The Fables of Aesop. Aesop

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ Shepherd Boy tended his master's Sheep near a dark forest not far from the village. Soon he found life in the pasture very dull. All he could do to amuse himself was to talk to his dog or play on his shepherd's pipe.

      One day as he sat watching the Sheep and the quiet forest, and thinking what he would do should he see a Wolf, he thought of a plan to amuse himself.

      His Master had told him to call for help should a Wolf attack the flock, and the Villagers would drive it away. So now, though he had not seen anything that even looked like a Wolf, he ran toward the village shouting at the top of his voice, "Wolf! Wolf!"

      As he expected, the Villagers who heard the cry dropped their work and ran in great excitement to the pasture. But when they got there they found the Boy doubled up with laughter at the trick he had played on them.

      A few days later the Shepherd Boy again shouted, "Wolf! Wolf!" Again the Villagers ran to help him, only to be laughed at again.

      Then one evening as the sun was setting behind the forest and the shadows were creeping out over the pasture, a Wolf really did spring from the underbrush and fall upon the Sheep.

      In terror the Boy ran toward the village shouting "Wolf! Wolf!" But though the Villagers heard the cry, they did not run to help him as they had before. "He cannot fool us again," they said.

      The Wolf killed a great many of the Boy's sheep and then slipped away into the forest.

       Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth.

      THE GNAT AND THE BULL

       Table of Contents

      A Gnat flew over the meadow with much buzzing for so small a creature and settled on the tip of one of the horns of a Bull. After he had rested a short time, he made ready to fly away. But before he left he begged the Bull's pardon for having used his horn for a resting place.

      "You must be very glad to have me go now," he said.

      "It's all the same to me," replied the Bull. "I did not even know you were there."

      We are often of greater importance in our own eyes than in the eyes of our neighbor.

      The smaller the mind the greater the conceit.

      THE PLANE TREE

       Table of Contents

      Two Travellers, walking in the noonday sun, sought the shade of a widespreading tree to rest. As they lay looking up among the pleasant leaves, they saw that it was a Plane Tree.

      "How useless is the Plane!" said one of them. "It bears no fruit whatever, and only serves to litter the ground with leaves."

      "Ungrateful creatures!" said a voice from the Plane Tree. "You lie here in my cooling shade, and yet you say I am useless! Thus ungratefully, O Jupiter, do men receive their blessings!"

       Our best blessings are often the least appreciated.

      THE FARMER AND THE STORK

       Table of Contents

      A Stork of a very simple and trusting nature had been asked by a gay party of Cranes to visit a field that had been newly planted. But the party ended dismally with all the birds entangled in the meshes of the Farmer's net.

      The Stork begged the Farmer to spare him.

      "Please let me go," he pleaded. "I belong to the Stork family who you know are honest and birds of good character. Besides, I did not know the Cranes were going to steal."

      "You may be a very good bird," answered the Farmer, "but I caught you with the thieving Cranes and you will have to share the same punishment with them."

      You are judged by the company you keep.

      THE SHEEP AND THE PIG

       Table of Contents

      One day a shepherd discovered a fat Pig in the meadow where his Sheep were pastured. He very quickly captured the porker, which squealed at the top of its voice the moment the Shepherd laid his hands on it. You would have thought, to hear the loud squealing, that the Pig was being cruelly hurt. But in spite of its squeals and struggles to escape, the Shepherd tucked his prize under his arm and started off to the butcher's in the market place.

      The Sheep in the pasture were much astonished and amused at the Pig's behavior, and followed the Shepherd and his charge to the pasture gate.

      "What makes you squeal like that?" asked one of the Sheep. "The Shepherd often catches and carries off one of us. But we should feel very much ashamed to make such a terrible fuss about it like you do."

      "That is all very well," replied the Pig, with a squeal and a frantic kick. "When he catches you he is only after your wool. But he wants my bacon! gree-ee-ee!"

       It is easy to be brave when there is no danger.

      THE TRAVELERS AND THE PURSE

       Table of Contents

      Two men were traveling in company along the road when one of them picked up a well-filled purse.

      "How lucky I am!" he said. "I have found a purse. Judging by its weight it must be full of gold."

      "Do not say 'I have found a purse,'" said his companion. "Say rather 'we have found a purse' and 'how lucky we are.' Travelers ought to share alike the fortunes or misfortunes of the road."

      "No, no," replied the other angrily. "I found it and I am going to keep it."

      Just then they heard a shout of "Stop, thief!" and looking around, saw a mob of people armed with clubs coming down the road.

      The man who had found the purse fell into a panic.

      "We are lost if they find the purse on us," he cried.

      "No, no," replied the other, "You would not say 'we' before, so now stick to your 'I'. Say 'I am lost.'"

      We cannot expect any one to share our misfortunes unless we are willing to share our good fortune also.

      THE LION AND THE ASS

       Table of Contents СКАЧАТЬ