A master had a Hen which laid golden eggs. He wanted more gold at once, and so killed the Hen (he thought that inside of her there was a large lump of gold), but she was just like any other hen.
THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN
An Ass put on a lion's skin, and all thought it was a lion. Men and animals ran away from him. A wind sprang up, and the skin was blown aside, and the Ass could be seen. People ran up and beat the Ass.
THE HEN AND THE SWALLOW
A Hen found some snake's eggs and began to sit on them. A Swallow saw it and said:
"Stupid one! You will hatch them out, and, when they grow up, you will be the first one to suffer from them."
THE STAG AND THE FAWN
A Fawn once said to a Stag:
"Father, you are larger and fleeter than the dogs, and, besides, you have huge antlers for defence; why, then, are you so afraid of the dogs?"
The Stag laughed, and said: