A WOODMAN came into a forest, and made a petition to the Trees to provide him a handle for his ax.
The Trees, honored by his civility, acceded to his request, and held a consultation to decide which of them should be given him.
Without a dissenting voice, they chose the Ash, who, it seems, is not a favorite among the Trees. Some of them were bold enough to say that bad luck went with the Ash, and that at heart they were not bound to be in sympathy with woodcutters.
The Woodman cut down the Tree, and fitted the handle to his ax; then to the dismay of the Trees, set to work and, with strong strokes, quickly felled all the noblest giants of the forest.
Lamenting too late the fate of his companions, an old Oak remarked to a neighboring Cedar:
“The first step has lost us all. If we had not so willingly given up the rights of the Ash, we might have stood for ages.”
THE MILKMAID AND HER PAIL OF MILK
DOLLY the Milkmaid having been a good girl and careful in her work, her mistress gave her a pail of new milk for herself.
With the pail upon her head, Dolly tripped gayly along on her way to the town, whither she was going to sell her milk.
“For this milk,” said Dolly, “I shall get a shilling, and with it I will buy twenty of the eggs laid by our neighbor’s fine fowls. The mistress will surely lend me a hen, and, allowing for all mishaps, I shall raise a good dozen of chicks. They will be well grown before the next fair-time comes around, and it is then that chickens bring the highest price. I shall be able to sell mine for a guinea.
“Then I shall buy that jacket that I saw in the village the other day, and a hat and ribbons too. And when I go to the fair, how smart I shall be!
“Robin will be there, and will come up and offer to be friends again. But I won’t make up too easily; and when he wants me for a partner in the dance, I shall just toss up my head and—”
Here Dolly gave her head the least bit of a toss, when down came the pail, and all the milk was spilled upon the ground.
Poor Dolly! it was her good-by to eggs, chickens, jacket, hat, ribbons, and all.
THE CAT AND THE FOX
THE Cat and the Fox were once talking together in the middle of the forest.
“I do not care what happens,” said the Fox, “for I have a thousand tricks, any one of which would get me out of difficulty. But pray, Mrs. Puss,” he added, “what would you do if there should be an invasion?”
“I have but one course,” Puss replied. “If that would not serve me, I should be undone.”
“I am sorry for you,” said the Fox. “I would gladly teach you one or two of my tricks, but it is not wise to trust another. We must each take care for himself.”
These words were hardly spoken, when a pack of hounds came upon them in full cry.
The Cat, by means of her one well-proved safeguard, ran up a tree and sat serenely among the branches. “This is my way,” she said to the Fox. “What is yours to be?”
The Fox, with all his thousand tricks, was not able to get out of sight, and fell a prey to the dogs.
THE MONKEY AND THE CAT
A MONKEY and a Cat lived in the same family, and it was hard to tell which was the greater thief.
One day, as they were roaming together, they spied some chestnuts roasting in the ashes of a fire.
“Come,” said the cunning Monkey, “we shall not go dinnerless to-day. Your claws are better than mine for the purpose; pull the chestnuts out of the ashes and you shall have half.”
Puss pulled them out, burning her paws very much in doing so. When she had stolen every one, she turned to the Monkey for her share of the booty; but, to her chagrin, she could find no chestnuts, for he had eaten them all.
THE WOLF AND THE SHEPHERD
FOR a long time the Wolf had followed the Sheep without attempting to injure one of them.
The Shepherd stood on his guard against him for a while, and kept strict watch that he did not come too near. But as day after day passed and the Wolf showed no disposition to injure any of the flock, he allowed him to approach nearer, till at last he came among the Sheep, and seemed to watch over them like a dog.
“He is really quite a help to me,” said the Shepherd to himself; “and I have never seen him make the slightest effort to seize a sheep or a lamb.”
So, having occasion to go to town one day, he left his flock in the care of the Wolf, whom he regarded as a guardian over them.
But no sooner was the man gone, than the Wolf, seeing his opportunity, fell upon the Sheep and destroyed the greater part of them.
“I have been rightly served,” said the Shepherd, on his return. “Why did I not know better than to trust my Sheep to their worst enemy? Soon or late, nature will show itself.”
THE WOLF, THE FOX, AND THE APE
A WOLF accused of theft a Fox, who utterly denied the charge, whereupon an Ape undertook to adjudge the matter in question.
When each had fully stated his case, the Ape pronounced this sentence:
“I am fully satisfied that you, Wolf, never lost what you claim.” Then turning to the Fox, he said, “And I believe you to have done that which you so stoutly deny.”
THE BLIND MAN AND THE WHELP
A BLIND Man was accustomed to distinguish different animals by touching them with his hands.
The whelp of a wolf was brought him, with the request that he should feel it and tell what it was.
Being in doubt, he said, “I do not quite know whether it is the cub of a fox or the whelp of a wolf; but this I know full well, that it would not be safe to admit it to the sheepfold.”
THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW
A YOUNG man who had been a great spendthrift, and had run through all the money he had inherited, and even sold all his outer clothing except his cloak, saw a Swallow skimming over the meadows in the early springtime and twittering gayly. Believing that summer was really come, he sold his cloak also.
The next day there happened to be a severe frost, and, shivering himself, he found the Swallow lying frozen and stiff upon the ground.
“Unhappy bird,” he said, “had you not come before your time, I should not now be so wretched, and you might have escaped your fate. A single swallow does not make a summer.”
THE BOAR AND THE FOX
A BOAR stood whetting his tusks against a tree.
“What do you mean,” asked a Fox, “by such warlike preparation? There is no enemy in sight.”
“When the enemy is in sight,” said the Boar, “it is time to think of something else.”
HERCULES AND THE WAGONER
AS A WAGONER drove his wagon through a miry lane, the wheels stuck fast in the clay, so that the horses could proceed no further.
The Man, without making the least effort to remedy the matter, fell upon his knees and began to call upon Hercules to come and help him out of his trouble.
“Lazy fellow,” said Hercules, “lay your own shoulder to the wheel. Stir yourself and do what you can. Then, if you want aid from the gods, you shall have it. Remember the proverb, Heaven helps those who help themselves.”
THE MULES AND THE ROBBERS
TWO Mules, laden with packs, were trudging along the highway. One carried panniers filled with money, the other sacks of grain.
The Mule that carried the treasure walked with head erect and stately step, jingling the bells about his neck as he went.
His companion followed at a quiet, easy pace.
Suddenly a band of Robbers sprang upon them, attracted by the strong, proud step and the jingling bells. The Mule that carried the gold made so great an ado that the Robbers seized his pack, wounding him with their weapons, and, hearing footsteps, fled.
“I am glad,” said the other, “that I was thought of so little consequence, for I have lost nothing, nor am I hurt with any wound.”
THE SWALLOW AND THE CROW
THE Swallow and the Crow were once contending about their plumage. The Crow finally put an end to the dispute by saying, “Your feathers are well enough now while it is warm, but mine protect me against the winter.”
JUPITER AND THE BEE
A BEE made Jupiter a present of a pot of honey, which was so kindly taken that he bade her ask what she would in exchange.
The Bee, who was nursing a private spite for the loss of some of her winter’s store, desired of Jupiter that wherever she should set her sting it might be mortal.
Jupiter was loath to leave mankind at the mercy of a little spiteful insect, and was annoyed at the ill nature shown in her wish. He said, therefore, that while, for his promise’s sake, he would give her the power to harm, she must be careful how she used the power, for where she planted her sting, she would leave it, and would thereby risk her own life.
Ill will often does greater harm to the one who acts from it than to the one on whom it falls.
THE TWO TRAVELERS
AS TWO men were traveling through a wood, one of them took up an ax which he saw lying upon the ground. “Look here,” said he to his companion; “I have found an ax.”
“Don’t say I have found it,” said the other, “but we. As we are companions, we ought to share it between us.”
“No,” said the first, “I found the ax. It is mine.”
They had not gone far when they heard the owner of the ax pursuing them, and calling out to them in great passion.
“We are in for it now,” said he who had the ax.
“Nay,” said the other; “say I am in for it, not we. When you thought you had a prize, you would not let me share it with you, and now you cannot expect me to share in the danger.”
THE KID AND THE WOLF
A KID, mounted on a high rock where she felt safe, bestowed all manner of abuse upon a Wolf on the ground below.
The Wolf replied: “Do not think, silly little creature, that you can annoy me. This ill language that you are using I regard as coming, not from you, but from the safe place on which you stand. You would be in a different mood if you were down here by my side.”
THE GOURD AND THE PINE
A GOURD was once planted close beside a large and noble Pine Tree. The season was kindly, and the Gourd shot itself up in a short time, climbing by the boughs and twining about them, till it covered and overtopped the Tree itself.
The leaves were so large and the flowers and fruit so fair that the Gourd, comparing them with the slender needles of the Pine, had the assurance to think itself of greater value in the comparison.
“Why,” said the Gourd, “you have been more years in growing to this stature than I have been days.”
“That is true,” said the Pine; “but after the many winters and summers that I have endured, the many blasting colds and parching heats, you see me the very same that I was long years ago. Nothing has overcome me. But when your race is put to the proof, the first blight or frost is sure to bring down that pride of yours. In an hour you are stripped of all your glory.”
THE HARE AND THE HOUND
A HOUND, having started a Hare which proved to be a capital runner, at length gave up the chase. His master, seeing it, said, “The little one is the best runner, eh?”
“Ah, Master,” answered the Dog, “it’s all very well to laugh; but you do not see the difference between us. He was running for his life, while I was only running for my dinner.”
THE OWL AND THE GRASSHOPPER
AN Owl, who was sitting in a hollow tree, dozing away a long summer afternoon, was much disturbed by a rogue of a Grasshopper, singing in the grass below.
So far from moving away at the request of the Owl, or keeping quiet, the Grasshopper sang all the more, saying that honest people got their sleep at night.
The Owl waited in silence for a while, and then artfully addressed the Grasshopper thus: “I suppose I ought to be angry with you, my dear, for I confess I would rather sleep than listen to your singing. But if one cannot be allowed to sleep, it is something to be kept awake by such a pleasant little pipe as yours. And now it occurs to me that I have some delicious nectar with which to reward a musician who sings so sweetly. If you will take the trouble to come up, you shall have a drop. It will clear your voice nicely.”
The silly Grasshopper came hopping up to the Owl, who at once caught and killed him, and so finished her nap in comfort.
THE MULE EATING THISTLES
A MULE, laden with choice provision of several sorts, was on his way to the field. His master and the reapers were at work there, and the provision that he carried was for the refreshment of both man and beast.
Seeing a large, strong thistle by the roadside, he stopped to eat it. “Many people would wonder,” thought he, “that, with such dainty food upon my back, I should have appetite for the despised thistle; but to me the bitter, prickly weed has a more savory relish than anything else in the world. Let others choose what they will, but give me a fine, juicy thistle like this, and I shall be content. Every one to his taste. It is wisely ordered that what one rejects should be the choice of another. A wise man has said that a weed is a plant that people have not yet found a use for.”
THE SICK STAG
A STAG, whose joints had become stiff with age, was at great pains to gather an abundant supply of food—enough, as he thought, for the remainder of his days.
He stretched himself beside it, in a quiet, sunny corner of his pasture, and now dozing, now nibbling, was passing a happy old age.
He had been a favorite among his companions, and they now came often, and in great numbers, to call upon him and wish him good luck. He made them welcome in a hospitable manner, and each, as often as he came, helped himself to a little of the food so abundantly provided.
The end of the matter was, that the poor Stag died, not so much from either sickness or old age as from want of the food which his friends had eaten for him. Before doing a thing, it is well sometimes to consider, “What if every one should do it?”
THE WOLF AND THE SHEPHERDS
A WOLF, passing by, saw some Shepherds in a hut, eating for their dinner a haunch of mutton. Approaching them, he said: “Ah! gentlemen, you are feasting on mutton. I like your taste. But what a hue and cry you would raise if I were to do it.”
THE BOY AND THE NETTLE
A BOY was once stung by a Nettle. Crying with pain, he ran home and told his mother, saying, “Although it pains me so much, I did but touch it ever so gently, for I had been hurt by it before.”
“That was just it,” said his mother. “It was that which gave you so bad a sting. The next time you have occasion to touch a Nettle, grasp it boldly, with courage and resolution. It will be as soft as silk in your hand and will not hurt you in the least. And you will meet many persons, as well as things, that must be handled in the same way, if you would escape discomfort from them.”
THE HARES AND THE FOXES
THE Hares waged war with the Eagles and called upon the Foxes to help them.
The Foxes replied: “We would willingly have helped you, if we had not known so well who you were and with whom you were fighting. Before we can commit ourselves, we must count the cost.”
MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN
A WOODMAN, felling a tree by the side of a river, let his ax drop by accident into the stream.
Being thus suddenly deprived of the tool by means of which he gained his livelihood, he sat down upon the bank and lamented his hard fate.
To his surprise Mercury appeared and asked him what was the matter. Having heard the story of the man’s misfortune, he dived to the bottom of the river, and bringing up a golden ax, inquired if that was the one he had lost.
On his saying that it was not his, Mercury dived a second time, and returning with a silver ax in his hand, again demanded of the Woodman if it was his.
This also the Woodman refused, saying that it was none of his. Mercury disappeared a third time and brought up the ax that the man had lost. This the poor man took with joy and thankfulness.
So pleased was Mercury with the honesty of the man, that he gave him the other two axes in addition to his own.
The Woodman, on his return home, related to his companions all that had happened. One of them resolved to see if he could secure the same good fortune to himself.
He ran to the river and threw his ax in, then sat down upon the bank to lament his sad fate.
Mercury appeared as before and demanded to know the cause of his grief. After hearing the man’s account, he dived and brought up a golden ax and asked the man if that was his.
Transported at the sight of the precious metal, the fellow eagerly answered that it was, and greedily attempted to snatch it. The god, detecting his falsehood and greed, not only declined to give him the golden ax but refused to recover for him his own.
THE RAT AND THE ELEPHANT
A RAT, traveling on the highway, met a huge Elephant, bearing his royal master and the master’s favorite dog, cat, parrot, and monkey. Behind them came a retinue of servants and many courtiers.
An admiring crowd followed the great beast and his attendants, so that the entire road was filled.
“How foolish you are,” said the Rat to the people, “to make such a fuss at seeing an elephant. Is it his great bulk that you so much admire? Mere size is nothing. At most it can only frighten little girls and boys, and I can do that as well. I am a beast as well as he. I have as many legs, and ears, and eyes. If you will take the trouble to compare us, you will see that I have finer parts. What right, then, has he to take up all the highway, which belongs to me as well as to him?”
At this moment, the Cat from her high place spied the Rat. She jumped to the ground and soon convinced him that he was not an Elephant.
THE HUSBANDMAN AND THE STORK
A HUSBANDMAN pitched a net in his fields, to take the cranes and wild geese that came daily to feed upon the newly sown corn.
In this net he captured several cranes and geese, and among them, on one occasion, was a Stork. The cranes and geese accepted their lot as one of the chances to which such lives as theirs were subject; but the Stork was in very sad case and pleaded hard for his life.
Among other reasons why he should not be put to death, the Stork urged that he was neither goose nor crane but a poor, harmless Stork, who performed his duty to his parents as well as ever he could, feeding them when they were old, and carrying them, when required, from place to place upon his back.
“All this may be true,” replied the Husbandman; “but, as I have taken you in bad company, and in the same crime, you must expect to suffer the same punishment.”
THE SATYR AND THE TRAVELER
A SATYR, ranging in the forest in winter, once came across a Traveler who was half starved and nearly frozen.
He took pity upon him and invited him to come to his cave for food and shelter.
On their way, the Man kept blowing upon his fingers. “Why do you do that?” said the Satyr, who had seen but little of the world of men.
“To warm my hands,” replied the Man; “they are nearly frozen.”
Arriving at the cave, the Satyr poured out a smoking mess of pottage and set it before the Traveler, who eagerly seized it and began to blow upon it with all his might.
“What, blowing again!” exclaimed the Satyr. “Is it not hot enough?”
“It is, indeed,” answered the Man; “that is the very reason why I am blowing it. I want to cool it enough to be able to eat it.”
Upon this the Satyr exclaimed in alarm, “Be off with you! I will have no part with a Man who can blow hot and cold from the same mouth.”
THE STAG AT THE LAKE
A STAG, one hot day, came to drink from a clear lake, and stopped to look at his own image in the water.
“How beautiful are my fine spreading horns!” said he. “How strong and graceful they are, branching from each side of my head! What a pity it is that my legs should be so thin and ugly!”
Just at this moment a lion came crashing through the forest and made ready to spring upon him. Away went the stag! and the legs that he had despised would soon have carried him out of danger; but when he came to the thick woods, his beautiful antlers, of which he had been so vain, caught in the branches and held him fast until the lion came up and seized him.
THE PEASANT AND THE APPLE TREE
A PEASANT had in his garden an Apple Tree which for year after year had borne no fruit, but served only as a harbor for sparrows and grasshoppers.
Seeing no good to himself in the tree, he resolved to cut it down, and, taking his ax in his hand, he made a bold stroke at its roots.
Each in his own way, the grasshoppers and sparrows entreated him not to cut down the tree that sheltered them. “We will do our best to make up to you the worth of the wood, if you will spare it,” they said, “lightening your labor by our cheering songs.” But he paid no heed to them and gave a second and a third blow with his ax.
When he reached the hollow of the tree, he found a hive full of honey. He tasted the honeycomb and at once threw down his ax. From that time the greatest of care was taken of the tree, and the sparrows and grasshoppers still found shelter in it. They could not forget, however, that the man had only saved their home for them from self-interest.
JUPITER, NEPTUNE, MINERVA, AND MOMUS
ACCORDING to an old legend, the first man was made by Jupiter, the first bull by Neptune, and the first house by Minerva.
On the completion of their labors, a dispute arose as to which had made the most perfect work.
They agreed to rest the decision with Momus, a judge, and to abide by his word.
Momus, however, being very envious of the handicraft of each, found fault in turn with all.
He criticized the work of Neptune because he had not made the horns of the bull below the eyes, that the animal might better see where to strike.
He condemned the work of Jupiter because he had not placed the heart of man on the outside, so that every one might read the thoughts of the evil-disposed and take precautions against intended mischief.
And last of all, he inveighed against Minerva, not because of any fault in the house itself but because she had not contrived iron wheels in its foundation, so that its inhabitants might more easily remove if a neighbor proved unpleasant.
Indignant at such inveterate fault-finding, Jupiter drove Momus from his office as judge and expelled him from the mansions of Olympus.
THE FARTHING RUSHLIGHT
A RUSHLIGHT, in love with its own brilliancy, once boasted that its light was brighter even than that of the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Just then a door opened, and a puff of wind blew it out.
As the owner relighted it, he said: “Cease now your boasting. Be content to shine in silence. Heavenly lights do not blow out. Know that not even the stars need to be relit.”
THE HORSE AND THE GROOM
A GROOM, who used to steal a Horse’s corn and sell it, was yet very busy all the day long in grooming and wisping him. “If you really wish me,” said the Horse, “to look sleek and fine, give me less currying and more corn.”
THE TRUMPETER TAKEN PRISONER
A TRUMPETER who had been taken prisoner in a battle begged hard for his life. “Spare me, I entreat you,” said he; “put me not to death without cause. I have killed no one, nor do I carry arms, but only this trumpet.”
“For that very reason,” said they who held him captive, “you shall the more surely die; for though without the spirit to fight yourself, you stir up others to violence and bloodshed.”
He who incites to strife is worse than he who takes part in it.
THE BOASTING TRAVELER
A MAN who had traveled in foreign parts bragged, on his return home, of the great feats he had performed in different places. In Rhodes, for instance, he had taken so extraordinary a leap that no man could approach it; and, he said, he had witnesses there to prove that it was so.
“It is quite possible,” said one who heard him boasting of it, “but just suppose this to be Rhodes, and try the leap again.”
THE HEDGE AND THE VINEYARD
A FOOLISH young Heir, who had come into possession of his wise father’s estate, broke up all the Hedges about his Vineyard because they bore no grapes. The throwing down of these fences laid his grounds open to man and beast, and his vines were presently destroyed. The simple fellow learned, when it was too late, that it was quite as necessary to protect his Vineyard as to possess it.
THE MOUSE AND THE WEASEL
A LITTLE starveling Mouse had made his way with some difficulty into a basket of corn, where, finding the entertainment much to his liking, he stuffed and crammed himself to such an extent that when he was ready to get out again, he found the hole by which he had entered too small to allow his puffed-out body to pass through. A Weasel, who was drawn to the spot by his cries, thus counseled him: “Stay where you are, my friend, and fast till you are thin; for you will never come out till you reduce yourself to the same condition as when you went in.”
THE WOLF AND THE SHEEP
A WOLF, that had been bitten by a dog and was unable to move, begged a Sheep that passed by to take pity on his sad case and fetch him some water from a stream. “If you will bring me a drink,” said he, “I will find meat myself.”
“Yes,” said the Sheep, “I make no doubt of it; for if I come near enough to give you the drink, you will make mincemeat of me.”
A WIDOW AND HER SHEEP
A CERTAIN widow, who had only a single Sheep and wished to make the most of his wool, sheared him so closely as to cut his skin as well as his fleece. The Sheep, smarting under this treatment, cried out: “Why do you torture me thus? It is no gain to yourself. My blood will not add to the weight of the wool. If you are after flesh send for the Butcher, who will end my misery; but if it is only wool that you want, send for the Shearer, who will clip my fleece without drawing my blood.”