The Fable of the Fox and the Hedgehog was applied by Themistocles to dissuade the Athenians from removing their magistrates.—B. Boothby.

[F] The Fable of the Frogs desiring a King.

[G] The mina of silver was 12 ounces, about £3 sterling.

It was not until many ages after the death of Æsop, that his most prominent successor, Phædrus, arose. He translated Æsop’s Fables from the Greek into Latin, and added to them many of his own. Of Phædrus little is known, except from his works. He is said to have lived in the times of the Emperors Augustus and Tiberius, and to have died in the reign of the latter. The first printed edition of his Fables, with cuts, was published at Gauda, in 1482. Caxton published some of them in 1484, and Bonus Accursius in 1489, to which he prefixed Planudes’s Life of Æsop. But the most perfect edition of Phædrus’s Works was published in five volumes, by Peter Pithou, at Troyes, in 1596, from manuscripts discovered by him in the cities of Rheims and Dijon. To these have succeeded in later times, a numerous list of fabulists,[H] besides such of the poets as have occasionally interspersed Fables in their works. These, in their day, have had, and many of them still have, their several admirers; but Gay and Dodsley best maintain their ground in this country, as is proved by the regular demand for new editions. Croxall’s Fables, which were first published in 1722, with cuts on metal, in the manner of wood, have also had a most extensive sale; and Sir Brooke Boothby’s elegant little volumes, in verse, published in 1809, are now making their way into the public notice. The Editor of the present volume, in attempting to continue the same pleasing mode of conveying instruction, long since laid down as a guide to virtue, has quoted and compiled from other fabulists, whatever seemed best suited to his purpose. His sole object is utility, and he is not altogether without hope, that in attempting to embellish and perpetuate a fabric, which has its foundations laid in religion and morality, his efforts may not be wholly ineffectual to induce the young to keep steadily in view those great truths, which form the sure land-mark to the haven, where only they can attain peace and happiness.

[H] Sir Roger L’Estrange, born 1616, died 1704.
John de la Fontaine, born 1621, died 1695.
John Dryden, born 1631, died 1701.
Antoine Houdart de la Motte, born 1672, died 1731.
John Gay, born 1688, died 1732.
Samuel Croxall, D. D. Archdeacon of Hereford, died 1752.
Edward Moore, died 1757.
Draper.
Robert Dodsley, born 1703, died 1764.
William Wilkie, born 1721, died 1772.
Abbe Brotier, born 1722, died 1789.

THE TABLE OF CONTENTS.

A
PAGE
The Ape and her Young Ones[3]
The Sensible Ass[69]
Æsop and the Impertinent Fellow[81]
The Angler and the Little Fish[111]
The Ass and the Lion hunting[161]
The Ass in the Lion’s Skin[187]
The Ape chosen King[195]
The Ant and the Fly[269]
The Ant and the Grasshopper[307]
The Ape and the Fox[319]
Æsop at Play[333]
The Ass eating Thistles[369]
B
The Boy and his Mother[5]
The Brother and Sister[31]
The Shepherd’s Boy and the Wolf[61]
The Bear and the Bee-Hives[119]
The Bees, the Drones, and the Wasp[145]
The Hunted Beaver[159]
The Bull and the Goat[171]
The Two Bitches[183]
The Boar and the Ass[205]
The Blackamoor[223]
The Belly and the Members[275]
The Boys and the Frogs[375]
C
The Two Crabs[1]
The Collier and the Fuller[13]
The Cock and the Jewel[47]
The Wanton Calf[57]
The Crow and the Pitcher[63]
The Cat and the Fox[107]
The Cat and the Mice[149]
Cæsar and the Slave[177]
The Clown and the Gnat[189]
The Countryman and the Snake[217]
The Cock and the Fox[219]
The Fighting Cocks[349]
The Cock and the Fox[359]
D
The Dog in the Manger[77]
The Ship Dog[99]
The Dog invited to Supper[109]
The Dog and the Shadow[117]
The Mischievous Dog[169]
The Dog and the Sheep[207]
The Dog and the Wolf[287]
The One-eyed Doe[297]
The Deer and the Lion[315]
The Dove and the Bee[339]
The Dog and the Cat[371]
E
The Eagle, the Cat, and the Sow[39]
The Eagle and the Fox[273]
The Eagle and the Crow[301]
F
The Proud Frog and the Ox[17]
The Fox and the Vizor Mask[51]
The Fox and the Crow[67]
The Forester and the Lion[83]
The Fox without a Tail[95]
The Fox and the Ass[105]
The Fox and the Tiger[115]
The Frogs and their King[135]
The Fir and the Bramble[143]
The Frog and the Fox[147]
Fortune and the Boy[153]
The Fox and the Grapes[167]
The Fisherman[173]
The Fox and the Boar[175]
The Frogs and the Fighting Bulls[179]
The Two Frogs[199]
The Fox and the Briar[201]
The Fox and the Stork[215]
The Fox and the HedgeHog[227]
The Fox and the Goat[235]
The Fowler and the Ring-dove[249]
The Fowler and the Blackbird[263]
The Fatal Marriage[277]
The Fox and the Lion[285]
The Flying Fish and the Dolphin[289]
The Fox in the Well[311]
The Fox and the Sick Lion[323]
The Fox and the Countryman[331]
The Fox and the Wolf[335]
The Frogs and the Mice[353]
The Fowler and the Lark[355]
The Fowler and the Partridge[363]
G
The Goat, the Kid, and the Wolf[29]
The Goat and the Lion[101]
The Gardener and his Dog[313]
The Wild and the Tame Geese[351]
H
The Husbandman and his Sons[15]
Hercules and the Carter[37]
The Drunken Husband[121]
The Hen and the Swallow[127]
The Hart and the Vine[157]
The Old Hound[181]
The Hen and the Fox[185]
The Hare and the Tortoise[221]
The Hares and the Frogs[251]
The Harper[267]
The Horse and the Stag[303]
The Horse and the Lion[309]
The Horse and the Ass[327]
The Hawk and the Farmer[329]
The Horse and the over-loaded Ass[343]
The Husbandman and the Stork[345]
I
Industry and Sloth[9]
J
Jupiter and the Ass[79]
Jupiter and the Camel[139]
Jupiter and the Herdsman[209]
Juno and the Peacock[237]
Jupiter and Pallas[241]
The Vain Jack-daw[255]
K
The Bald Knight[87]
The Kite and the Pigeons[281]
The Sick Kite[283]
The Kid and the Wolf[293]
L
The Leopard and the Fox[21]
The Lark and her Young Ones[41]
The Lion and the Four Bulls[89]
The Lion, the Tiger, and the Wolf[93]
The Lioness and the Fox[123]
The Lamb brought up by a Goat[125]
The Old Lion[211]
The Lion in Love[225]
The Lion and other Beasts[239]
The Lion and the Mouse[257]
The Lion and the Frog[291]
The Lion, the Wolf, and the Dog[367]
M
The Master and his Scholar[7]
The Young Man and the Swallow[11]
The Mole and her Dam[27]
The Young Men and the Cook[43]
The Mule[45]
Mercury and the Woodman[49]
The Man and his Goose[55]
The Old Man and his Sons[91]
The Miser and his Treasure[97]
A Man bitten by a Dog[113]
The Envious Man and the Covetous[129]
The Mice in Council[193]
The Old Man and Death[197]
The Man and the Weasel[203]
The Magpie and the Sheep[213]
The Man and his Two Wives[231]
Mercury and the Carver[233]
The Mountains in Labour[253]
The Mouse and the Weasel[271]
The Young Man and the Lion[279]
The Country and the City Mouse[295]
The Miller, his Son, and their Ass[305]
The Young Man and his Cat[361]
The Blind Man and the Lame[365]
N
The Nurse and the Wolf[265]
O
The Oak and the Reed[151]
P
The Peacock and the Crane[23]
The Two Pots[25]
The Partridge and the Cocks[65]
The Porcupine and the Snakes[131]
The Polecat and the Cock[261]
The Ploughman and Fortune[317]
R
The Raven and the Serpent[337]
S
The Stag looking into the Water[19]
The Sheep Biter[33]
The Swallow and other Birds[71]
The Sow and the Wolf[133]
The Stag and the Fawn[141]
The Sow and the Bitch[163]
The Satyr and the Traveller[165]
The Sparrow and the Hare[229]
The Stag in the Ox-Stall[247]
The Sun and the Wind[325]
The Serpent and the Man[341]
The Shepherd turned Merchant[357]
T
The Thief and the Dog[53]
The Boasting Traveller[59]
The Thieves and the Cock[73]
The two Travellers[103]
The Tortoise and the Eagle[259]
The Trees and the Woodman[299]
The Thief and the Boy[321]
The Travellers and the Bear[347]
The Trumpeter taken Prisoner[373]
V
The Viper and the File[243]
W
The Old Woman and her Maids[35]
The Wolves and the Sick Ass[75]
The Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape[85]
The Old Woman and the Empty Cask[137]
The Wolf and the Crane[155]
The Wolf and the Lamb[191]
The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing[245]