Aesop's Fables - new translation

<SPAN name="THE_LION_AND_THE_WILD_ASS"></SPAN> <h2>THE LION AND THE WILD ASS</h2> <br/> <p>A Lion and a Wild Ass went out hunting together: the latter was to run down the prey by his superior speed, and the former would then come up and despatch it. They met with great success; and when it came to sharing the spoil the Lion divided it all into three equal portions. "I will take the first," said he, "because I am King of the beasts; I will also take the second, because, as your partner, I am entitled to half of what remains; and as for the third&mdash;well, unless you give it up to me and take yourself off pretty quick, the third, believe me, will make you feel very sorry for yourself!"</p> <p class="adage">Might makes right.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <div class="figcenter"><SPAN href= "images/115.jpg"><ANTIMG src="images/115.jpg" alt=""></SPAN></div> <SPAN name="THE_MAN_AND_THE_SATYR"></SPAN> <h2>THE MAN AND THE SATYR</h2> <br/> <p>A Man and a Satyr became friends, and determined to live together. All went well for a while, until one day in winter-time the Satyr saw the Man blowing on his hands. "Why do you do that?" he asked. "To warm my hands," said the Man. That same day, when they sat down to supper together, they each had a steaming hot bowl of porridge, and the Man raised his bowl to his mouth and blew on it. "Why do you do that?" asked the Satyr. "To cool my porridge," said the Man. The Satyr got up from the table. "Good-bye," said he, "I'm going: I can't be friends with a man who blows hot and cold with the same breath."</p> <div class="figcenter"><SPAN href="images/116.jpg" name="116"><ANTIMG src="images/116.jpg" alt="THE MAN AND THE SATYR"></SPAN></div> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_IMAGE-SELLER"></SPAN> <h2>THE IMAGE-SELLER</h2> <br/> <p>A certain man made a wooden Image of Mercury, and exposed it for sale in the market. As no one offered to buy it, however, he thought he would try to attract a purchaser by proclaiming the virtues of the Image. So he cried up and down the market, "A god for sale! a god for sale! One who'll bring you luck and keep you lucky!" Presently one of the bystanders stopped him and said, "If your god is all you make him out to be, how is it you don't keep him and make the most of him yourself?" "I'll tell you why," replied he; "he brings gain, it is true, but he takes his time about it; whereas I want money at once."</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_EAGLE_AND_THE_ARROW"></SPAN> <h2>THE EAGLE AND THE ARROW</h2> <br/> <p>An Eagle sat perched on a lofty rock, keeping a sharp look-out for prey. A huntsman, concealed in a cleft of the mountain and on the watch for game, spied him there and shot an Arrow at him. The shaft struck him full in the breast and pierced him through and through. As he lay in the agonies of death, he turned his eyes upon the Arrow. "Ah! cruel fate!" he cried, "that I should perish thus: but oh! fate more cruel still, that the Arrow which kills me should be winged with an Eagle's feathers!"</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_RICH_MAN_AND_THE_TANNER"></SPAN> <h2>THE RICH MAN AND THE TANNER</h2> <br/> <p>A Rich Man took up his residence next door to a Tanner, and found the smell of the tan-yard so extremely unpleasant that he told him he must go. The Tanner delayed his departure, and the Rich Man had to speak to him several times about it; and every time the Tanner said he was making arrangements to move very shortly. This went on for some time, till at last the Rich Man got so used to the smell that he ceased to mind it, and troubled the Tanner with his objections no more.</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_WOLF,_THE_MOTHER,_AND_HER_CHILD"></SPAN> <h2>THE WOLF, THE MOTHER, AND HER CHILD</h2> <br/> <p>A hungry Wolf was prowling about in search of food. By and by, attracted by the cries of a Child, he came to a cottage. As he crouched beneath the window, he heard the Mother say to the Child, "Stop crying, do! or I'll throw you to the Wolf." Thinking she really meant what she said, he waited there a long time in the expectation of satisfying his hunger. In the evening he heard the Mother fondling her Child and saying, "If the naughty Wolf comes, he shan't get my little one: Daddy will kill him." The Wolf got up in much disgust and walked away: "As for the people in that house," said he to himself, "you can't believe a word they say."</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_OLD_WOMAN_AND_THE_WINE-JAR"></SPAN> <h2>THE OLD WOMAN AND THE WINE-JAR</h2> <br/> <p>An old Woman picked up an empty Wine-jar which had once contained a rare and costly wine, and which still retained some traces of its exquisite bouquet. She raised it to her nose and sniffed at it again and again. "Ah," she cried, "how delicious must have been the liquid which has left behind so ravishing a smell."</p> <div class="figcenter"><SPAN href="images/119.jpg" name="119"><ANTIMG src="images/119.jpg" alt="THE OLD WOMAN AND THE WINE-JAR"></SPAN></div> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_LIONESS_AND_THE_VIXEN"></SPAN> <h2>THE LIONESS AND THE VIXEN</h2> <br/> <p>A Lioness and a Vixen were talking together about their young, as mothers will, and saying how healthy and well-grown they were, and what beautiful coats they had, and how they were the image of their parents. "My litter of cubs is a joy to see," said the Fox; and then she added, rather maliciously, "But I notice you never have more than one." "No," said the Lioness grimly, "but that one's a lion."</p> <p class="adage">Quality, not quantity.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_VIPER_AND_THE_FILE"></SPAN> <h2>THE VIPER AND THE FILE</h2> <br/> <p>A Viper entered a carpenter's shop, and went from one to another of the tools, begging for something to eat. Among the rest, he addressed himself to the File, and asked for the favour of a meal. The File replied in a tone of pitying contempt, "What a simpleton you must be if you imagine you will get anything from me, who invariably take from every one and never give anything in return."</p> <p class="adage">The covetous are poor givers.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_CAT_AND_THE_COCK"></SPAN> <h2>THE CAT AND THE COCK</h2> <br/> <p>A Cat pounced on a Cock, and cast about for some good excuse for making a meal off him, for Cats don't as a rule eat Cocks, and she knew she ought not to. At last she said, "You make a great nuisance of yourself at night by crowing and keeping people awake: so I am going to make an end of you." But the Cock defended himself by saying that he crowed in order that men might wake up and set about the day's work in good time, and that they really couldn't very well do without him. "That may be," said the Cat, "but whether they can or not, I'm not going without my dinner"; and she killed and ate him.</p> <p class="adage">The want of a good excuse never kept a villain from crime.</p> <br/> <div class="figcenter"><SPAN href="images/122.jpg" name="122"><ANTIMG src="images/122.jpg" alt="THE CAT AND THE COCK"></SPAN></div> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_HARE_AND_THE_TORTOISE"></SPAN> <h2>THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE</h2> <div class="figleft"><SPAN href="images/01hare.jpg" name= "01hare"><ANTIMG src="images/01-thare.jpg" alt="THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE"></SPAN></div> <p>A Hare was one day making fun of a Tortoise for being so slow upon his feet. "Wait a bit," said the Tortoise; "I'll run a race with you, and I'll wager that I win." "Oh, well," replied the Hare, who was much amused at the idea, "let's try and see"; and it was soon agreed that the fox should set a course for them, and be the judge. When the time came both started off together, but the Hare was soon so far ahead that he thought he might as well have a rest: so down he lay and fell fast asleep. Meanwhile the Tortoise kept plodding on, and in time reached the goal. At last the Hare woke up with a start, and dashed on at his fastest, but only to find that the Tortoise had already won the race.</p> <p class="adage">Slow and steady wins the race.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_SOLDIER_AND_HIS_HORSE"></SPAN> <h2>THE SOLDIER AND HIS HORSE</h2> <br/> <p>A Soldier gave his Horse a plentiful supply of oats in time of war, and tended him with the utmost care, for he wished him to be strong to endure the hardships of the field, and swift to bear his master, when need arose, out of the reach of danger. But when the war was over he employed him on all sorts of drudgery, bestowing but little attention upon him, and giving him, moreover, nothing but chaff to eat. The time came when war broke out again, and the Soldier saddled and bridled his Horse, and, having put on his heavy coat of mail, mounted him to ride off and take the field. But the poor half-starved beast sank down under his weight, and said to his rider, "You will have to go into battle on foot this time. Thanks to hard work and bad food, you have turned me from a Horse into an ass; and you cannot in a moment turn me back again into a Horse."</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_OXEN_AND_THE_BUTCHERS"></SPAN> <h2>THE OXEN AND THE BUTCHERS</h2> <br/> <p>Once upon a time the Oxen determined to be revenged upon the Butchers for the havoc they wrought in their ranks, and plotted to put them to death on a given day. They were all gathered together discussing how best to carry out the plan, and the more violent of them were engaged in sharpening their horns for the fray, when an old Ox got up upon his feet and said, "My brothers, you have good reason, I know, to hate these Butchers, but, at any rate, they understand their trade and do what they have to do without causing unnecessary pain. But if we kill them, others, who have no experience, will be set to slaughter us, and will by their bungling inflict great sufferings upon us. For you may be sure that, even though all the Butchers perish, mankind will never go without their beef."</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_WOLF_AND_THE_LION"></SPAN> <h2>THE WOLF AND THE LION</h2> <br/> <p>A wolf stole a lamb from the flock, and was carrying it off to devour it at his leisure when he met a Lion, who took his prey away from him and walked off with it. He dared not resist, but when the Lion had gone some distance he said, "It is most unjust of you to take what's mine away from me like that." The Lion laughed and called out in reply, "It was justly yours, no doubt! The gift of a friend, perhaps, eh?"</p> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <div class="figleft"><SPAN href="images/126-1.jpg"><ANTIMG src= "images/126-1.jpg" alt=""></SPAN></div> <div class="figright"><SPAN href="images/126-2.jpg"><ANTIMG src= "images/126-2.jpg" alt=""></SPAN></div> <SPAN name="THE_SHEEP,_THE_WOLF,_AND_THE_STAG"></SPAN> <h2>THE SHEEP, THE WOLF, AND THE STAG</h2> <br clear="all"> <p>A Stag once asked a Sheep to lend him a measure of wheat, saying that his friend the Wolf would be his surety. The Sheep, however, was afraid that they meant to cheat her; so she excused herself, saying, "The Wolf is in the habit of seizing what he wants and running off with it without paying, and you, too, can run much faster than I. So how shall I be able to come up with either of you when the debt falls due?"</p> <p class="adage">Two blacks do not make a white.</p> <div class="figcenter"><SPAN href= "images/126-3.jpg" name="126-3"><ANTIMG src="images/126-3.jpg" alt="THE SHEEP, THE WOLF, AND THE STAG"></SPAN></div> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <SPAN name="THE_LION_AND_THE_THREE_BULLS"></SPAN> <h2>THE LION AND THE THREE BULLS</h2> <br/> <p>Three Bulls were grazing in a meadow, and were watched by a Lion, who longed to capture and devour them, but who felt that he was no match for the three so long as they kept together. So he began by false whispers and malicious hints to foment jealousies and distrust among them. This stratagem succeeded so well that ere long the Bulls grew cold and unfriendly, and finally avoided each other and fed each one by himself apart. No sooner did the Lion see this than he fell upon them one by one and killed them in turn.</p> <p class="adage">The quarrels of friends are the opportunities of foes.</p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <hr> <br/> <br/> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />