Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
THE FROG AND THE OX.
JUSTICE.
In the extreme end of a village a Fox one day went to have a peep at a hen-roost. He had the bad luck to fall into a well, where he swam first to this side, and then to that side, but could not get out with all his pains. At last, as chance would have it, a poor Goat came to the same place to seek for some drink. So ho! friend Fox, said he, you quaff it off there at a great rate: I hope by this time you have quenched your thirst. Thirst! said the sly rogue; what I have found here to drink is so clear, and so sweet, that I cannot take my fill of it; do, pray, come down, my dear, and have a taste of it. With that, in plumped the Goat as he bade him; but as soon as he was down, the Fox jumped on his horns, and leaped out of the well in a trice; and as he went off, Good bye, my wise friend, said he; if you had as much brains as you have beard, I should have been in the well still, and you might have stood on the brink of it to laugh at me, as I now do at you.
MORAL.
A rogue will give up the best friend he has to get out of a scrape; so that we ought to know what a man is, that we may judge how far we may trust to what he says.
An old Frog, being wonderfully struck with the size and majesty of an Ox that was grazing in the marshes, was seized with the desire to expand herself to the same portly magnitude. After puffing and swelling for some time, What think you, said she, to her young ones, will this do? Far from it, said they. Will this? By no means. But this surely will? Nothing like it, they replied. After many fruitless and ridiculous efforts to the same purpose, the foolish Frog burst her skin, and miserably expired upon the spot.
MORAL.
To attempt what is out of our power, and to rival those greater than ourselves, is sure to expose us to contempt and ruin.
A certain Man had a Goose, which laid him a golden egg every day. But, not contented with this, which rather increased than abated his avarice, he was resolved to kill the Goose, and cut up her belly, so that he might come to the inexhaustible treasure which he fancied she had within her, without being obliged to wait for the slow production of a single egg daily. He did so, and, to his great sorrow and disappointment, found nothing within.
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FAVOURITE FABLES,
In Prose and Verse.
With Twenty-four Illustrations
MDCCCLXX.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FAVOURITE FABLES.
THE FOX AND THE GOAT.
THE FROG AND THE OX.
THE MAN AND HIS GOOSE.
THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS.
THE DOVE AND THE ANT.
THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.
THE BUTTERFLY AND THE SNAIL.
THE WOLF AND THE CRANE.
THE FROG AND THE RAT.
THE FIGHTING COCK AND EAGLE.
THE DIAMOND AND THE LOADSTONE.
THE BEAR AND THE BEES.
THE FROGS DESIRING A KING.
THE FOX AND THE BOAR.
THE VINE AND THE GOAT.
THE DISCONTENTED HORSE.
THE MOUNTAIN IN LABOUR.
THE FOX AND THE STORK.
THE HORSE AND THE STAG.
THE LION WOUNDED.
THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN.
JUPITER AND THE FARMER.
THE VAIN JACKDAW.
THE VIPER AND THE FILE.
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.
THE OLD BULLFINCH AND YOUNG BIRDS.
THE MOUSE AND THE WEASEL.
THE OLD HOUND.
THE CHARGER AND THE ASS.
THE COLT AND THE FARMER.
THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES.
THE FOX AND THE CROW.
THE PEACOCK'S COMPLAINT.
THE STAG IN THE OX-STALL.
THE WIND AND THE SUN.
THE TRAVELLERS AND THE BEAR.
THE DOG AND THE SHADOW.
THE HERMIT AND THE BEAR.
THE SHEPHERD'S BOY AND THE WOLF.
THE FAWN AND HER MOTHER.
THE TORTOISE AND THE EAGLE.
THE BROTHER AND SISTER.
THE SHEPHERD'S DOG AND THE WOLF.
THE COVETOUS MAN.
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE.
THE HOG AND THE ACORNS.
THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE CITY MOUSE.
THE CAT AND THE MICE.
THE KID AND THE WOLF.
THE COUNCIL OF HORSES.
THE ASS AND THE LITTLE DOG.
THE LION AND THE FOUR BULLS.
THE LEOPARD AND THE FOX.
THE WARRIOR WOLF.
THE BELLY AND THE MEMBERS.
THE CUR, THE HORSE, AND THE SHEPHERD'S DOG.
THE JACKDAW AND THE EAGLE.
THE ASS AND THE LION HUNTING.
THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.
THE TWO BEES.
THE TURKEY AND THE ANT.
THE DOG AND THE WOLF.
THE SATYR AND THE TRAVELLER.
THE BARLEY-MOW AND THE DUNGHILL.
THE SHEEP-BITER AND SHEPHERD.
THE STAG AT THE POOL.
THE OLD SWALLOWS AND THE YOUNG BIRDS.
THE WAGGONER AND THE BUTTERFLY.
THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX.
THE FOX AND THE GRAPES.
THE HARE AND MANY FRIENDS.
THE COCK AND THE FOX.
THE LION AND THE MOUSE.
THE TRUMPETER TAKEN PRISONER.
THE MOUSE AND THE ELEPHANT.
THE HUSBANDMAN AND HIS SONS.
THE BALD KNIGHT.
THE DOG IN THE MANGER.
THE OLD MAN AND DEATH.
THE OLD HEN AND YOUNG COCK.
MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN.
THE WOLF AND THE KID.
THE OLD MAN AND HIS SONS.
THE BROOK AND THE FOUNTAIN.
THE MICE IN COUNCIL.
THE FOX IN THE WELL.
THE HORSE AND THE WOLF.
THE TWO SPRINGS.
THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE RAVEN.
THE FOX AND THE BRAMBLE.
HERCULES AND THE CARTER.
THE BOYS AND THE FROGS.
THE COCK AND THE JEWEL.
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE GLOW-WORM.
THE FOX AND THE SICK LION.
THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE GEESE.
THE ONE-EYED DOE.
THE FOX, THE RAVEN, AND THE DOVE.
THE TWO POTS.
THE TWO FROGS.
THE FOX AND THE MASK.
THE CAT, THE COCK, AND THE YOUNG MOUSE.
THE MICE AND THE TRAP.
THE CHAMELEON.
THE WOLF, THE FOX, AND THE ASS.
THE BOY AND THE BUTTERFLY.
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.
