fantastic fables-第19节
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then perhaps I can grab a vulture。 I like chicken better than
pork； anyhow。〃
The Grasshopper and the Ant
ONE day in winter a hungry Grasshopper applied to an Ant for some
of the food which they had stored。
〃Why；〃 said the Ant； 〃did you not store up some food for yourself；
instead of singing all the time？〃
〃So I did；〃 said the Grasshopper； 〃so I did； but you fellows broke
in and carried it all away。〃
The Fisher and the Fished
A FISHERMAN who had caught a very small Fish was putting it in his
basket when it said：
〃I pray you put me back into the stream； for I can be of no use to
you； the gods do not eat fish。〃
〃But I am no god；〃 said the Fisherman。
〃True；〃 said the Fish； 〃but as soon as Jupiter has heard of your
exploit； he will elevate you to the deitage。 You are the only man
that ever caught a small fish。〃
The Farmer and the Fox
A FARMER who had a deadly and implacable hatred against a certain
Fox； caught him and tied some tow to his tail； then carrying him to
the centre of his own grain…field； set the tow on fire and let the
animal go。
〃Alas！〃 said the Farmer； seeing the result； 〃if that grain had not
been heavily insured； I might have had to dissemble my hatred of
the Fox。〃
Dame Fortune and the Traveller
A WEARY Traveller who had lain down and fallen asleep on the brink
of a deep well was discovered by Dame Fortune。
〃If this fool；〃 she said； 〃should have an uneasy dream and roll
into the well men would say that I did it。 It is painful to me to
be unjustly accused； and I shall see that I am not。〃
So saying she rolled the man into the well。
The Victor and the Victim
TWO Game Cocks； having fought a battle； the defeated one skulked
away and hid； but the victor mounted a wall and crowed lustily。
This attracted the attention of a hawk； who said：
〃Behold！ how pride goeth before a fall。〃
So he swooped down upon the boasting bird and was about to destroy
him； when the vanquished Cock came out of his hiding…place； and
between the two the Hawk was calamitously defeated。
The Wolf and the Shepherds
A WOLF passing a Shepherd's hut looked in and saw the shepherds
dining。
〃Come in；〃 said one of them； ironically； 〃and partake of your
favourite dish； a haunch of mutton。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said the Wolf； moving away； 〃but you must excuse me； I
have just had a saddle of shepherd。〃
The Goose and the Swan
A CERTAIN rich man reared a Goose and a Swan； the one for his
table； the other because she was reputed a good singer。 One night
when the Cook went to kill the Goose he got hold of the Swan
instead。 Thereupon the Swan； to induce him to spare her life；
began to sing； but she saved him nothing but the trouble of killing
her； for she died of the song。
The Lion； the Cock； and the Ass
A LION was about to attack a braying Ass； when a Cock near by
crowed shrilly； and the Lion ran away。 〃What frightened him？〃 the
Ass asked。
〃Lions have a superstitious terror of my voice；〃 answered the Cock；
proudly。
〃Well； well； well；〃 said the Ass； shaking his head； 〃I should think
that any animal that is afraid of your voice and doesn't mind mine
must have an uncommon kind of ear。〃
The Snake and the Swallow
A SWALLOW who had built her nest in a court of justice reared a
fine family of young birds。 One day a Snake came out of a chink in
the wall and was about to eat them。 The Just Judge at once issued
an injunction； and making an order for their removal to his own
house； ate them himself。
The Wolves and the Dogs
〃WHY should there be strife between us？〃 said the Wolves to the
Sheep。 〃It is all owing to those quarrelsome dogs。 Dismiss them；
and we shall have peace。〃
〃You seem to think；〃 replied the Sheep； 〃that it is an easy thing
to dismiss dogs。 Have you always found it so？〃
The Hen and the Vipers
A HEN who had patiently hatched out a brood of vipers； was accosted
by a Swallow； who said： 〃What a fool you are to give life to
creatures who will reward you by destroying you。〃
〃I am a little bit on the destroy myself；〃 said the Hen； tranquilly
swallowing one of the little reptiles； 〃and it is not an act of
folly to provide oneself with the delicacies of the season。〃
A Seasonable Joke
A SPENDTHRIFT； seeing a single swallow； pawned his cloak； thinking
that Summer was at hand。 It was。
The Lion and the Thorn
A LION roaming through the forest； got a thorn in his foot； and；
meeting a Shepherd； asked him to remove it。 The Shepherd did so；
and the Lion； having just surfeited himself on another shepherd；
went away without harming him。 Some time afterward the Shepherd
was condemned on a false accusation to be cast to the lions in the
amphitheatre。 When they were about to devour him； one of them
said：
〃This is the man who removed the thorn from my foot。〃
Hearing this； the others honourably abstained； and the claimant ate
the Shepherd all himself。
The Fawn and the Buck
A FAWN said to its father： 〃You are larger； stronger； and more
active than a dog； and you have sharp horns。 Why do you run away
when you hear one barking？〃
〃Because； my child；〃 replied the Buck； 〃my temper is so uncertain
that if I permit one of those noisy creatures to come into my
presence I am likely to forget myself and do him an injury。〃
The Kite； the Pigeons； and the Hawk
SOME Pigeons exposed to the attacks of a Kite asked a Hawk to
defend them。 He consented； and being admitted into the cote waited
for the Kite； whom he fell upon and devoured。 When he was so
surfeited that he could scarcely move； the grateful Pigeons
scratched out his eyes。
The Wolf and the Babe
A FAMISHING Wolf； passing the door of a cottage in the forest；
heard a Mother say to her babe：
〃Be quiet； or I will throw you out of the window； and the wolves
will get you。〃
So he waited all day below the window； growing more hungry all the
time。 But at night the Old Man； having returned from the village
club； threw out both Mother and Child。
The Wolf and the Ostrich
A WOLF； who in devouring a man had choked himself with a bunch of
keys； asked an ostrich to put her head down his throat and pull
them out； which she did。
〃I suppose；〃 said the Wolf； 〃you expect payment for that service。〃
〃A kind act；〃 replied the Ostrich； 〃is its own reward； I have eaten
the keys。〃
The Herdsman and the Lion
A HERDSMAN who had lost a bullock entreated the gods to bring him
the thief； and vowed he would sacrifice a goat to them。 Just then
a Lion； his jaws dripping with bullock's blood； approached the
Herdsman。
〃I thank you； good deities；〃 said the Herdsman； continuing his
prayer； 〃for showing me the thief。 And now if you will take him
away； I will stand another goat。〃
The Man and the Viper
A MAN finding a frozen Viper put it into his bosom。
〃The coldness of the human heart；〃 he said； with a grin； 〃will keep
the creature in his present condition until I can reach home and
revive him on the coals。〃
But the pleasures of hope so fired his heart that the Viper thawed；
and sliding to the ground thanked the Man civilly for his
hospitality and glided away。
The Man and the Eagle
AN Eagle was once captured by a Man； who clipped his wings and put
him in the poultry yard； along with the chickens。 The Eagle was
much depressed in spirits by the change。
〃Why should you not rather rejoice？〃 said the Man。 〃You were only
an ordinary fellow as an eagle； but as an old rooster you are a
fowl of incomparable distinction。
The War…horse and the Miller
HAVING heard that the State was about to be invaded by a hostile
army； a War…horse belonging to a Colonel of the Militia offered his
services to a passing Miller。
〃No；〃 said the patriotic Miller； 〃I will employ n
