Complete Aesop’s Fables

Chapter 193 A falconer caught a partridge in his net, and the bird cried out in sorrow, “Let me go, good falconer, and I promise you that I will serve you as a decoy and attract other partridges intoyour net.”“No,” the man said. “I might have done something else with you, but now I’m definitely […]

Chapter 192 Some cranes settled down in a farmer’s field that had recently been sown with wheat, and made it their feeding ground. For some time the farmer frightened them away by threatening them with an empty sling. But when the cranes discovered that he was only slinging air, they were no longer afraid of

Chapter 191 Once upon a time the mice were so distressed by the way a particular cat was persecuting them that they called a meeting to decide upon the best way to get rid of this perpetual annoyance. Many plans were discussed and rejected. At last a young mouse got up and proposed that a

Chapter 190 Some dogs, famished with hunger, saw some cowhides that a skinner had left in the bottom of a stream and tried desperately to get them. Since they were unable to reach them, however, they decided to drink up the stream to obtain the hides. Unfortunately they all burst from drinking before they ever

Chapter 189 One summer’s day, when everyone was suffering from extreme heat, a lion and a goat came to a small fountain at the same time to quench their thirst. They began right away to quarrel as to which one was entitled to drink the water first, and it seemed that each one would resist

Chapter 188 A long time ago, when the frogs led a free and easy life in the lakes and ponds, they became disgruntled because everyone lived according to his own whim, and chaos reigned. Consequently, they gathered together and petitioned Jupiter to let them have a king who would bring order into their lives and

Chapter 187 A foolish young heir, who had just taken possession of his wise father’s estate, had all the hedges surrounding his vineyard torn out because they did not bear any grapes. By tearing down these fences, however, he lay his grounds open to man and beast alike, and all his vines were soon destroyed.

Chapter 186 An oak that had been uprooted by a storm was carried down a river to the banks where many reeds were growing. The oak was astonished to see that things so slight and frail had withstood the storm when so great and strong a tree as he himself had been uprooted.“It’s really not

Chapter 185 A lion and a bear pounced upon a fawn at the same time and had a long, grueling fight over it. The struggle was so hard and even, that both of them eventually lay half-blinded and half-dead on the ground without enough strength to touch the prize that was stretched out between them.

Chapter 184 A monkey was sitting high up in a tree when he saw some fishermen laying their nets in a river. No sooner did the men set their nets and retreat a short distance to eat lunch than the monkey came down from the tree, thinking that he would try his hand at the

Chapter 183 After a gnat had been buzzing about the head of a bull for several minutes, he finally settled down upon a horn and begged the bull’s pardon for disturbing him. “If my weight causes you any inconvenience at all,” he said, “just tell me, and I’ll be off in a moment.”“Oh, don’t trouble

Chapter 182 A schoolboy stole a hornbook from one of his schoolmates and brought it home to his mother. Instead of punishing him, she encouraged him and was proud of his deed. In the course of time, the boy, now a grown man, began to steal things of greater value until he was finally caught

Chapter 181 Once upon a time during a very warm summer, word was spread among the animals that the sun was going to be married. All the birds and beasts were delighted at the thought, and above all, the frogs were determined to celebrate the event. But an old toad put a stop to their

Chapter 180 Some boys were playing at the edge of a pond when they noticed a number of frogs in the water and began pelting them with stones. They had already killed many of the poor creatures when one of the frogs, more courageous than the rest, lifted his head out of the water and

Chapter 179 Once there was a widow who owned just one sheep. Wishing to make the most of his wool, she sheared him so closely that she cut his skin as well as his fleece. Suffering from such painful treatment, the sheep cried out, “Why are you torturing me like this? What will my blood