Aesop's Fables by Aesop, Arthur Rackham, V. S. Vernon Jones, D. L. Ashliman Read Free Book Online
poor lamb, “I have never yet drunk anything but my mother’s milk.” “Well, anyhow,” said the wolf, “I’m not going without my dinner.” And he sprang upon the lamb and devoured it without more ado.
12. THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE
A peacock taunted a crane with the dullness of her plumage. “Look at my brilliant colors,” said she, “and see how much finer they are than your poor feathers.” “I am not denying,” replied the crane, “that yours are far gayer than mine. But when it comes to flying I can soar into the clouds, whereas you are confined to the earth like any dunghill cock.”
THE CAT AND THE BIRDS
13. THE CAT AND THE BIRDS
A cat heard that the birds in an aviary were ailing. So he got himself up as a doctor, and, taking with him a set of the instruments proper to his profession, presented himself at the door, and inquired after the health of the birds. “We shall do very well,” they replied, without letting him in, “when we’ve seen the last of you.”
A villain may disguise himself, but he will not deceive the wise.
14. THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW
A spendthrift, who had wasted his fortune and had nothing left but the clothes in which he stood, saw a swallow one fine day in early spring. Thinking that summer had come and that he could now do without his coat, he went and sold it for what it would fetch. A change, however, took place in the weather, and there came a sharp frost which killed the unfortunate swallow. When the spendthrift saw its dead body he cried, “Miserable bird! Thanks to you I am perishing of cold myself.”
One swallow does not make summer.
15. THE OLD WOMAN AND THE DOCTOR
A n old woman became almost totally blind from a disease of the eyes, and, after consulting a doctor, made an agreement .with him in the presence of witnesses that she should pay him a high fee if he cured her, while if he failed he was to receive nothing. The doctor accordingly prescribed a course of treatment, and every time he paid her a visit he took away with him some article out of the house, until at last, when he visited her for the last time, and the cure was complete, there was nothing left.
When the old woman saw that the house was empty she refused to pay him his fee; and, after repeated refusals on her part, he sued her before the magistrates for payment of her debt. On being brought into court she was ready with her defense. “The claimant,” said she, “has stated the facts about our agreement correctly. I undertook to pay him a fee if he cured me, and he, on his part, promised to charge nothing if he failed. Now, he says I am cured. But I say that I am blinder than ever, and I can prove what I say. When my eyes were bad I could at any rate see well enough to be aware that my house contained a certain amount of furniture and other things. But now, when according to him I am cured, I am entirely unable to see anything there at all.”
THE MOON AND HER MOTHER
16. THE MOON AND HER MOTHER
T he moon once begged her mother to make her a gown. “How can I?” replied she. “There’s no fitting your figure. At one time you’re a new moon, and at another you’re a full moon: and between whiles you’re neither one nor the other.”
17. MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN
A woodman was felling a tree on the bank of a river, when his ax, glancing off the trunk, flew out of his hands and fell into the water. As he stood by the water’s edge lamenting his loss, Mercury appeared and asked him the reason for his grief; and on learning what had happened, out of pity for his distress he dived into the river and, bringing up a golden ax, asked him if that was the one he had lost. The woodman replied that it was not, and Mercury then dived a second time and, bringing up a silver ax, asked if that was his. “No, that is not mine either,” said the woodman. Once more Mercury dived into the river, and brought up the missing ax. The woodman was overjoyed at recovering his
12. THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE
A peacock taunted a crane with the dullness of her plumage. “Look at my brilliant colors,” said she, “and see how much finer they are than your poor feathers.” “I am not denying,” replied the crane, “that yours are far gayer than mine. But when it comes to flying I can soar into the clouds, whereas you are confined to the earth like any dunghill cock.”
THE CAT AND THE BIRDS
13. THE CAT AND THE BIRDS
A cat heard that the birds in an aviary were ailing. So he got himself up as a doctor, and, taking with him a set of the instruments proper to his profession, presented himself at the door, and inquired after the health of the birds. “We shall do very well,” they replied, without letting him in, “when we’ve seen the last of you.”
A villain may disguise himself, but he will not deceive the wise.
14. THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW
A spendthrift, who had wasted his fortune and had nothing left but the clothes in which he stood, saw a swallow one fine day in early spring. Thinking that summer had come and that he could now do without his coat, he went and sold it for what it would fetch. A change, however, took place in the weather, and there came a sharp frost which killed the unfortunate swallow. When the spendthrift saw its dead body he cried, “Miserable bird! Thanks to you I am perishing of cold myself.”
One swallow does not make summer.
15. THE OLD WOMAN AND THE DOCTOR
A n old woman became almost totally blind from a disease of the eyes, and, after consulting a doctor, made an agreement .with him in the presence of witnesses that she should pay him a high fee if he cured her, while if he failed he was to receive nothing. The doctor accordingly prescribed a course of treatment, and every time he paid her a visit he took away with him some article out of the house, until at last, when he visited her for the last time, and the cure was complete, there was nothing left.
When the old woman saw that the house was empty she refused to pay him his fee; and, after repeated refusals on her part, he sued her before the magistrates for payment of her debt. On being brought into court she was ready with her defense. “The claimant,” said she, “has stated the facts about our agreement correctly. I undertook to pay him a fee if he cured me, and he, on his part, promised to charge nothing if he failed. Now, he says I am cured. But I say that I am blinder than ever, and I can prove what I say. When my eyes were bad I could at any rate see well enough to be aware that my house contained a certain amount of furniture and other things. But now, when according to him I am cured, I am entirely unable to see anything there at all.”
THE MOON AND HER MOTHER
16. THE MOON AND HER MOTHER
T he moon once begged her mother to make her a gown. “How can I?” replied she. “There’s no fitting your figure. At one time you’re a new moon, and at another you’re a full moon: and between whiles you’re neither one nor the other.”
17. MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN
A woodman was felling a tree on the bank of a river, when his ax, glancing off the trunk, flew out of his hands and fell into the water. As he stood by the water’s edge lamenting his loss, Mercury appeared and asked him the reason for his grief; and on learning what had happened, out of pity for his distress he dived into the river and, bringing up a golden ax, asked him if that was the one he had lost. The woodman replied that it was not, and Mercury then dived a second time and, bringing up a silver ax, asked if that was his. “No, that is not mine either,” said the woodman. Once more Mercury dived into the river, and brought up the missing ax. The woodman was overjoyed at recovering his
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