Aesop's Fables by Aesop

Translated by George Fyler Townsend

In Eight Parts

Part One
The Wolf and the Lamb

Wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on
him, bt to find some plea to !stify to the Lamb the Wolf"s right to eat him# $e ths
addressed him% &'irrah, last year yo grossly inslted me#& &Indeed,& bleated the
Lamb in a mornfl tone of voi(e, &I was not then born#& Then said the Wolf, &)o
feed in my pastre#& &*o, good sir,& replied the Lamb, &I have not yet tasted grass#&
Again said the Wolf, &)o drin+ of my well#& &*o,& e,(laimed the Lamb, &I never yet
dran+ water, for as yet my mother"s mil+ is both food and drin+ to me#& -pon whi(h
the Wolf sei.ed him and ate him p, saying, &Well/ I won"t remain spper0less, even
thogh yo refte every one of my imptations#& The tyrant will always find a prete,t
for his tyranny#

The Bat and the Weasels

A 1at who fell pon the grond and was (aght by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his
life# The Weasel refsed, saying that he was by natre the enemy of all birds# The 1at
assred him that he was not a bird, bt a mose, and ths was set free# 'hortly
afterwards the 1at again fell to the grond and was (aght by another Weasel, whom
he li+ewise entreated not to eat him# The Weasel said that he had a spe(ial hostility to
mi(e# The 1at assred him that he was not a mose, bt a bat, and ths a se(ond time
es(aped#

It is wise to trn (ir(mstan(es to good a((ont#

The Ass and the Grasshopper

An Ass having heard some Grasshoppers (hirping, was highly en(hanted2 and,
desiring to possess the same (harms of melody, demanded what sort of food they
lived on to give them s(h beatifl voi(es# They replied, &The dew#& The Ass
resolved that he wold live only pon dew, and in a short time died of hnger#

The Lion and the Mouse

A Lion was awa+ened from sleep by a 3ose rnning over his fa(e# 4ising p
angrily, he (aght him and was abot to +ill him, when the 3ose piteosly entreated,
saying% &If yo wold only spare my life, I wold be sre to repay yor +indness#&
The Lion laghed and let him go# It happened shortly after this that the Lion was
(aght by some hnters, who bond him by st ropes to the grond# The 3ose,
re(ogni.ing his roar, (ame gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set him free, e,(laim

&)o ridi(led the idea of my ever being able to help yo, e,pe(ting to re(eive from


me any repayment of yor favor2 I now yo +now that it is possible for even a 3ose
to (on benefits on a Lion#&

The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller

A 5har(oal01rner (arried on his trade in his own hose# One day he met a friend, a
Fller, and entreated him to (ome and live with him, saying that they shold be far
better neighbors and that their hose+eeping e,penses wold be lessened# The Fller
replied, &The arrangement is impossible as far as I am (on(erned, for whatever I
shold whiten, yo wold immediately bla(+en again with yor (har(oal#&

Li+e will draw li+e#

The Father and His Sons

A father had a family of sons who were perpetally 6arreling among themselves#
When he failed to heal their disptes by his e,hortations, he determined to give them
a pra(ti(al illstration of the evils of disnion2 and for this prpose he one day told
them to bring him a bndle of sti(+s# When they had done so, he pla(ed the faggot
into the hands of ea(h of them in s((ession, and ordered them to brea+ it in pie(es#
They tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it# $e ne,t opened the
faggot, too+ the sti(+s separately, one by one, and again pt them into his sons" hands,
pon whi(h they bro+e them easily# $e then addressed them in these words% &3y
sons, if yo are of one mind, and nite to assist ea(h other, yo will be as this faggot,
nin!red by all the attempts of yor enemies2 bt if yo are divided among
yorselves, yo will be bro+en as easily as these sti(+s#&

The Bo Huntin! Locusts

A boy was hnting for lo(sts# $e had (aght a goodly nmber, when he saw a
'(orpion, and mista+ing him for a lo(st, rea(hed ot his hand to ta+e him# The
'(orpion, showing his sting, said% If yo had bt to(hed me, my friend, yo wold
have lost me, and all yor lo(sts too/&

The Coc" and the #e$el

A 5o(+, s(rat(hing for food for himself and his hens, fond a pre(ios stone and
e,(laimed% &If yor owner had fond thee, and not I, he wold have ta+en thee p,
and have set thee in thy first estate2 bt I have fond thee for no prpose# I wold
rather have one barley(orn than all the !ewels in the world#&

The %in!dom of the Lion

The beasts of the field and forest had a Lion as their +ing# $e was neither wrathfl,
(rel, nor tyranni(al, bt !st and gentle as a +ing (old be# 7ring his reign he made
a royal pro(lamation for a general assembly of all the birds and beasts, and drew p
(onditions for a niversal leage, in whi(h the Wolf and the Lamb, the Panther and
the 8id, the Tiger and the 'tag, the 7og and the $are, shold live together in perfe(t
pea(e and amity# The $are said, &Oh, how I have longed to see this day, in whi(h the
wea+ shall ta+e their pla(e with impnity by the side of the strong#& And after the


$are said this, he ran for his life#

The Wolf and the Crane

A Wolf who had a bone st(+ in his throat hired a 5rane, for a large sm, to pt her
head into his moth and draw ot the bone# When the 5rane had e,tra(ted the bone
and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning and grinding his teeth,
e,(laimed% &Why, yo have srely already had a sffi(ient re(ompense, in having
been permitted to draw ot yor head in safety from the moth and !aws of a wolf#&

In serving the wi(+ed, e,pe(t no reward, and be than+fl if yo es(ape in!ry for yor
pains#

The Fisherman &ipin!

A fisherman s+illed in msi( too+ his flte and his nets to the seashore# 'tanding on a
pro!e(ting ro(+, he played several tnes in the hope that the fish, attra(ted by his
melody, wold of their own a((ord dan(e into his net, whi(h he had pla(ed below# At
last, having long waited in vain, he laid aside his flte, and (asting his net into the sea,
made an e,(ellent hal of fish# When he saw them leaping abot in the net pon the
ro(+ he said% &O yo most perverse (reatres, when I piped yo wold not dan(e, bt
now that I have (eased yo do so merrily#&

Hercules and the Wa!oner

A (arter was driving a wagon along a (ontry lane, when the wheels san+ down deep
into a rt# The rsti( driver, stpefied and aghast, stood loo+ing at the wagon, and did
nothing bt tter lod (ries to $er(les to (ome and help him# $er(les, it is said,
appeared and ths addressed him% &Pt yor sholders to the wheels, my man# Goad
on yor bllo(+s, and never more pray to me for help, ntil yo have done yor best
to help yorself, or depend pon it yo will hen(eforth pray in vain#&

'elf0help is the best help#

The Ants and the Grasshopper

The ants were spending a fine winter"s day drying grain (olle(ted in the smmertime#
A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little
food# The Ants in6ired of him, &Why did yo not treasre p food dring the
smmer9" $e replied, &I had not leisre enogh# I passed the days in singing#& They
then said in derision% &If yo were foolish enogh to sing all the smmer, yo mst
dan(e spperless to bed in the winter#&

The Tra'eler and His (o!

A traveler abot to set ot on a !orney saw his 7og stand at the door stret(hing
himself# $e as+ed him sharply% &Why do yo stand there gaping9 Everything is ready
bt yo, so (ome with me instantly#& The 7og, wagging his tail, replied% &O, master/ I
am 6ite ready2 it is yo for whom I am waiting#&



The loiterer often blames delay on his more a(tive friend#

The (o! and the Shado$

A 7og, (rossing a bridge over a stream with a pie(e of flesh in his moth, saw his
own shadow in the water and too+ it for that of another 7og, with a pie(e of meat
doble his own in si.e# $e immediately let go of his own, and fier(ely atta(+ed the
other 7og to get his larger pie(e from him# $e ths lost both% that whi(h he grasped at
in the water, be(ase it was a shadow2 and his own, be(ase the stream swept it away#

The Mole and His Mother

A 3ole, a (reatre blind from birth, on(e said to his 3other% &I am sre than I (an
see, 3other/& In the desire to prove to him his mista+e, his 3other pla(ed before him
a few grains of fran+in(ense, and as+ed, &What is it9" The yong 3ole said, &It is a
pebble#& $is 3other e,(laimed% &3y son, I am afraid that yo are not only blind, bt
that yo have lost yor sense of smell#

The Herdsman and the Lost Bull

A herdsman tending his flo(+ in a forest lost a 1ll0(alf from the fold# After a long
and fritless sear(h, he made a vow that, if he (old only dis(over the thief who had
stolen the 5alf, he wold offer a lamb in sa(rifi(e to $ermes, Pan, and the Gardian
7eities of the forest# *ot long afterwards, as he as(ended a small hillo(+, he saw at its
foot a Lion feeding on the 5alf# Terrified at the sight, he lifted his eyes and his hands
to heaven, and said% &:st now I vowed to offer a lamb to the Gardian 7eities of the
forest if I (old only find ot who had robbed me2 bt now that I have dis(overed the
thief, I wold willingly add a fll0grown 1ll to the 5alf I have lost, if I may only
se(re my own es(ape from him in safety#&

The Hare and the Tortoise

A $are one day ridi(led the short feet and slow pa(e of the Tortoise, who replied,
laghing% &Thogh yo be swift as the wind, I will beat yo in a ra(e#& The $are,
believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal2 and they
agreed that the Fo, shold (hoose the (orse and fi, the goal# On the day appointed
for the ra(e the two started together# The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, bt
went on with a slow bt steady pa(e straight to the end of the (orse# The $are, lying
down by the wayside, fell fast asleep# At last wa+ing p, and moving as fast as he
(old, he saw the Tortoise had rea(hed the goal, and was (omfortably do.ing after her
fatige#

'low bt steady wins the ra(e#

The &ome!ranate) Apple-Tree) and Bramble

The Pomegranate and Apple0Tree dispted as to whi(h was the most beatifl# When
their strife was at its height, a 1ramble from the neighboring hedge lifted p its voi(e,
and said in a boastfl tone% &Pray, my dear friends, in my presen(e at least (ease from
s(h vain disptings#&



The Farmer and the Stor"

A Farmer pla(ed nets on his newly0sown ploghlands and (aght a nmber of 5ranes,
whi(h (ame to pi(+ p his seed# With them he trapped a 'tor+ that had fra(tred his
leg in the net and was earnestly besee(hing the Farmer to spare his life# &Pray save
me, 3aster,& he said, &and let me go free this on(e# 3y bro+en limb shold e,(ite
yor pity# 1esides, I am no 5rane, I am a 'tor+, a bird of e,(ellent (hara(ter2 and see
how I love and slave for my father and mother# Loo+ too, at my feathers00 they are not
the least li+e those of a 5rane#& The Farmer laghed alod and said, &It may be all as
yo say, I only +now this% I have ta+en yo with these robbers, the 5ranes, and yo
mst die in their (ompany#&

1irds of a feather flo(+ together#

The Farmer and the Sna"e

One winter a Farmer fond a 'na+e stiff and fro.en with (old# $e had (ompassion on
it, and ta+ing it p, pla(ed it in his bosom# The 'na+e was 6i(+ly revived by the
warmth, and resming its natral instin(ts, bit its benefa(tor, infli(ting on him a
mortal wond# &Oh,& (ried the Farmer with his last breath, &I am rightly served for
pitying a s(ondrel#&

The greatest +indness will not bind the ngratefl#

The Fa$n and His Mother

A yong fawn on(e said to his 3other, &)o are larger than a dog, and swifter, and
more sed to rnning, and yo have yor horns as a defense2 why, then, O 3other/ do
the honds frighten yo so9& 'he smiled, and said% &I +now fll well, my son, that all
yo say is tre# I have the advantages yo mention, bt when I hear even the bar+ of a
single dog I feel ready to faint, and fly away as fast as I (an#&

*o argments will give (orage to the (oward#

The Bear and the Fo*

A 1ear boasted very m(h of his philanthropy, saying that of all animals he was the
most tender in his regard for man, for he had s(h respe(t for him that he wold not
even to(h his dead body# A Fo, hearing these words said with a smile to the 1ear,
&Oh/ that yo wold eat the dead and not the living#&

The S$allo$ and the Cro$

The 'wallow and the 5row had a (ontention abot their plmage# The 5row pt an
end to the dispte by saying, &)or feathers are all very well in the spring, bt mine
prote(t me against the winter#&

Fair weather friends are not worth m(h#



The Mountain in Labor

A 3ontain was on(e greatly agitated# Lod groans and noises were heard, and
(rowds of people (ame from all parts to see what was the matter# While they were
assembled in an,ios e,pe(tation of some terrible (alamity, ot (ame a 3ose#

7on"t ma+e m(h ado abot nothing#

The Ass) the Fo*) and the Lion

The Ass and the Fo,, having entered into partnership together for their mtal
prote(tion, went ot into the forest to hnt# They had not pro(eeded far when they met
a Lion# The Fo,, seeing imminent danger, approa(hed the Lion and promised to
(ontrive for him the (aptre of the Ass if the Lion wold pledge his word not to harm
the Fo,# Then, pon assring the Ass that he wold not be in!red, the Fo, led him to
a deep pit and arranged that he shold fall into it# The Lion, seeing that the Ass was
se(red, immediately (lt(hed the Fo,, and atta(+ed the Ass at his leisre#

The Tortoise and the +a!le

A Tortoise, la.ily bas+ing in the sn, (omplained to the sea0birds of her hard fate, that
no one wold tea(h her to fly# An Eagle, hovering near, heard her lamentation and
demanded what reward she wold give him if he wold ta+e her aloft and float her in
the air# &I will give yo,& she said, &all the ri(hes of the 4ed 'ea#& &I will tea(h yo to
fly then,& said the Eagle2 and ta+ing her p in his talons he (arried her almost to the
(lods sddenly he let her go, and she fell on a lofty montain, dashing her shell to
pie(es# The Tortoise e,(laimed in the moment of death% &I have deserved my present
fate2 for what had I to do with wings and (lods, who (an with diffi(lty move abot
on the earth9"

If men had all they wished, they wold be often rined#

The Flies and the Hone-&ot

A nmber of Flies were attra(ted to a !ar of honey whi(h had been overtrned in a
hose+eeper"s room, and pla(ing their feet in it, ate greedily# Their feet, however,
be(ame so smeared with the honey that they (old not se their wings, nor release
themselves, and were sffo(ated# :st as they were e,piring, they e,(laimed, &O
foolish (reatres that we are, for the sa+e of a little pleasre we have destroyed
orselves#&

Pleasre boght with pains, hrts#

The Man and the Lion

A 3an and a Lion traveled together throgh the forest# They soon began to boast of
their respe(tive speriority to ea(h other in strength and prowess# As they were
dispting, they passed a state (arved in stone, whi(h represented &a Lion strangled
by a 3an#& The traveler pointed to it and said% &'ee there/ $ow strong we are, and
how we prevail over even the +ing of beasts#& The Lion replied% &This state was


made by one of yo men# If we Lions +new how to ere(t states, yo wold see the
3an pla(ed nder the paw of the Lion#&

One story is good, till another is told#

The Farmer and the Cranes

'ome (ranes made their feeding gronds on some plowlands newly sown with wheat#
For a long time the Farmer, brandishing an empty sling, (hased them away by the
terror he inspired2 bt when the birds fond that the sling was only swng in the air,
they (eased to ta+e any noti(e of it and wold not move# The Farmer, on seeing this,
(harged his sling with stones, and +illed a great nmber# The remaining birds at on(e
forsoo+ his fields, (rying to ea(h other, &It is time for s to be off to Lilipt% for this
man is no longer (ontent to s(are s, bt begins to show s in earnest what he (an do#&

If words sffi(e not, blows mst follow#

The (o! in the Man!er

A 7og lay in a manger, and by his growling and snapping prevented the o,en from
eating the hay whi(h had been pla(ed for them# &What a selfish 7og/& said one of
them to his (ompanions2 &he (annot eat the hay himself, and yet refses to allow those
to eat who (an#&

The Fo* and the Goat

A Fo, one day fell into a deep well and (old find no means of es(ape# A Goat,
over(ome with thirst, (ame to the same well, and seeing the Fo,, in6ired if the water
was good# 5on(ealing his sad plight nder a merry gise, the Fo, indlged in a lavish
praise of the water, saying it was e,(ellent beyond measre, and en(oraging him to
des(end# The Goat, mindfl only of his thirst, thoghtlessly !mped down, bt !st as
he dran+, the Fo, informed him of the diffi(lty they were both in and sggested a
s(heme for their (ommon es(ape# &If,& said he, &yo will pla(e yor forefeet pon the
wall and bend yor head, I will rn p yor ba(+ and es(ape, and will help yo ot
afterwards#& The Goat readily assented and the Fo, leaped pon his ba(+# 'teadying
himself with the Goat"s horns, he safely rea(hed the moth of the well and made off as
fast as he (old# When the Goat pbraided him for brea+ing his promise, he trned
arond and (ried ot, &)o foolish old fellow/ If yo had as many brains in yor head
as yo have hairs in yor beard, yo wold never have gone down before yo had
inspe(ted the way p, nor have e,posed yorself to dangers from whi(h yo had no
means of es(ape#&

Loo+ before yo leap#

The Bear and the T$o Tra'elers

Two men were traveling together, when a 1ear sddenly met them on their path# One
of them (limbed p 6i(+ly into a tree and (on(ealed himself in the bran(hes# The
other, seeing that he mst be atta(+ed, fell flat on the grond, and when the 1ear (ame
p and felt him with his snot, and smelt him all over, he held his breath, and feigned


the appearan(e of death as m(h as he (old# The 1ear soon left him, for it is said he
will not to(h a dead body# When he was 6ite gone, the other Traveler des(ended
from the tree, and !o(larly in6ired of his friend what it was the 1ear had whispered
in his ear# &$e gave me this advi(e,& his (ompanion replied# &*ever travel with a
friend who deserts yo at the approa(h of danger#&

3isfortne tests the sin(erity of friends#

The ,*en and the A*le-Trees

A heavy wagon was being dragged along a (ontry lane by a team of O,en# The
A,le0trees groaned and (rea+ed terribly2 wherepon the O,en, trning rond, ths
addressed the wheels% &$llo there/ why do yo ma+e so m(h noise9 We bear all the
labor, and we, not yo, oght to (ry ot#&

Those who sffer most (ry ot the least#

The Thirst &i!eon

A Pigeon, oppressed by e,(essive thirst, saw a goblet of water painted on a signboard#
*ot spposing it to be only a pi(tre, she flew towards it with a lod whir and
nwittingly dashed against the signboard, !arring herself terribly# $aving bro+en her
wings by the blow, she fell to the grond, and was (aght by one of the bystanders#

;eal shold not otrn dis(retion#

The -a'en and the S$an

A 4aven saw a 'wan and desired to se(re for himself the same beatifl plmage#
'pposing that the 'wan"s splendid white (olor arose from his washing in the water in
whi(h he swam, the 4aven left the altars in the neighborhood where he pi(+ed p his
living, and too+ p residen(e in the la+es and pools# 1t (leansing his feathers as
often as he wold, he (old not (hange their (olor, while throgh want of food he
perished#

5hange of habit (annot alter *atre#

The Goat and the Goatherd

A Goatherd had soght to bring ba(+ a stray goat to his flo(+# $e whistled and
sonded his horn in vain2 the straggler paid no attention to the smmons# At last the
Goatherd threw a stone, and brea+ing its horn, begged the Goat not to tell his master#
The Goat replied, &Why, yo silly fellow, the horn will spea+ thogh I be silent#&

7o not attempt to hide things whi(h (annot be hid#

The Miser

A 3iser sold all that he had and boght a lmp of gold, whi(h he bried in a hole in
the grond by the side of an old wall and went to loo+ at daily# One of his wor+men


observed his fre6ent visits to the spot and de(ided to wat(h his movements# $e soon
dis(overed the se(ret of the hidden treasre, and digging down, (ame to the lmp of
gold, and stole it# The 3iser, on his ne,t visit, fond the hole empty and began to tear
his hair and to ma+e lod lamentations# A neighbor, seeing him over(ome with grief
and learning the (ase, said, &Pray do not grieve so2 bt go and ta+e a stone, and pla(e
it in the hole, and fan(y that the gold is still lying there# It will do yo 6ite the same
servi(e2 for when the gold was there, yo had it not, as yo did not ma+e the slightest
se of it#&

The Sic" Lion

A Lion, nable from old age and infirmities to provide himself with food by for(e,
resolved to do so by artifi(e# $e retrned to his den, and lying down there, pretended
to be si(+, ta+ing (are that his si(+ness shold be pbli(ly +nown# The beasts
e,pressed their sorrow, and (ame one by one to his den, where the Lion devored
them# After many of the beasts had ths disappeared, the Fo, dis(overed the tri(+ and
presenting himself to the Lion, stood on the otside of the (ave, at a respe(tfl
distan(e, and as+ed him how he was# &I am very middling,& replied the Lion, &bt why
do yo stand withot9 Pray enter within to tal+ with me#& &*o, than+ yo,& said the
Fo,# &I noti(e that there are many prints of feet entering yor (ave, bt I see no tra(e
of any retrning#&

$e is wise who is warned by the misfortnes of others#

$$$.$orld-en!lish.or!