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第20节

fantastic fables-第20节

小说: fantastic fables 字数: 每页4000字

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services to a passing Miller。







〃No;〃 said the patriotic Miller; 〃I will employ no one who deserts 



his position in the hour of danger。  It is sweet to die for one's 



country。〃







Something in the sentiment sounded familiar; and; looking at the 



Miller more closely the War…horse recognised his master in 



disguise。















The Dog and the Reflection















A DOG passing over a stream on a plank saw his reflection in the 



water。







〃You ugly brute!〃 he cried; 〃how dare you look at me in that 



insolent way。〃







He made a grab in the water; and; getting hold of what he supposed 



was the other dog's lip; lifted out a fine piece of meat which a 



butcher's boy had dropped into the stream。















The Man and the Fish…horn















A TRUTHFUL Man; finding a musical instrument in the road; asked the 



name of it; and was told that it was a fish…horn。  The next time he 



went fishing he set his nets and blew the fish…horn all day to 



charm the fish into them; but at nightfall there were not only no 



fish in his nets; but none along that part of the coast。  Meeting a 



friend while on his way home he was asked what luck he had had。







〃Well;〃 said the Truthful Man; 〃the weather is not right for 



fishing; but it's a red…letter day for music。〃















The Hare and the Tortoise















A HARE having ridiculed the slow movements of a Tortoise; was 



challenged by the latter to run a race; a Fox to go to the goal and 



be the judge。  They got off well together; the hare at the top of 



her speed; the Tortoise; who had no other intention than making his 



antagonist exert herself; going very leisurely。  After sauntering 



along for some time he discovered the Hare by the wayside; 



apparently asleep; and seeing a chance to win pushed on as fast as 



he could; arriving at the goal hours afterward; suffering from 



extreme fatigue and claiming the victory。







〃Not so;〃 said the Fox; 〃the Hare was here long ago; and went back 



to cheer you on your way。〃















Hercules and the Carter















A CARTER was driving a waggon loaded with a merchant's goods; when 



the wheels stuck in a rut。  Thereupon he began to pray to Hercules; 



without other exertion。







〃Indolent fellow!〃 said Hercules; 〃you ask me to help you; but will 



not help yourself。〃







So the Carter helped himself to so many of the most valuable goods 



that the horses easily ran away with the remainder。















The Lion and the Bull















A LION wishing to lure a Bull to a place where it would be safe to 



attack him; said: 〃My friend; I have killed a fine sheep; will you 



come with me and partake of the mutton?〃







〃With pleasure;〃 said the Bull; 〃as soon as you have refreshed 



yourself a little for the journey。  Pray have some grass。〃















The Man and his Goose















〃SEE these valuable golden eggs;〃 said a Man that owned a Goose。  



〃Surely a Goose which can lay such eggs as those must have a gold 



mine inside her。〃







So he killed the Goose and cut her open; but found that she was 



just like any other goose。  Moreover; on examining the eggs that 



she had laid he found they were just like any other eggs。















The Wolf and the Feeding Goat















A WOLF saw a Goat feeding at the summit of a rock; where he could 



not get at her。







〃Why do you stay up there in that sterile place and go hungry?〃 



said the Wolf。  〃Down here where I am the broken…bottle vine cometh 



up as a flower; the celluloid collar blossoms as the rose; and the 



tin…can tree brings forth after its kind。〃







〃That is true; no doubt;〃 said the Goat; 〃but how about the circus…



poster crop?  I hear that it failed this year down there。〃







The Wolf; perceiving that he was being chaffed; went away and 



resumed his duties at the doors of the poor。















Jupiter and the Birds















JUPITER commanded all the birds to appear before him; so that he 



might choose the most beautiful to be their king。  The ugly 



jackdaw; collecting all the fine feathers which had fallen from the 



other birds; attached them to his own body and appeared at the 



examination; looking very gay。  The other birds; recognising their 



own borrowed plumage; indignantly protested; and began to strip 



him。







〃Hold!〃 said Jupiter; 〃this self…made bird has more sense than any 



of you。  He is your king。〃















The Lion and the Mouse















A LION who had caught a Mouse was about to kill him; when the Mouse 



said:







〃If you will spare my life; I will do as much for you some day。〃







The Lion; good…naturedly let him go。  It happened shortly 



afterwards that the Lion was caught by some hunters and bound with 



cords。  The Mouse; passing that way; and seeing that his benefactor 



was helpless; gnawed off his tail。















The Old Man and His Sons

















AN Old Man; afflicted with a family of contentious Sons; brought in 



a bundle of sticks and asked the young men to break it。  After 



repeated efforts they confessed that it could not be done。  



〃Behold;〃 said the Old Man; 〃the advantage of unity; as long as 



these sticks are in alliance they are invincible; but observe how 



feeble they are individually。〃







Pulling a single stick from the bundle; he broke it easily upon the 



head of the eldest Son; and this he repeated until all had been 



served。















The Crab and His Son















A LOGICAL Crab said to his Son; 〃Why do you not walk straight 



forward?  Your sidelong gait is singularly ungraceful。〃







〃Why don't you walk straight forward yourself;〃 said the Son。







〃Erring youth;〃 replied the Logical Crab; 〃you are introducing new 



and irrelevant matter。〃















The North Wind and the Sun















THE Sun and the North Wind disputed which was the more powerful; 



and agreed that he should be declared victor who could the sooner 



strip a traveller of his clothes。  So they waited until a traveller 



came by。  But the traveller had been indiscreet enough to stay over 



night at a summer hotel; and had no clothes。















The Mountain and the Mouse















A MOUNTAIN was in labour; and the people of seven cities had 



assembled to watch its movements and hear its groans。  While they 



waited in breathless expectancy out came a Mouse。







〃Oh; what a baby!〃 they cried in derision。







〃I may be a baby;〃 said the Mouse; gravely; as he passed outward 



through the forest of shins; 〃but I know tolerably well how to 



diagnose a volcano。〃















The Bellamy and the Members















THE Members of a body of Socialists rose in insurrection against 



their Bellamy。







〃Why;〃 said they; 〃should we be all the time tucking you out with 



food when you do nothing to tuck us out?〃







So; resolving to take no further action; they went away; and 



looking backward had the satisfaction to see the Bellamy compelled 



to sell his own book。



















OLD SAWS WITH NEW TEETH



CERTAIN ANCIENT FABLES APPLIED TO



THE LIFE OF OUR TIMES



















The Wolf and the Crane















A RICH Man wanted to tell a certain lie; but the lie was of such 



monstrous size that it stuck in his throat; so he employed an 



Editor to write it out and publish it in his paper as an editorial。  



But when the Editor presented his bill; the Rich Man said:







〃Be content … is it nothing that I refrained from advising you 



about investments?〃















The Lion and the Mouse















A JUDGE was awakened by the noise of a lawyer prosecuting a Thief。  



Rising in wrath he was about to sentence the Thief to life 



imprisonment when the latter said:







〃I beg that you will set me free; and I will some day requite your 



kindness。〃







Pleased and flattered to be bribed; although by nothing but an 



empty promise; the Judge let him go。  Soon afterward he found that 



it was more than an empty promise; for; having become a Thief; he 



was himself set free by the other; who had become a Judge。















The Hares and the Frogs















THE Members of a Legislature; being told that they were the meanest 



thieves in the world; resolved to commit suicide。  So they bought 



shrouds; and laying them in a convenient place prepared to cut 



their throats。  While they were grinding their razors some Tramps 



passing that way stole the shrouds。







〃Let us live; my friends;〃 said one of the Legislators t

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