THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

A hungry Fox saw some fine bunches of Grapes hanging from a vine that
was trained along a high trellis, and did his best to reach them by
jumping as high as he could into the air. But it was all in vain, for
they were just out of reach: so he gave up trying, and walked away
with an air of dignity and unconcern, remarking, "I thought those
Grapes were ripe, but I see now they are quite sour."

THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGGS

A Man and his Wife had the good fortune to possess a Goose which laid
a Golden Egg every day. Lucky though they were, they soon began to
think they were not getting rich fast enough, and, imagining the bird
must be made of gold inside, they decided to kill it in order to
secure the whole store of precious metal at once. But when they cut it
open they found it was just like any other goose. Thus, they neither
got rich all at once, as they had hoped, nor enjoyed any longer the
daily addition to their wealth.

    Much wants more and loses all.

THE CAT AND THE MICE

There was once a house that was overrun with Mice. A Cat heard of
this, and said to herself, "That's the place for me," and off she went
and took up her quarters in the house, and caught the Mice one by one
and ate them. At last the Mice could stand it no longer, and they
determined to take to their holes and stay there. "That's awkward,"
said the Cat to herself: "the only thing to do is to coax them out by
a trick." So she considered a while, and then climbed up the wall and
let herself hang down by her hind legs from a peg, and pretended to
be dead. By and by a Mouse peeped out and saw the Cat hanging there.
"Aha!" it cried, "you're very clever, madam, no doubt: but you may
turn yourself into a bag of meal hanging there, if you like, yet you
won't catch us coming anywhere near you."

    If you are wise you won't be deceived by the innocent airs of
    those whom you have once found to be dangerous.

THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG

There was once a Dog who used to snap at people and bite them without
any provocation, and who was a great nuisance to every one who came to
his master's house. So his master fastened a bell round his neck to
warn people of his presence. The Dog was very proud of the bell, and
strutted about tinkling it with immense satisfaction. But an old dog
came up to him and said, "The fewer airs you give yourself the better,
my friend. You don't think, do you, that your bell was given you as a
reward of merit? On the contrary, it is a badge of disgrace."

    Notoriety is often mistaken for fame.

THE CHARCOAL-BURNER AND THE FULLER

There was once a Charcoal-burner who lived and worked by himself.
A Fuller, however, happened to come and settle in the same
neighbourhood; and the Charcoal-burner, having made his acquaintance
and finding he was an agreeable sort of fellow, asked him if he would
come and share his house: "We shall get to know one another better
that way," he said, "and, beside, our household expenses will be
diminished." The Fuller thanked him, but replied, "I couldn't think
of it, sir: why, everything I take such pains to whiten would be
blackened in no time by your charcoal."

THE MICE IN COUNCIL

Once upon a time all the Mice met together in Council, and discussed
the best means of securing themselves against the attacks of the cat.
After several suggestions had been debated, a Mouse of some standing
and experience got up and said, "I think I have hit upon a plan which
will ensure our safety in the future, provided you approve and carry
it out. It is that we should fasten a bell round the neck of our enemy
the cat, which will by its tinkling warn us of her approach." This
proposal was warmly applauded, and it had been already decided to
adopt it, when an old Mouse got upon his feet and said, "I agree with
you all that the plan before us is an admirable one: but may I ask who
is going to bell the cat?"

THE BAT AND THE WEASELS

A Bat fell to the ground and was caught by a Weasel, and was just
going to be killed and eaten when it begged to be let go. The Weasel
said he couldn't do that because he was an enemy of all birds on
principle. "Oh, but," said the Bat, "I'm not a bird at all: I'm a
mouse." "So you are," said the Weasel, "now I come to look at you";
and he let it go. Some time after this the Bat was caught in just the
same way by another Weasel, and, as before, begged for its life. "No,"
said the Weasel, "I never let a mouse go by any chance." "But I'm not
a mouse," said the Bat; "I'm a bird." "Why, so you are," said the
Weasel; and he too let the Bat go.

    Look and see which way the wind blows before you commit yourself.

THE DOG AND THE SOW

A Dog and a Sow were arguing and each claimed that its own young ones
were finer than those of any other animal. "Well," said the Sow at
last, "mine can see, at any rate, when they come into the world: but
yours are born blind."

THE FOX AND THE CROW

A Crow was sitting on a branch of a tree with a piece of cheese in her
beak when a Fox observed her and set his wits to work to discover
some way of getting the cheese. Coming and standing under the tree he
looked up and said, "What a noble bird I see above me! Her beauty is
without equal, the hue of her plumage exquisite. If only her voice is
as sweet as her looks are fair, she ought without doubt to be Queen of
the Birds." The Crow was hugely flattered by this, and just to show
the Fox that she could sing she gave a loud caw. Down came the cheese,
of course, and the Fox, snatching it up, said, "You have a voice,
madam, I see: what you want is wits."

THE HORSE AND THE GROOM

There was once a Groom who used to spend long hours clipping and
combing the Horse of which he had charge, but who daily stole a
portion of his allowance of oats, and sold it for his own profit. The
Horse gradually got into worse and worse condition, and at last cried
to the Groom, "If you really want me to look sleek and well, you must
comb me less and feed me more."

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB

A Wolf came upon a Lamb straying from the flock, and felt some
compunction about taking the life of so helpless a creature without
some plausible excuse; so he cast about for a grievance and said
at last, "Last year, sirrah, you grossly insulted me." "That is
impossible, sir," bleated the Lamb, "for I wasn't born then." "Well,"
retorted the Wolf, "you feed in my pastures." "That cannot be,"
replied the Lamb, "for I have never yet tasted grass." "You drink from
my spring, then," continued the Wolf. "Indeed, sir," said the 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.

THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE

A Peacock taunted a Crane with the dullness of her plumage. "Look at
my brilliant colours," 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

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.

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.