The Sheep and the Goat complained of his distressing cries, saying, “He often handles us, and we do not cry out.”

To this the Piglet replied, “Your handling and mine are very different things. He catches you only for your wool, or your milk, but he lays hold on me for my very life.”

Moral: Don’t complain about something you cannot understand.

photo credit:
Thomas Hawk

The Bat assured the Weasel that he was not a bird, but a mouse and was promptly set free, with the Weasel apologizing for his mistake.

Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him.

The second Weasel said that he had a long standing feud with mice and hated all mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat and escaped for a second time.

Moral: Use your circumstances to your advantage.

“Think about it!” said the Horse, “if you really want me to be in good condition, you should groom me less, and feed me more.”

Moral: Spend your time on what will give you the results you want.

After the Boys had killed several of the Frogs, one of the Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: “Please stop, boys: what is sport to you, is death to us.”

Moral: Be aware of the effect of your actions upon others.

Zeus, knowing their simplicity, cast down a huge log into the lake. The Frogs were terrified at the splash that went with the fall of the log and hid themselves in the depths of the pool.

But as soon as they realized that the huge log was motionless, they swam again to the top of the water, got over their fears, climbed up, and began squatting on the log in contempt.

After some time, the Frogs began to think themselves ill-treated in the appointment of so useless a Ruler, and sent a second deputation to Zeus to pray that he would set over them another sovereign.

Zeus then gave the Frogs an Eel to govern them.

When the Frogs discovered that the Eel had an easy good nature, they sent yet a third time to Zeus to beg him to choose for them still another King.

Zeus, displeased with all their complaints, sent a Heron, who attacked and ate the Frogs day by day until there were none left to croak upon the lake.

Moral: Be content with what you’ve got.

The Donkey, as long as he traveled along the flatlands, carried his load easily, but when he began to ascend the steep path of the mountain, he felt his load to be more than he could bear.

The Donkey pleaded with the Mule to relieve him of a small portion of his load, that he might carry home the rest; but the Mule paid no attention to the request.

The Donkey shortly afterwards fell down dead under his burden. Not knowing what else to do in such a wild region, the Muleteer placed upon the Mule the load carried by the Donkey in addition to his own, and at the top of all placed the hide of the Donkey, after he had skinned him.

The Mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself: “I am treated according to my deserts. If I had only been willing to assist the Donkey a little in his need, I should not now be bearing, together with his burden, himself as well.”

Moral: Help your friends in their need or you will carry the burden all by yourself.

Encased in the skin of a sheep, the Wolf went out to pasture with the flock, deceiving the shepherd by his costume. In the evening he was shut up by the shepherd in the fold; the gate was closed, and the entrance made thoroughly secure.

When the shepherd, returning to the fold during the night to obtain meat for the next day, he mistakenly caught up the Wolf instead of a sheep, and killed him instantly.

Moral: If you go looking for trouble, trouble will find you.

One time, when the shepherd grabbed the Pig, he grunted and squeaked and resisted violently.

The Sheep and the Goat complained of his distressing cries, saying, “The shepherd often handles us, and we do not cry out.”

To this the Pig replied, “Your handling and mine are very different things. He catches you only for your wool, or your milk, but he lays hold on me for my very life.”

Moral: Don’t compare another’s troubles to your own.

The Cat accused the Rooster of being a nuisance to people by crowing in the night time and not permitting them to sleep. The Rooster defended himself by saying that he did this for the benefit of people, that they might rise in time for work.

The Cat replied, “Although you have many excuses, I shall not remain supperless”; and he made a meal of him.

Moral: It doesn’t matter what you say to an evil person: they will still do evil.

“Alas!” said the Horse, “if you really wish me to be in good condition, you should groom me less, and feed me more.”

Moral: Don’t try to cheat your way to excellence.