Aesop's Fables - new translation

<SPAN name="THE_ASS_AND_THE_LAP-DOG"></SPAN> <h2>THE ASS AND THE LAP-DOG</h2> <br/> <p>There was once a man who had an Ass and a Lap-dog. The Ass was housed in the stable with plenty of oats and hay to eat and was as well off as an ass could be. The little Dog was made a great pet of by his master, who fondled him and often let him lie in his lap; and if he went out to dinner, he would bring back a tit-bit or two to give him when he ran to meet him on his return. The Ass had, it is true, a good deal of work to do, carting or grinding the corn, or carrying the burdens of the farm: and ere long he became very jealous, contrasting his own life of labour with the ease and idleness of the Lap-dog. At last one day he broke his halter, and frisking into the house just as his master sat down to dinner, he pranced and capered about, mimicking the frolics of the little favourite, upsetting the table and smashing the crockery with his clumsy efforts. Not content with that, he even tried to jump on his master's lap, as he had so often seen the dog allowed to do. At that the servants, seeing the danger their master was in, belaboured the silly Ass with sticks and cudgels, and drove him back to his stable half dead with his beating. "Alas!" he cried, "all this I have brought on myself. Why could I not be satisfied with my natural and honourable position, without wishing to imitate the ridiculous antics of that useless little Lap-dog?"</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <div class="figleft"><SPAN href="images/03fir.jpg" name= "03fir"><ANTIMG src="images/03-tfir.jpg" alt="THE FIR-TREE AND THE BRAMBLE"></SPAN></div> <SPAN name="THE_FIR-TREE_AND_THE_BRAMBLE"></SPAN> <h2>THE FIR-TREE AND THE BRAMBLE</h2> <br/> <p>A Fir-tree was boasting to a Bramble, and said, somewhat contemptuously, "You poor creature, you are of no use whatever. Now, look at me: I am useful for all sorts of things, particularly when men build houses; they can't do without me then." But the Bramble replied, "Ah, that's all very well: but you wait till they come with axes and saws to cut you down, and then you'll wish you were a Bramble and not a Fir."</p> <p class="adage">Better poverty without a care than wealth with its many obligations.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_FROGS'_COMPLAINT_AGAINST_THE_SUN"></SPAN> <h2>THE FROGS' COMPLAINT AGAINST THE SUN</h2> <br/> <p>Once upon a time the Sun was about to take to himself a wife. The Frogs in terror all raised their voices to the skies, and Jupiter, disturbed by the noise, asked them what they were croaking about. They replied, "The Sun is bad enough even while he is single, drying up our marshes with his heat as he does. But what will become of us if he marries and begets other Suns?"</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_DOG,_THE_COCK,_AND_THE_FOX"></SPAN> <h2>THE DOG, THE COCK, AND THE FOX</h2> <br/> <p>A Dog and a Cock became great friends, and agreed to travel together. At nightfall the Cock flew up into the branches of a tree to roost, while the Dog curled himself up inside the trunk, which was hollow. At break of day the Cock woke up and crew, as usual. A Fox heard, and, wishing to make a breakfast of him, came and stood under the tree and begged him to come down. "I should so like," said he, "to make the acquaintance of one who has such a beautiful voice." The Cock replied, "Would you just wake my porter who sleeps at the foot of the tree? He'll open the door and let you in." The Fox accordingly rapped on the trunk, when out rushed the Dog and tore him in pieces.</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_GNAT_AND_THE_BULL"></SPAN> <h2>THE GNAT AND THE BULL</h2> <br/> <div class="figleft"><SPAN href="images/059.jpg" name="059"><ANTIMG src= "images/059.jpg" alt="THE GNAT AND THE BULL"></SPAN></div> <p>A Gnat alighted on one of the horns of a Bull, and remained sitting there for a considerable time. When it had rested sufficiently and was about to fly away, it said to the Bull, "Do you mind if I go now?" The Bull merely raised his eyes and remarked, without interest, "It's all one to me; I didn't notice when you came, and I shan't know when you go away."</p> <p class="adage">We may often be of more consequence in our own eyes than in the eyes of our neighbours.</p> <br/> <br clear="all"> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_BEAR_AND_THE_TRAVELLERS"></SPAN> <h2>THE BEAR AND THE TRAVELLERS</h2> <br/> <p>Two Travellers were on the road together, when a Bear suddenly appeared on the scene. Before he observed them, one made for a tree at the side of the road, and climbed up into the branches and hid there. The other was not so nimble as his companion; and, as he could not escape, he threw himself on the ground and pretended to be dead. The Bear came up and sniffed all round him, but he kept perfectly still and held his breath: for they say that a bear will not touch a dead body. The Bear took him for a corpse, and went away. When the coast was clear, the Traveller in the tree came down, and asked the other what it was the Bear had whispered to him when he put his mouth to his ear. The other replied, "He told me never again to travel with a friend who deserts you at the first sign of danger."</p> <p class="adage">Misfortune tests the sincerity of friendship.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_SLAVE_AND_THE_LION"></SPAN> <h2>THE SLAVE AND THE LION</h2> <br/> <p>A Slave ran away from his master, by whom he had been most cruelly treated, and, in order to avoid capture, betook himself into the desert. As he wandered about in search of food and shelter, he came to a cave, which he entered and found to be unoccupied. Really, however, it was a Lion's den, and almost immediately, to the horror of the wretched fugitive, the Lion himself appeared. The man gave himself up for lost: but, to his utter astonishment, the Lion, instead of springing upon him and devouring him, came and fawned upon him, at the same time whining and lifting up his paw. Observing it to be much swollen and inflamed, he examined it and found a large thorn embedded in the ball of the foot. He accordingly removed it and dressed the wound as well as he could: and in course of time it healed up completely. The Lion's gratitude was unbounded; he looked upon the man as his friend, and they shared the cave for some time together. A day came, however, when the Slave began to long for the society of his fellow-men, and he bade farewell to the Lion and returned to the town. Here he was presently recognised and carried off in chains to his former master, who resolved to make an example of him, and ordered that he should be thrown to the beasts at the next public spectacle in the theatre. On the fatal day the beasts were loosed into the arena, and among the rest a Lion of huge bulk and ferocious aspect; and then the wretched Slave was cast in among them. What was the amazement of the spectators, when the Lion after one glance bounded up to him and lay down at his feet with every expression of affection and delight! It was his old friend of the cave! The audience clamoured that the Slave's life should be spared: and the governor of the town, marvelling at such gratitude and fidelity in a beast, decreed that both should receive their liberty.</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_FLEA_AND_THE_MAN"></SPAN> <h2>THE FLEA AND THE MAN</h2> <br/> <p>A Flea bit a Man, and bit him again, and again, till he could stand it no longer, but made a thorough search for it, and at last succeeded in catching it. Holding it between his finger and thumb, he said&mdash;or rather shouted, so angry was he&mdash;"Who are you, pray, you wretched little creature, that you make so free with my person?" The Flea, terrified, whimpered in a weak little voice, "Oh, sir! pray let me go; don't kill me! I am such a little thing that I can't do you much harm." But the Man laughed and said, "I am going to kill you now, at once: whatever is bad has got to be destroyed, no matter how slight the harm it does."</p> <p class="adage">Do not waste your pity on a scamp.</p> <br/> <div class="figcenter"><SPAN href="images/062.jpg" name="062"><ANTIMG src="images/062t.jpg" alt="THE FLEA AND THE MAN"></SPAN></div> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_BEE_AND_JUPITER"></SPAN> <h2>THE BEE AND JUPITER</h2> <br/> <p>A Queen Bee from Hymettus flew up to Olympus with some fresh honey from the hive as a present to Jupiter, who was so pleased with the gift that he promised to give her anything she liked to ask for. She said she would be very grateful if he would give stings to the bees, to kill people who robbed them of their honey. Jupiter was greatly displeased with this request, for he loved mankind: but he had given his word, so he said that stings they should have. The stings he gave them, however, were of such a kind that whenever a bee stings a man the sting is left in the wound and the bee dies.</p> <p class="adage">Evil wishes, like fowls, come home to roost.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <div class="figright"><SPAN href="images/066.jpg" name="066"><ANTIMG src= "images/066t.jpg" alt="THE OAK AND THE REEDS"></SPAN></div> <SPAN name="THE_OAK_AND_THE_REEDS"></SPAN> <h2>THE OAK AND THE REEDS</h2> <br/> <p>An Oak that grew on the bank of a river was uprooted by a severe gale of wind, and thrown across the stream. It fell among some Reeds growing by the water, and said to them, "How is it that you, who are so frail and slender, have managed to weather the storm, whereas I, with all my strength, have been torn up by the roots and hurled into the river?" "You were stubborn," came the reply, "and fought against the storm, which proved stronger than you: but we bow and yield to every breeze, and thus the gale passed harmlessly over our heads."</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_BLIND_MAN_AND_THE_CUB"></SPAN> <h2>THE BLIND MAN AND THE CUB</h2> <br/> <p>There was once a Blind Man who had so fine a sense of touch that, when any animal was put into his hands, he could tell what it was merely by the feel of it. One day the Cub of a Wolf was put into his hands, and he was asked what it was. He felt it for some time, and then said, "Indeed, I am not sure whether it is a Wolf's Cub or a Fox's: but this I know&mdash;it would never do to trust it in a sheepfold."</p> <p class="adage">Evil tendencies are early shown.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_BOY_AND_THE_SNAILS"></SPAN> <h2>THE BOY AND THE SNAILS</h2> <br/> <p>A Farmer's Boy went looking for Snails, and, when he had picked up both his hands full, he set about making a fire at which to roast them; for he meant to eat them. When it got well alight and the Snails began to feel the heat, they gradually withdrew more and more into their shells with the hissing noise they always make when they do so. When the Boy heard it, he said, "You abandoned creatures, how can you find heart to whistle when your houses are burning?"</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_APES_AND_THE_TWO_TRAVELLERS"></SPAN> <h2>THE APES AND THE TWO TRAVELLERS</h2> <br/> <p>Two men were travelling together, one of whom never spoke the truth, whereas the other never told a lie: and they came in the course of their travels to the land of Apes. The King of the Apes, hearing of their arrival, ordered them to be brought before him; and by way of impressing them with his magnificence, he received them sitting on a throne, while the Apes, his subjects, were ranged in long rows on either side of him. When the Travellers came into his presence he asked them what they thought of him as a King. The lying Traveller said, "Sire, every one must see that you are a most noble and mighty monarch." "And what do you think of my subjects?" continued the King. "They," said the Traveller, "are in every way worthy of their royal master." The Ape was so delighted with his answer that he gave him a very handsome present. The other Traveller thought that if his companion was rewarded so splendidly for telling a lie, he himself would certainly receive a still greater reward for telling the truth; so, when the Ape turned to him and said, "And what, sir, is your opinion?" he replied, "I think you are a very fine Ape, and all your subjects are fine Apes too." The King of the Apes was so enraged at his reply that he ordered him to be taken away and clawed to death.</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_ASS_AND_HIS_BURDENS"></SPAN> <h2>THE ASS AND HIS BURDENS</h2> <br/> <p>A Pedlar who owned an Ass one day bought a quantity of salt, and loaded up his beast with as much as he could bear. On the way home the Ass stumbled as he was crossing a stream and fell into the water. The salt got thoroughly wetted and much of it melted and drained away, so that, when he got on his legs again, the Ass found his load had become much less heavy. His master, however, drove him back to town and bought more salt, which he added to what remained in the panniers, and started out again. No sooner had they reached a stream than the Ass lay down in it, and rose, as before, with a much lighter load. But his master detected the trick, and turning back once more, bought a large number of sponges, and piled them on the back of the Ass. When they came to the stream the Ass again lay down: but this time, as the sponges soaked up large quantities of water, he found, when he got up on his legs, that he had a bigger burden to carry than ever.</p> <p class="adage">You may play a good card once too often.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_SHEPHERD'S_BOY_AND_THE_WOLF"></SPAN> <h2>THE SHEPHERD'S BOY AND THE WOLF</h2> <br/> <p>A Shepherd's Boy was tending his flock near a village, and thought it would be great fun to hoax the villagers by pretending that a Wolf was attacking the sheep: so he shouted out, "Wolf! wolf!" and when the people came running up he laughed at them for their pains. He did this more than once, and every time the villagers found they had been hoaxed, for there was no Wolf at all. At last a Wolf really did come, and the Boy cried, "Wolf! wolf!" as loud as he could: but the people were so used to hearing him call that they took no notice of his cries for help. And so the Wolf had it all his own way, and killed off sheep after sheep at his leisure.</p> <p class="adage">You cannot believe a liar even when he tells the truth.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />