The Shepherd and the Wolf
A shepherd once found the whelp of a Wolf and brought it up, and after read more

The Shepherd and the Wolf
A shepherd once found the whelp of a Wolf and brought it up, and after a while taught it to steal lambs from the neighboring flocks. The Wolf, having shown himself an apt pupil, said to the Shepherd, Since you have taught me to steal, you must keep a sharp lookout, or you will lose some of your own flock.

The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar
An old woman found an empty jar which had lately been full of prime read more

The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar
An old woman found an empty jar which had lately been full of prime old wine and which still retained the fragrant smell of its former contents. She greedily placed it several times to her nose, and drawing it backwards and forwards said, O most delicious! How nice must the Wine itself have been, when it leaves behind in the very vessel which contained it so sweet a perfume!
The memory of a good deed lives.

The Oxen and the Axle-Trees
A heavy wagon was being dragged along a country lane by a team of Oxen. read more

The Oxen and the Axle-Trees
A heavy wagon was being dragged along a country lane by a team of Oxen. The Axle-trees groaned and creaked terribly; whereupon the Oxen, turning round, thus addressed the wheels: Hullo there! why do you make so much noise? We bear all the labor, and we, not you, ought to cry out.
Those who suffer most cry out the least.

The Fisherman Piping
A fisherman skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the seashore. Standing on a read more

The Fisherman Piping
A fisherman skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the seashore. Standing on a projecting rock, he played several tunes in the hope that the fish, attracted by his melody, would of their own accord dance into his net, which he had placed below. At last, having long waited in vain, he laid aside his flute, and casting his net into the sea, made an excellent haul of fish. When he saw them leaping about in the net upon the rock he said: O you most perverse creatures, when I piped you would not dance, but now that I have ceased you do so merrily.

The Two Dogs
A man had two dogs: a Hound, trained to assist him in his sports, and a Housedog, read more

The Two Dogs
A man had two dogs: a Hound, trained to assist him in his sports, and a Housedog, taught to watch the house. When he returned home after a good day's sport, he always gave the Housedog a large share of his spoil. The Hound, feeling much aggrieved at this, reproached his companion, saying, It is very hard to have all this labor, while you, who do not assist in the chase, luxuriate on the fruits of my exertions. The Housedog replied, Do not blame me, my friend, but find fault with the master, who has not taught me to labor, but to depend for subsistence on the labor of others.
Children are not to be blamed for the faults of their parents.

The Ass and the Charger
AN ASS congratulated a Horse on being so ungrudgingly and
carefully provided for, while read more

The Ass and the Charger
AN ASS congratulated a Horse on being so ungrudgingly and
carefully provided for, while he himself had scarcely enough to
eat and not even that without hard work. But when war broke out,
a heavily armed soldier mounted the Horse, and riding him to the
charge, rushed into the very midst of the enemy. The Horse was
wounded and fell dead on the battlefield. Then the Ass, seeing
all these things, changed his mind, and commiserated the Horse.

The Boasting Traveler
A man who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much, on returning to his own country, read more

The Boasting Traveler
A man who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much, on returning to his own country, of the many wonderful and heroic feats he had performed in the different places he had visited. Among other things, he said that when he was at Rhodes he had leaped to such a distance that no man of his day could leap anywhere near him as to that, there were in Rhodes many persons who saw him do it and whom he could call as witnesses. One of the bystanders interrupted him, saying: Now, my good man, if this be all true there is no need of witnesses. Suppose this to be Rhodes, and leap for us.

The Lioness
A controversy prevailed among the beasts of the field as to which of the animals deserved the most read more

The Lioness
A controversy prevailed among the beasts of the field as to which of the animals deserved the most credit for producing the greatest number of whelps at a birth. They rushed clamorously into the presence of the Lioness and demanded of her the settlement of the dispute. And you, they said, how many sons have you at a birth?' The Lioness laughed at them, and said: Why! I have only one; but that one is altogether a thoroughbred Lion.
The value is in the worth, not in the number.

The Astronomer
An astronomer used to go out at night to observe the stars. One evening, as he wandered through read more

The Astronomer
An astronomer used to go out at night to observe the stars. One evening, as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole attention fixed on the sky, he fell accidentally into a deep well. While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning what had happened said: Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on earth?'.