Aesop Fables

Aesop Fables

Fidy Says

Piglet, the Sheep, and the Goat

A young Pig was shut up in a yard with a Goat and a Sheep. On one occasion when the shepherd laid hold of him, the Pig grunted and squeaked and resisted violently.

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.

posted in Goat, Miscellaneous | 5 Suggested Morals

Cat and the Rooster

A Cat caught a Rooster, and pondered how he might find a reasonable excuse for eating him. He accused him of being a nuisance to people by crowing in the nighttime 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 their labors.

The Cat replied, “Although you abound in specious apologies, I shall not remain supperless”; and he made a meal of him.

Moral: Evildoers will always find a justification for their actions.

posted in Rooster | 5 Suggested Morals

The Boasting Traveler

A man who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much, on returning to his own country, of the many wonderful and heroic feats he had performed in the different places he had visited.

Among other things, he said that when he was at Rhodes he had leaped to such a distance that no man of his day could leap anywhere near him as to that, there were in Rhodes many persons who saw him do it and whom he could call as witnesses.

One of the bystanders interrupted him, saying:  “Now, my good man, if this be all true there is no need of witnesses.  Suppose this to be Rhodes, and leap for us.”

Moral: Don’t let your words be larger than your deeds.

posted in People | 4 Suggested Morals

The Lioness

A controversy prevailed among the beasts of the field as to which of the animals deserved the most credit for producing the greatest number of whelps at a birth.

They rushed clamorously into the presence of the Lioness and demanded her to the settlement of the dispute.  “And you,” they said, “how many sons have you at a birth?’  The Lioness laughed at them, and said: “Why! I have only one; but that one is altogether a thoroughbred Lion.”

Moral: The value is in the worth, not in the number.

posted in Lion | 2 Suggested Morals

Bat and the Weasels

A BAT who fell upon the ground was caught by a Weasel. The Bat pleaded to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that all weasels were by nature the enemy of all birds and he was no exception.

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.

posted in Miscellaneous | 14 Suggested Morals

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