Aesop Fables

1. THE LION AND THE MOUSE

 Lion was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up in anger, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go.

It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by strong ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came up, and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and setting him free, exclaimed: "You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, not expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favour; but now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion."

2. THE WOLF AND THE LAMBA

Wolf meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea, which should justify to the Lamb himself his right to eat him. He thus addressed him:"Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf, "You feed in my pasture."
"No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother′s milk is both food and drink to me." On which the Wolf seized him, and ate him up, saying, "Well! I won′t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations."The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.

3. THE ASS AND THE GRASSHOPPERAn

Ass having heard some Grasshoppers chirping, was highly enchanted; and, desiring to possess the same charms of melody, demanded what sort of food they lived on, to give them such beautiful voices. They replied, "The dew." The Ass resolved that he would only live upon dew, and in a short time died of hunger.

4. THE WOLF AND THE CRANEA

Wolf, having a bone stuck in his throat, hired a Crane, for a large sum, to put her head into his throat, and draw out the bone. When the Crane had extracted the bone, and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed: "Why, you have surely already a sufficient recompense, in having been permitted to draw out your head in safety from the mouth and jaws of a wolf."

5. THE FATHER AND HIS SONSA

Father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarrelling among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of disunion; and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They each tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it.

He next unclosed the faggot, and took the sticks separately, one by one, and again put them into their hands, on which they broke them easily. He then addressed them in these words: "My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other, you will be as this faggot, uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as
easily as these sticks."

6. THE BAT AND THE WEASELSA

Bat falling upon the ground was caught by a Weasel, ofwhom he earnestly besought his life. The Weasel refused,saying, that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. TheBat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, andthus saved his life.

Shortly afterwards the Bat again fellon the ground, and was carght by another Weasel, whom helikewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that hehad a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him thathe was not a mouse, but a bat; and thus a second timeescaped.It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.

(文/Aesop)


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