossy feathers! What grace of form! Is your voice as charming to hear, as your person is to look upon? If it is, you well deserve to be called the Queen of Birds. Will you not do me the favor to sing to me?”
Now it is well known that the Caw! Caw! of the Crow family is not musical. She ought to have been on her guard, but so delighted was she with the flattery of the Fox that she forgot to be wary. She opened her mouth to show the Fox the sweetness of her voice, when—down fell the bit of cheese, which was exactly what was expected.
The Fox ate it at one mouthful, then stopped to say, “Thank you, madam. I am quite satisfied. Your voice is well enough, I have no doubt. What a pity it is you are so sadly wanting in wit!”
The Crow learned that we do well to be on our guard when people flatter us.
THE PARTRIDGE AND THE FOWLER
A FOWLER caught a Partridge, and was just going to kill it.
“Wait a moment,” said the Partridge; “don’t kill me.”
“Why not?” said the Fowler.
“Because I like to live,” said the Partridge; “and, besides, if you let me go, I will bring some of my friends and neighbors here, and you can catch them, and that will be better than only one poor bird.”
“You are willing, then, that your friends and neighbors should die, to save your own life?” said the Fowler. “Wicked Partridge! you have lived long enough.” And he killed it.
THE THIRSTY PIGEON
A PIGEON who was very thirsty saw a goblet of water painted on a signboard.
Without stopping to see what it was, she flew to it with a loud whir, and dashing against the signboard, jarred herself terribly. Having broken her wings, she fell to the ground, and was caught by a man, who said, “Your zeal should never outrun your caution.”
THE THREE TRADESMEN
A GREAT city was once besieged, and all its inhabitants were gathered together to consider by what means it might be protected from the enemy.
A Bricklayer earnestly recommended bricks as the best materials for successful defense.
A Carpenter with equal energy proposed timber as a preferable means of defense.
Hearing which, a Currier stood up and said, “Sirs, I differ with you wholly. There is no material for resistance equal to a covering of hides, and nothing in the present case so good as leather.”
Every man for his own trade.