The Oxen once sought to destroy the Butchers, who practiced a trade destructive to their race.

The Oxen assembled on a certain day to carry out their purpose, and sharpened their horns for the contest. But one of them who was exceedingly old (for many a field had he plowed) thus spoke:

“These Butchers, it is true, slaughter us, but they do so with skillful hands, and with no unnecessary pain. If we get rid of them, we shall fall into the hands of unskillful operators, and thus suffer a double death: for you may be assured, that though all the Butchers should perish, yet will people will always want beef.”

Moral: Do not be in a hurry to change one evil for another.

A Salt Merchant drove his Donkey to the seashore to buy salt. His road home lay across a stream into which his Donkey tripped and fell by accident. When the Donkey got out of the water, his load considerably lighter, as the water melted the salt in the sack.

The Merchant went back to the market by the seashore and refilled his bags with a larger quantity of salt than before. When he came again to the stream, the Donkey fell down on purpose in the same spot, and, regaining his feet with the weight of his load much diminished, brayed triumphantly as if he had obtained what he desired.

The Merchant saw through this trick and drove the Donkey for the third time to the coast, where he bought a cargo of sponges instead of salt.

The Donkey, again playing the fool, fell down on purpose when he reached the stream, but the sponges became swollen with water, greatly increasing his load. Thus his trick recoiled on him, for he now carried on his back a double burden.

Moral: Don’t try a trick too often or it will turn against you.

A sick Stag lay down in a quiet corner of its pasture-ground. His companions came in great numbers to inquire after his health, and each one helped himself to a share of the food which had been placed for his use. Pretty soon, the Stag died, not from his sickness, but from the failure of the means of living.

Moral: Evil companions bring more hurt than profit.

Some boys, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water and began to throw stones at them.

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.

The Frogs, grieved at having no established Ruler, sent ambassadors to Zeus, the King of the gods, asking him to give them a King.

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.