Fables
The Fawn and His Mother
A young fawn once said to his mother, "You are larger and swifter than a dog, and you have your horns as a defense. Why, Mother, do the hounds frighten you so?"
She smiled, and said: "I know full well, my son, all you say is true. However, when I hear even the bark of a dog, I feel queasy and fly away as fast as I can."
Moral: No arguments will give courage to the coward.
The Fighting Rooster
After a fight between two roosters, the loser sulked away. The winner flew atop a high wall, flapping his wings and crowing in exultation. The haughty display caught the eye of an eagle, who pounced on the rooster and carried him away in his crushing talons.
Moral: Pride goes before destruction.
The Boy and the Wasp
A boy was stung by a wasp. He cried to his mother, "Why did it hurt so much, I tried to touch it gently."
His mother replied, "Some things shouldn't be touched, even gently."
Moral: Life may inflict pain, no matter what you do.
The Boasting Traveler
A traveler was boasting of the many wonderful feats he had performed. He claimed to have leaped to a record distance greater. And he evidently had witnesses.
One of the bystanders interrupted him: "Now, if this is true, there is no need of witnesses . . . just leap for us."
Moral: Action is preferable to rhetoric.
The Stomach and the Body Parts
The parts of the body resented the stomach. "Why should we keep feeding you, while you do nothing but relax, enjoying yourself in luxury and self-indulgence?"
Thus, the body parts (hands, feet, mouth, and eyes) decided to refuse to help the stomach. Soon, the whole body was starving, and each part became weak. They quickly regretted their actions, but it was too late. The body died.
Moral: We must get along in order to survive.
The Wolf, the Fox and the Ape
A fox stole something from a wolf, but denied it. An ape became their judge. When each had stated his case, the ape announced this sentence: "The wolf is a liar (everyone knows that). Hence, he was not a victim and the fox must be declared innocent."
Moral: When the dishonest act honestly, they still may not be believed.
A Donkey and a Horse
A donkey was jealous of a horse. It was because the horse has fed well, while he had he had to work hard with barely enough to eat. He wanted so badly to be a horse.
However, when war erupted, a soldier mounted the horse, riding him into the thick of the enemy. The horse was wounded and fell dead on the battlefield. Then the donkey changed his mind, and felt sorry for the horse.
Moral: It may be a blessing to NOT get what you want.
The Wolf and the Lion
A wolf stole a lamb, and was carrying her home to his den. A lion met him in the path, taking the lamb. Standing at a safe distance, the wolf exclaimed, "You have unrighteously taken what was mine!"
The lion jeeringly replied, "Oh, so it was righteously yours?"
Moral: One savage deed spurs another.
The Donkey and the Frogs
A donkey, carrying a load of wood, was crossing a pond. He stumbled and fell, groaning heavily. Some frogs heard his cry. They laughed and said, "You make a big fuss about a mere fall into the water?"
Moral: Sometimes little grievances brings large complaints.
The Wolves and the Sheep
"Why should there always be this fear among us?" said the wolves to the sheep. "Those cranky dogs are trouble-makers, always barking whenever we approach you and attacking us before we have done any harm. If you would only dismiss them, there might soon be treaties of peace and reconciliation between us."
The sheep, poor silly creatures, were easily beguiled and dismissed the dogs, and the wolves destroyed the unguarded flock at their own pleasure.
Moral: Believing the lies of an enemy may bring death.
The Drowning Boy
A boy, drowning in a river, cried out for help. A passing traveler, instead of holding out a helping hand, he scolded the boy for his imprudence.
"Oh, sir!" cried the youth, "please help me now and rebuke me later."
Moral: Counsel without help is useless.
The Stomach and the Body Parts
The parts of the body resented the stomach. "Why should we keep administering to your wants, while you do nothing but relax, enjoying yourself in luxury and self-indulgence?"
Thus, the body parts (hands, feet, mouth, and eyes) decided to refuse to help the stomach. Soon, the whole body was starving, and each part became weak. They quickly regretted their actions, but it was too late. The body died.
Moral: We must get along in order to survive.
The Woman and the Hen
A woman had a hen that gave her an egg every day. She wondered how she might obtain two eggs daily instead of one. Finally, she decided to give the hen a double allowance of barley.
Yet, the hen became fat and lazy, and never laid another egg.
Moral: Be content with what you have or it may disappear.
Truth and the Traveler
A man traveling in the desert met a woman standing alone and dejected. He asked, "Who are you?"
"My name is Truth," she replied.
"Why have you left the city to dwell alone here in the wilderness?"
She answered, "Sadly, I must flee . . . when falsehood captures the hearts of men."
Moral: Sometimes knowledge breeds sadness.
The Boy and the Candy
A boy thrust his hand into a jar of candy, grabbing as many as he could hold. Yet, when he tried to remove his hand, he was prevented by the narrow neck of the jar. Unwilling to lose the candy, and unable to withdraw his hand, the greedy boy burst into tears.
A bystander snickered, "Be satisfied with half as much, and you'll free your hand."
Moral: When you grab too much, sometimes you end up with nothing.
The Archer and Lion
A skillful archer went to the mountains in search of game, but the animals fled. The lion alone challenged him to combat. The archer immediately shot an arrow, hitting the lion. The man said, "I send my messenger, so you may feel a little of the ghastly fate that awaits you."
The wounded lion rushed away in fear. A fox, who had seen it happen, told him to be courageous and not to back off of his attack. The lion replied, "You counsel me in vain; for if he sends such a fearful messenger, how can I
attack the man himself?"
Moral: Be on guard against enemies who can strike from a distance.
The Bee and Jupiter
A bee from Mount Hymettus, the queen of the hive, ascended to Olympus to present Jupiter with fresh honey. Jupiter, delighted with the offering of honey, promised to give whatever she requested.
She replied, "Give me a stinger so that if any mortal shall approach to take my honey, I may kill him."
Jupiter was much displeased, but he could not refuse the request because of his promise. He answered, "You shall have your request, but it will be at the peril of your own life. For if you use your stinger, it shall remain in the wound you make, and then you will die from the loss of it."
Moral: Evil wishes, like chickens, come home to roost.
The Shadow of a Donkey
A man was traveling a long distance on a donkey. After reaching exhaustion in the hot sun, the traveler stopped to rest, seeking shelter from the heat under the shadow of the donkey.
Soon, a dispute arose between the man and the donkey as to which of them had the right to the shadow. The donkey maintained that the man did not own his shadow. The man asserted that he had, with the hire of the donkey, hired his shadow also. The quarrel proceeded from words to violence. The donkey soon galloped away.
Moral: In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance.
A Bear Whispers Something
As two men were walking together, a bear suddenly met them. One man scurried up a tree and hid in the branches. The other fell on the ground in terror.
When the bear came up and felt him with his snout, the man held his breath, pretending to be dead. The bear left, as he feared to touch a dead body.
When he was gone, the other man descended from the tree, and joked with his friend, asking, "What did the bear whisper in your ear."
"He gave me this advice: Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the
approach of danger."
Moral: Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends.
The Mule and a Lazy Friend
A man went searching for a new mule. He found one for sale, but decided to bring the animal home to try him before he bought him. He put the mule in the yard with his other mules. The new mule quickly became friends with the laziest mule in the yard.
The man promptly led him back. The owner was confused, claiming that the man did not give the mule enough time for a proper trial.
"I do not need a trial,” the man answered. “He'll be just like the one he chose for his companion."
Moral: A man is known by the company he keeps.
The Bat and the Weasels
A bat fell and was caught by a weasel. He pleaded for his life.
The weasel refused, saying, "I'm an enemy of all bats."
The bat assured him that he was not a bat, but a mouse. It worked. The deceitful bat was set free.
Later, the bat fell again and was caught by another weasel. He pleaded for his life again, exclaiming that he was a mouse, not a bat.
The second weasel rumbled, "Bats don't bother me, but I hate mice." And he quickly ate the bat.
Moral: You cannot always escape with a lie.
The Bald Man and the Fly
Once, a fly bit a bald man on the head. Annoyed, he tried to destroy it, giving himself a severe slap.
The fly escaped and derided the man with much laughter: "You desired revenge, even death, from the mere prick of a tiny insect. Yet, see what you've done to yourself."
The bald man head was now bright red, from both his own slap and embarrassment. "I'll kill you," he cried, running in circles and swatting the air.
Everyone in town saw the bald man, but not the fly. Thinking he was crazy, they began pointing and laughing.
Moral: Seeking revenge may add insult to injury.
The Astronomer
An astronomer observed the stars each night. One evening, as he wandered with his attention fixed on the sky, he fell into a deep well. He cried for help. A neighbor ran to the well, laughing and mocking, "You see what is in the heavens, but you fail to see what is on earth?"
Moral: When we gaze in the distance, we miss what is nearby.
The Donkey and His Three Masters
A donkey belonged to an herb-seller who fed him too little. He made a petition to Jupiter to release him to another master. Jupiter consented and transferred him to a tile-maker.
Yet, the donkey had heavier loads to carry, so he asked for another change of master. Jupiter, telling him that it would be the last time, transferred him to a tanner.
The donkey found that he had fallen into even worse hands. He groaned, "It would have been better to starve by the first or be overworked by the second. My present owner is cruel. He will even tan my hide when I am dead, making use of me one last time."
Moral: Contentment may be the best solution.
The Donkey and His Owner
Along a high road, a donkey bolted to the edge of a deep precipice. His owner quickly seized his tail, straining to pull him back. The donkey persisted until the man could hold him no longer. In succeeding to break free from his owner, the stubborn donkey fell to his death.
Moral: You can win the battle but lose the war.
The Apes and the Two Travelers
Two men were traveling together. One man always spoke the truth; the other told nothing but lies. They took a wrong turn and entered the land of apes. They were seized and brought before the king of the apes.
All the apes were in a long row with the king in the middle. The king asked, "What sort of a king do I seem to be?"
The lying man replied, "You seem to me a most mighty king."
"What about those around me?"
"They are worthy companions, fit to be ambassadors and leaders of armies."
The apes, gratified with the lie, gave a handsome present to the flatterer. The truthful man thought, "If so great a reward be given for a lie, what gift may be rewarded for the truth?"
The king quickly turned to him. "How do we seem to you?"
"You seem to be a small community in a vast jungle that terrifies you," responded the truthful man.
The apes, displeased with the truth, threw him out of their kingdom without any gifts. He went home, but the liar had to remain with the apes, flattering them night and day for the next fifty years.
Moral: The rewards of deceit may bring sorrow in the end.
The Ants and the Grasshopper
The ants were spending a winter's day organizing their grain. A famishing grasshopper begged them for some food.
The ants asked, "Why did you not store food during the summer?"
He replied, "I was too busy singing."
The ants replied, "If you were so foolish to sing all summer, you must go to bed hungry in the winter."
Moral: Plan for the future or suffer when it arrives.
The Ant and the Dove
An ant went to the riverbank to quench his thirst. He was soon rushed into the stream, nearly drowning. A kind dove, sitting on a tree overhanging the water, cast a small branch into the stream near the ant. The ant climbed on it and crawled back to the bank.
Later, a bird catcher was setting a trap for the dove. The ant, perceiving his evil plan, bit him on the toe. In pain the bird catcher dropped the trap. The noise made the dove fly away, safe and thankful for his new friend.
Moral: Helping a friend in peril may save yourself.
Mercury and the Worker
Once, a man was cutting trees by the side of a river, and accidentally dropped his ax into a deep pool. He sat on the bank, moaning in despair. Mercury appeared and asked what was wrong.
After the worker explained, Mercury plunged into the stream and brought up a golden ax, saying, "Is this your ax?"
"No," replied the man.
Mercury disappeared beneath the water again, returning with a silver ax. "Now is this your ax?"
"No," replied the man.
Mercury dived into the pool for the third time and brought up the ax that had been lost. The worker claimed it and expressed his gratitude to Mercury.
Pleased with the man's honesty, Mercury gave him the golden and silver axes in addition to his own. Later, the worker told his friend what had happened. The friend ran to the river and purposefully threw his ax into the pool.
Mercury appeared (as the sneaky friend had hoped). Learning about the lost ax, Mercury plunged into the stream and brought up a golden ax, saying, "Is this your ax?"
"Yes," squealed the greedy man with delight.
Mercury, displeased with his guile, not only took away the golden ax, but refused to recover the ax he had thrown into the pool.
Moral: Trickery leads to disappointment and loss.
Mercury and the Sculptor
Mercury wondered what mortals thought of him. Disguising himself as a man, he visited a sculptor's studio. After looking at various sculptures, he asked the price of two: Jupiter and Juno. The sculptor told him the price.Mercury pointed to a figure of himself, saying, "You'll certainly want much more for this one, as he is the Messenger of the Gods, and the Source of All Good."
The Sculptor replied, "Well, if you will buy Jupiter and Juno, I'll throw Mercury in at no cost."
Moral: The estimate of a pompous man is always amiss.
Jupiter and the Monkey
Jupiter promised a royal reward to the most handsome animal in the forest. Mrs. Monkey presented her son to the committee. The poor little monkey was flat-nosed and hairless, the ugliest animal for a thousand miles. Everyone laughed at him.The proud mother responded with a sneer, "I don't care what you say about my son. To me, he is the dearest, best-looking monkey in the entire world."
Moral: When experiencing self-doubt, see yourself through the eyes of unconditional love.
Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus
According to legend, the first man was made by Jupiter, the first bull by Neptune, and the first house by Minerva. On the completion of their work, a dispute arose about which had done a better job. They agreed to appoint Momus as judge, and to abide by his decision.Momus, however, being envious, found fault with them, cruelly criticizing and condemning all three. Jupiter, indignant and perplexed, scolded, "You cannot see even one good thing in what we've done. How can a blind man be our judge?" They then expelled Momus from the mansions of Olympus.
Moral: Jealousy blinds a person from making proper judgments.
Hercules and Mr. Lazy
Mr. Lazy was driving down a country road, when the wheels of his truck sank down into a rut. The frustrated driver stood looking at the truck. He did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules, begging for help.Hercules grumbled: "Put your shoulders against the back bumper and push. Why pray for help until you've done your best to help yourself?"
Moral: Never pray for a miracle when you can answer the prayer yourself.
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