Aesop’s Fables
A fable is a short story, typically with animals as characters, that tells a moral. Aesop (or Esop) was an ancient Greek writer who is credited with creating popular fables, many of which survive to this day.
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The Sick Lion
The old Lion can’t trick the wise Fox.
A Lion, unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself with food by force, resolved to do so by artifice. He returned to his den, and lying down there, pretended to be sick, taking care that his sickness should be publicly known. The beasts expressed their sorrow, and came one by one to his den, where the Lion devoured them. After many of the beasts had thus disappeared, the Fox discovered the trick and presenting himself to the Lion, stood on the outside of the cave, at a respectful distance, and asked him how he was. “I am very middling,” replied the Lion, “but why do you stand without? Pray enter within to talk with me.” “No, thank you,” said the Fox. “I notice that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but I see no trace of any returning.”
The old Lion can’t trick the wise Fox.
The Sick Lion
A Lion, unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself with food by force, resolved to do so by artifice. He returned to his den, and lying down there, pretended to be sick, taking care that his sickness should be publicly known. The beasts expressed their sorrow, and came one by one to his den, where the Lion devoured them. After many of the beasts had thus disappeared, the Fox discovered the trick and presenting himself to the Lion, stood on the outside of the cave, at a respectful distance, and asked him how he was. “I am very middling,” replied the Lion, “but why do you stand without? Pray enter within to talk with me.” “No, thank you,” said the Fox. “I notice that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but I see no trace of any returning.”
The moral of the story is: He is wise who is warned by the misfortune of others.
Wordchecker
- infirmity (noun): weakness
- artifice (noun): cleverness
- devour (verb): to eat quickly and fully
- middling (adjective): okay; neither good nor bad
- trace (noun): a small amount
The Huntsman And The Fisherman
The huntsman and the fisherman swap goods.
A Huntsman, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by chance with a Fisherman who was bringing home a basket well laden with fish. The Huntsman wished to have the fish, and their owner experienced an equal longing for the contents of the game-bag. They quickly agreed to exchange the produce of their day’s sport. Each was so well pleased with his bargain that they made for some time the same exchange day after day. Finally a neighbour said to them, “If you go on in this way, you will soon destroy by frequent use the pleasure of your exchange, and each will again wish to retain the fruits of his own sport.”
The huntsman and the fisherman swap goods.
The Huntsman And The Fisherman
A Huntsman, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by chance with a Fisherman who was bringing home a basket well laden with fish. The Huntsman wished to have the fish, and their owner experienced an equal longing for the contents of the game-bag. They quickly agreed to exchange the produce of their day’s sport. Each was so well pleased with his bargain that they made for some time the same exchange day after day. Finally a neighbour said to them, “If you go on in this way, you will soon destroy by frequent use the pleasure of your exchange, and each will again wish to retain the fruits of his own sport.”
The moral of the story is: Abstain and enjoy.
Wordchecker
- well laden (adjective): full
- long (verb): to want very badly
- bargain (noun): a good exchange
- retain (verb): keep
The Peacock And The Crane
The peacock brags about his beauty.
A Peacock spreading its gorgeous tail mocked a Crane that passed by, ridiculing the ashen hue of its plumage and saying, “I am robed, like a king, in gold and purple and all the colors of the rainbow; while you have not a bit of color on your wings.” “True,” replied the Crane; “but I soar to the heights of heaven and lift up my voice to the stars, while you walk below, like a cock, among the birds of the dunghill.”
The peacock brags about his beauty.
The Peacock And The Crane
A Peacock spreading its gorgeous tail mocked a Crane that passed by, ridiculing the ashen hue of its plumage and saying, “I am robed, like a king, in gold and purple and all the colors of the rainbow; while you have not a bit of color on your wings.” “True,” replied the Crane; “but I soar to the heights of heaven and lift up my voice to the stars, while you walk below, like a cock, among the birds of the dunghill.”
The moral of the story is: Fine feathers don’t make fine birds.
Wordchecker
- mock (verb): to laugh at and make fun of
- ridicule (verb): to make someone feel ridiculous (same as above)
- hue (noun): colour
- soar (verb): to go very high
- dunghill (noun): where animals excrete their waste
The Two Travellers And The Axe
Two travellers find an axe. Who does it belong to?
Two travellers find an axe. Who does it belong to?
The Two Frogs
The frog won’t leave his home.
The frog won’t leave his home.
The Two Dogs
One dog does all of the work.
One dog does all of the work.
The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons
Pigeons are afraid of a kite.
Pigeons are afraid of a kite.
The Shepherd’s Boy And The Wolf
The boy who cried wolf.
The boy who cried wolf.
The Man And His Two Sweethearts
One man can’t please two women.
One man can’t please two women.
The Mouse, The Frog, And The Hawk
The frog gets caught for capturing the mouse.
The frog gets caught for capturing the mouse.
The Wind And The Sun
The Wind and the Sun disagree.
The Wind and the Sun disagree.
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