From 47405834a309c2444a4ee396950086c87ebd23d4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: rjawor Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2013 22:29:25 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] concordia-console, new approach to suffix array - 4 sauchars per one saidx --- .gitignore | 2 +- CMakeLists.txt | 10 +- concordia-console/concordia-console.cpp | 101 +- concordia-runner.sh | 6 +- concordia/CMakeLists.txt | 13 + concordia/common/config.hpp.in | 3 + concordia/common/utils.cpp | 41 + concordia/common/utils.hpp | 36 + concordia/concordia.cpp | 9 +- concordia/concordia.hpp | 5 + concordia/concordia_index.cpp | 115 +- concordia/concordia_index.hpp | 4 +- concordia/hash_generator.cpp | 7 +- concordia/hash_generator.hpp | 5 +- concordia/index_searcher.cpp | 41 +- concordia/index_searcher.hpp | 3 +- concordia/t/CMakeLists.txt | 1 + concordia/t/test_concordia.cpp | 12 +- concordia/t/test_concordia_index.cpp | 1 - concordia/t/test_hash_generator.cpp | 13 +- concordia/t/test_index_searcher.cpp | 1 - concordia/t/test_utils.cpp | 161 + concordia/word_map.cpp | 4 +- concordia/word_map.hpp | 11 +- libdivsufsort/include/CMakeLists.txt | 14 +- .../concordia-config/concordia.cfg.in | 15 + prod/resources/text-files/medium.txt | 6227 +++++++++++++++++ prod/resources/text-files/small.txt | 3 + 28 files changed, 6763 insertions(+), 101 deletions(-) create mode 100644 concordia/common/utils.cpp create mode 100644 concordia/common/utils.hpp create mode 100644 concordia/t/test_utils.cpp create mode 100644 prod/resources/text-files/medium.txt create mode 100644 prod/resources/text-files/small.txt diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore index b1e239a..3d8fe54 100644 --- a/.gitignore +++ b/.gitignore @@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg concordia/common/config.hpp tests/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg tests/resources/temp - +prod/resources/temp diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt index f12bc33..063cf1f 100644 --- a/CMakeLists.txt +++ b/CMakeLists.txt @@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ project(concordia C CXX) set (CONCORDIA_VERSION_MAJOR 0) set (CONCORDIA_VERSION_MINOR 1) +# Type of the characters in index + +set (INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE "unsigned int") + # ============================== # # Production paths # ============================== # @@ -25,7 +29,7 @@ set (TEMP_HASHED_INDEX "temp_hashed_index.bin") set (TEMP_SUFFIX_ARRAY "temp_suffix_array.bin") file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${TEST_RESOURCES_DIRECTORY}/temp) - +file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${PROD_RESOURCES_DIRECTORY}/temp) SET(CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib") @@ -112,6 +116,10 @@ configure_file ( "${concordia_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg" ) +configure_file ( + "${concordia_SOURCE_DIR}/prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg.in" + "${concordia_SOURCE_DIR}/prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg" + ) # ================================================ # Concordia: sub-projects diff --git a/concordia-console/concordia-console.cpp b/concordia-console/concordia-console.cpp index e8256f9..932484f 100644 --- a/concordia-console/concordia-console.cpp +++ b/concordia-console/concordia-console.cpp @@ -2,10 +2,15 @@ #include #include #include +#include #include "concordia/concordia.hpp" +#include "concordia/common/config.hpp" +#include "concordia/common/utils.hpp" #include "build/libdivsufsort/include/divsufsort.h" +#define READ_BUFFER_LENGTH 1000 + namespace po = boost::program_options; int main(int argc, char** argv) { @@ -14,7 +19,14 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) { desc.add_options() ("help,h", "Display this message") ("config,c", boost::program_options::value(), - "Concordia configuration file (required)"); + "Concordia configuration file (required)") + ("generate-index,g", "Generate suffix array based index out of " + "added sentences") + ("load-index,l", "Load the generated index for searching") + ("simple-search,s", boost::program_options::value(), + "Pattern to be searched in the index") + ("read-file,r", boost::program_options::value(), + "File to be read and added to index"); po::variables_map cli; po::store(po::parse_command_line(argc, argv, desc), cli); @@ -38,7 +50,90 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) { try { Concordia concordia(configFile); std::cout << "Welcome to Concordia. Version = " - << concordia.getVersion() << endl; + << concordia.getVersion() << std::endl; + if (cli.count("generate-index")) { + std::cout << "\tGenerating index..." << std::endl; + boost::posix_time::ptime time_start = + boost::posix_time::microsec_clock::local_time(); + concordia.generateIndex(); + boost::posix_time::ptime time_end = + boost::posix_time::microsec_clock::local_time(); + boost::posix_time::time_duration msdiff = time_end - time_start; + std::cout << "\tIndex generated in: " << + msdiff.total_milliseconds() << "ms." << std::endl; + } else if (cli.count("load-index")) { + std::cout << "\tLoading index..." << std::endl; + boost::posix_time::ptime time_start = + boost::posix_time::microsec_clock::local_time(); + concordia.loadIndex(); + boost::posix_time::ptime time_end = + boost::posix_time::microsec_clock::local_time(); + boost::posix_time::time_duration msdiff = time_end - time_start; + std::cout << "\tIndex loaded in: " << + msdiff.total_milliseconds() << "ms." << std::endl; + } else if (cli.count("simple-search")) { + std::string pattern = cli["simple-search"].as(); + std::cout << "\tSearching for pattern: \"" << pattern << + "\"" << std::endl; + } else if (cli.count("read-file")) { + std::string filePath = cli["read-file"].as(); + std::cout << "\tReading sentences from file: " << filePath << + std::endl; + ifstream text_file(filePath.c_str()); + std::string line; + if (text_file.is_open()) { + long lineCount = 0; + vector buffer; + boost::posix_time::ptime timeStart = + boost::posix_time::microsec_clock::local_time(); + while (getline(text_file, line)) { + lineCount++; + buffer.push_back(line); + if (lineCount % READ_BUFFER_LENGTH == 0) { + concordia.addAllSentences(buffer); + buffer.clear(); + boost::posix_time::ptime timeEnd = + boost::posix_time::microsec_clock::local_time(); + boost::posix_time::time_duration msdiff = + timeEnd - timeStart; + long timeElapsed = msdiff.total_milliseconds(); + double speed = static_cast( + 1000 * lineCount / timeElapsed); + std::cout << "\tRead and added to index " << + lineCount << " sentences in " << timeElapsed + << "ms. Current speed: " << speed << + " sentences per second" << std::endl; + } + } + if (buffer.size() > 0) { + concordia.addAllSentences(buffer); + } + text_file.close(); + boost::posix_time::ptime timeTotalEnd = + boost::posix_time::microsec_clock::local_time(); + boost::posix_time::time_duration totalMsdiff = + timeTotalEnd - timeStart; + long totalTimeElapsed = totalMsdiff.total_milliseconds(); + double totalSpeed = + static_cast(1000 * lineCount / totalTimeElapsed); + std::cout << "\tReading finished. Read and added to index " + << lineCount << " sentences in " << totalTimeElapsed << + "ms. Overall speed: " << totalSpeed << + " sentences per second" << std::endl; + } else { + std::cerr << "Unable to open file: "<< filePath; + return 1; + } + } else { + std::cerr << "One of the options: generate-index, simple-search, " + << "read-file must be provided. See the " + "options specification: " + << std::endl << desc << std::endl; + return 1; + } + + std::cout << "Concordia operation completed without errors." + << std::endl; } catch(ConcordiaException & e) { std::cerr << "ConcordiaException caught with message: " << std::endl @@ -48,7 +143,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) { << std::endl; return 1; } catch(exception & e) { - std::cerr << "Exception caught with message: " + std::cerr << "Unexpected exception caught with message: " << std::endl << e.what() << std::endl diff --git a/concordia-runner.sh b/concordia-runner.sh index 1b51806..9c81623 100755 --- a/concordia-runner.sh +++ b/concordia-runner.sh @@ -2,5 +2,9 @@ echo "Running Concordia" -./build/concordia-console/concordia-console -c prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg +rm prod/resources/temp/* +./build/concordia-console/concordia-console -c prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg -r prod/resources/text-files/medium.txt +./build/concordia-console/concordia-console -c prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg -g +./build/concordia-console/concordia-console -c prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg -l +#./build/concordia-console/concordia-console -c prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg -s "Ala ma chyba kota" diff --git a/concordia/CMakeLists.txt b/concordia/CMakeLists.txt index af8d1f9..58a79c1 100644 --- a/concordia/CMakeLists.txt +++ b/concordia/CMakeLists.txt @@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ add_library(concordia SHARED concordia_config.cpp concordia_exception.cpp common/logging.cpp + common/utils.cpp ) add_subdirectory(t) @@ -22,6 +23,18 @@ add_subdirectory(t) install(TARGETS concordia DESTINATION lib/) install(FILES concordia.hpp DESTINATION include/concordia/) +# ---------------------------------------------------- +# libconfig +# ---------------------------------------------------- +find_library(LIBCONFIG_LIB NAMES config++ REQUIRED) +find_path(LIBCONFIG_INCLUDE libconfig.h++) + +if(EXISTS ${LIBCONFIG_LIB} AND EXISTS ${LIBCONFIG_INCLUDE}) + message(STATUS "Found Libconfig") + include_directories(${LIBCONFIG_INCLUDE}) + link_directories(${LIBCONFIG_LIB}) +endif(EXISTS ${LIBCONFIG_LIB} AND EXISTS ${LIBCONFIG_INCLUDE}) + target_link_libraries(concordia log4cpp) target_link_libraries(concordia ${LIBSTEMMER_LIB}) target_link_libraries(concordia ${Boost_LIBRARIES}) diff --git a/concordia/common/config.hpp.in b/concordia/common/config.hpp.in index d3eb063..0c49ac6 100644 --- a/concordia/common/config.hpp.in +++ b/concordia/common/config.hpp.in @@ -15,3 +15,6 @@ #define LEXICON_TEXT_FIELD_SEPARATORS "\t " #define LEXICON_FIELD_SEPARATOR "\t" + +typedef @INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE@ INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE; + diff --git a/concordia/common/utils.cpp b/concordia/common/utils.cpp new file mode 100644 index 0000000..41dfb72 --- /dev/null +++ b/concordia/common/utils.cpp @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ +#include "concordia/common/utils.hpp" + +Utils::Utils() { +} + +Utils::~Utils() { +} + +void Utils::writeIndexCharacter(ofstream & file, + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE character) { + file.write(reinterpret_cast(&character), sizeof(character)); +} + +INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE Utils::readIndexCharacter(ifstream & file) { + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE character; + file.read(reinterpret_cast(&character), sizeof(character)); + return character; +} + +sauchar_t * Utils::indexVectorToSaucharArray( + vector & input) { + const int kArraySize = input.size()*sizeof(INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE); + sauchar_t * patternArray = + new sauchar_t[kArraySize]; + int pos = 0; + for (vector::iterator it = input.begin(); + it != input.end(); ++it) { + insertCharToSaucharArray(patternArray, *it, pos); + pos += sizeof(INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE); + } + return patternArray; +} + +void Utils::insertCharToSaucharArray(sauchar_t * array, + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE character, int pos) { + sauchar_t * characterArray = reinterpret_cast(&character); + for (int i = pos; i < pos+sizeof(character); i++) { + array[i] = characterArray[i-pos]; + } +} + diff --git a/concordia/common/utils.hpp b/concordia/common/utils.hpp new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e2636be --- /dev/null +++ b/concordia/common/utils.hpp @@ -0,0 +1,36 @@ +#ifndef UTILS_HDR +#define UTILS_HDR + +#include +#include +#include +#include + +#include "concordia/common/config.hpp" +#include "concordia/concordia_exception.hpp" +#include "build/libdivsufsort/include/divsufsort.h" + +using namespace std; + +class Utils { +public: + explicit Utils(); + + /*! Destructor. + */ + virtual ~Utils(); + + static void writeIndexCharacter(ofstream & file, + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE character); + + static INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE readIndexCharacter(ifstream & file); + + static sauchar_t * indexVectorToSaucharArray( + vector & input); + + static void insertCharToSaucharArray(sauchar_t * array, + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE character, int pos); +private: +}; + +#endif diff --git a/concordia/concordia.cpp b/concordia/concordia.cpp index 841eeb6..95fc05c 100644 --- a/concordia/concordia.cpp +++ b/concordia/concordia.cpp @@ -46,9 +46,16 @@ void Concordia::addSentence(const std::string & sentence) _index->addSentence(sentence); } +void Concordia::addAllSentences(vector & sentences) + throw(ConcordiaException) { + _index->addAllSentences(sentences); +} + void Concordia::generateIndex() throw(ConcordiaException) { _index->generateSuffixArray(); - _index->serializeWordMap(); +} + +void Concordia::loadIndex() throw(ConcordiaException) { _searcher->loadIndex(_config->getWordMapFilePath(), _config->getHashedIndexFilePath(), _config->getSuffixArrayFilePath()); diff --git a/concordia/concordia.hpp b/concordia/concordia.hpp index a1013b2..db2ebda 100644 --- a/concordia/concordia.hpp +++ b/concordia/concordia.hpp @@ -35,8 +35,13 @@ public: void addSentence(const std::string & sentence) throw(ConcordiaException); + void addAllSentences(vector & sentences) + throw(ConcordiaException); + void generateIndex() throw(ConcordiaException); + void loadIndex() throw(ConcordiaException); + std::vector simpleSearch(const std::string & pattern) throw(ConcordiaException); diff --git a/concordia/concordia_index.cpp b/concordia/concordia_index.cpp index 1674c6a..4c5cdec 100644 --- a/concordia/concordia_index.cpp +++ b/concordia/concordia_index.cpp @@ -1,5 +1,6 @@ #include "concordia/concordia_index.hpp" +#include "concordia/common/utils.hpp" #include #include @@ -27,68 +28,94 @@ ConcordiaIndex::ConcordiaIndex(const string & wordMapFilePath, ConcordiaIndex::~ConcordiaIndex() { } -void ConcordiaIndex::serializeWordMap() { +void ConcordiaIndex::_serializeWordMap() { _hashGenerator->serializeWordMap(); } void ConcordiaIndex::generateSuffixArray() { - ifstream hashedIndexFile; - hashedIndexFile.open(_hashedIndexFilePath.c_str(), ios::in| - ios::ate|ios::binary); + if (boost::filesystem::exists(_hashedIndexFilePath.c_str())) { + ifstream hashedIndexFile; + hashedIndexFile.open(_hashedIndexFilePath.c_str(), ios::in| + ios::ate|ios::binary); - /* Get the file size. */ - long n = hashedIndexFile.tellg() / sizeof(sauchar_t); + /* Get the file size. */ + saidx_t n = hashedIndexFile.tellg(); + if (n > 0) { + sauchar_t *T; + saidx_t *SA; - sauchar_t *T; - saidx_t *SA; + /* Read n bytes of data. */ + hashedIndexFile.seekg(0, ios::beg); + T = new sauchar_t[n]; + int pos = 0; + while (!hashedIndexFile.eof()) { + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE character = + Utils::readIndexCharacter(hashedIndexFile); + Utils::insertCharToSaucharArray(T, character, pos); + pos+=sizeof(character); + } + hashedIndexFile.close(); - T = new sauchar_t[n]; - SA = new saidx_t[n]; + SA = new saidx_t[n]; - /* Read n bytes of data. */ - hashedIndexFile.seekg(0, ios::beg); + /* Construct the suffix array. */ + if (divsufsort(T, SA, (saidx_t)n) != 0) { + throw ConcordiaException("Error creating suffix array."); + } - sauchar_t buff; - int pos = 0; - while (!hashedIndexFile.eof()) { - hashedIndexFile.read(reinterpret_cast(&buff), - sizeof(sauchar_t)); - T[pos++] = buff; + /* Write the suffix array. */ + + ofstream suffixArrayFile; + suffixArrayFile.open(_suffixArrayFilePath.c_str(), + ios::out|ios::binary); + + for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) { + suffixArrayFile.write(reinterpret_cast(&SA[i]), + sizeof(saidx_t)); + } + suffixArrayFile.close(); + + /* Deallocate memory. */ + delete[] T; + delete[] SA; + } else { + throw ConcordiaException("Can not generate suffix array: " + "hashed index file is empty"); + } + } else { + throw ConcordiaException("Can not generate suffix array: " + "hashed index file does not exist"); } - hashedIndexFile.close(); - - /* Construct the suffix array. */ - if (divsufsort(T, SA, (saidx_t)n) != 0) { - throw ConcordiaException("Error creating suffix array."); - } - - /* Write the suffix array. */ - - ofstream suffixArrayFile; - suffixArrayFile.open(_suffixArrayFilePath.c_str(), ios::out|ios::binary); - - for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) { - suffixArrayFile.write(reinterpret_cast(&SA[i]), - sizeof(saidx_t)); - } - suffixArrayFile.close(); - - /* Deallocate memory. */ - delete[] T; - delete[] SA; } void ConcordiaIndex::addSentence(const string & sentence) { - vector hash = _hashGenerator->generateHash(sentence); + vector hash = _hashGenerator->generateHash(sentence); ofstream hashedIndexFile; hashedIndexFile.open(_hashedIndexFilePath.c_str(), ios::out| ios::app|ios::binary); - for (vector::iterator it = hash.begin(); + for (vector::iterator it = hash.begin(); it != hash.end(); ++it) { - sauchar_t buff = *it; - hashedIndexFile.write(reinterpret_cast(&buff), - sizeof(sauchar_t)); + Utils::writeIndexCharacter(hashedIndexFile, *it); } hashedIndexFile.close(); + _serializeWordMap(); +} + +void ConcordiaIndex::addAllSentences(vector & sentences) { + ofstream hashedIndexFile; + hashedIndexFile.open(_hashedIndexFilePath.c_str(), ios::out| + ios::app|ios::binary); + for (vector::iterator sent_it = sentences.begin(); + sent_it != sentences.end(); ++sent_it) { + string sentence = *sent_it; + vector hash = + _hashGenerator->generateHash(sentence); + for (vector::iterator it = hash.begin(); + it != hash.end(); ++it) { + Utils::writeIndexCharacter(hashedIndexFile, *it); + } + } + hashedIndexFile.close(); + _serializeWordMap(); } diff --git a/concordia/concordia_index.hpp b/concordia/concordia_index.hpp index 3ca3fba..6d97692 100644 --- a/concordia/concordia_index.hpp +++ b/concordia/concordia_index.hpp @@ -30,11 +30,13 @@ public: void addSentence(const string & sentence); - void serializeWordMap(); + void addAllSentences(vector & sentences); void generateSuffixArray(); private: + void _serializeWordMap(); + boost::shared_ptr _hashGenerator; string _hashedIndexFilePath; diff --git a/concordia/hash_generator.cpp b/concordia/hash_generator.cpp index 859c4a8..593530d 100644 --- a/concordia/hash_generator.cpp +++ b/concordia/hash_generator.cpp @@ -20,15 +20,16 @@ HashGenerator::HashGenerator(const string & wordMapFilePath) HashGenerator::~HashGenerator() { } -vector HashGenerator::generateHash(const string & sentence) { - vector result; +vector HashGenerator::generateHash( + const string & sentence) { + vector result; vector tokenTexts; boost::split(tokenTexts, sentence, boost::is_any_of(" ")); for (vector::iterator it = tokenTexts.begin(); it != tokenTexts.end(); ++it) { string token = *it; - sauchar_t code = _wordMap->getWordCode(token); + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE code = _wordMap->getWordCode(token); result.push_back(code); } diff --git a/concordia/hash_generator.hpp b/concordia/hash_generator.hpp index 40296f5..a0468a2 100644 --- a/concordia/hash_generator.hpp +++ b/concordia/hash_generator.hpp @@ -6,10 +6,9 @@ #include #include #include "concordia/word_map.hpp" +#include "concordia/common/config.hpp" #include "concordia/concordia_exception.hpp" -#include "build/libdivsufsort/include/divsufsort.h" - /*! Class for generating a sentence hash. @@ -27,7 +26,7 @@ public: */ virtual ~HashGenerator(); - vector generateHash(const string & sentence); + vector generateHash(const string & sentence); void serializeWordMap(); diff --git a/concordia/index_searcher.cpp b/concordia/index_searcher.cpp index dfcd37e..4530d53 100644 --- a/concordia/index_searcher.cpp +++ b/concordia/index_searcher.cpp @@ -1,5 +1,6 @@ #include "concordia/index_searcher.hpp" +#include "concordia/common/utils.hpp" #include IndexSearcher::IndexSearcher(): @@ -38,16 +39,15 @@ void IndexSearcher::loadIndex(const string & wordMapFilepath, ifstream hashedIndexFile; hashedIndexFile.open(hashedIndexFilepath.c_str(), ios::in | ios::ate | ios::binary); - _n = hashedIndexFile.tellg() / sizeof(sauchar_t); - _T = new sauchar_t[_n]; - + _n = hashedIndexFile.tellg(); hashedIndexFile.seekg(0, ios::beg); - sauchar_t sauchar_buff; + _T = new sauchar_t[_n]; int pos = 0; while (!hashedIndexFile.eof()) { - hashedIndexFile.read(reinterpret_cast(&sauchar_buff), - sizeof(sauchar_t)); - _T[pos++] = sauchar_buff; + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE character = + Utils::readIndexCharacter(hashedIndexFile); + Utils::insertCharToSaucharArray(_T, character, pos); + pos+=sizeof(character); } hashedIndexFile.close(); @@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ void IndexSearcher::loadIndex(const string & wordMapFilepath, saidx_t saidx_buff; pos = 0; while (!suffixArrayFile.eof() && pos < _n) { - suffixArrayFile.read(reinterpret_cast(&saidx_buff), sizeof(saidx_t)); + suffixArrayFile.read(reinterpret_cast(&saidx_buff), + sizeof(saidx_t)); _SA[pos++] = saidx_buff; } suffixArrayFile.close(); @@ -70,20 +71,22 @@ vector IndexSearcher::simpleSearch(const string & pattern) vector result; int left; - vector hash = _hashGenerator->generateHash(pattern); - saidx_t patternLength = hash.size(); - sauchar_t * patternArray = new sauchar_t[patternLength]; - int i = 0; - for (vector::iterator it = hash.begin(); - it != hash.end(); ++it) { - patternArray[i] = *it; - i++; - } + vector hash = _hashGenerator->generateHash(pattern); + saidx_t patternLength = hash.size()*sizeof(INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE); + sauchar_t * patternArray = Utils::indexVectorToSaucharArray(hash); int size = sa_search(_T, (saidx_t) _n, (const sauchar_t *) patternArray, patternLength, _SA, (saidx_t) _n, &left); - for (i = 0; i < size; ++i) { - result.push_back(_SA[left + i]); + for (int i = 0; i < size; ++i) { + saidx_t result_pos = _SA[left + i]; + if (result_pos % sizeof(INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE) == 0) { + // As we are looking for a pattern in an array of higher + // resolution than the hashed index file, we might + // obtain accidental results exceeding the boundaries + // of characters in hashed index. The above check + // removes these accidental results. + result.push_back(result_pos / sizeof(INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE)); + } } delete[] patternArray; diff --git a/concordia/index_searcher.hpp b/concordia/index_searcher.hpp index 508bd2b..a5f7961 100644 --- a/concordia/index_searcher.hpp +++ b/concordia/index_searcher.hpp @@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ #include #include +#include "concordia/common/config.hpp" #include "build/libdivsufsort/include/divsufsort.h" #include "concordia/hash_generator.hpp" #include "concordia/concordia_exception.hpp" @@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ private: saidx_t * _SA; - size_t _n; + saidx_t _n; }; #endif diff --git a/concordia/t/CMakeLists.txt b/concordia/t/CMakeLists.txt index bb3c10f..7b1e92f 100644 --- a/concordia/t/CMakeLists.txt +++ b/concordia/t/CMakeLists.txt @@ -1,4 +1,5 @@ add_library(concordia-tests + test_utils.cpp test_word_map.cpp test_hash_generator.cpp test_concordia_index.cpp diff --git a/concordia/t/test_concordia.cpp b/concordia/t/test_concordia.cpp index 1f74e2e..aa844ff 100644 --- a/concordia/t/test_concordia.cpp +++ b/concordia/t/test_concordia.cpp @@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( ConcordiaSimpleSearch1 ) expectedResult1.push_back(7); expectedResult1.push_back(4); + concordia.loadIndex(); vector searchResult1 = concordia.simpleSearch("ma rysia"); boost::filesystem::remove(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp",TEMP_WORD_MAP)); @@ -68,10 +69,12 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( ConcordiaSimpleSearch1 ) BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( ConcordiaSimpleSearch2 ) { Concordia concordia = Concordia(TestResourcesManager::getTestConcordiaConfigFilePath("concordia.cfg")); - concordia.addSentence("to jest okno"); - concordia.addSentence("czy jest okno otwarte"); - concordia.addSentence("chyba to jest tutaj"); - concordia.addSentence("to jest"); + vector testSentences; + testSentences.push_back("to jest okno"); + testSentences.push_back("czy jest okno otwarte"); + testSentences.push_back("chyba to jest tutaj"); + testSentences.push_back("to jest"); + concordia.addAllSentences(testSentences); concordia.generateIndex(); @@ -109,6 +112,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( ConcordiaSimpleSearch2 ) expectedResult2.push_back(1); expectedResult2.push_back(4); + concordia.loadIndex(); vector searchResult1 = concordia.simpleSearch("to jest"); vector searchResult2 = concordia.simpleSearch("jest okno"); diff --git a/concordia/t/test_concordia_index.cpp b/concordia/t/test_concordia_index.cpp index 5034350..29f6728 100644 --- a/concordia/t/test_concordia_index.cpp +++ b/concordia/t/test_concordia_index.cpp @@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( SuffixArrayGenerationTest ) index.addSentence("Marysia ma rysia"); index.generateSuffixArray(); - index.serializeWordMap(); BOOST_CHECK(boost::filesystem::exists(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","test_word_map.bin"))); BOOST_CHECK(boost::filesystem::exists(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","test_hash_index.bin"))); diff --git a/concordia/t/test_hash_generator.cpp b/concordia/t/test_hash_generator.cpp index 98dd320..9b09882 100644 --- a/concordia/t/test_hash_generator.cpp +++ b/concordia/t/test_hash_generator.cpp @@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ #include "tests/unit-tests/unit_tests_globals.hpp" #include +#include "concordia/common/config.hpp" #include "concordia/hash_generator.hpp" #define TEST_WORD_MAP_PATH "/tmp/test_word_map.bin" @@ -18,8 +19,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( SimpleHashTest ) HashGenerator hashGenerator = HashGenerator(TEST_WORD_MAP_PATH); - vector hash = hashGenerator.generateHash("Ala ma kota"); - vector expected; + vector hash = hashGenerator.generateHash("Ala ma kota"); + vector expected; expected.push_back(0); expected.push_back(1); expected.push_back(2); @@ -34,8 +35,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( HashSerializationTest ) } HashGenerator hashGenerator1 = HashGenerator(TEST_WORD_MAP_PATH); - vector hash1 = hashGenerator1.generateHash("Ala ma kota"); - vector expected1; + vector hash1 = hashGenerator1.generateHash("Ala ma kota"); + vector expected1; expected1.push_back(0); expected1.push_back(1); expected1.push_back(2); @@ -44,8 +45,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( HashSerializationTest ) hashGenerator1.serializeWordMap(); HashGenerator hashGenerator2 = HashGenerator(TEST_WORD_MAP_PATH); - vector hash2 = hashGenerator2.generateHash("Ala ma psa"); - vector expected2; + vector hash2 = hashGenerator2.generateHash("Ala ma psa"); + vector expected2; expected2.push_back(0); expected2.push_back(1); expected2.push_back(3); diff --git a/concordia/t/test_index_searcher.cpp b/concordia/t/test_index_searcher.cpp index 9657ed0..957aee3 100644 --- a/concordia/t/test_index_searcher.cpp +++ b/concordia/t/test_index_searcher.cpp @@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ ConcordiaIndex index(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","test_word_map index.addSentence("Marysia ma rysia"); index.generateSuffixArray(); - index.serializeWordMap(); BOOST_CHECK(boost::filesystem::exists(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","test_word_map.bin"))); BOOST_CHECK(boost::filesystem::exists(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","test_hash_index.bin"))); diff --git a/concordia/t/test_utils.cpp b/concordia/t/test_utils.cpp new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bbde206 --- /dev/null +++ b/concordia/t/test_utils.cpp @@ -0,0 +1,161 @@ +#include "tests/unit-tests/unit_tests_globals.hpp" +#include "concordia/common/utils.hpp" +#include "concordia/common/config.hpp" +#include "tests/common/test_resources_manager.hpp" +#include "build/libdivsufsort/include/divsufsort.h" +#include + +#include + +using namespace std; + +BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(utils) + +BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( UtilsTest1 ) +{ + ofstream testFileOutput; + testFileOutput.open(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","temp_file.bin").c_str(), + ios::out|ios::binary); + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE testCharacter = 123456789; //in hex: 75BCD15 + Utils::writeIndexCharacter(testFileOutput,testCharacter); + testFileOutput.close(); + + ifstream testFileInput; + testFileInput.open(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","temp_file.bin").c_str(),ios::in|ios::binary); + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE retrievedCharacter = Utils::readIndexCharacter(testFileInput); + BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(retrievedCharacter, testCharacter); + testFileInput.close(); + + boost::filesystem::remove(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","temp_file.bin")); +} + +BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( UtilsTest2 ) +{ + ofstream testFileOutput; + testFileOutput.open(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","temp_file.bin").c_str(), + ios::out|ios::binary); + Utils::writeIndexCharacter(testFileOutput,123456789); //in hex: 75BCD15 + //in memory: 15 cd 5b 07 + // in DEC: 21 205 91 7 + + Utils::writeIndexCharacter(testFileOutput,987654321); //in hex: 3ADE68B1 + //in memory: b1 68 de 3a + // in DEC: 177 104 222 58 + testFileOutput.close(); + + sauchar_t * dataArray = new sauchar_t[8]; + ifstream testFileInput; + testFileInput.open(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","temp_file.bin").c_str(),ios::in|ios::binary); + + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE retrievedCharacter1 = Utils::readIndexCharacter(testFileInput); + BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(retrievedCharacter1, 123456789); + Utils::insertCharToSaucharArray(dataArray, retrievedCharacter1, 0); + + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE retrievedCharacter2 = Utils::readIndexCharacter(testFileInput); + BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(retrievedCharacter2, 987654321); + Utils::insertCharToSaucharArray(dataArray, retrievedCharacter2, 4); + + testFileInput.close(); + + vector expected; + expected.push_back(21); + expected.push_back(205); + expected.push_back(91); + expected.push_back(7); + expected.push_back(177); + expected.push_back(104); + expected.push_back(222); + expected.push_back(58); + + vector result; + for (int i=0;i<8;i++) { + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE a = dataArray[i]; + result.push_back(a); + } + + boost::filesystem::remove(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","temp_file.bin")); + + BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL_COLLECTIONS(result.begin(), result.end(), expected.begin(), expected.end()); +} + +BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( UtilsTest3 ) +{ + vector hash; + hash.push_back(123456789); + hash.push_back(987654321); + + sauchar_t * dataArray = Utils::indexVectorToSaucharArray(hash); + + vector result; + for (int i=0;i<8;i++) { + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE a = dataArray[i]; + result.push_back(a); + } + + vector expected; + expected.push_back(21); + expected.push_back(205); + expected.push_back(91); + expected.push_back(7); + expected.push_back(177); + expected.push_back(104); + expected.push_back(222); + expected.push_back(58); + + BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL_COLLECTIONS(result.begin(), result.end(), expected.begin(), expected.end()); +} + +/* +BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( UtilsTest4 ) +{ + ofstream testFileOutput; + testFileOutput.open(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","temp_file.bin").c_str(), + ios::out|ios::binary); + Utils::writeIndexCharacter(testFileOutput,123456789); //in hex: 75BCD15 + //in memory: 15 cd 5b 07 + // in DEC: 21 205 91 7 + + Utils::writeIndexCharacter(testFileOutput,987654321); //in hex: 3ADE68B1 + //in memory: b1 68 de 3a + // in DEC: 177 104 222 58 + testFileOutput.close(); + + sauchar_t * dataArray = Utils::readIndexFromFile( + ifstream testFileInput; + testFileInput.open(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","temp_file.bin").c_str(),ios::in|ios::binary); + + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE retrievedCharacter1 = Utils::readIndexCharacter(testFileInput); + BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(retrievedCharacter1, 123456789); + Utils::insertCharToSaucharArray(dataArray, retrievedCharacter1, 0); + + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE retrievedCharacter2 = Utils::readIndexCharacter(testFileInput); + BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(retrievedCharacter2, 987654321); + Utils::insertCharToSaucharArray(dataArray, retrievedCharacter2, 4); + + testFileInput.close(); + + vector expected; + expected.push_back(21); + expected.push_back(205); + expected.push_back(91); + expected.push_back(7); + expected.push_back(177); + expected.push_back(104); + expected.push_back(222); + expected.push_back(58); + + vector result; + for (int i=0;i<8;i++) { + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE a = dataArray[i]; + result.push_back(a); + } + + boost::filesystem::remove(TestResourcesManager::getTestFilePath("temp","temp_file.bin")); + + BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL_COLLECTIONS(result.begin(), result.end(), expected.begin(), expected.end()); +} +*/ + + + +BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END() diff --git a/concordia/word_map.cpp b/concordia/word_map.cpp index 4a70964..b5d9f0a 100644 --- a/concordia/word_map.cpp +++ b/concordia/word_map.cpp @@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ WordMap::WordMap() throw(ConcordiaException) { WordMap::~WordMap() { } -sauchar_t WordMap::getWordCode(const string & word) { +INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE WordMap::getWordCode(const string & word) { if (_map.find(word) == _map.end()) { - sauchar_t newCode = _nextFree; + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE newCode = _nextFree; _map[word] = newCode; _nextFree++; return newCode; diff --git a/concordia/word_map.hpp b/concordia/word_map.hpp index 4159281..5a92d5e 100644 --- a/concordia/word_map.hpp +++ b/concordia/word_map.hpp @@ -4,14 +4,11 @@ #include #include #include "concordia/concordia_exception.hpp" +#include "concordia/common/config.hpp" #include #include #include -#include "build/libdivsufsort/include/divsufsort.h" - - - /*! Class representing dictionary for word to int encoding. @@ -27,7 +24,7 @@ public: */ virtual ~WordMap(); - sauchar_t getWordCode(const string & word); + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE getWordCode(const string & word); private: friend class boost::serialization::access; @@ -39,9 +36,9 @@ private: ar & _nextFree; } - map _map; + map _map; - sauchar_t _nextFree; + INDEX_CHARACTER_TYPE _nextFree; }; #endif diff --git a/libdivsufsort/include/CMakeLists.txt b/libdivsufsort/include/CMakeLists.txt index e7ec4b9..2532e56 100644 --- a/libdivsufsort/include/CMakeLists.txt +++ b/libdivsufsort/include/CMakeLists.txt @@ -56,8 +56,18 @@ endif(HAVE_INLINE) configure_file("${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/config.h.cmake" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/config.h") ## Checks for types ## -# sauchar_t (32bit) -set(SAUCHAR_TYPE "int") +# sauchar_t (8bit) +check_type_size("uint8_t" UINT8_T) +if(HAVE_UINT8_T) + set(SAUCHAR_TYPE "uint8_t") +else(HAVE_UINT8_T) + check_type_size("unsigned char" SIZEOF_UNSIGNED_CHAR) + if("${SIZEOF_UNSIGNED_CHAR}" STREQUAL "1") + set(SAUCHAR_TYPE "unsigned char") + else("${SIZEOF_UNSIGNED_CHAR}" STREQUAL "1") + message(FATAL_ERROR "Cannot find unsigned 8-bit integer type") + endif("${SIZEOF_UNSIGNED_CHAR}" STREQUAL "1") +endif(HAVE_UINT8_T) # saint_t (32bit) check_type_size("int32_t" INT32_T) if(HAVE_INT32_T) diff --git a/prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg.in b/prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg.in index 3e10de1..cd6203f 100644 --- a/prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg.in +++ b/prod/resources/concordia-config/concordia.cfg.in @@ -6,6 +6,21 @@ #Path to the Puddle tagset puddle_tagset_path = "@PROD_PUDDLE_TAGSET_PATH@"; +#------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +#Word map, hashed index and suffix array files are in a temporary directory +#and should be deleted at the end of each test procedure. +#Word map file containing unique codes for tokens + +word_map_path = "@PROD_RESOURCES_DIRECTORY@/temp/@TEMP_WORD_MAP@" + +#File containing the "text" for suffix array searching, i.e. sequence of codes + +hashed_index_path = "@PROD_RESOURCES_DIRECTORY@/temp/@TEMP_HASHED_INDEX@" + +#Binarized suffix array + +suffix_array_path = "@PROD_RESOURCES_DIRECTORY@/temp/@TEMP_SUFFIX_ARRAY@" +#------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### eof diff --git a/prod/resources/text-files/medium.txt b/prod/resources/text-files/medium.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d60fd39 --- /dev/null +++ b/prod/resources/text-files/medium.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6227 @@ +:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: + -----=====Earth's Dreamlands=====----- + (313)558-5024 {14.4} (313)558-5517 + A BBS for text file junkies + RPGNet GM File Archive Site +.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. + + The Adventure of the Six Napoleons + + It was no very unusual thing for Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland +Yard, to look in upon us of an evening, and his visits were wel- +come to Sherlock Holmes, for they enabled him to keep in touch +with all that was going on at the police headquarters. In return +for the news which Lestrde would bring, Holmes was always +ready to listen with attention to the details of any case upon +which the detective was engaged, and was able occasionally +without any active interference, to give some hint or suggestion +drawn from his own vast knowledge and experience. + On this particular evening, Lestrade had spoken of the weather +and the newspapers. Then he had fallen silent, puffing thoughtfully +at his cigar. Holmes looked keenly at him. + "Anything remarkable on hand?" he asked. + "Oh, no, Mr. Holmes -- nothing very particular." + "Then tell me about it." + Lestrade laughed. + "Well, Mr. Holmes, there is no use denying that there is +something on my mind. And yet it is such an absurd business, +that I hesitated to bother you about it. On the other hand, +although it is trivial, it is undoubtedly queer, and I know that +you have a taste for all that is out of the common. But, in my +opinion, it comes more in Dr. Watson's line than ours." + "Disease?" said I. + "Madness, anyhow. And a queer madness, too. You wouldn't +think there was anyone living at this time of day who had such a +hatred of Napoleon the First that he would break any image of +him that he could see." + Holmes sank back in his chair. + "That's no business of mine," said he. + "Exactly. That's what I said. But then, when the man com- +mits burglary in order to break images which are not his own, +that brings it away from the doctor and on to the policeman." + Holmes sat up again. + "Burglary! This is more interesting. Let me hear the details." + Lestrade took out his official notebook and refreshed his mem- +ory from its pages. + "The first case reported was four days ago," said he. "It was +at the shop of Morse Hudson, who has a place for the sale of +pictures and statues in the Kennington Road. The assistant had +left the front shop for an instant, when he heard a crash, and +hurrying in he found a plaster bust of Napoleon, which stood +with several other works of art upon the counter, lying shivered +into fragments. He rushed out into the road, but, although sev- +eral passers-by declared that they had noticed a man run out of +the shop, he could neither see anyone nor could he find any +means of identifying the rascal. It seemed to be one of those +senseless acts of Hooliganism which occur from time to time, +and it was reported to the constable on the beat as such. The +plaster cast was not worth more than a few shillings, and the +whole affair appeared to be too childish for any particular +investigation. + "The second case, however, was more serious, and also more +singular. It occurred only last night. + "In Kennington Road, and within a few hundred yards of +Morse Hudson's shop, there lives a well-known medical practi- +tioner, named Dr. Barnicot, who has one of the largest practices +upon the south side of the Thames. His residence and principal +consulting-room is at Kennington Road, but he has a branch +surgery and dispensary at Lower Brixton Road, two miles away. +This Dr. Barnicot is an enthusiastic admirer of Napoleon, and his +house is full of books, pictures, and relics of the French Em- +peror. Some little time ago he purchased from Morse Hudson +two duplicate plaster casts of the famous head of Napoleon by +the French sculptor, Devine. One of these he placed in his hall in +the house at Kennington Road, and the other on the mantelpiece +of the surgery at Lower Brixton. Well, when Dr. Barnicot came +down this morning he was astonished to find that his house had +been burgled during the night, but that nothing had been taken +save the plaster head from the hall. It had been carried out and +had been dashed savagely against the garden wall, under which +its splintered fragments were discovered." + Holmes rubbed his hands. + "This is certainly very novel," said he. + "I thought it would please you. But I have not got to the end +yet. Dr. Barnicot was due at his surgery at twelve o'clock, and +you can imagine his amazement when, on arriving there, he +found that the window had been opened in the night, and that the +broken pieces of his second bust were strewn all over the room. +It had been smashed to atoms where it stood. In neither case +were there any signs which could give us a clue as to the +criminal or lunatic who had done the mischief. Now, Mr. Holmes, +you have got the facts." + "They are singular, not to say grotesque," said Holmes. +"May I ask whether the two busts smashed in Dr. Barnicot's +rooms were the exact duplicates of the one which was destroyed +in Morse Hudson's shop?" + "They were taken from the same mould." + "Such a fact must tell against the theory that the man who +breaks them is influenced by any general hatred of Napoleon. +Considering how many hundreds of statues of the great Emperor +must exist in London, it is too much to suppose such a coinci- +dence as that a promiscuous iconoclast should chance to begin +upon three specimens of the same bust." + "Well, I thought as you do," said Lestrade. "On the other +hand, this Morse Hudson is the purveyor of busts in that part of +London, and these three were the only ones which had been in +his shop for years. So, although, as you say, there are many +hundreds of statues in London, it is very probable that these +three were the only ones in that district. Therefore, a local +fanatic would begin with them. What do you think, Dr. Watson?" + "There are no limits to the possibilities of monomania," I +answered. "There is the condition which the modern French +psychologists have called the 'idee fixe,' which may be trifling in +character, and accompanied by complete sanity in every other +way. A man who had read deeply about Napoleon, or who had +possibly received some hereditary family injury through the great +war, might conceivably form such an idee fixe and under its +influence be capable of any fantastic outrage." + "That won't do, my dear Watson," said Holmes, shaking his +head, "for no amount of idee fixe would enable your interesting +monomaniac to find out where these busts were situated." + "Well, how do you explain it?" + "I don't attempt to do so. I would only observe that there is a +certain method in the gentleman's eccentric proceedings. For +example, in Dr. Barnicot's hall, where a sound might arouse the +family, the bust was taken outside before being broken, whereas +in the surgery, where there was less danger of an alarm, it was +smashed where it stood. The affair seems absurdly trifling, and +yet I dare call nothing trivial when I reflect that some of my most +classic cases have had the least promising commencement. You +will remember, Watson, how the dreadful business of the Abernetty +family was first brought to my notice by the depth which the +parsley had sunk into the butter upon a hot day. I can't afford, +therefore, to smile at your three broken busts, Lestrade, and I +shall be very much obliged to you if you will let me hear of any +fresh development of so singular a chain of events." + + The development for which my friend had asked came in a +quicker and an infinitely more tragic form than he could have +imagined. I was still dressing in my bedroom next morning, +when there was a tap at the door and Holmes entered, a +telegram in his hand. He read it aloud: + + "Come instantly, 131 Pitt Street, Kensington. + "LESTRADE. + + "What is it, then?" I asked. + "Don't know -- may be anything. But I suspect it is the sequel +of the story of the statues. In that case our friend the image- +breaker has begun operations in another quarter of London. +There's coffee on the table, Watson, and I have a cab at the +door." + In half an hour we had reached Pitt Street, a quiet little +backwater just beside one of the briskest currents of London life. +No. 131 was one of a row, all flat-chested, respectable, and +most unromantic dwellings. As we drove up, we found the rail- +ings in front of the house lined by a curious crowd. Holmes +whistled. + "By George! it's attempted murder at the least. Nothing less +will hold the London message-boy. There's a deed of violence +indicated in that fellow's round shoulders and outstretched +neck. What's this, Watson? The top steps swilled down and +the other ones dry. Footsteps enough, anyhow! Well, well, +there's Lestrade at the front window, and we shall soon know +all about it." + The official received us with a very grave face and showed us +into a sitting-room, where an exceedingly unkempt and agitated el- +derly man, clad in a flannel dressing-gown, was pacing up and +down. He was introduced to us as the owner of the house -- Mr. +Horace Harker, of the Central Press Syndicate. + "It's the Napoleon bust business again," said Lestrade. "You +seemed interested last night, Mr. Holmes, so I thought perhaps +you would be glad to be present now that the affair has taken a +very much graver turn." + "What has it turned to, then?" + "To murder. Mr. Harker, will you tell these gentlemen ex- +actly what has occurred?" + The man in the dressing-gown turned upon us with a most mel- +ancholy face. + "It's an extraordinary thing," said he, "that all my life I have +been collecting other people's news, and now that a real piece of +news has come my own way I am so confused and bothered that +I can't put two words together. If I had come in here as a +journalist, I should have interviewed myself and had two col- +umns in every evening paper. As it is, I am giving away valu- +able copy by telling my story over and over to a string of +different people, and I can make no use of it myself. However, +I've heard your name, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and if you'll only +explain this queer business, I shall be paid for my trouble in +telling you the story." + Holmes sat down and listened. + "It all seems to centre round that bust of Napoleon which I +bought for this very room about four months ago. I picked it up +cheap from Harding Brothers, two doors from the High Street +Station. A great deal of my journalistic work is done at night, +and I often write until the early morning. So it was to-day. I was +sitting in my den, which is at the back of the top of the house, +about three o'clock, when I was convinced that l heard some +sounds downstairs. I listened, but they were not repeated, and I +concluded that they came from outside. Then suddenly, about +five minutes later, there came a most horrible yell -- the most +dreadful sound, Mr. Holmes, that ever I heard. It will ring in my +ears as long as I live. I sat frozen with horror for a minute or +two. Then I seized the poker and went downstairs. When I +entered this room I found the window wide open, and I at once +observed that the bust was gone from the mantelpiece. Why any +burglar should take such a thing passes my understanding, for it +was only a plaster cast and of no real value whatever. + "You can see for yourself that anyone going out through that +open window could reach the front doorstep by taking a long +stride. This was clearly what the burglar had done, so I went +round and opened the door. Stepping out into the dark, I nearly +fell over a dead man, who was lying there. I ran back for a light, +and there was the poor fellow, a great gash in his throat and the +whole place swimming in blood. He lay on his back, his knees +drawn up, and his mouth horribly open. I shall see him in my +dreams. I had just time to blow on my police-whistle, and then I +must have fainted, for I knew nothing more until I found the +policeman standing over me in the hall." + "Well, who was the murdered man?" asked Holmes. + "There's nothing to show who he was," said Lestrade. "You +shall see the body at the mortuary, but we have made nothing of +it up to now. He is a tall man, sunburned, very powerful, not +more than thirty. He is poorly dressed, and yet does not appear +to be a labourer. A horn-handled clasp knife was lying in a pool +of blood beside him. Whether it was the weapon which did the +deed, or whether it belonged to the dead man, I do not know. +There was no name on his clothing, and nothing in his pockets +save an apple, some string, a shilling map of London, and a +photograph. Here it is." + It was evidently taken by a snapshot from a small camera. It +represented an alert, sharp-featured simian man. with thick eye- +brows and a very peculiar projection of the lower part of the +face, like the muzzle of a baboon. + "And what became of the bust?" asked Holmes, after a +careful study of this picture. + "We had news of it just before you came. It has been found in +the front garden of an empty house in Campden House Road. It +was broken into fragments. I am going round now to see it. Will +you come?" + "Certainly. I must just take one look round." He examined +the carpet and the window. "The fellow had either very long +legs or was a most active man," said he. "With an area beneath, +it was no mean feat to reach that window-ledge and open that +window. Getting back was comparatively simple. Are you com- +ing with us to see the remains of your bust, Mr. Harker?" + The disconsolate journalist had seated himself at a writing-table. + "I must try and make something of it," said he, "though I +have no doubt that the first editions of the evening papers are out +already with full details. It's like my luck! You remember when +the stand fell at Doncaster? Well, I was the only journalist in the +stand, and my journal the only one that had no account of it, for +I was too shaken to write it. And now I'll be too late with a +murder done on my own doorstep." + As we left the room, we heard his pen travelling shrilly over +the foolscap. + The spot where the fragments of the bust had been found was +only a few hundred yards away. For the first time our eyes rested +upon this presentment of the great emperor, which seemed to +raise such frantic and destructive hatred in the mind of the +unknown. It lay scattered, in splintered shards, upon the grass. +Holmes picked up several of them and examined them carefully. +I was convinced, from his intent face and his purposeful manner, +that at last he was upon a clue. + "Well?" asked Lestrade. + Holmes shrugged his shoulders. + "We have a long way to go yet," said he. "And yet -- and +yet -- well, we have some suggestive facts to act upon. The +possession of this trifling bust was worth more, in the eyes of +this strange criminal, than a human life. That is one point. Then +there is the singular fact that he did not break it in the house, or +immediately outside the house, if to break it was his sole object." + "He was rattled and bustled by meeting this other fellow. He +hardly knew what he was doing." + "Well, that's likely enough. But I wish to call your attention +very particularly to the position of this house, in the garden of +which the bust was destroyed." + Lestrade looked about him. + "It was an empty house, and so he knew that he would not be +disturbed in the garden." + "Yes, but there is another empty house farther up the street +which he must have passed before he came to this one. Why did +he not break it there, since it is evident that every yard that he +carried it increased the risk of someone meeting him?" + "I give it up," said Lestrade. + Holmes pointed to the street lamp above our heads. + "He could see what he was doing here, and he could not +there. That was his reason." + "By Jove! that's true," said the detective. "Now that I come +to think of it, Dr. Barnicot's bust was broken not far from his red +lamp. Well, Mr. Holmes, what are we to do with that fact?" + "To remember it -- to docket it. We may come on something +later which will bear upon it. What steps do you propose to take +now, Lestrade?" + "The most practical way of getting at it, in my opinion, is to +identify the dead man. There should be no difficulty about that. +When we have found who he is and who his associates are, we +should have a good start in learning what he was doing in Pitt +Street last night, and who it was who met him and killed him on +the doorstep of Mr. Horace Harker. Don't you think so?" + "No doubt; and yet it is not quite the way in which I should +approach the case." + "What would you do then?" + "Oh, you must not let me influence you in any way. I suggest +that you go on your line and I on mine. We can compare notes +afterwards, and each will supplement the other." + "Very good," said Lestrade. + "If you are going back to Pitt Street, you might see Mr. +Horace Harker. Tell him for me that I have quite made up my +mind, and that it is certain that a dangerous homicidal lunatic, +with Napoleonic delusions, was in his house last night. It will be +useful for his article." + Lestrade stared. + "You don't seriously believe that?" + Holmes smiled. + "Don't I? Well, perhaps I don't. But I am sure that it will +interest Mr. Horace Harker and the subscribers of the Central +Press Syndicate. Now, Watson, I think that we shall find that we +have a long and rather complex day's work before us. I should +be glad, Lestrade, if you could make it convenient to meet us at +Baker Street at six o'clock this evening. Until then I should like +to keep this photograph, found in the dead man's pocket. It is +possible that I may have to ask your company and assistance +upon a small expedition which will have to be undertaken to- +night, if my chain of reasoning should prove to be correct. Until +then good-bye and good luck!" + Sherlock Holmes and I walked together to the High Street, +where we stopped at the shop of Harding Brothers, whence the +bust had been purchased. A young assistant informed us that Mr. +Harding would be absent until afternoon, and that he was himself +a newcomer, who could give us no information. Holmes's face +showed his disappointment and annoyance. + "Well, well, we can't expect to have it all our own way, +Watson," he said, at last. "We must come back in the after- +noon, if Mr. Harding will not be here until then. I am, as you +have no doubt surmised, endeavouring to trace these busts to +their source, in order to find if there is not something peculiar +which may account for their remarkable fate. Let us make for +Mr. Morse Hudson, of the Kennington Road, and see if he can +throw any light upon the problem." + A drive of an hour brought us to the picture-dealer's establish- +ment. He was a small, stout man with a red face and a peppery +manner. + "Yes, sir. On my very counter, sir," said he. "What we pay +rates and taxes for I don't know, when any ruffian can come in +and break one's goods. Yes, sir, it was I who sold Dr. Barnicot +his two statues. Disgraceful, sir! A Nihilist plot -- that's what I +make it. No one but an anarchist would go about breaking +statues. Red republicans -- that's what I call 'em. Who did I get +the statues from? I don't see what that has to do with it. Welll, if +you really want to know, I got them from Gelder & Co., in +Church Street, Stepney. They are a well-known house in the +trade, and have been this twenty years. How many had l? +Three -- two and one are three -- two of Dr. Barnicot's, and one +smashed in broad daylight on my own counter. Do I know that +photograph? No, I don't. Yes, I do, though. Why, it's Beppo. +He was a kind of Italian piece-work man, who made himself +useful in the shop. He could carve a bit, and gild and frame, and +do odd jobs. The fellow left me last week, and I've heard +nothing of him since. No, I don't know where he came from nor +where he went to. I had nothing against him while he was here. +He was gone two days before the bust was smashed." + "Well, that's all we could reasonably expect from Morse +Hudson," said Holmes, as we emerged from the shop. "We +have this Beppo as a common factor, both in Kennington and in +Kensington, so that is worth a ten-mile drive. Now, Watson, let +us make for Gelder & Co., of Stepney, the source and origin of +the busts. I shall be surprised if we don't get some help down +there." + In rapid succession we passed through the fringe of fashion- +able London, hotel London, theatrical London, literary London, +commercial London, and, finally, maritime London, till we came +to a riverside city of a hundred thousand souls, where the +tenement houses swelter and reek with the outcasts of Europe. +Here, in a broad thoroughfare, once the abode of wealthy City +merchants, we found the sculpture works for which we searched. +Outside was a considerable yard full of monumental masonry. +Inside was a large room in which fifty workers were carving or +moulding. The manager, a big blond German, received us civilly +and gave a clear answer to all Holmes's questions. A reference +to his books showed that hundreds of casts had been taken from +a marble copy of Devine's head of Napoleon, but that the three +which had been sent to Morse Hudson a year or so before had +been half of a batch of six, the other three being sent to Harding +Brothers, of Kensington. There was no reason why those six +should be different from any of the other casts. He could suggest +no possible cause why anyone should wish to destroy them -- in +fact, he laughed at the idea. Their wholesale price was six +shillings, but the retailer would get twelve or more. The cast +was taken in two moulds from each side of the face, and then +these two profiles of plaster of Paris were joined together to +make the complete bust. The work was usually done by Italians, +in the room we were in. When finished, the busts were put on a +table in the passage to dry, and afterwards stored. That was all +he could tell us. + But the production of the photograph had a remarkable effect +upon the manager. His face flushed with anger, and his brows +knotted over his blue Teutonic eyes. + "Ah, the rascal!" he cried. "Yes, indeed, I know him very +well. This has always been a respectable establishment, and the +only time that we have ever had the police in it was over this +very fellow. It was more than a year ago now. He knifed another +Italian in the street, and then he came to the works with the +police on his heels, and he was taken here. Beppo was his +name -- his second name I never knew. Serve me right for engag- +ing a man with such a face. But he was a good workman -- one +of the best." + "What did he get?" + "The man lived and he got off with a year. I have no doubt he +is out now, but he has not dared to show his nose here. We have +a cousin of his here, and I daresay he could tell you where he +is." + "No, no," cried Holmes, "not a word to the cousin -- not a +word, I beg of you. The matter is very important, and the farther +I go with it, the more important it seems to grow. When you +referred in your ledger to the sale of those casts I observed that +the date was June 3rd of last year. Could you give me the date +when Beppo was arrested?" + "I could tell you roughly by the pay-list," the manager an- +swered. "Yes," he continued, after some turning over of pages, +"he was paid last on May 20th." + "Thank you," said Holmes. "I don't think that I need intrude +upon your time and patience any more." With a last word of +caution that he should say nothing as to our researches, we +turned our faces westward once more. + The afternoon was far advanced before we were able to snatch +a hasty luncheon at a restaurant. A news-bill at the entrance +announced "Kensington Outrage. Murder by a Madman," and +the contents of the paper showed that Mr. Horace Harker had got +his account into print after all. Two columns were occupied with +a highly sensational and flowery rendering of the whole incident. +Holmes propped it against the cruet-stand and read it while he +ate. Once or twice he chuckled. + "This is all right, Watson," said he. "Listen to this: + + "It is satisfactory to know that there can be no difference + of opinion upon this case, since Mr. Lestrade, one of the + most experienced members of the official force, and Mr. + Sherlock Holmes, the well-known consulting expert, have + each come to the conclusion that the grotesque series of + incidents, which have ended in so tragic a fashion, arise + from lunacy rather than from deliberate crime. No explana- + tion save mental aberration can cover the facts. + +The Press, Watson, is a most valuable institution. if you only +know how to use it. And now, if you have quite finished, we +will hark back to Kensington and see what the manager of +Harding Brothers has to say on the matter." + The founder of that great emporium proved to be a brisk, crisp +little person, very dapper and quick, with a clear head and a +ready tongue. + "Yes, sir, I have already read the account in the evening +papers. Mr. Horace Harker is a customer of ours. We supplied +him with the bust some months ago. We ordered three busts of +that sort from Gelder & Co., of Stepney. They are all sold now. +To whom? Oh, I daresay by consulting our sales book we could +very easily tell you. Yes, we have the entries here. One to Mr. +Harker you see, and one to Mr. Josiah Brown, of Laburnum +Lodge, Laburnum Vale, Chiswick, and one to Mr. Sandeford, of +Lower Grove Road, Reading. No, I have never seen this face +which you show me in the photograph. You would hardly forget +it, would you, sir, for I've seldom seen an uglier. Have we any +Italians on the staff? Yes, sir, we have several among our +workpeople and cleaners. I daresay they might get a peep at that +sales book if they wanted to. There is no particular reason for +keeping a watch upon that book. Well, well, it's a very strange +business, and I hope that you will let me know if anything comes +of your inquiries." + Holmes had taken several notes during Mr. Harding's evi- +dence, and I could see that he was thoroughly satisfied by the +turn which affairs were taking. He made no remark, however +save that, unless we hurried, we should be late for our appoint- +ment with Lestrade. Sure enough, when we reached Baker Street +the detective was already there, and we found him pacing up and +down in a fever of impatience. His look of importance showed +that his day's work had not been in vain. + "Well?" he asked. "What luck, Mr. Holmes?" + "We have had a very busy day, and not entirely a wasted +one," my friend explained. "We have seen both the retailers and +also the wholesale manufacturers. I can trace each of the busts +now from the beginning." + "The busts!" cried Lestrade. "Well, well, you have your own +methods, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and it is not for me to say a +word against them, but I think I have done a better day's work +than you. I have identified the dead man." + "You don't say so?" + "And found a cause for the crime." + "Splendid!" + "We have an inspector who makes a specialty of Saffron Hill +and the Italian quarter. Well, this dead man had some Catholic +emblem round his neck. and that, along with his colour, made +me think he was from the South. Inspector Hill knew him the +moment he caught sight of him. His name is Pietro Venucci, +from Naples, and he is one of the greatest cut-throats in Lon- +don. He is connected with the Mafia, which, as you know, is a +secret political society, enforcing its decrees by murder. Now, +you see how the affair begins to clear up. The other fellow is +probably an Italian also, and a member of the Mafia. He has +broken the rules in some fashion. Pietro is set upon his track. +Probably the photograph we found in his pocket is the man him- +self, so that he may not knife the wrong person. He dogs the +fellow, he sees him enter a house, he waits outside for him, and +in the scuffle he receives his own death-wound. How is that, Mr. +Sherlock Holmes?" + Holmes clapped his hands approvingly. + "Excellent, Lestrade, excellent!" he cried. "But I didn't quite +follow your explanation of the destruction of the busts." + "The busts! You never can get those busts out of your head. +After all, that is nothing; petty larceny, six months at the most. It +is the murder that we are really investigating, and I tell you that I +am gathering all the threads into my hands." + "And the next stage?" + "Is a very simple one. I shall go down with Hill to the Italian +Quarter, find the man whose photograph we have got, and arrest +him on the charge of murder. Will you come with us?" + "I think not. I fancy we can attain our end in a simpler way. I +can't say for certain, because it all depends -- well, it all depends +upon a factor which is completely outside our control. But I have +great hopes -- in fact, the betting is exactly two to one -- that if +you will come with us to-night I shall be able to help you to lay +him by the heels." + "In the Italian Quarter?" + "No, I fancy Chiswick is an address which is more likely to +find him. If you will come with me to Chiswick to-night, +Lestrade, I'll promise to go to the Italian Quarter with you +to-morrow, and no harm will be done by the delay. And now I +think that a few hours' sleep would do us all good, for I do not +propose to leave before eleven o'clock, and it is unlikely that we +shall be back before morning. You'll dine with us, Lestrade, and +then you are welcome to the sofa until it is time for us to start. In +the meantime, Watson, I should be glad if you would ring for an +express messenger, for I have a letter to send and it is imponant +that it should go at once." + Holmes spent the evening in rummaging among the files of the +old daily papers with which one of our lumber-rooms was packed. +When at last he descended, it was with triumph in his eyes, but +he said nothing to either of us as to the result of his researches. +For my own part, I had followed step by step the methods by +which he had traced the various windings of this complex case, +and, though I could not yet perceive the goal which we would +reach, I understood clearly that Holmes expected this grotesque +criminal to make an attempt upon the two remaining busts, one +of which, I remembered, was at Chiswick. No doubt the object +of our journey was to catch him in the very act, and I could not +but admire the cunning with which my friend had inserted a +wrong clue in the evening paper, so as to give the fellow the idea +that he could continue his scheme with impunity. I was not +surprised when Holmes suggested that I should take my revolver +with me. He had himself picked up the loaded hunting-crop, +which was his favourite weapon. + A four-wheeler was at the door at eleven, and in it we drove +to a spot at the other side of Hammersmith Bridge. Here the +cabman was directed to wait. A short walk brought us to a +secluded road fringed with pleasant houses, each standing in its +own grounds. In the light of a street lamp we read "Laburnum +Villa" upon the gate-post of one of them. The occupants had +evidently retired to rest, for all was dark save for a fanlight over +the hall door, which shed a single blurred circle on to the garden +path. The wooden fence which separated the grounds from the +road threw a dense black shadow upon the inner side, and here it +was that we crouched. + "I fear that you'll have a long wait," Holmes whispered. +"We may thank our stars that it is not raining. I don't think we +can even venture to smoke to pass the time. However, it's a two +to one chance that we get something to pay us for our trouble." + It proved, however, that our vigil was not to be so long as +Holmes had led us to fear, and it ended in a very sudden and +singular fashion. In an instant, without the least sound to warn us +of his coming, the garden gate swung open, and a lithe, dark +figure, as swift and active as an ape, rushed up the garden path. +We saw it whisk past the light thrown from over the door and +disappear against the black shadow of the house. There was a +long pause, during which we held our breath, and then a very +gentle creaking sound came to our ears. The window was being +opened. The noise ceased, and again there was a long silence. +The fellow was making his way into the house. We saw the +sudden flash of a dark lantern inside the room. What he sought +was evidently not there, for again we saw the flash through +another blind. and then through another. + "Let us get to the open window. We will nab him as he +climbs out." Lestrade whispered. + But before we could move. the man had emerged again. As he +came out into the glimmering patch of light, we saw that he +carrled something white under his arm. He looked stealthily all +round him. The silence of the deserted street reassured him. +Turning his back upon us he laid down his burden, and the next +instant there was the sound of a sharp tap, followed by a clatter +and rattle. The man was so intent upon what he was doing that +he never heard our steps as we stole across the grass plot. With +the bound of a tiger Holmes was on his back, and an instant later +Lestrade and I had him by either wrist, and the handcuffs had +been fastened. As we turned him over I saw a hideous, sallow +face, with writhing, furious features. glaring up at us, and I +knew that it was indeed the man of the photograph whom we had +secured. + But it was not our prisoner to whom Holmes was giving his +attention. Squatted on the doorstep, he was engaged in most +carefully examining that which the man had brought from the +house. It was a bust of Napoleon. Iike the one which we had +seen that morning, and it had been broken into similar frag- +ments. Carefully Holmes held each separate shard to the light, +but in no way did it differ from any other shattered piece of +plaster. He had just completed his examination when the hall +lights flew up, the door opened, and the owner of the house, a +jovial, rotund figure in shirt and trousers, presented himseli. + "Mr. Josiah Brown, I suppose?" said Holmes. + "Yes, sir and you, no doubt, are Mr. Sherlock Holmes? I had +the note which you sent by the express messenger, and I did +exactly what you told me. We locked every door on the inside +and awaited developments. Well, I'm very glad to see that you +have got the rascal. I hope, gentlemen, that you will come in and +have some refreshment." + However, Lestrade was anxious to get his man into safe +quarters, so within a few minutes our cab had bcen summoned +and we were all tour upon our way to London. Not a word +would our captive say. but he glared at us from thc shadow of +his matted hair. and once. when my hand seemed within his +reach, he snapped at it like a hungry wolf. We stayed long +enough at the police-station to learn that a search of his clothing +revealed nothing save a few shillings and a long sheath knife, the +handle of which bore copious traces of recent blood. + "That's all right," said Lestrade, as we parted. "Hill knows +all these gentry, and he will give a name to him. You'll find that +my theory of the Mafia will work out all right. But I'm sure I am +exceedingly obliged to you, Mr. Holmes, for the workmanlike +way in which you laid hands upon him. I don't quite understand +it all yet." + "I fear it is rather too late an hour for explanations," said +Holmes. "Besides, there are one or two details which are not +finished off, and it is one of those cases which are worth +working out to the very end. If you will come round once more +to my rooms at six o'clock to-morrow, I think I shall be able to +show you that even now you have not grasped the entire meaning +of this business, which presents some features which make it +absolutely original in the history of crime. If ever I permit you to +chronicle any more of my little problems, Watson, I foresee that +you will enliven your pages by an account of the singular +adventure of the Napoleonic busts." + When we met again next evening, Lestrade was furnished with +much information concerning our prisoner. His name, it ap- +peared, was Beppo, second name unknown. He was a well- +known ne'er-do-well among the Italian colony. He had once +been a skilful sculptor and had earned an honest living, but he +had taken to evil courses and had twice already been in jail -- +once for a petty theft, and once, as we had already heard, for +stabbing a fellow-countryman. He could talk English perfectly +well. His reasons for destroying the busts were still unknown, +and he refused to answer any questions upon the subject, but the +police had discovered that these same busts might very well have +been made by his own hands, since he was engaged in this class +of work at the establishment of Gelder & Co. To all this infor- +mation, much of which we already knew, Holmes listened with +polite attention, but I, who knew him so well, could clearly see +that his thoughts were elsewhere, and I detected a mixture of +mingled uneasiness and expectation beneath that mask which he +was wont to assume. At last he started in his chair, and his eyes +brightened. There had been a ring at the bell. A minute later we +heard steps upon the stairs, and an elderly red-faced man with +grizzled side-whiskers was ushered in. In his right hand he +carried an old-fashioned carpet-bag, which he placed upon the +table. + "Is Mr. Sherlock Holmes here?" + My friend bowed and smiled. "Mr. Sandeford, of Reading, I +suppose?" said he. + "Yes, sir, I fear that I am a little late, but the trains +were awkward. You wrote to me about a bust that is in my +possession." + "Exactly." + "I have your letter here. You said, 'I desire to possess a copy +of Devine's Napoleon, and am prepared to pay you ten pounds +for the one which is in your possession.' Is that right?" + "Certainly." + "I was very much surprised at your letter, for I could not +imagine how you knew that I owned such a thing." + "Of course you must have been surprised, but the explanation +is very simple. Mr. Harding, of Harding Brothers, said that they +had sold you their last copy, and he gave me your address." + "Oh, that was it, was it? Did he tell you what I paid for it?" + "No, he did not." + "Well, I am an honest man, though not a very rich one. I only +gave fifteen shillings for the bust, and I think you ought to know +that before I take ten pounds from you." + "I am sure the scruple does you honour, Mr. Sandeford. But I +have named that price, so I intend to stick to it." + "Well, it is very handsome of you, Mr. Holmes. I brought +the bust up with me, as you asked me to do. Here it is!" He +opened his bag, and at last we saw placed upon our table a +complete specimen of that bust which we had already seen more +than once in fragments. + Holmes took a paper from his pocket and laid a ten-pound +note upon the table. + "You will kindly sign that paper, Mr. Sandeford, in the +presence of these witnesses. It is simply to say that you transfer +every possible right that you ever had in the bust to me. I am a +methodical man, you see, and you never know what turn events +might take afterwards. Thank you, Mr. Sandeford; here is your +money, and I wish you a very good evening." + When our visitor had disappeared, Sherlock Holmes's move- +ments were such as to rivet our attention. He began by taking a +clean white cloth from a drawer and laying it over the table. +Then he placed his newly acquired bust in the centre of the cloth. +Finally, he picked up his hunting-crop and struck Napoleon a +sharp blow on the top of the head. The figure broke into frag- +ments, and Holmes bent eagerly over the shattered remains. Next +instant, with a loud shout of triumph he held up one splinter, in +which a round, dark object was fixed like a plum in a pudding. + "Gentlemen," he cried, "let me introduce you to the famous +black pearl of the Borgias." + Lestrade and I sat silent for a moment, and then, with a +spontaneous impulse, we both broke out clapping, as at the +well-wrought crisis of a play. A flush of colour sprang to Holmes's +pale cheeks, and he bowed to us like the master dramatist who +receives the homage of his audience. It was at such moments that +for an instant he ceased to be a reasoning machine, and betrayed +his human love for admiration and applause. The same singularly +proud and reserved nature which turned away with disdain from +popular notoriety was capable of being moved to its depths by +spontaneous wonder and praise from a friend. + "Yes, gentlemen," said he, "it is the most famous pearl now +existing in the world, and it has been my good fortune, by a +connected chain of inductive reasoning, to trace it from the +Prince of Colonna's bedroom at the Dacre Hotel, where it was +lost, to the interior of this, the last of the six busts of Napoleon +which were manufactured by Gelder & Co., of Stepney. You +will remember, Lestrade, the sensation caused by the disappear- +ance of this valuable jewel, and the vain efforts of the London +police to recover it. I was myself consulted upon the case, but I +was unable to throw any light upon it. Suspicion fell upon the +maid of the Princess, who was an Italian, and it was proved that +she had a brother in London, but we failed to trace any connec- +tion between them. The maid's name was Lucretia Venucci, and +there is no doubt in my mind that this Pietro who was murdered +two nights ago was the brother. I have been looking up the dates +in the old files of the paper, and I find that the disappearance of +the pearl was exactly two days before the arrest of Beppo, for +some crime of violence -- an event which took place in the +factory of Gelder & Co., at the very moment when these busts +were being made. Now you clearly see the sequence of events, +though you see them, of course, in the inverse order to the way +in which they presented themselves to me. Beppo had the pearl +in his possession. He may have stolen it from Pietro, he may +have been Pietro's confederate, he may have been the go-between +of Pietro and his sister. It is of no consequence to us which is the +correct solution. + "The main fact is that he had the pearl, and at that moment, +when it was on his person, he was pursued by the police. He +made for the factory in which he worked, and he knew that he +had only a few minutes in which to conceal this enormously +valuable prize, which would otherwise be found on him when he +was searched. Six plaster casts of Napoleon were drying in the +passage. One of them was still soft. In an instant Beppo, a +skilful workman, made a small hole in the wet plaster, dropped +in the pearl, and with a few touches covered over the aperture +once more. It was an admirable hiding-place. No one could +possibly find it. But Beppo was condemned to a year's imprison- +ment, and in the meanwhile his six busts were scattered over +London. He could not tell which contained his treasure. Only by +breaking them could he see. Even shaking would tell him noth- +ing, for as the plaster was wet it was probable that the pearl +would adhere to it -- as, in fact, it has done. Beppo did not +despair, and he conducted his search with considerable ingenuity +and perseverance. Through a cousin who works with Gelder, he +found out the retail firms who had bought the busts. He managed +to find employment with Morse Hudson, and in that way tracked +down three of them. The pearl was not there. Then, with the +help of some Italian employe, he succeeded in finding out where +the other three busts had gone. The first was at Harker's. There +he was dogged by his confederate, who held Beppo responsible +for the loss of the pearl, and he stabbed him in the scuffle which +followed." + "If he was his confederate, why should he carry his photo- +graph?" I asked. + "As a means of tracing him, if he wished to inquire about him +from any third person. That was the obvious reason. Well, after +the murder I calculated that Beppo would probably hurry rather +than delay his movements. He would fear that the police would +read his secret, and so he hastened on before they should get +ahead of him. Of course, I could not say that he had not found +the pearl in Harker's bust. I had not even concluded for certain +that it was the pearl, but it was evident to me that he was looking +for something, since he carried the bust past the other houses in +order to break it in the garden which had a lamp overlooking it. +Since Harker's bust was one in three, the chances were exactly +as I told you -- two to one against the pearl being inside it There +remained two busts, and it was obvious that he would go for the +London one first. I warned the inmates of the house, so as to +avoid a second tragedy, and we went down, with the happiest +results. By that time, of course, I knew for certain that it was the +Borgia pearl that we were after. The name of the murdered man +linked the one event with the other. There only remained a single +bust -- the Reading one -- and the pearl must be there. I bought it +in your presence from the owner -- and there it lies." + We sat in silence for a moment. + "Well," said Lestrade, "I've seen you handle a good many +cases, Mr. Holmes, but I don't know that I ever knew a more +workmanlike one than that. We're not jealous of you at Scotland +Yard. No, sir, we are very proud of you, and if you come down +to-morrow, there's not a man, from the oldest inspector to the +youngest constable, who wouldn't be glad to shake you by the +hand." + "Thank you!" said Holmes. "Thank you!" and as he turned +away, it seemed to me that he was more nearly moved by the +softer human emotions than I had ever seen him. A moment later +he was the cold and practical thinker once more. "Put the pearl +in the safe, Watson," said he, "and get out the papers of the +Conk-Singleton forgery case. Good-bye, Lestrade. If any little +problem comes your way, I shall be happy, if I can, to give you +a hint or two as to its solution." +From gnat@kauri.vuw.ac.nz Tue Sep 6 01:06:59 1994 +From: gnat@kauri.vuw.ac.nz (Nathan Torkington) +Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction,news.answers,rec.answers +Subject: Adventure Authoring Systems FAQ +Supersedes: +Followup-To: rec.arts.int-fiction +Date: 31 Aug 1994 12:00:04 GMT +Organization: Dept. of Comp. Sci., Victoria Uni. of Wellington, New Zealand. +Distribution: world +Reply-To: Nathan.Torkington@vuw.ac.nz +NNTP-Posting-Host: kauri.vuw.ac.nz +Originator: gnat@kauri.vuw.ac.nz + +Archive-name: games/adventure-systems +Maintained-by: Nathan.Torkington@vuw.ac.nz +Last-changed: Thu Jun 30 11:13:13 NZT 1994 + +---------------------------------------- +Changes: + * ftp.gmd section +---------------------------------------- + +This is a list of systems that can be used to author adventure games. +Information about TADS, ADVSYS, ADL, OASYS, INFORM and ALAN can be +found here. + +Where possible, pointers to existing information (such as books, +magazine articles, and ftp sites) are included here, rather than +rehashing that information again. + +If you haven't already done so, now is as good a time as any to read +the guide to Net etiquette which is posted to news.announce.newusers +regularly. You should be familiar with acronyms like FAQ, FTP and +IMHO, as well as know about smileys, followups and when to reply by +email to postings. + +For more information on interactive fiction in general, pointers to +books and dissertations, and this group's focus, see David Graves' +"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)" posting, which appears periodically +in rec.arts.int-fiction. + +This FAQ is currently posted to rec.arts.int-fiction and news.answers. +All posts to news.answers are archived, and will then possible to +retrieve the last posted copy via anonymous FTP from + rtfm.mit.edu +as + /pub/usenet/news.answers/games/adventure-systems +Those without FTP access should send e-mail to + mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu +with + "send usenet/news.answers/finding-sources" +in the body to find out how to get archived news.answers posts by +e-mail. + +This FAQ was mostly written by Nathan Torkington, with numerous +contributions by readers of rec.arts.int-fiction. Credits appear at +the end. Comments and indications of doubt are enclosed in []s in the +text. Each section begins with forty dashes ("-") on a line of their +own, then the section number. This should make searching for a +specific section easy. + +If you suffer loss in any way, shape or form from the use of +information in this file, then Nathan Torkington expressly disclaims +responsibility for it. It's your own damn fool fault if you go broke, +detonate your computer or eat broccoli as a result of anything you +read here. + +As a final note, this FAQ should be regarded as volatile. If this +version is more than two months old, you should consider acquiring a +new version. See the instructions above for details of how to do +this. + +Contributions, comments and changes should be directed to + Nathan.Torkington@vuw.ac.nz + +---------------------------------------- +List of Answers + +1 What to look for in a system +2 Writing your own adventure +3 TADS +4 ALAN +5 ADVSYS +6 ADL +7 OASYS +8 INFORM +9 Interactive-Fiction FTP Site +Z Credits + +---------------------------------------- +1 What to look for in a system + + --> Sample adventures, written using the system. This will make +learning how to program the system easy. It will also show you the +workarounds for any clumsiness in the language. + + --> The ability to handle non-player characters. This means that +players should be capable of being addressed, eg "amy, take the cat" +should be a valid command to type. Players should be capable of +having turns in the background (to allow movement, thieving, etc). + + --> The ability to handle events that occur independent of players +actions (often called fuses and daemons). Fuses are scheduled events, +such has having the bomb detonate three turns after the fuse is lit. +Daemons are routines that are called once every move. + + --> Documentation. You need, at least, a reference page. Sample +code helps, and a full explanation of the order that routines are +called by the game kernel (eg ADL calls the following for each direct +object: the actor's action, the verb's preaction, the indirect +object's action, the direct object's action, then finally the verb +action. If any one of these procedures returns a true value, then +that procedure is assumed to have completed the command handling for +that direct object, and processing continues for the next direct +object. After all the direct objects are handled this way, the room's +action is called and the kernel continues). + + --> Distribution mechanism. Is the game code fully yours to use? Do +you have to pay a fee for commercial distribution? For shareware +distribution? For free distribution? Are you obligated to offer the +source code to the game interpreter as well as your compiled +adventure? + + --> Is it object oriented? If so, you will probably have an easier +time of writing your adventure -- text adventure worlds lend +themselves to object orientation better than some other forms of +simulation. Of course, learning the subtleties of the OO method might +be harder than writing your game using a traditional (non-OO) system. + + --> Is the game language functional or procedural? That is, does the +language look like LISP (lots of parentheses) or a kind of cross +between BASIC and C (curly braces {} are a dead giveaway for C +lookalikes). You might have to learn a whole new programming style if +you write your adventure in a language style that you are unfamiliar +with. + +---------------------------------------- +2 Writing your own adventure + +Dave Librik posted Dave's Quick Guide To Getting Started with TADS, +which was so good that I've generalised it to cover most adventure +systems. + +Above all else, the key to learning how to write adventures is to +start writing one. Practice not only makes perfect, but +trial-and-error makes passable too. You will need the following: + + --> a language/kernel reference manual for your adventure system. + You might have to register your system to get this. + --> printouts of sample adventures. Staple each printout, so the + printouts won't get lost or confused. Also print out any + standard libraries that the system comes with (eg adv.t in TADS + or standard.adl in ADL). + +Now: + --> familiarise yourself with the basics of the language. Subtleties + (syntax details, daemons, fuses) should be left for later -- just + the basic ideas of objects, inheritance (if your language is OO), + printing text. It might help if you already knew a language in + the same style (procedural or functional) as the language you + will have to program in. + --> read the sample adventures. Get a feel for how items and rooms + are defined. This step is fairly important -- you will write + most of your adventures by strategically stealing the way someone + else has written theirs (software professionals call this "code + reuse" -- we call it laziness). + --> make a copy of one of the simpler sample adventures. Take out + all the stuff specific to that adventure (rooms, players, + objects, etc) and just leave the verbs, the initialisation code, + and the definition of the player's character. Now start writing + your own adventure. Start simple -- a couple of rooms and some + objects to take. + --> add more complicated things. For ideas of things to add, it + helps to have played some adventures. Try adding code for doors, + containers, other actors, new verbs, fancy verbs that need + indirect objects. Use the sample adventures that came with the + system as a reference for using things. + --> if the sample adventure you modified included standard code for + players or startup (std.t in TADS), then include those libraries + and customise them to your taste (you should have no trouble + reading and understanding the code by now). Add any of your own + initialisation code to this. + --> when you want to start making significant changes to the + behaviour of the adventure, you will have to change any standard + libraries that your adventures includes (standard.adl in ADL, + adv.t in TADS). Whenever you make a change, comment at the top + of the file why you make the change, and exactly what you + changed. This is so that when your later adventures need any of + the features you have added, it will be easy to add them. It + also helps when newer releases of the adventure system arrive -- + you can make the changes to the new standard library with minimal + hassle. + --> now realise that what you have written is a practice game. It + probably wasn't well laid out, or well planned, or even + consistent. To write your Real Adventure, you will have to go + through some serious Design and Implementation. + +The classic Colossal Cave adventure has been rewritten in TADS by Dave +Baggett and is available in source from the IF +archive (see Section 9) in the directory + if-archive/games/others/ccr.tar.Z + +The documentation to INFORM (see section 8) contains a wealth of +material relevant to designing adventure games under any system. This +is highly recommended for those wishing to write their own games. + +---------------------------------------- +3 TADS + +TADS stands for "Text Adventure Development System". It is available +for MSDOS, Atari ST, Macintosh, Sun, SGI, Linux, DEC/MIPS, and NeXT +computers at the moment. It is available via anonymous FTP as + msdos.archive.umich.edu:msdos/games/adventure/tads.zip + mac.archive.umich.edu:mac/game/gameutil/tads2.1.cpt.hqx + atari.archive.umich.edu:atari/Games/Tads/tads.lzh + ftp.gmd.de:if-archive/programming/tads/ +but these are not the latest versions (at the time of writing). The +latest version, TADS 2.1, features virtual memory, expanded C-like +syntax, improved documentation and an improved debugger. + +TADS is released by High Energy Software, and is shareware. Shareware +games can (and have) been written using TADS, and commercial +distribution of games written using TADS seems allowable. TADS +consists of a compiler (which converts the source code to adventures +into TADS game code) and an interpreter (which reads the TADS game +code produced by the compiler and lets users play the game). + +Registered users get a form of the interpreter which can be combined +with the game code file to form a single executable for distribution. +The interpreter is licensed for shareware use, you don't have to pay a +penny if you distribute your games via shareware. If you plan to sell +it commercially, contact Mike Roberts for information on getting the +rights. + +The TADS language is declarative and object-oriented. It appears very +C-like, and the syntax shouldn't be too difficult to learn by people +who know C or Pascal. The language provides a basic syntax, some text +manipulation and support for object-oriented programming. The +interpreter provides parsing, question-and-response I/O format, and +activation of the appropriate methods in objects depending on what the +player types. The language has support for actors, fuses and daemons. + +TADS comes with the source to a trivial adventure, and source to an +Infocom quality game ("Ditch-Day Drifter"). On registration of the +package, a manual can be obtained. The manual for v1.* is very good +(although it doesn't explain well the contents of the standard library +file, adv.t). The v2.1 manual is apparently twice the size of v1. + +The prices for versions < 2.0 are: + TADS shareware fee: 25.00 + Includes printed TADS Author's Manual, the + current TADS software on specified media, + plus the source code for "Ditch Day + Drifter," a complete sample game. + Deep Space Drifter: 10.00 + Includes "Deep Space Drifter" on the disk + media specified above, plus a complete map + of the game and the DSD Hint Book. + California residents please add 7% sales tax. + +The price of v2.1 is US$40 (+ California sales tax for California +residents, $3 for shipping and handling within the US and Canada, or +$8 for international air mail). If you register "Deep Space Drifter" +at the same time, the total is only US$50 (plus sales and shipping). +For more information, contact: + --> BBS: 415 493 2420 (set modem to 14400-N-8-1) + --> CompuServe: 73737,417 + --> GEnie: M.ROBERTS10 + --> Internet: 73737.417@compuserve.com + --> US Mail: High Energy Software, PO Box 50422, Palo Alto, CA +94303. + +---------------------------------------- +4 ALAN + +The Alan System is a special purpose language for creating interactive +fiction or text adventures. It consists of a compiler which compiles +Alan source to an intermediate form and an interpreter that interprets +such an intermediate form. + +The Alan language was designed to give the maximum functionality from +as little code-writing as possible. This means: + --> the system provides default behaviour for many things (which the + author can override). + --> the system directly supports locations, objects, actors and + other concepts natural to the domain of interactive fiction. + --> the author can extend the allowable input of the player, and + connect actions to that input. + +It is also a safe language in the sense that extensive compile-time +checking makes it nearly impossible to produce a game that crashes or +behaves inconsistently. + +The language is declarative and very close to English. It supports +fuses and daemons by use of events, and is object-inspired (all +declarations are local to entities, but no inheritance). + +The Alan System is request-ware. The complete system is available +without charge through electronic mail. Send a message with a single +line: + SEND INFO +to + alan-request@softlab.se +for more information. + +The complete distribution includes the compiler, the documentation, a +100+ page manual in plain text and postscript versions, some examples +and the interpreter with debugging support. The interpreter can be +redistributed with your games, so this seems to open the way for +commercial and shareware release. + +The manual is available from the IF archive (see Section 9) in the +directory + if-archive/programming/alan/manual.zip + +The current version of Alan is 2.4 which runs on Sun/UNIX, Amigas, PCs +(MSDOS and OS/2) and VAX/VMS. A major revision of the manual is +planned, and a larger game is also being worked on for release. + +The authors may be contacted at: + + alan-request@softlab.se pseudo-mail-server for deliveries + thoni@softlab.se + gorfo@ida.liu.se + +---------------------------------------- +5 ADVSYS + +ADVSYS (ADVenture SYStem) was written by David Betz, and the latest +version (1.3) is based on the 1986 release of 1.2 which seems more +prolific. This package consists of LaTeX and ASCII documentation, C +source code for the compiler and interpreter, and the source code for +several sample adventures (as well as a demonstration library). It +was written up in Byte magazine [reference here]. + +The language is LISP-like, and object-oriented. The game has no +knowledge of the difference between actors, objects, locations, etc -- +all this must be present in the game code. As such, the runtime +library is rather more complex than might be desired. Actors, fuses +and daemons can all be implemented easily. + +There is [somewhere] a library of code developed by the (now-defunct) +ADVSYS mailing list. This provides rather better code than the +library distributed with ADVSYS, and includes containers and limits to +containment. + +The documentation says "Permission is hereby granted for unrestricted +non-commercial use". You might have to contact David Betz to ask +about commercial and shareware distribution. + +ADVSYS was posted to comp.sources.games, and appeared in volume 2. It +can, therefore, be found on any FTP site that archives it. Two such +FTP sites are: + ftp.uu.net:/usenet/comp.sources.games/volume2/advsys + wuarchive.wustl.edu:/usenet/comp.sources.games/volume02/advsys + +An ANSI C version is available, on the IF Archive site (see section 9). + +---------------------------------------- +6 ADL + +ADL (Adventure Design Language) was written by Ross Cunniff and Tim +Brengle. The package posted to comp.sources.games consists of plain +ASCII documentation, C source for a compiler, interpreter and +debugger, and several sample adventures (ranging from the complex to +the very simple) which illustrate the various features of ADL. + +ADL is a declarative, semi-object-oriented language. It has the +concept of methods (procedures that are attached to objects) but not +inheritance. This means that an object-oriented style of programming +will be rather inhibited. + +The language recognises actors, locations and objects as being +distinct. Fuses and daemons are supported in the language. A +standard library comes with the package, that gives a firm foundation +to write games on. + +The documentation is very close to being excellent, and contains a +full language reference. The documentation doesn't appear to contain +any guide to distribution of anything but the source code. Therefore +it may be legal to distribute the compiled interpreter with your game. +For more information, you should contact the authors at: + + USMAIL: Ross Cunniff + 636 La Grande, #7 + Sunnyvale, CA 94087 + +---------------------------------------- +7 OASYS + +OASYS stands for Object-Oriented Adventure System. It was distributed +in comp.binaries.ibm.pc in 1992, and is available from any FTP site +which archives cbipc. It was written by Russell Wallace, who is +reachable via e-mail as RWALLACE@vax1.tcd.ie. + +The package has documentation, two sample adventures, C source for the +compiler and interpreter, and MS-DOS binaries for the compiler and +interpreter. The source is missing an include file (Russell will +provide it on request) and shouldn't be very difficult to port to non +MS-DOS systems. + +The language is declarative, and (not really) object-oriented. The +major limitation of the parser is that it forces the player to type +the adjectives along with the noun ("ceramic key" must be typed, even +if there are no other keys accessable). This may be fixed later. + +Actor support is provided, and players can issue commands to other +actors. [fuses? daemons?] + +There don't appear to be any legal restrictions, so you can probably +distributed compiled interpreters with your commercial/shareware/free +games. + +---------------------------------------- +8 INFORM + +INFORM was written by Graham Nelson at Oxford University, UK. It is a +compiler that produces Infocom story files. There are many +public-domain interpreters for these files, available from the +Interactive Fiction archive site. + +The compiler is written in ANSI C, and is freely available (but not +public domain). It produces version-3 files from a fairly C-like +source language, and can produce version-5 files as well (an important +innovation since they are twice as large --- Trinity-sized instead of +Zork-1-sized). The documentation (in the same package as the source) +contains a description of INFORM, as well as a specification of the +story file form. It also contains enough articles for a short book on +game design, which are not specifically about INFORM. + +Two example games are included, one medium-sized and one trivial. +Both the source files and the story files are included. There are +also fully modifiable libraries, which are heavily commented. + +INFORM is genuinely free, and the rights to a game it produces belong +to the author of the game. + +---------------------------------------- +9 Interactive-Fiction FTP Site + +The FTP site ftp.gmd.de:/if-archive contains most, if not all, +of the software mentioned here as well as interpreters for Infocom +games, source and binaries for many other games and sundry information +files too numerous to mention. + +ftp.gmd.de:/if-archive is mirrored in +wuarchive.wustl.edu:/doc/misc/if-archive. + +The latest FAQ is stored here as + if-archive/info/authoring-systems.FAQ and as + if-archive/programming/general-discussion/authoring-systems.FAQ + +---------------------------------------- +Z Credits + +Nathan Torkington , David Librik +, Dave Baggett , Thomas +Nilsson , Graham Nelson , +Volker Blasius and the documentation for the various +systems mentioned here. + + +Aesop's Fables Translated by George Fyler Townsend + + + + +The Wolf and the Lamb + +WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to +lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the +Lamb the Wolf's right to eat him. He thus addressed him: +"Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated +the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then +said the Wolf, "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied +the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, +"You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet +drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food and drink +to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, +"Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute every +one of my imputations." The tyrant will always find a pretext for +his tyranny. + + +The Bat and the Weasels + +A BAT who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded +to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by +nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was +not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly +afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by +another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The +Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat +assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second +time escaped. + +It is wise to turn circumstances to good account. + + +The Ass and the Grasshopper + +AN ASS having heard some Grasshoppers chirping, was highly +enchanted; and, desiring to possess the same charms of melody, +demanded what sort of food they lived on to give them such +beautiful voices. They replied, "The dew." The Ass resolved that +he would live only upon dew, and in a short time died of hunger. + + +The Lion and the Mouse + +A LION was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. +Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when +the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare +my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion +laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the +Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by st ropes to the +ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came gnawed the rope +with his teeth, and set him free, exclaim + +"You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, +expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; I now +you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits on +a Lion." + + +The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller + +A CHARCOAL-BURNER carried on his trade in his own house. One day +he met a friend, a Fuller, and entreated him to come and live +with him, saying that they should be far better neighbors and +that their housekeeping expenses would be lessened. The Fuller +replied, "The arrangement is impossible as far as I am concerned, +for whatever I should whiten, you would immediately blacken again +with your charcoal." + +Like will draw like. + + +The Father and His Sons + +A FATHER had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling +among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his +exhortations, he determined to give them a practical illustration +of the evils of disunion; and for this purpose he one day told +them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he +placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, +and ordered them to break it in pieces. They tried with all +their strength, and were not able to do it. He next opened the +faggot, took the sticks separately, one by one, and again put +them into his sons' hands, upon which they broke them easily. He +then addressed them in these words: "My sons, if you are of one +mind, and unite to assist each other, you will be as this faggot, +uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you are +divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these +sticks." + + +The Boy Hunting Locusts + +A BOY was hunting for locusts. He had caught a goodly number, +when he saw a Scorpion, and mistaking him for a locust, reached +out his hand to take him. The Scorpion, showing his sting, said: +If you had but touched me, my friend, you would have lost me, and +all your locusts too!" + + +The Cock and the Jewel + +A COCK, scratching for food for himself and his hens, found a +precious stone and exclaimed: "If your owner had found thee, and +not I, he would have taken thee up, and have set thee in thy +first estate; but I have found thee for no purpose. I would +rather have one barleycorn than all the jewels in the world." + + +The Kingdom of the Lion + +THE BEASTS of the field and forest had a Lion as their king. He +was neither wrathful, cruel, nor tyrannical, but just and gentle +as a king could be. During his reign he made a royal +proclamation for a general assembly of all the birds and beasts, +and drew up conditions for a universal league, in which the Wolf +and the Lamb, the Panther and the Kid, the Tiger and the Stag, +the Dog and the Hare, should live together in perfect peace and +amity. The Hare said, "Oh, how I have longed to see this day, in +which the weak shall take their place with impunity by the side +of the strong." And after the Hare said this, he ran for his +life. + + +The Wolf and the Crane + +A WOLF who had a bone stuck in his throat hired a Crane, for a +large sum, to put her head into his mouth and draw out the bone. +When the Crane had extracted the bone and demanded the promised +payment, the Wolf, grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed: +"Why, you have surely already had a sufficient recompense, in +having been permitted to draw out your head in safety from the +mouth and jaws of a wolf." + +In serving the wicked, expect no reward, and be thankful if you +escape injury for your pains. + + +The Fisherman Piping + +A FISHERMAN skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the +seashore. Standing on a projecting rock, he played several tunes +in the hope that the fish, attracted by his melody, would of +their own accord dance into his net, which he had placed below. +At last, having long waited in vain, he laid aside his flute, and +casting his net into the sea, made an excellent haul of fish. +When he saw them leaping about in the net upon the rock he said: +"O you most perverse creatures, when I piped you would not dance, +but now that I have ceased you do so merrily." + + +Hercules and the Wagoner + +A CARTER was driving a wagon along a country lane, when the +wheels sank down deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied +and aghast, stood looking at the wagon, and did nothing but utter +loud cries to Hercules to come and help him. Hercules, it is +said, appeared and thus addressed him: "Put your shoulders to the +wheels, my man. Goad on your bullocks, and never more pray to me +for help, until you have done your best to help yourself, or +depend upon it you will henceforth pray in vain." + +Self-help is the best help. + + +The Ants and the Grasshopper + +THE ANTS were spending a fine winter's day drying grain collected +in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed +by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of +him, "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?' He +replied, "I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in +singing." They then said in derision: "If you were foolish enough +to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the +winter." + + +The Traveler and His Dog + +A TRAVELER about to set out on a journey saw his Dog stand at the +door stretching himself. He asked him sharply: "Why do you stand +there gaping? Everything is ready but you, so come with me +instantly." The Dog, wagging his tail, replied: "O, master! I am +quite ready; it is you for whom I am waiting." + +The loiterer often blames delay on his more active friend. + + +The Dog and the Shadow + +A DOG, crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of flesh in +his mouth, saw his own shadow in the water and took it for that +of another Dog, with a piece of meat double his own in size. He +immediately let go of his own, and fiercely attacked the other +Dog to get his larger piece from him. He thus lost both: that +which he grasped at in the water, because it was a shadow; and +his own, because the stream swept it away. + + +The Mole and His Mother + +A MOLE, a creature blind from birth, once said to his Mother: "I +am sure than I can see, Mother!" In the desire to prove to him +his mistake, his Mother placed before him a few grains of +frankincense, and asked, "What is it?' The young Mole said, "It +is a pebble." His Mother exclaimed: "My son, I am afraid that you +are not only blind, but that you have lost your sense of smell. + + +The Herdsman and the Lost Bull + +A HERDSMAN tending his flock in a forest lost a Bull-calf from +the fold. After a long and fruitless search, he made a vow that, +if he could only discover the thief who had stolen the Calf, he +would offer a lamb in sacrifice to Hermes, Pan, and the Guardian +Deities of the forest. Not long afterwards, as he ascended a +small hillock, he saw at its foot a Lion feeding on the Calf. +Terrified at the sight, he lifted his eyes and his hands to +heaven, and said: "Just now I vowed to offer a lamb to the +Guardian Deities of the forest if I could only find out who had +robbed me; but now that I have discovered the thief, I would +willingly add a full-grown Bull to the Calf I have lost, if I may +only secure my own escape from him in safety." + + +The Hare and the Tortoise + +A HARE one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the +Tortoise, who replied, laughing: "Though you be swift as the +wind, I will beat you in a race." The Hare, believing her +assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and +they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the +goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started +together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on +with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. +The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last +waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise +had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her +fatigue. + +Slow but steady wins the race. + + +The Pomegranate, Apple-Tree, and Bramble + +THE POMEGRANATE and Apple-Tree disputed as to which was the most +beautiful. When their strife was at its height, a Bramble from +the neighboring hedge lifted up its voice, and said in a boastful +tone: "Pray, my dear friends, in my presence at least cease from +such vain disputings." + + +The Farmer and the Stork + +A FARMER placed nets on his newly-sown plowlands and caught a +number of Cranes, which came to pick up his seed. With them he +trapped a Stork that had fractured his leg in the net and was +earnestly beseeching the Farmer to spare his life. "Pray save +me, Master," he said, "and let me go free this once. My broken +limb should excite your pity. Besides, I am no Crane, I am a +Stork, a bird of excellent character; and see how I love and +slave for my father and mother. Look too, at my feathers-- +they are not the least like those of a Crane." The Farmer +laughed aloud and said, "It may be all as you say, I only know +this: I have taken you with these robbers, the Cranes, and you +must die in their company." + +Birds of a feather flock together. + + +The Farmer and the Snake + +ONE WINTER a Farmer found a Snake stiff and frozen with cold. He +had compassion on it, and taking it up, placed it in his bosom. +The Snake was quickly revived by the warmth, and resuming its +natural instincts, bit its benefactor, inflicting on him a mortal +wound. "Oh," cried the Farmer with his last breath, "I am +rightly served for pitying a scoundrel." + +The greatest kindness will not bind the ungrateful. + + +The Fawn and His Mother + +A YOUNG FAWN once said to his Mother, "You are larger than a dog, +and swifter, and more used to running, and you have your horns as +a defense; why, then, O Mother! do the hounds frighten you so?" +She smiled, and said: "I know full well, my son, that all you say +is true. I have the advantages you mention, but when I hear even +the bark of a single dog I feel ready to faint, and fly away as +fast as I can." + +No arguments will give courage to the coward. + + +The Bear and the Fox + +A BEAR boasted very much of his philanthropy, saying that of all +animals he was the most tender in his regard for man, for he had +such respect for him that he would not even touch his dead body. +A Fox hearing these words said with a smile to the Bear, "Oh! +that you would eat the dead and not the living." + + +The Swallow and the Crow + +THE SWALLOW and the Crow had a contention about their plumage. +The Crow put an end to the dispute by saying, "Your feathers are +all very well in the spring, but mine protect me against the +winter." + +Fair weather friends are not worth much. + + +The Mountain in Labor + +A MOUNTAIN was once greatly agitated. Loud groans and noises +were heard, and crowds of people came from all parts to see what +was the matter. While they were assembled in anxious expectation +of some terrible calamity, out came a Mouse. + +Don't make much ado about nothing. + + +The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion + +THE ASS and the Fox, having entered into partnership together for +their mutual protection, went out into the forest to hunt. They +had not proceeded far when they met a Lion. The Fox, seeing +imminent danger, approached the Lion and promised to contrive for +him the capture of the Ass if the Lion would pledge his word not +to harm the Fox. Then, upon assuring the Ass that he would not +be injured, the Fox led him to a deep pit and arranged that he +should fall into it. The Lion, seeing that the Ass was secured, +immediately clutched the Fox, and attacked the Ass at his +leisure. + + +The Tortoise and the Eagle + +A TORTOISE, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the +sea-birds of her hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly. +An Eagle, hovering near, heard her lamentation and demanded what +reward she would give him if he would take her aloft and float +her in the air. "I will give you," she said, "all the riches of +the Red Sea." "I will teach you to fly then," said the Eagle; and +taking her up in his talons he carried her almost to the clouds +suddenly he let her go, and she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing +her shell to pieces. The Tortoise exclaimed in the moment of +death: "I have deserved my present fate; for what had I to do +with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on the +earth?' + +If men had all they wished, they would be often ruined. + + +The Flies and the Honey-Pot + +A NUMBER of Flies were attracted to a jar of honey which had been +overturned in a housekeeper's room, and placing their feet in it, +ate greedily. Their feet, however, became so smeared with the +honey that they could not use their wings, nor release +themselves, and were suffocated. Just as they were expiring, +they exclaimed, "O foolish creatures that we are, for the sake of +a little pleasure we have destroyed ourselves." + +Pleasure bought with pains, hurts. + + +The Man and the Lion + +A MAN and a Lion traveled together through the forest. They soon +began to boast of their respective superiority to each other in +strength and prowess. As they were disputing, they passed a +statue carved in stone, which represented "a Lion strangled by a +Man." The traveler pointed to it and said: "See there! How strong +we are, and how we prevail over even the king of beasts." The +Lion replied: "This statue was made by one of you men. If we +Lions knew how to erect statues, you would see the Man placed +under the paw of the Lion." + +One story is good, till another is told. + + +The Farmer and the Cranes + +SOME CRANES made their feeding grounds on some plowlands newly +sown with wheat. For a long time the Farmer, brandishing an +empty sling, chased them away by the terror he inspired; but when +the birds found that the sling was only swung in the air, they +ceased to take any notice of it and would not move. The Farmer, +on seeing this, charged his sling with stones, and killed a great +number. The remaining birds at once forsook his fields, crying +to each other, "It is time for us to be off to Liliput: for this +man is no longer content to scare us, but begins to show us in +earnest what he can do." + +If words suffice not, blows must follow. + + +The Dog in the Manger + +A DOG lay in a manger, and by his growling and snapping prevented +the oxen from eating the hay which had been placed for them. +"What a selfish Dog!" said one of them to his companions; "he +cannot eat the hay himself, and yet refuses to allow those to eat +who can." + + +The Fox and the Goat + +A FOX one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of +escape. A Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and +seeing the Fox, inquired if the water was good. Concealing his +sad plight under a merry guise, the Fox indulged in a lavish +praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and +encouraging him to descend. The Goat, mindful only of his +thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox +informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a +scheme for their common escape. "If," said he, "you will place +your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up +your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards." The Goat +readily assented and the Fox leaped upon his back. Steadying +himself with the Goat's horns, he safely reached the mouth of the +well and made off as fast as he could. When the Goat upbraided +him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out, +"You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head +as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down +before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to +dangers from which you had no means of escape." + +Look before you leap. + + +The Bear and the Two Travelers + +TWO MEN were traveling together, when a Bear suddenly met them on +their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and +concealed himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he +must be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the Bear came +up and felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, he held +his breath, and feigned the appearance of death as much as he +could. The Bear soon left him, for it is said he will not touch +a dead body. When he was quite gone, the other Traveler +descended from the tree, and jocularly inquired of his friend +what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear. "He gave me this +advice," his companion replied. "Never travel with a friend who +deserts you at the approach of danger." + +Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends. + + +The Oxen and the Axle-Trees + +A HEAVY WAGON was being dragged along a country lane by a team of +Oxen. The Axle-trees groaned and creaked terribly; whereupon the +Oxen, turning round, thus addressed the wheels: "Hullo there! why +do you make so much noise? We bear all the labor, and we, not +you, ought to cry out." + +Those who suffer most cry out the least. + + +The Thirsty Pigeon + +A PIGEON, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water +painted on a signboard. Not supposing it to be only a picture, +she flew towards it with a loud whir and unwittingly dashed +against the signboard, jarring herself terribly. Having broken +her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground, and was caught by +one of the bystanders. + +Zeal should not outrun discretion. + + +The Raven and the Swan + +A RAVEN saw a Swan and desired to secure for himself the same +beautiful plumage. Supposing that the Swan's splendid white +color arose from his washing in the water in which he swam, the +Raven left the altars in the neighborhood where he picked up his +living, and took up residence in the lakes and pools. But +cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he could not change +their color, while through want of food he perished. + +Change of habit cannot alter Nature. + + +The Goat and the Goatherd + +A GOATHERD had sought to bring back a stray goat to his flock. +He whistled and sounded his horn in vain; the straggler paid no +attention to the summons. At last the Goatherd threw a stone, +and breaking its horn, begged the Goat not to tell his master. +The Goat replied, "Why, you silly fellow, the horn will speak +though I be silent." + +Do not attempt to hide things which cannot be hid. + + +The Miser + +A MISER sold all that he had and bought a lump of gold, which he +buried in a hole in the ground by the side of an old wall and +went to look at daily. One of his workmen observed his frequent +visits to the spot and decided to watch his movements. He soon +discovered the secret of the hidden treasure, and digging down, +came to the lump of gold, and stole it. The Miser, on his next +visit, found the hole empty and began to tear his hair and to +make loud lamentations. A neighbor, seeing him overcome with +grief and learning the cause, said, "Pray do not grieve so; but +go and take a stone, and place it in the hole, and fancy that the +gold is still lying there. It will do you quite the same +service; for when the gold was there, you had it not, as you did +not make the slightest use of it." + + +The Sick Lion + +A LION, unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself +with food by force, resolved to do so by artifice. He returned +to his den, and lying down there, pretended to be sick, taking +care that his sickness should be publicly known. The beasts +expressed their sorrow, and came one by one to his den, where the +Lion devoured them. After many of the beasts had thus +disappeared, the Fox discovered the trick and presenting himself +to the Lion, stood on the outside of the cave, at a respectful +distance, and asked him how he was. "I am very middling," +replied the Lion, "but why do you stand without? Pray enter +within to talk with me." "No, thank you," said the Fox. "I +notice that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but +I see no trace of any returning." + +He is wise who is warned by the misfortunes of others. + + +The Horse and Groom + +A GROOM used to spend whole days in currycombing and rubbing down +his Horse, but at the same time stole his oats and sold them for +his own profit. "Alas!" said the Horse, "if you really wish me +to be in good condition, you should groom me less, and feed me +more." + + +The Ass and the Lapdog + +A MAN had an Ass, and a Maltese Lapdog, a very great beauty. The +Ass was left in a stable and had plenty of oats and hay to eat, +just as any other Ass would. The Lapdog knew many tricks and was +a great favorite with his master, who often fondled him and +seldom went out to dine without bringing him home some tidbit to +eat. The Ass, on the contrary, had much work to do in grinding +the corn-mill and in carrying wood from the forest or burdens +from the farm. He often lamented his own hard fate and +contrasted it with the luxury and idleness of the Lapdog, till at +last one day he broke his cords and halter, and galloped into his +master's house, kicking up his heels without measure, and +frisking and fawning as well as he could. He next tried to jump +about his master as he had seen the Lapdog do, but he broke the +table and smashed all the dishes upon it to atoms. He then +attempted to lick his master, and jumped upon his back. The +servants, hearing the strange hubbub and perceiving the danger of +their master, quickly relieved him, and drove out the Ass to his +stable with kicks and clubs and cuffs. The Ass, as he returned +to his stall beaten nearly to death, thus lamented: "I have +brought it all on myself! Why could I not have been contented to +labor with my companions, and not wish to be idle all the day +like that useless little Lapdog!" + + +The Lioness + +A CONTROVERSY prevailed among the beasts of the field as to which +of the animals deserved the most credit for producing the +greatest number of whelps at a birth. They rushed clamorously +into the presence of the Lioness and demanded of her the +settlement of the dispute. "And you," they said, "how many sons +have you at a birth?' The Lioness laughed at them, and said: +"Why! I have only one; but that one is altogether a thoroughbred +Lion." + +The value is in the worth, not in the number. + + +The Boasting Traveler + +A MAN who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much, on +returning to his own country, of the many wonderful and heroic +feats he had performed in the different places he had visited. +Among other things, he said that when he was at Rhodes he had +leaped to such a distance that no man of his day could leap +anywhere near him as to that, there were in Rhodes many persons +who saw him do it and whom he could call as witnesses. One of +the bystanders interrupted him, saying: "Now, my good man, if +this be all true there is no need of witnesses. Suppose this +to be Rhodes, and leap for us." + + +The Cat and the Cock + +A CAT caught a Cock, and pondered how he might find a reasonable +excuse for eating him. He accused him of being a nuisance to men +by crowing in the nighttime and not permitting them to sleep. +The Cock defended himself by saying that he did this for the +benefit of men, that they might rise in time for their labors. +The Cat replied, "Although you abound in specious apologies, I +shall not remain supperless"; and he made a meal of him. + + +The Piglet, the Sheep, and the Goat + +A YOUNG PIG was shut up in a fold-yard with a Goat and a Sheep. +On one occasion when the shepherd laid hold of him, he grunted +and squeaked and resisted violently. The Sheep and the Goat +complained of his distressing cries, saying, "He often handles +us, and we do not cry out." To this the Pig replied, "Your +handling and mine are very different things. He catches you only +for your wool, or your milk, but he lays hold on me for my very +life." + + +The Boy and the Filberts + +A BOY put his hand into a pitcher full of filberts. He grasped +as many as he could possibly hold, but when he tried to pull out +his hand, he was prevented from doing so by the neck of the +pitcher. Unwilling to lose his filberts, and yet unable to +withdraw his hand, he burst into tears and bitterly lamented his +disappointment. A bystander said to him, "Be satisfied with half +the quantity, and you will readily draw out your hand." + +Do not attempt too much at once. + + +The Lion in Love + +A LION demanded the daughter of a woodcutter in marriage. The +Father, unwilling to grant, and yet afraid to refuse his request, +hit upon this expedient to rid himself of his importunities. He +expressed his willingness to accept the Lion as the suitor of his +daughter on one condition: that he should allow him to extract +his teeth, and cut off his claws, as his daughter was fearfully +afraid of both. The Lion cheerfully assented to the proposal. +But when the toothless, clawless Lion returned to repeat his +request, the Woodman, no longer afraid, set upon him with his +club, and drove him away into the forest. + + +The Laborer and the Snake + +A SNAKE, having made his hole close to the porch of a cottage, +inflicted a mortal bite on the Cottager's infant son. Grieving +over his loss, the Father resolved to kill the Snake. The next +day, when it came out of its hole for food, he took up his axe, +but by swinging too hastily, missed its head and cut off only the +end of its tail. After some time the Cottager, afraid that the +Snake would bite him also, endeavored to make peace, and placed +some bread and salt in the hole. The Snake, slightly hissing, +said: "There can henceforth be no peace between us; for whenever +I see you I shall remember the loss of my tail, and whenever you +see me you will be thinking of the death of your son." + +No one truly forgets injuries in the presence of him who caused +the injury. + + +The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing + +ONCE UPON A TIME a Wolf resolved to disguise his appearance in +order to secure food more easily. Encased in the skin of a +sheep, he pastured with the flock deceiving the shepherd by his +costume. In the evening he was shut up by the shepherd in the +fold; the gate was closed, and the entrance made thoroughly +secure. But the shepherd, returning to the fold during the night +to obtain meat for the next day, mistakenly caught up the Wolf +instead of a sheep, and killed him instantly. + +Harm seek. harm find. + + +The Ass and the Mule + +A MULETEER set forth on a journey, driving before him an Ass and +a Mule, both well laden. The Ass, as long as he traveled along +the plain, carried his load with ease, but when he began to +ascend the steep path of the mountain, felt his load to be more +than he could bear. He entreated his companion to relieve him of +a small portion, that he might carry home the rest; but the Mule +paid no attention to the request. The Ass shortly afterwards +fell down dead under his burden. Not knowing what else to do in +so wild a region, the Muleteer placed upon the Mule the load +carried by the Ass in addition to his own, and at the top of all +placed the hide of the Ass, after he had skinned him. The Mule, +groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself: "I am treated +according to my deserts. If I had only been willing to assist +the Ass a little in his need, I should not now be bearing, +together with his burden, himself as well." + + +The Frogs Asking for a King + +THE FROGS, grieved at having no established Ruler, sent +ambassadors to Jupiter entreating for a King. Perceiving their +simplicity, he cast down a huge log into the lake. The Frogs +were terrified at the splash occasioned by its fall and hid +themselves in the depths of the pool. But as soon as they +realized that the huge log was motionless, they swam again to the +top of the water, dismissed their fears, climbed up, and began +squatting on it in contempt. After some time they began to think +themselves ill-treated in the appointment of so inert a Ruler, +and sent a second deputation to Jupiter to pray that he would set +over them another sovereign. He then gave them an Eel to govern +them. When the Frogs discovered his easy good nature, they sent +yet a third time to Jupiter to beg him to choose for them still +another King. Jupiter, displeased with all their complaints, +sent a Heron, who preyed upon the Frogs day by day till there +were none left to croak upon the lake. + + +The Boys and the Frogs + +SOME BOYS, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the +water and began to pelt them with stones. They killed several of +them, when one of the Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, +cried out: "Pray stop, my boys: what is sport to you, is death to +us." + + +The Sick Stag + +A SICK STAG lay down in a quiet corner of its pasture-ground. +His companions came in great numbers to inquire after his health, +and each one helped himself to a share of the food which had been +placed for his use; so that he died, not from his sickness, but +from the failure of the means of living. + +Evil companions bring more hurt than profit. + + +The Salt Merchant and His Ass + +A PEDDLER drove his Ass to the seashore to buy salt. His road +home lay across a stream into which his Ass, making a false step, +fell by accident and rose up again with his load considerably +lighter, as the water melted the sack. The Peddler retraced his +steps and refilled his panniers with a larger quantity of salt +than before. When he came again to the stream, the Ass fell down +on purpose in the same spot, and, regaining his feet with the +weight of his load much diminished, brayed triumphantly as if he +had obtained what he desired. The Peddler saw through his trick +and drove him for the third time to the coast, where he bought a +cargo of sponges instead of salt. The Ass, again playing the +fool, fell down on purpose when he reached the stream, but the +sponges became swollen with water, greatly increasing his load. +And thus his trick recoiled on him, for he now carried on his +back a double burden. + + +The Oxen and the Butchers + +THE OXEN once upon a time sought to destroy the Butchers, who +practiced a trade destructive to their race. They assembled on a +certain day to carry out their purpose, and sharpened their horns +for the contest. But one of them who was exceedingly old (for +many a field had he plowed) thus spoke: "These Butchers, it is +true, slaughter us, but they do so with skillful hands, and with +no unnecessary pain. If we get rid of them, we shall fall into +the hands of unskillful operators, and thus suffer a double +death: for you may be assured, that though all the Butchers +should perish, yet will men never want beef." + +Do not be in a hurry to change one evil for another. + + +The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox + +A LION, fatigued by the heat of a summer's day, fell fast asleep +in his den. A Mouse ran over his mane and ears and woke him from +his slumbers. He rose up and shook himself in great wrath, and +searched every corner of his den to find the Mouse. A Fox seeing +him said: "A fine Lion you are, to be frightened of a Mouse." +"'Tis not the Mouse I fear," said the Lion; "I resent his +familiarity and ill-breeding." + +Little liberties are great offenses. + + +The Vain Jackdaw + +JUPITER DETERMINED, it is said, to create a sovereign over the +birds, and made proclamation that on a certain day they should +all present themselves before him, when he would himself choose +the most beautiful among them to be king. The Jackdaw, knowing +his own ugliness, searched through the woods and fields, and +collected the feathers which had fallen from the wings of his +companions, and stuck them in all parts of his body, hoping +thereby to make himself the most beautiful of all. When the +appointed day arrived, and the birds had assembled before +Jupiter, the Jackdaw also made his appearance in his many +feathered finery. But when Jupiter proposed to make him king +because of the beauty of his plumage, the birds indignantly +protested, and each plucked from him his own feathers, leaving +the Jackdaw nothing but a Jackdaw. + + +The Goatherd and the Wild Goats + +A GOATHERD, driving his flock from their pasture at eventide, +found some Wild Goats mingled among them, and shut them up +together with his own for the night. The next day it snowed very +hard, so that he could not take the herd to their usual feeding +places, but was obliged to keep them in the fold. He gave his +own goats just sufficient food to keep them alive, but fed the +strangers more abundantly in the hope of enticing them to stay +with him and of making them his own. When the thaw set in, he +led them all out to feed, and the Wild Goats scampered away as +fast as they could to the mountains. The Goatherd scolded them +for their ingratitude in leaving him, when during the storm he +had taken more care of them than of his own herd. One of them, +turning about, said to him: "That is the very reason why we are +so cautious; for if you yesterday treated us better than the +Goats you have had so long, it is plain also that if others came +after us, you would in the same manner prefer them to ourselves." + + +Old friends cannot with impunity be sacrificed for new ones. + + +The Mischievous Dog + +A DOG used to run up quietly to the heels of everyone he met, and +to bite them without notice. His master suspended a bell about +his neck so that the Dog might give notice of his presence +wherever he went. Thinking it a mark of distinction, the Dog +grew proud of his bell and went tinkling it all over the +marketplace. One day an old hound said to him: Why do you make +such an exhibition of yourself? That bell that you carry is not, +believe me, any order of merit, but on the contrary a mark of +disgrace, a public notice to all men to avoid you as an ill +mannered dog." + +Notoriety is often mistaken for fame. + + +The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail + +A FOX caught in a trap escaped, but in so doing lost his tail. +Thereafter, feeling his life a burden from the shame and ridicule +to which he was exposed, he schemed to convince all the other +Foxes that being tailless was much more attractive, thus making +up for his own deprivation. He assembled a good many Foxes and +publicly advised them to cut off their tails, saying that they +would not only look much better without them, but that they would +get rid of the weight of the brush, which was a very great +inconvenience. One of them interrupting him said, "If you had +not yourself lost your tail, my friend, you would not thus +counsel us." + + +The Boy and the Nettles + +A BOY was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his Mother, +saying, "Although it hurts me very much, I only touched it +gently." "That was just why it stung you," said his Mother. "The +next time you touch a Nettle, grasp it boldly, and it will be +soft as silk to your hand, and not in the least hurt you." + +Whatever you do, do with all your might. + + +The Man and His Two Sweethearts + +A MIDDLE-AGED MAN, whose hair had begun to turn gray, courted two +women at the same time. One of them was young, and the other +well advanced in years. The elder woman, ashamed to be courted +by a man younger than herself, made a point, whenever her admirer +visited her, to pull out some portion of his black hairs. The +younger, on the contrary, not wishing to become the wife of an +old man, was equally zealous in removing every gray hair she +could find. Thus it came to pass that between them both he very +soon found that he had not a hair left on his head. + +Those who seek to please everybody please nobody. + + +The Astronomer + +AN ASTRONOMER used to go out at night to observe the stars. One +evening, as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole +attention fixed on the sky, he fell accidentally into a deep +well. While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and +cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning +what had happened said: "Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to +pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on +earth?' + + +The Wolves and the Sheep + +"WHY SHOULD there always be this fear and slaughter between us?" +said the Wolves to the Sheep. "Those evil-disposed Dogs have +much to answer for. They always bark whenever we approach you +and attack us before we have done any harm. If you would only +dismiss them from your heels, there might soon be treaties of +peace and reconciliation between us." The Sheep, poor silly +creatures, were easily beguiled and dismissed the Dogs, whereupon +the Wolves destroyed the unguarded flock at their own pleasure. + + +The Old Woman and the Physician + +AN OLD WOMAN having lost the use of her eyes, called in a +Physician to heal them, and made this bargain with him in the +presence of witnesses: that if he should cure her blindness, he +should receive from her a sum of money; but if her infirmity +remained, she should give him nothing. This agreement being +made, the Physician, time after time, applied his salve to her +eyes, and on every visit took something away, stealing all her +property little by little. And when he had got all she had, he +healed her and demanded the promised payment. The Old Woman, +when she recovered her sight and saw none of her goods in her +house, would give him nothing. The Physician insisted on his +claim, and. as she still refused, summoned her before the Judge. +The Old Woman, standing up in the Court, argued: "This man here +speaks the truth in what he says; for I did promise to give him a +sum of money if I should recover my sight: but if I continued +blind, I was to give him nothing. Now he declares that I am +healed. I on the contrary affirm that I am still blind; for when +I lost the use of my eyes, I saw in my house various chattels and +valuable goods: but now, though he swears I am cured of my +blindness, I am not able to see a single thing in it." + + +The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle + +TWO GAME COCKS were fiercely fighting for the mastery of the +farmyard. One at last put the other to flight. The vanquished +Cock skulked away and hid himself in a quiet corner, while the +conqueror, flying up to a high wall, flapped his wings and crowed +exultingly with all his might. An Eagle sailing through the air +pounced upon him and carried him off in his talons. The +vanquished Cock immediately came out of his corner, and ruled +henceforth with undisputed mastery. + +Pride goes before destruction. + + +The Charger and the Miller + +A CHARGER, feeling the infirmities of age, was sent to work in a +mill instead of going out to battle. But when he was compelled +to grind instead of serving in the wars, he bewailed his change +of fortune and called to mind his former state, saying, "Ah! +Miller, I had indeed to go campaigning before, but I was barbed +from counter to tail, and a man went along to groom me; and now I +cannot understand what ailed me to prefer the mill before the +battle." "Forbear," said the Miller to him, "harping on what was +of yore, for it is the common lot of mortals to sustain the ups +and downs of fortune." + + +The Fox and the Monkey + +A MONKEY once danced in an assembly of the Beasts, and so pleased +them all by his performance that they elected him their King. A +Fox, envying him the honor, discovered a piece of meat lying in a +trap, and leading the Monkey to the place where it was, said that +she had found a store, but had not used it e had kept it for him +as treasure trove of his kingdom, and counseled him to lay hold +of it. The Monkey approached carelessly and was caught in the +trap; and on his accusing the Fox of purposely leading him into +the snare, she replied, "O Monkey, and are you, with such a mind +as yours, going to be King over the Beasts?" + + +The Horse and His Rider + +A HORSE SOLDIER took the utmost pains with his charger. As long +as the war lasted, he looked upon him as his fellow-helper in all +emergencies and fed him carefully with hay and corn. But when +the war was over, he only allowed him chaff to eat and made him +carry heavy loads of wood, subjecting him to much slavish +drudgery and ill-treatment. War was again proclaimed, however, +and when the trumpet summoned him to his standard, the Soldier +put on his charger its military trappings, and mounted, being +clad in his heavy coat of mail. The Horse fell down straightway +under the weight, no longer equal to the burden, and said to his +master, "You must now go to the war on foot, for you have +transformed me from a Horse into an Ass; and how can you expect +that I can again turn in a moment from an Ass to a Horse?' + + +The Belly and the Members + +THE MEMBERS of the Body rebelled against the Belly, and said, +"Why should we be perpetually engaged in administering to your +wants, while you do nothing but take your rest, and enjoy +yourself in luxury and self-indulgence?' The Members carried out +their resolve and refused their assistance to the Belly. The +whole Body quickly became debilitated, and the hands, feet, +mouth, and eyes, when too late, repented of their folly. + + +The Vine and the Goat + +A VINE was luxuriant in the time of vintage with leaves and +grapes. A Goat, passing by, nibbled its young tendrils and its +leaves. The Vine addressed him and said: "Why do you thus injure +me without a cause, and crop my leaves? Is there no young grass +left? But I shall not have to wait long for my just revenge; for +if you now should crop my leaves, and cut me down to my root, I +shall provide the wine to pour over you when you are led as a +victim to the sacrifice." + + +Jupiter and the Monkey + +JUPITER ISSUED a proclamation to all the beasts of the forest and +promised a royal reward to the one whose offspring should be +deemed the handsomest. The Monkey came with the rest and +presented, with all a mother's tenderness, a flat-nosed, +hairless, ill-featured young Monkey as a candidate for the +promised reward. A general laugh saluted her on the presentation +of her son. She resolutely said, "I know not whether Jupiter +will allot the prize to my son, but this I do know, that he is at +least in the eyes of me his mother, the dearest, handsomest, and +most beautiful of all." + + +The Widow and Her Little Maidens + +A WIDOW who was fond of cleaning had two little maidens to wait +on her. She was in the habit of waking them early in the +morning, at cockcrow. The maidens, aggravated by such excessive +labor, resolved to kill the cock who roused their mistress so +early. When they had done this, they found that they had only +prepared for themselves greater troubles, for their mistress, no +longer hearing the hour from the cock, woke them up to their work +in the middle of the night. + + +The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf + +A SHEPHERD-BOY, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, +brought out the villagers three or four times by crying out, +"Wolf! Wolf!" and when his neighbors came to help him, laughed at +them for their pains. The Wolf, however, did truly come at last. +The Shepherd-boy, now really alarmed, shouted in an agony of +terror: "Pray, do come and help me; the Wolf is killing the +sheep"; but no one paid any heed to his cries, nor rendered any +assistance. The Wolf, having no cause of fear, at his leisure +lacerated or destroyed the whole flock. + +There is no believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth. + + +The Cat and the Birds + +A CAT, hearing that the Birds in a certain aviary were ailing +dressed himself up as a physician, and, taking his cane and a bag +of instruments becoming his profession, went to call on them. He +knocked at the door and inquired of the inmates how they all did, +saying that if they were ill, he would be happy to prescribe for +them and cure them. They replied, "We are all very well, and +shall continue so, if you will only be good enough to go away, +and leave us as we are." + + +The Kid and the Wolf + +A KID standing on the roof of a house, out of harm's way, saw a +Wolf passing by and immediately began to taunt and revile him. +The Wolf, looking up, said, "Sirrah! I hear thee: yet it is not +thou who mockest me, but the roof on which thou art standing." + +Time and place often give the advantage to the weak over the +strong. + + +The Ox and the Frog + +AN OX drinking at a pool trod on a brood of young frogs and +crushed one of them to death. The Mother coming up, and missing +one of her sons, inquired of his brothers what had become of him. +"He is dead, dear Mother; for just now a very huge beast with +four great feet came to the pool and crushed him to death with +his cloven heel." The Frog, puffing herself out, inquired, "if +the beast was as big as that in size." "Cease, Mother, to puff +yourself out," said her son, "and do not be angry; for you would, +I assure you, sooner burst than successfully imitate the hugeness +of that monster." + + +The Shepherd and the Wolf + + A SHEPHERD once found the whelp of a Wolf and brought it up, and +after a while taught it to steal lambs from the neighboring +flocks. The Wolf, having shown himself an apt pupil, said to the +Shepherd, "Since you have taught me to steal, you must keep a +sharp lookout, or you will lose some of your own flock." + + +The Father and His Two Daughters + +A MAN had two daughters, the one married to a gardener, and the +other to a tile-maker. After a time he went to the daughter who +had married the gardener, and inquired how she was and how all +things went with her. She said, "All things are prospering with +me, and I have only one wish, that there may be a heavy fall of +rain, in order that the plants may be well watered." Not long +after, he went to the daughter who had married the tilemaker, and +likewise inquired of her how she fared; she replied, "I want for +nothing, and have only one wish, that the dry weather may +continue, and the sun shine hot and bright, so that the bricks +might be dried." He said to her, "If your sister wishes for rain, +and you for dry weather, with which of the two am I to join my +wishes?' + + +The Farmer and His Sons + +A FATHER, being on the point of death, wished to be sure that his +sons would give the same attention to his farm as he himself had +given it. He called them to his bedside and said, "My sons, +there is a great treasure hid in one of my vineyards." The sons, +after his death, took their spades and mattocks and carefully dug +over every portion of their land. They found no treasure, but +the vines repaid their labor by an extraordinary and +superabundant crop. + + +The Crab and Its Mother + +A CRAB said to her son, "Why do you walk so one-sided, my child? +It is far more becoming to go straight forward." The young Crab +replied: "Quite true, dear Mother; and if you will show me the +straight way, I will promise to walk in it." The Mother tried in +vain, and submitted without remonstrance to the reproof of her +child. + +Example is more powerful than precept. + + +The Heifer and the Ox + +A HEIFER saw an Ox hard at work harnessed to a plow, and +tormented him with reflections on his unhappy fate in being +compelled to labor. Shortly afterwards, at the harvest festival, +the owner released the Ox from his yoke, but bound the Heifer +with cords and led him away to the altar to be slain in honor of +the occasion. The Ox saw what was being done, and said with a +smile to the Heifer: "For this you were allowed to live in +idleness, because you were presently to be sacrificed." + + +The Swallow, the Serpent, and the Court of Justice + +A SWALLOW, returning from abroad and especially fond of dwelling +with men, built herself a nest in the wall of a Court of Justice +and there hatched seven young birds. A Serpent gliding past the +nest from its hole in the wall ate up the young unfledged +nestlings. The Swallow, finding her nest empty, lamented greatly +and exclaimed: "Woe to me a stranger! that in this place where +all others' rights are protected, I alone should suffer wrong." + + +The Thief and His Mother + +A BOY stole a lesson-book from one of his schoolfellows and took +it home to his Mother. She not only abstained from beating him, +but encouraged him. He next time stole a cloak and brought it to +her, and she again commended him. The Youth, advanced to +adulthood, proceeded to steal things of still greater value. At +last he was caught in the very act, and having his hands bound +behind him, was led away to the place of public execution. His +Mother followed in the crowd and violently beat her breast in +sorrow, whereupon the young man said, "I wish to say something to +my Mother in her ear." She came close to him, and he quickly +seized her ear with his teeth and bit it off. The Mother +upbraided him as an unnatural child, whereon he replied, "Ah! if +you had beaten me when I first stole and brought to you that +lesson-book, I should not have come to this, nor have been thus +led to a disgraceful death." + + +The Old Man and Death + +AN OLD MAN was employed in cutting wood in the forest, and, in +carrying the faggots to the city for sale one day, became very +wearied with his long journey. He sat down by the wayside, and +throwing down his load, besought "Death" to come. "Death" +immediately appeared in answer to his summons and asked for what +reason he had called him. The Old Man hurriedly replied, "That, +lifting up the load, you may place it again upon my shoulders." + + +The Fir-Tree and the Bramble + +A FIR-TREE said boastingly to the Bramble, "You are useful for +nothing at all; while I am everywhere used for roofs and houses." +The Bramble answered: 'You poor creature, if you would only call +to mind the axes and saws which are about to hew you down, you +would have reason to wish that you had grown up a Bramble, not a +Fir-Tree." + +Better poverty without care, than riches with. + + +The Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk + +A MOUSE who always lived on the land, by an unlucky chance formed +an intimate acquaintance with a Frog, who lived for the most part +in the water. The Frog, one day intent on mischief, bound the +foot of the Mouse tightly to his own. Thus joined together, the +Frog first of all led his friend the Mouse to the meadow where +they were accustomed to find their food. After this, he +gradually led him towards the pool in which he lived, until +reaching the very brink, he suddenly jumped in, dragging the +Mouse with him. The Frog enjoyed the water amazingly, and swam +croaking about, as if he had done a good deed. The unhappy Mouse +was soon suffocated by the water, and his dead body floated about +on the surface, tied to the foot of the Frog. A Hawk observed +it, and, pouncing upon it with his talons, carried it aloft. The +Frog, being still fastened to the leg of the Mouse, was also +carried off a prisoner, and was eaten by the Hawk. + +Harm hatch, harm catch. + + +The Man Bitten by a Dog + +A MAN who had been bitten by a Dog went about in quest of someone +who might heal him. A friend, meeting him and learning what he +wanted, said, "If you would be cured, take a piece of bread, and +dip it in the blood from your wound, and go and give it to the +Dog that bit you." The Man who had been bitten laughed at this +advice and said, "Why? If I should do so, it would be as if I +should beg every Dog in the town to bite me." + +Benefits bestowed upon the evil-disposed increase their means of +injuring you. + + +The Two Pots + +A RIVER carried down in its stream two Pots, one made of +earthenware and the other of brass. The Earthen Pot said to the +Brass Pot, "Pray keep at a distance and do not come near me, for +if you touch me ever so slightly, I shall be broken in pieces, +and besides, I by no means wish to come near you." + +Equals make the best friends. + + +The Wolf and the Sheep + +A WOLF, sorely wounded and bitten by dogs, lay sick and maimed in +his lair. Being in want of food, he called to a Sheep who was +passing, and asked him to fetch some water from a stream flowing +close beside him. "For," he said, "if you will bring me drink, I +will find means to provide myself with meat." "Yes," said the +Sheep, "if I should bring you the draught, you would doubtless +make me provide the meat also." + +Hypocritical speeches are easily seen through. + + +The Aethiop + +THE PURCHASER of a black servant was persuaded that the color of +his skin arose from dirt contracted through the neglect of his +former masters. On bringing him home he resorted to every means +of cleaning, and subjected the man to incessant scrubbings. The +servant caught a severe cold, but he never changed his color or +complexion. + +What's bred in the bone will stick to the flesh. + + +The Fisherman and His Nets + +A FISHERMAN, engaged in his calling, made a very successful cast +and captured a great haul of fish. He managed by a skillful +handling of his net to retain all the large fish and to draw them +to the shore; but he could not prevent the smaller fish from +falling back through the meshes of the net into the sea. + + +The Huntsman and the Fisherman + +A HUNTSMAN, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by +chance with a Fisherman who was bringing home a basket well laden +with fish. The Huntsman wished to have the fish, and their owner +experienced an equal longing for the contents of the game-bag. +They quickly agreed to exchange the produce of their day's sport. +Each was so well pleased with his bargain that they made for some +time the same exchange day after day. Finally a neighbor said to +them, "If you go on in this way, you will soon destroy by +frequent use the pleasure of your exchange, and each will again +wish to retain the fruits of his own sport." + +Abstain and enjoy. + + +The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar + +AN OLD WOMAN found an empty jar which had lately been full of +prime old wine and which still retained the fragrant smell of its +former contents. She greedily placed it several times to her +nose, and drawing it backwards and forwards said, "O most +delicious! How nice must the Wine itself have been, when it +leaves behind in the very vessel which contained it so sweet a +perfume!" + +The memory of a good deed lives. + + +The Fox and the Crow + +A CROW having stolen a bit of meat, perched in a tree and held it +in her beak. A Fox, seeing this, longed to possess the meat +himself, and by a wily stratagem succeeded. "How handsome is the +Crow," he exclaimed, in the beauty of her shape and in the +fairness of her complexion! Oh, if her voice were only equal to +her beauty, she would deservedly be considered the Queen of +Birds!" This he said deceitfully; but the Crow, anxious to refute +the reflection cast upon her voice, set up a loud caw and dropped +the flesh. The Fox quickly picked it up, and thus addressed the +Crow: "My good Crow, your voice is right enough, but your wit is +wanting." + + +The Two Dogs + +A MAN had two dogs: a Hound, trained to assist him in his sports, +and a Housedog, taught to watch the house. When he returned home +after a good day's sport, he always gave the Housedog a large +share of his spoil. The Hound, feeling much aggrieved at this, +reproached his companion, saying, "It is very hard to have all +this labor, while you, who do not assist in the chase, luxuriate +on the fruits of my exertions." The Housedog replied, "Do not +blame me, my friend, but find fault with the master, who has not +taught me to labor, but to depend for subsistence on the labor of +others." + +Children are not to be blamed for the faults of their parents. + + +The Stag in the Ox-Stall + +A STAG, roundly chased by the hounds and blinded by fear to the +danger he was running into, took shelter in a farmyard and hid +himself in a shed among the oxen. An Ox gave him this kindly +warning: "O unhappy creature! why should you thus, of your own +accord, incur destruction and trust yourself in the house of your +enemy?' The Stag replied: "Only allow me, friend, to stay where I +am, and I will undertake to find some favorable opportunity of +effecting my escape." At the approach of the evening the herdsman +came to feed his cattle, but did not see the Stag; and even the +farm-bailiff with several laborers passed through the shed and +failed to notice him. The Stag, congratulating himself on his +safety, began to express his sincere thanks to the Oxen who had +kindly helped him in the hour of need. One of them again +answered him: "We indeed wish you well, but the danger is not +over. There is one other yet to pass through the shed, who has +as it were a hundred eyes, and until he has come and gone, your +life is still in peril." At that moment the master himself +entered, and having had to complain that his oxen had not been +properly fed, he went up to their racks and cried out: "Why is +there such a scarcity of fodder? There is not half enough straw +for them to lie on. Those lazy fellows have not even swept the +cobwebs away." While he thus examined everything in turn, he +spied the tips of the antlers of the Stag peeping out of the +straw. Then summoning his laborers, he ordered that the Stag +should be seized and killed. + + +The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons + +THE PIGEONS, terrified by the appearance of a Kite, called upon +the Hawk to defend them. He at once consented. When they had +admitted him into the cote, they found that he made more havoc +and slew a larger number of them in one day than the Kite could +pounce upon in a whole year. + +Avoid a remedy that is worse than the disease. + + +The Widow and the Sheep + +A CERTAIN poor widow had one solitary Sheep. At shearing time, +wishing to take his fleece and to avoid expense, she sheared him +herself, but used the shears so unskillfully that with the fleece +she sheared the flesh. The Sheep, writhing with pain, said, "Why +do you hurt me so, Mistress? What weight can my blood add to the +wool? If you want my flesh, there is the butcher, who will kill +me in an instant; but if you want my fleece and wool, there is +the shearer, who will shear and not hurt me." + +The least outlay is not always the greatest gain. + + +The Wild Ass and the Lion + +A WILD ASS and a Lion entered into an alliance so that they might +capture the beasts of the forest with greater ease. The Lion +agreed to assist the Wild Ass with his strength, while the Wild +Ass gave the Lion the benefit of his greater speed. When they +had taken as many beasts as their necessities required, the Lion +undertook to distribute the prey, and for this purpose divided it +into three shares. "I will take the first share," he said, +"because I am King: and the second share, as a partner with you +in the chase: and the third share (believe me) will be a source +of great evil to you, unless you willingly resign it to me, and +set off as fast as you can." + +Might makes right. + + +The Eagle and the Arrow + +AN EAGLE sat on a lofty rock, watching the movements of a Hare +whom he sought to make his prey. An archer, who saw the Eagle +from a place of concealment, took an accurate aim and wounded him +mortally. The Eagle gave one look at the arrow that had entered +his heart and saw in that single glance that its feathers had +been furnished by himself. "It is a double grief to me," he +exclaimed, "that I should perish by an arrow feathered from my +own wings." + + +The Sick Kite + +A KITE, sick unto death, said to his mother: "O Mother! do not +mourn, but at once invoke the gods that my life may be +prolonged." She replied, "Alas! my son, which of the gods do you +think will pity you? Is there one whom you have not outraged by +filching from their very altars a part of the sacrifice offered +up to them?' + +We must make friends in prosperity if we would have their help in +adversity. + + +The Lion and the Dolphin + +A LION roaming by the seashore saw a Dolphin lift up its head out +of the waves, and suggested that they contract an alliance, +saying that of all the animals they ought to be the best friends, +since the one was the king of beasts on the earth, and the other +was the sovereign ruler of all the inhabitants of the ocean. The +Dolphin gladly consented to this request. Not long afterwards +the Lion had a combat with a wild bull, and called on the Dolphin +to help him. The Dolphin, though quite willing to give him +assistance, was unable to do so, as he could not by any means +reach the land. The Lion abused him as a traitor. The Dolphin +replied, "Nay, my friend, blame not me, but Nature, which, while +giving me the sovereignty of the sea, has quite denied me the +power of living upon the land." + + +The Lion and the Boar + +ON A SUMMER DAY, when the great heat induced a general thirst +among the beasts, a Lion and a Boar came at the same moment to a +small well to drink. They fiercely disputed which of them should +drink first, and were soon engaged in the agonies of a mortal +combat. When they stopped suddenly to catch their breath for a +fiercer renewal of the fight, they saw some Vultures waiting in +the distance to feast on the one that should fall first. They at +once made up their quarrel, saying, "It is better for us to make +friends, than to become the food of Crows or Vultures." + + +The One-Eyed Doe + +A DOE blind in one eye was accustomed to graze as near to the +edge of the cliff as she possibly could, in the hope of securing +her greater safety. She turned her sound eye towards the land +that she might get the earliest tidings of the approach of hunter +or hound, and her injured eye towards the sea, from whence she +entertained no anticipation of danger. Some boatmen sailing by +saw her, and taking a successful aim, mortally wounded her. +Yielding up her last breath, she gasped forth this lament: "O +wretched creature that I am! to take such precaution against the +land, and after all to find this seashore, to which I had come +for safety, so much more perilous." + + +The Shepherd and the Sea + +A SHEPHERD, keeping watch over his sheep near the shore, saw the +Sea very calm and smooth, and longed to make a voyage with a view +to commerce. He sold all his flock, invested it in a cargo of +dates, and set sail. But a very great tempest came on, and the +ship being in danger of sinking, he threw all his merchandise +overboard, and barely escaped with his life in the empty ship. +Not long afterwards when someone passed by and observed the +unruffled calm of the Sea, he interrupted him and said, "It is +again in want of dates, and therefore looks quiet." + + +The Ass, the Cock, and the Lion + +AN ASS and a Cock were in a straw-yard together when a Lion, +desperate from hunger, approached the spot. He was about to +spring upon the Ass, when the Cock (to the sound of whose voice +the Lion, it is said, has a singular aversion) crowed loudly, and +the Lion fled away as fast as he could. The Ass, observing his +trepidation at the mere crowing of a Cock summoned courage to +attack him, and galloped after him for that purpose. He had run +no long distance, when the Lion, turning about, seized him and +tore him to pieces. + +False confidence often leads into danger. + + +The Mice and the Weasels + +THE WEASELS and the Mice waged a perpetual war with each other, +in which much blood was shed. The Weasels were always the +victors. The Mice thought that the cause of their frequent +defeats was that they had no leaders set apart from the general +army to command them, and that they were exposed to dangers from +lack of discipline. They therefore chose as leaders Mice that +were most renowned for their family descent, strength, and +counsel, as well as those most noted for their courage in the +fight, so that they might be better marshaled in battle array and +formed into troops, regiments, and battalions. When all this was +done, and the army disciplined, and the herald Mouse had duly +proclaimed war by challenging the Weasels, the newly chosen +generals bound their heads with straws, that they might be more +conspicuous to all their troops. Scarcely had the battle begun, +when a great rout overwhelmed the Mice, who scampered off as fast +as they could to their holes. The generals, not being able to +get in on account of the ornaments on their heads, were all +captured and eaten by the Weasels. + +The more honor the more danger. + + +The Mice in Council + +THE MICE summoned a council to decide how they might best devise +means of warning themselves of the approach of their great enemy +the Cat. Among the many plans suggested, the one that found most +favor was the proposal to tie a bell to the neck of the Cat, so +that the Mice, being warned by the sound of the tinkling, might +run away and hide themselves in their holes at his approach. But +when the Mice further debated who among them should thus "bell +the Cat," there was no one found to do it. + + +The Wolf and the Housedog + +A WOLF, meeting a big well-fed Mastiff with a wooden collar about +his neck asked him who it was that fed him so well and yet +compelled him to drag that heavy log about wherever he went. +"The master," he replied. Then said the Wolf: "May no friend of +mine ever be in such a plight; for the weight of this chain is +enough to spoil the appetite." + + +The Rivers and the Sea + +THE RIVERS joined together to complain to the Sea, saying, "Why +is it that when we flow into your tides so potable and sweet, you +work in us such a change, and make us salty and unfit to drink?" +The Sea, perceiving that they intended to throw the blame on him, +said, "Pray cease to flow into me, and then you will not be made +briny." + + +The Playful Ass + +AN ASS climbed up to the roof of a building, and frisking about +there, broke in the tiling. The owner went up after him and +quickly drove him down, beating him severely with a thick wooden +cudgel. The Ass said, "Why, I saw the Monkey do this very thing +yesterday, and you all laughed heartily, as if it afforded you +very great amusement." + + +The Three Tradesmen + +A GREAT CITY was besieged, and its inhabitants were called +together to consider the best means of protecting it from the +enemy. A Bricklayer earnestly recommended bricks as affording +the best material for an effective resistance. A Carpenter, with +equal enthusiasm, proposed timber as a preferable method of +defense. Upon which a Currier stood up and said, "Sirs, I differ +from you altogether: there is no material for resistance equal to +a covering of hides; and nothing so good as leather." + +Every man for himself. + + +The Master and His Dogs + +A CERTAIN MAN, detained by a storm in his country house, first of +all killed his sheep, and then his goats, for the maintenance of +his household. The storm still continuing, he was obliged to +slaughter his yoke oxen for food. On seeing this, his Dogs took +counsel together, and said, "It is time for us to be off, for if +the master spare not his oxen, who work for his gain, how can we +expect him to spare us?' + +He is not to be trusted as a friend who mistreats his own family. + + +The Wolf and the Shepherds + +A WOLF, passing by, saw some Shepherds in a hut eating a haunch +of mutton for their dinner. Approaching them, he said, "What a +clamor you would raise if I were to do as you are doing!" + + +The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat + +THE DOLPHINS and Whales waged a fierce war with each other. When +the battle was at its height, a Sprat lifted its head out of the +waves and said that he would reconcile their differences if they +would accept him as an umpire. One of the Dolphins replied, "We +would far rather be destroyed in our battle with each other than +admit any interference from you in our affairs." + + +The Ass Carrying the Image + +AN ASS once carried through the streets of a city a famous wooden +Image, to be placed in one of its Temples. As he passed along, +the crowd made lowly prostration before the Image. The Ass, +thinking that they bowed their heads in token of respect for +himself, bristled up with pride, gave himself airs, and refused +to move another step. The driver, seeing him thus stop, laid his +whip lustily about his shoulders and said, "O you perverse +dull-head! it is not yet come to this, that men pay worship to an +Ass." + +They are not wise who give to themselves the credit due to +others. + + +The Two Travelers and the Axe + +TWO MEN were journeying together. One of them picked up an axe +that lay upon the path, and said, "I have found an axe." "Nay, my +friend," replied the other, "do not say 'I,' but 'We' have found +an axe." They had not gone far before they saw the owner of the +axe pursuing them, and he who had picked up the axe said, "We are +undone." "Nay," replied the other, "keep to your first mode of +speech, my friend; what you thought right then, think right now. +Say 'I,' not 'We' are undone." + +He who shares the danger ought to share the prize. + + +The Old Lion + +A LION, worn out with years and powerless from disease, lay on +the ground at the point of death. A Boar rushed upon him, and +avenged with a stroke of his tusks a long-remembered injury. +Shortly afterwards the Bull with his horns gored him as if he +were an enemy. When the Ass saw that the huge beast could be +assailed with impunity, he let drive at his forehead with his +heels. The expiring Lion said, "I have reluctantly brooked the +insults of the brave, but to be compelled to endure such +treatment from thee, a disgrace to Nature, is indeed to die a +double death." + + +The Old Hound + +A HOUND, who in the days of his youth and strength had never +yielded to any beast of the forest, encountered in his old age a +boar in the chase. He seized him boldly by the ear, but could +not retain his hold because of the decay of his teeth, so that +the boar escaped. His master, quickly coming up, was very much +disappointed, and fiercely abused the dog. The Hound looked up +and said, "It was not my fault. master: my spirit was as good as +ever, but I could not help my infirmities. I rather deserve to +be praised for what I have been, than to be blamed for what I +am." + + +The Bee and Jupiter + +A BEE from Mount Hymettus, the queen of the hive, ascended to +Olympus to present Jupiter some honey fresh from her combs. +Jupiter, delighted with the offering of honey, promised to give +whatever she should ask. She therefore besought him, saying, +"Give me, I pray thee, a sting, that if any mortal shall approach +to take my honey, I may kill him." Jupiter was much displeased, +for he loved the race of man, but could not refuse the request +because of his promise. He thus answered the Bee: "You shall +have your request, but it will be at the peril of your own life. +For if you use your sting, it shall remain in the wound you make, +and then you will die from the loss of it." + +Evil wishes, like chickens, come home to roost. + + +The Milk-Woman and Her Pail + +A FARMER'S daughter was carrying her Pail of milk from the field +to the farmhouse, when she fell a-musing. "The money for which +this milk will be sold, will buy at least three hundred eggs. +The eggs, allowing for all mishaps, will produce two hundred and +fifty chickens. The chickens will become ready for the market +when poultry will fetch the highest price, so that by the end of +the year I shall have money enough from my share to buy a new +gown. In this dress I will go to the Christmas parties, where +all the young fellows will propose to me, but I will toss my head +and refuse them every one." At this moment she tossed her head in +unison with her thoughts, when down fell the milk pail to the +ground, and all her imaginary schemes perished in a moment. + + +The Seaside Travelers + +SOME TRAVELERS, journeying along the seashore, climbed to the +summit of a tall cliff, and looking over the sea, saw in the +distance what they thought was a large ship. They waited in the +hope of seeing it enter the harbor, but as the object on which +they looked was driven nearer to shore by the wind, they found +that it could at the most be a small boat, and not a ship. When +however it reached the beach, they discovered that it was only a +large faggot of sticks, and one of them said to his companions, +"We have waited for no purpose, for after all there is nothing to +see but a load of wood." + +Our mere anticipations of life outrun its realities. + + +The Brazier and His Dog + +A BRAZIER had a little Dog, which was a great favorite with his +master, and his constant companion. While he hammered away at +his metals the Dog slept; but when, on the other hand, he went to +dinner and began to eat, the Dog woke up and wagged his tail, as +if he would ask for a share of his meal. His master one day, +pretending to be angry and shaking his stick at him, said, "You +wretched little sluggard! what shall I do to you? While I am +hammering on the anvil, you sleep on the mat; and when I begin to +eat after my toil, you wake up and wag your tail for food. Do +you not know that labor is the source of every blessing, and that +none but those who work are entitled to eat?' + + +The Ass and His Shadow + +A TRAVELER hired an Ass to convey him to a distant place. The +day being intensely hot, and the sun shining in its strength, the +Traveler stopped to rest, and sought shelter from the heat under +the Shadow of the Ass. As this afforded only protection for one, +and as the Traveler and the owner of the Ass both claimed it, a +violent dispute arose between them as to which of them had the +right to the Shadow. The owner maintained that he had let the +Ass only, and not his Shadow. The Traveler asserted that he had, +with the hire of the Ass, hired his Shadow also. The quarrel +proceeded from words to blows, and while the men fought, the Ass +galloped off. + +In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance. + + +The Ass and His Masters + +AN ASS, belonging to an herb-seller who gave him too little food +and too much work made a petition to Jupiter to be released from +his present service and provided with another master. Jupiter, +after warning him that he would repent his request, caused him to +be sold to a tile-maker. Shortly afterwards, finding that he had +heavier loads to carry and harder work in the brick-field, he +petitioned for another change of master. Jupiter, telling him +that it would be the last time that he could grant his request, +ordained that he be sold to a tanner. The Ass found that he had +fallen into worse hands, and noting his master's occupation, +said, groaning: "It would have been better for me to have been +either starved by the one, or to have been overworked by the +other of my former masters, than to have been bought by my +present owner, who will even after I am dead tan my hide, and +make me useful to him." + + +The Oak and the Reeds + +A VERY LARGE OAK was uprooted by the wind and thrown across a +stream. It fell among some Reeds, which it thus addressed: "I +wonder how you, who are so light and weak, are not entirely +crushed by these strong winds." They replied, "You fight and +contend with the wind, and consequently you are destroyed; while +we on the contrary bend before the least breath of air, and +therefore remain unbroken, and escape." + +Stoop to conquer. + + +The Fisherman and the Little Fish + +A FISHERMAN who lived on the produce of his nets, one day caught +a single small Fish as the result of his day's labor. The Fish, +panting convulsively, thus entreated for his life: "O Sir, what +good can I be to you, and how little am I worth? I am not yet +come to my full size. Pray spare my life, and put me back into +the sea. I shall soon become a large fish fit for the tables of +the rich, and then you can catch me again, and make a handsome +profit of me." The Fisherman replied, "I should indeed be a very +simple fellow if, for the chance of a greater uncertain profit, I +were to forego my present certain gain." + + +The Hunter and the Woodman + +A HUNTER, not very bold, was searching for the tracks of a Lion. +He asked a man felling oaks in the forest if he had seen any +marks of his footsteps or knew where his lair was. "I will," +said the man, "at once show you the Lion himself." The Hunter, +turning very pale and chattering with his teeth from fear, +replied, "No, thank you. I did not ask that; it is his track +only I am in search of, not the Lion himself." + +The hero is brave in deeds as well as words. + + +The Wild Boar and the Fox + +A WILD BOAR stood under a tree and rubbed his tusks against the +trunk. A Fox passing by asked him why he thus sharpened his +teeth when there was no danger threatening from either huntsman +or hound. He replied, "I do it advisedly; for it would never do +to have to sharpen my weapons just at the time I ought to be +using them." + + +The Lion in a Farmyard + +A LION entered a farmyard. The Farmer, wishing to catch him, +shut the gate. When the Lion found that he could not escape, he +flew upon the sheep and killed them, and then attacked the oxen. +The Farmer, beginning to be alarmed for his own safety, opened +the gate and released the Lion. On his departure the Farmer +grievously lamented the destruction of his sheep and oxen, but +his wife, who had been a spectator to all that took place, said, +"On my word, you are rightly served, for how could you for a +moment think of shutting up a Lion along with you in your +farmyard when you know that you shake in your shoes if you only +hear his roar at a distance?' + + +Mercury and the Sculptor + +MERCURY ONCE DETERMINED to learn in what esteem he was held among +mortals. For this purpose he assumed the character of a man and +visited in this disguise a Sculptor's studio having looked at +various statues, he demanded the price of two figures of Jupiter +and Juno. When the sum at which they were valued was named, he +pointed to a figure of himself, saying to the Sculptor, "You will +certainly want much more for this, as it is the statue of the +Messenger of the Gods, and author of all your gain." The +Sculptor replied, "Well, if you will buy these, I'll fling you +that into the bargain." + + +The Swan and the Goose + +A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan. He +fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its +song. When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to +get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to +distinguish one bird from the other. By mistake he caught the +Swan instead of the Goose. The Swan, threatened with death, +burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, +and preserved his life by his melody. + + +The Swollen Fox + +A VERY HUNGRY FOX, seeing some bread and meat left by shepherds +in the hollow of an oak, crept into the hole and made a hearty +meal. When he finished, he was so full that he was not able to +get out, and began to groan and lament his fate. Another Fox +passing by heard his cries, and coming up, inquired the cause of +his complaining. On learning what had happened, he said to him, +"Ah, you will have to remain there, my friend, until you become +such as you were when you crept in, and then you will easily get +out." + + +The Fox and the Woodcutter + +A FOX, running before the hounds, came across a Woodcutter +felling an oak and begged him to show him a safe hiding-place. +The Woodcutter advised him to take shelter in his own hut, so the +Fox crept in and hid himself in a corner. The huntsman soon came +up with his hounds and inquired of the Woodcutter if he had seen +the Fox. He declared that he had not seen him, and yet pointed, +all the time he was speaking, to the hut where the Fox lay +hidden. The huntsman took no notice of the signs, but believing +his word, hastened forward in the chase. As soon as they were +well away, the Fox departed without taking any notice of the +Woodcutter: whereon he called to him and reproached him, saying, +"You ungrateful fellow, you owe your life to me, and yet you +leave me without a word of thanks." The Fox replied, "Indeed, I +should have thanked you fervently if your deeds had been as good +as your words, and if your hands had not been traitors to your +speech." + + +The Birdcatcher, the Partridge, and the Cock + +A BIRDCATCHER was about to sit down to a dinner of herbs when a +friend unexpectedly came in. The bird-trap was quite empty, as +he had caught nothing, and he had to kill a pied Partridge, which +he had tamed for a decoy. The bird entreated earnestly for his +life: "What would you do without me when next you spread your +nets? Who would chirp you to sleep, or call for you the covey of +answering birds?' The Birdcatcher spared his life, and determined +to pick out a fine young Cock just attaining to his comb. But +the Cock expostulated in piteous tones from his perch: "If you +kill me, who will announce to you the appearance of the dawn? +Who will wake you to your daily tasks or tell you when it is time +to visit the bird-trap in the morning?' He replied, "What you say +is true. You are a capital bird at telling the time of day. But +my friend and I must have our dinners." + +Necessity knows no law. + + +The Monkey and the Fishermen + +A MONKEY perched upon a lofty tree saw some Fishermen casting +their nets into a river, and narrowly watched their proceedings. +The Fishermen after a while gave up fishing, and on going home to +dinner left their nets upon the bank. The Monkey, who is the +most imitative of animals, descended from the treetop and +endeavored to do as they had done. Having handled the net, he +threw it into the river, but became tangled in the meshes and +drowned. With his last breath he said to himself, "I am rightly +served; for what business had I who had never handled a net to +try and catch fish?' + + +The Flea and the Wrestler + +A FLEA settled upon the bare foot of a Wrestler and bit him, +causing the man to call loudly upon Hercules for help. When the +Flea a second time hopped upon his foot, he groaned and said, "O +Hercules! if you will not help me against a Flea, how can I hope +for your assistance against greater antagonists?' + + +The Two Frogs + +TWO FROGS dwelt in the same pool. When the pool dried up under +the summer's heat, they left it and set out together for another +home. As they went along they chanced to pass a deep well, amply +supplied with water, and when they saw it, one of the Frogs said +to the other, "Let us descend and make our abode in this well: it +will furnish us with shelter and food." The other replied with +greater caution, "But suppose the water should fail us. How can +we get out again from so great a depth?' + +Do nothing without a regard to the consequences. + + +The Cat and the Mice + +A CERTAIN HOUSE was overrun with Mice. A Cat, discovering this, +made her way into it and began to catch and eat them one by one. +Fearing for their lives, the Mice kept themselves close in their +holes. The Cat was no longer able to get at them and perceived +that she must tempt them forth by some device. For this purpose +she jumped upon a peg, and suspending herself from it, pretended +to be dead. One of the Mice, peeping stealthily out, saw her and +said, "Ah, my good madam, even though you should turn into a +meal-bag, we will not come near you." + + +The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox + +A LION and a Bear seized a Kid at the same moment, and fought +fiercely for its possession. When they had fearfully lacerated +each other and were faint from the long combat, they lay down +exhausted with fatigue. A Fox, who had gone round them at a +distance several times, saw them both stretched on the ground +with the Kid lying untouched in the middle. He ran in between +them, and seizing the Kid scampered off as fast as he could. The +Lion and the Bear saw him, but not being able to get up, said, +"Woe be to us, that we should have fought and belabored ourselves +only to serve the turn of a Fox." + +It sometimes happens that one man has all the toil, and another +all the profit. + + +The Doe and the Lion + +A DOE hard pressed by hunters sought refuge in a cave belonging +to a Lion. The Lion concealed himself on seeing her approach, +but when she was safe within the cave, sprang upon her and tore +her to pieces. "Woe is me," exclaimed the Doe, "who have escaped +from man, only to throw myself into the mouth of a wild beast?' + +In avoiding one evil, care must be taken not to fall into +another. + + +The Farmer and the Fox + +A FARMER, who bore a grudge against a Fox for robbing his poultry +yard, caught him at last, and being determined to take an ample +revenge, tied some rope well soaked in oil to his tail, and set +it on fire. The Fox by a strange fatality rushed to the fields +of the Farmer who had captured him. It was the time of the wheat +harvest; but the Farmer reaped nothing that year and returned +home grieving sorely. + + +The Seagull and the Kite + +A SEAGULL having bolted down too large a fish, burst its deep +gullet-bag and lay down on the shore to die. A Kite saw him and +exclaimed: "You richly deserve your fate; for a bird of the air +has no business to seek its food from the sea." + +Every man should be content to mind his own business. + + +The Philosopher, the Ants, and Mercury + +A PHILOSOPHER witnessed from the shore the shipwreck of a vessel, +of which the crew and passengers were all drowned. He inveighed +against the injustice of Providence, which would for the sake of +one criminal perchance sailing in the ship allow so many innocent +persons to perish. As he was indulging in these reflections, he +found himself surrounded by a whole army of Ants, near whose nest +he was standing. One of them climbed up and stung him, and he +immediately trampled them all to death with his foot. Mercury +presented himself, and striking the Philosopher with his wand, +said, "And are you indeed to make yourself a judge of the +dealings of Providence, who hast thyself in a similar manner +treated these poor Ants?' + + +The Mouse and the Bull + +A BULL was bitten by a Mouse and, angered by the wound, tried to +capture him. But the Mouse reached his hole in safety. Though +the Bull dug into the walls with his horns, he tired before he +could rout out the Mouse, and crouching down, went to sleep +outside the hole. The Mouse peeped out, crept furtively up his +flank, and again biting him, retreated to his hole. The Bull +rising up, and not knowing what to do, was sadly perplexed. At +which the Mouse said, "The great do not always prevail. There +are times when the small and lowly are the strongest to do +mischief." + + +The Lion and the Hare + +A LION came across a Hare, who was fast asleep. He was just in +the act of seizing her, when a fine young Hart trotted by, and he +left the Hare to follow him. The Hare, scared by the noise, +awoke and scudded away. The Lion was unable after a long chase +to catch the Hart, and returned to feed upon the Hare. On +finding that the Hare also had run off, he said, "I am rightly +served, for having let go of the food that I had in my hand for +the chance of obtaining more." + + +The Peasant and the Eagle + +A PEASANT found an Eagle captured in a trap, and much admiring +the bird, set him free. The Eagle did not prove ungrateful to +his deliverer, for seeing the Peasant sitting under a wall which +was not safe, he flew toward him and with his talons snatched a +bundle from his head. When the Peasant rose in pursuit, the +Eagle let the bundle fall again. Taking it up, the man returned +to the same place, to find that the wall under which he had been +sitting had fallen to pieces; and he marveled at the service +rendered him by the Eagle. + + +The Image of Mercury and the Carpenter + +A VERY POOR MAN, a Carpenter by trade, had a wooden image of +Mercury, before which he made offerings day by day, and begged +the idol to make him rich, but in spite of his entreaties he +became poorer and poorer. At last, being very angry, he took his +image down from its pedestal and dashed it against the wall. +When its head was knocked off, out came a stream of gold, which +the Carpenter quickly picked up and said, "Well, I think thou art +altogether contradictory and unreasonable; for when I paid you +honor, I reaped no benefits: but now that I maltreat you I am +loaded with an abundance of riches." + + +The Bull and the Goat + +A BULL, escaping from a Lion, hid in a cave which some shepherds +had recently occupied. As soon as he entered, a He-Goat left in +the cave sharply attacked him with his horns. The Bull quietly +addressed him: "Butt away as much as you will. I have no fear of +you, but of the Lion. Let that monster go away and I will soon +let you know what is the respective strength of a Goat and a +Bull." + +It shows an evil disposition to take advantage of a friend in +distress. + + +The Dancing Monkeys + +A PRINCE had some Monkeys trained to dance. Being naturally +great mimics of men's actions, they showed themselves most apt +pupils, and when arrayed in their rich clothes and masks, they +danced as well as any of the courtiers. The spectacle was often +repeated with great applause, till on one occasion a courtier, +bent on mischief, took from his pocket a handful of nuts and +threw them upon the stage. The Monkeys at the sight of the nuts +forgot their dancing and became (as indeed they were) Monkeys +instead of actors. Pulling off their masks and tearing their +robes, they fought with one another for the nuts. The dancing +spectacle thus came to an end amidst the laughter and ridicule of +the audience. + +The Fox and the Leopard + +THE FOX and the Leopard disputed which was the more beautiful of +the two. The Leopard exhibited one by one the various spots +which decorated his skin. But the Fox, interrupting him, said, +"And how much more beautiful than you am I, who am decorated, not +in body, but in mind." + + +The Monkeys and Their Mother + +THE MONKEY, it is said, has two young ones at each birth. The +Mother fondles one and nurtures it with the greatest affection +and care, but hates and neglects the other. It happened once +that the young one which was caressed and loved was smothered by +the too great affection of the Mother, while the despised one was +nurtured and reared in spite of the neglect to which it was +exposed. + +The best intentions will not always ensure success. + + +The Oaks and Jupiter + +THE OAKS presented a complaint to Jupiter, saying, "We bear for +no purpose the burden of life, as of all the trees that grow we +are the most continually in peril of the axe." Jupiter made +answer: "You have only to thank yourselves for the misfortunes to +which you are exposed: for if you did not make such excellent +pillars and posts, and prove yourselves so serviceable to the +carpenters and the farmers, the axe would not so frequently be +laid to your roots." + + +The Hare and the Hound + +A HOUND started a Hare from his lair, but after a long run, gave +up the chase. A goat-herd seeing him stop, mocked him, saying +"The little one is the best runner of the two." The Hound +replied, "You do not see the difference between us: I was only +running for a dinner, but he for his life." + + +The Traveler and Fortune + +A TRAVELER wearied from a long journey lay down, overcome with +fatigue, on the very brink of a deep well. Just as he was about +to fall into the water, Dame Fortune, it is said, appeared to him +and waking him from his slumber thus addressed him: "Good Sir, +pray wake up: for if you fall into the well, the blame will be +thrown on me, and I shall get an ill name among mortals; for I +find that men are sure to impute their calamities to me, however +much by their own folly they have really brought them on +themselves." + +Everyone is more or less master of his own fate. + + +The Bald Knight + +A BALD KNIGHT, who wore a wig, went out to hunt. A sudden puff +of wind blew off his hat and wig, at which a loud laugh rang +forth from his companions. He pulled up his horse, and with +great glee joined in the joke by saying, "What a marvel it is +that hairs which are not mine should fly from me, when they have +forsaken even the man on whose head they grew." + + +The Shepherd and the Dog + +A SHEPHERD penning his sheep in the fold for the night was about +to shut up a wolf with them, when his Dog perceiving the wolf +said, "Master, how can you expect the sheep to be safe if you +admit a wolf into the fold?' + + +The Lamp + +A LAMP, soaked with too much oil and flaring brightly, boasted +that it gave more light than the sun. Then a sudden puff of wind +arose, and the Lamp was immediately extinguished. Its owner lit +it again, and said: "Boast no more, but henceforth be content to +give thy light in silence. Know that not even the stars need to +be relit" + + +The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass + +THE LION, the Fox and the Ass entered into an agreement to assist +each other in the chase. Having secured a large booty, the Lion +on their return from the forest asked the Ass to allot his due +portion to each of the three partners in the treaty. The Ass +carefully divided the spoil into three equal shares and modestly +requested the two others to make the first choice. The Lion, +bursting out into a great rage, devoured the Ass. Then he +requested the Fox to do him the favor to make a division. The +Fox accumulated all that they had killed into one large heap and +left to himself the smallest possible morsel. The Lion said, +"Who has taught you, my very excellent fellow, the art of +division? You are perfect to a fraction." He replied, "I learned +it from the Ass, by witnessing his fate." + +Happy is the man who learns from the misfortunes of others. + + +The Bull, the Lioness, and the Wild-Boar Hunter + +A BULL finding a lion's cub asleep gored him to death with his +horns. The Lioness came up, and bitterly lamented the death of +her whelp. A wild-boar Hunter, seeing her distress, stood at a +distance and said to her, "Think how many men there are who have +reason to lament the loss of their children, whose deaths have +been caused by you." + + +The Oak and the Woodcutters + +THE WOODCUTTER cut down a Mountain Oak and split it in pieces, +making wedges of its own branches for dividing the trunk. The +Oak said with a sigh, "I do not care about the blows of the axe +aimed at my roots, but I do grieve at being torn in pieces by +these wedges made from my own branches." + +Misfortunes springing from ourselves are the hardest to bear. + + +The Hen and the Golden Eggs + +A COTTAGER and his wife had a Hen that laid a golden egg every +day. They supposed that the Hen must contain a great lump of +gold in its inside, and in order to get the gold they killed it. +Having done so, they found to their surprise that the Hen +differed in no respect from their other hens. The foolish pair, +thus hoping to become rich all at once, deprived themselves of +the gain of which they were assured day by day. + + +The Ass and the Frogs + +AN ASS, carrying a load of wood, passed through a pond. As he +was crossing through the water he lost his footing, stumbled and +fell, and not being able to rise on account of his load, groaned +heavily. Some Frogs frequenting the pool heard his lamentation, +and said, "What would you do if you had to live here always as we +do, when you make such a fuss about a mere fall into the water?" + + +Men often bear little grievances with less courage than they do +large misfortunes. + + +The Crow and the Raven + +A CROW was jealous of the Raven, because he was considered a bird +of good omen and always attracted the attention of men, who noted +by his flight the good or evil course of future events. Seeing +some travelers approaching, the Crow flew up into a tree, and +perching herself on one of the branches, cawed as loudly as she +could. The travelers turned towards the sound and wondered what +it foreboded, when one of them said to his companion, "Let us +proceed on our journey, my friend, for it is only the caw of a +crow, and her cry, you know, is no omen." + +Those who assume a character which does not belong to them, only +make themselves ridiculous. + + +The Trees and the Axe + +A MAN came into a forest and asked the Trees to provide him a +handle for his axe. The Trees consented to his request and gave +him a young ash-tree. No sooner had the man fitted a new handle +to his axe from it, than he began to use it and quickly felled +with his strokes the noblest giants of the forest. An old oak, +lamenting when too late the destruction of his companions, said +to a neighboring cedar, "The first step has lost us all. If we +had not given up the rights of the ash, we might yet have +retained our own privileges and have stood for ages." + + +The Crab and the Fox + +A CRAB, forsaking the seashore, chose a neighboring green meadow +as its feeding ground. A Fox came across him, and being very +hungry ate him up. Just as he was on the point of being eaten, +the Crab said, "I well deserve my fate, for what business had I +on the land, when by my nature and habits I am only adapted for +the sea?' + +Contentment with our lot is an element of happiness. + + +The Woman and Her Hen + +A WOMAN possessed a Hen that gave her an egg every day. She +often pondered how she might obtain two eggs daily instead of +one, and at last, to gain her purpose, determined to give the Hen +a double allowance of barley. From that day the Hen became fat +and sleek, and never once laid another egg. + + +The Ass and the Old Shepherd + +A SHEPHERD, watching his Ass feeding in a meadow, was alarmed all +of a sudden by the cries of the enemy. He appealed to the Ass to +fly with him, lest they should both be captured, but the animal +lazily replied, "Why should I, pray? Do you think it likely the +conqueror will place on me two sets of panniers?' "No," rejoined +the Shepherd. "Then," said the Ass, "as long as I carry the +panniers, what matters it to me whom I serve?' + +In a change of government the poor change nothing beyond the name +of their master. + + +The Kites and the Swans + +TEE KITES of olden times, as well as the Swans, had the privilege +of song. But having heard the neigh of the horse, they were so +enchanted with the sound, that they tried to imitate it; and, in +trying to neigh, they forgot how to sing. + +The desire for imaginary benefits often involves the loss of +present blessings. + + +The Wolves and the Sheepdogs + +THE WOLVES thus addressed the Sheepdogs: "Why should you, who are +like us in so many things, not be entirely of one mind with us, +and live with us as brothers should? We differ from you in one +point only. We live in freedom, but you bow down to and slave +for men, who in return for your services flog you with whips and +put collars on your necks. They make you also guard their sheep, +and while they eat the mutton throw only the bones to you. If +you will be persuaded by us, you will give us the sheep, and we +will enjoy them in common, till we all are surfeited." The Dogs +listened favorably to these proposals, and, entering the den of +the Wolves, they were set upon and torn to pieces. + + +The Hares and the Foxes + +THE HARES waged war with the Eagles, and called upon the Foxes to +help them. They replied, "We would willingly have helped you, if +we had not known who you were, and with whom you were fighting." + +Count the cost before you commit yourselves. + + +The Bowman and Lion + +A VERY SKILLFUL BOWMAN went to the mountains in search of game, +but all the beasts of the forest fled at his approach. The Lion +alone challenged him to combat. The Bowman immediately shot out +an arrow and said to the Lion: "I send thee my messenger, that +from him thou mayest learn what I myself shall be when I assail +thee." The wounded Lion rushed away in great fear, and when a Fox +who had seen it all happen told him to be of good courage and not +to back off at the first attack he replied: "You counsel me in +vain; for if he sends so fearful a messenger, how shall I abide +the attack of the man himself?' + +Be on guard against men who can strike from a distance. + + +The Camel + +WHEN MAN first saw the Camel, he was so frightened at his vast +size that he ran away. After a time, perceiving the meekness and +gentleness of the beast's temper, he summoned courage enough to +approach him. Soon afterwards, observing that he was an animal +altogether deficient in spirit, he assumed such boldness as to +put a bridle in his mouth, and to let a child drive him. + +Use serves to overcome dread. + + +The Wasp and the Snake + +A WASP seated himself upon the head of a Snake and, striking him +unceasingly with his stings, wounded him to death. The Snake, +being in great torment and not knowing how to rid himself of his +enemy, saw a wagon heavily laden with wood, and went and +purposely placed his head under the wheels, saying, "At least my +enemy and I shall perish together." + + +The Dog and the Hare + +A HOUND having started a Hare on the hillside pursued her for +some distance, at one time biting her with his teeth as if he +would take her life, and at another fawning upon her, as if in +play with another dog. The Hare said to him, "I wish you would +act sincerely by me, and show yourself in your true colors. If +you are a friend, why do you bite me so hard? If an enemy, why do +you fawn on me?' + +No one can be a friend if you know not whether to trust or +distrust him. + + +The Bull and the Calf + +A BULL was striving with all his might to squeeze himself through +a narrow passage which led to his stall. A young Calf came up, +and offered to go before and show him the way by which he could +manage to pass. "Save yourself the trouble," said the Bull; "I +knew that way long before you were born." + + +The Stag, the Wolf, and the Sheep + +A STAG asked a Sheep to lend him a measure of wheat, and said +that the Wolf would be his surety. The Sheep, fearing some fraud +was intended, excused herself, saying, "The Wolf is accustomed to +seize what he wants and to run off; and you, too, can quickly +outstrip me in your rapid flight. How then shall I be able to +find you, when the day of payment comes?' + +Two blacks do not make one white. + + +The Peacock and the Crane + +A PEACOCK spreading its gorgeous tail mocked a Crane that passed +by, ridiculing the ashen hue of its plumage and saying, "I am +robed, like a king, in gold and purple and all the colors of the +rainbow; while you have not a bit of color on your wings." +"True," replied the Crane; "but I soar to the heights of heaven +and lift up my voice to the stars, while you walk below, like a +cock, among the birds of the dunghill." + +Fine feathers don't make fine birds. + + +The Fox and the Hedgehog + +A FOX swimming across a rapid river was carried by the force of +the current into a very deep ravine, where he lay for a long time +very much bruised, sick, and unable to move. A swarm of hungry +blood-sucking flies settled upon him. A Hedgehog, passing by, +saw his anguish and inquired if he should drive away the flies +that were tormenting him. "By no means," replied the Fox; "pray +do not molest them." "How is this?' said the Hedgehog; "do you +not want to be rid of them?' "No," returned the Fox, "for these +flies which you see are full of blood, and sting me but little, +and if you rid me of these which are already satiated, others +more hungry will come in their place, and will drink up all the +blood I have left." + + +The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow + +AN EAGLE made her nest at the top of a lofty oak; a Cat, having +found a convenient hole, moved into the middle of the trunk; and +a Wild Sow, with her young, took shelter in a hollow at its foot. +The Cat cunningly resolved to destroy this chance-made colony. +To carry out her design, she climbed to the nest of the Eagle, +and said, "Destruction is preparing for you, and for me too, +unfortunately. The Wild Sow, whom you see daily digging up the +earth, wishes to uproot the oak, so she may on its fall seize our +families as food for her young." Having thus frightened the Eagle +out of her senses, she crept down to the cave of the Sow, and +said, "Your children are in great danger; for as soon as you go +out with your litter to find food, the Eagle is prepared to +pounce upon one of your little pigs." Having instilled these +fears into the Sow, she went and pretended to hide herself in the +hollow of the tree. When night came she went forth with silent +foot and obtained food for herself and her kittens, but feigning +to be afraid, she kept a lookout all through the day. Meanwhile, +the Eagle, full of fear of the Sow, sat still on the branches, +and the Sow, terrified by the Eagle, did not dare to go out from +her cave. And thus they both, along with their families, +perished from hunger, and afforded ample provision for the Cat +and her kittens. + + +The Thief and the Innkeeper + +A THIEF hired a room in a tavern and stayed a while in the hope +of stealing something which should enable him to pay his +reckoning. When he had waited some days in vain, he saw the +Innkeeper dressed in a new and handsome coat and sitting before +his door. The Thief sat down beside him and talked with him. As +the conversation began to flag, the Thief yawned terribly and at +the same time howled like a wolf. The Innkeeper said, "Why do +you howl so fearfully?' "I will tell you," said the Thief, "but +first let me ask you to hold my clothes, or I shall tear them to +pieces. I know not, sir, when I got this habit of yawning, nor +whether these attacks of howling were inflicted on me as a +judgment for my crimes, or for any other cause; but this I do +know, that when I yawn for the third time, I actually turn into a +wolf and attack men." With this speech he commenced a second fit +of yawning and again howled like a wolf, as he had at first. The +Innkeeper. hearing his tale and believing what he said, became +greatly alarmed and, rising from his seat, attempted to run away. +The Thief laid hold of his coat and entreated him to stop, +saying, "Pray wait, sir, and hold my clothes, or I shall tear +them to pieces in my fury, when I turn into a wolf." At the same +moment he yawned the third time and set up a terrible howl. The +Innkeeper, frightened lest he should be attacked, left his new +coat in the Thief's hand and ran as fast as he could into the inn +for safety. The Thief made off with the coat and did not return +again to the inn. + +Every tale is not to be believed. + + +The Mule + +A MULE, frolicsome from lack of work and from too much corn, +galloped about in a very extravagant manner, and said to himself: +"My father surely was a high-mettled racer, and I am his own +child in speed and spirit." On the next day, being driven a long +journey, and feeling very wearied, he exclaimed in a disconsolate +tone: "I must have made a mistake; my father, after all, could +have been only an ass." + + +The Hart and the Vine + +A HART, hard pressed in the chase, hid himself beneath the large +leaves of a Vine. The huntsmen, in their haste, overshot the +place of his concealment. Supposing all danger to have passed, +the Hart began to nibble the tendrils of the Vine. One of the +huntsmen, attracted by the rustling of the leaves, looked back, +and seeing the Hart, shot an arrow from his bow and struck it. +The Hart, at the point of death, groaned: "I am rightly served, +for I should not have maltreated the Vine that saved me." + + +The Serpent and the Eagle + +A SERPENT and an Eagle were struggling with each other in deadly +conflict. The Serpent had the advantage, and was about to +strangle the bird. A countryman saw them, and running up, loosed +the coil of the Serpent and let the Eagle go free. The Serpent, +irritated at the escape of his prey, injected his poison into the +drinking horn of the countryman. The rustic, ignorant of his +danger, was about to drink, when the Eagle struck his hand with +his wing, and, seizing the drinking horn in his talons, carried +it aloft. + + +The Crow and the Pitcher + +A CROW perishing with thirst saw a pitcher, and hoping to find +water, flew to it with delight. When he reached it, he +discovered to his grief that it contained so little water that he +could not possibly get at it. He tried everything he could think +of to reach the water, but all his efforts were in vain. At last +he collected as many stones as he could carry and dropped them +one by one with his beak into the pitcher, until he brought the +water within his reach and thus saved his life. + +Necessity is the mother of invention. + + +The Two Frogs + +TWO FROGS were neighbors. One inhabited a deep pond, far removed +from public view; the other lived in a gully containing little +water, and traversed by a country road. The Frog that lived in +the pond warned his friend to change his residence and entreated +him to come and live with him, saying that he would enjoy greater +safety from danger and more abundant food. The other refused, +saying that he felt it so very hard to leave a place to which he +had become accustomed. A few days afterwards a heavy wagon +passed through the gully and crushed him to death under its +wheels. + +A willful man will have his way to his own hurt. + + +The Wolf and the Fox + +AT ONE TIME a very large and strong Wolf was born among the +wolves, who exceeded all his fellow-wolves in strength, size, and +swiftness, so that they unanimously decided to call him "Lion." +The Wolf, with a lack of sense proportioned to his enormous size, +thought that they gave him this name in earnest, and, leaving his +own race, consorted exclusively with the lions. An old sly Fox, +seeing this, said, "May I never make myself so ridiculous as you +do in your pride and self-conceit; for even though you have the +size of a lion among wolves, in a herd of lions you are +definitely a wolf." + + +The Walnut-Tree + +A WALNUT TREE standing by the roadside bore an abundant crop of +fruit. For the sake of the nuts, the passers-by broke its +branches with stones and sticks. The Walnut-Tree piteously +exclaimed, "O wretched me! that those whom I cheer with my fruit +should repay me with these painful requitals!" + + +The Gnat and the Lion + +A GNAT came and said to a Lion, "I do not in the least fear you, +nor are you stronger than I am. For in what does your strength +consist? You can scratch with your claws and bite with your teeth +an a woman in her quarrels. I repeat that I am altogether more +powerful than you; and if you doubt it, let us fight and see who +will conquer." The Gnat, having sounded his horn, fastened +himself upon the Lion and stung him on the nostrils and the parts +of the face devoid of hair. While trying to crush him, the Lion +tore himself with his claws, until he punished himself severely. +The Gnat thus prevailed over the Lion, and, buzzing about in a +song of triumph, flew away. But shortly afterwards he became +entangled in the meshes of a cobweb and was eaten by a spider. +He greatly lamented his fate, saying, "Woe is me! that I, who can +wage war successfully with the hugest beasts, should perish +myself from this spider, the most inconsiderable of insects!" + + +The Monkey and the Dolphin + +A SAILOR, bound on a long voyage, took with him a Monkey to amuse +him while on shipboard. As he sailed off the coast of Greece, a +violent tempest arose in which the ship was wrecked and he, his +Monkey, and all the crew were obliged to swim for their lives. A +Dolphin saw the Monkey contending with the waves, and supposing +him to be a man (whom he is always said to befriend), came and +placed himself under him, to convey him on his back in safety to +the shore. When the Dolphin arrived with his burden in sight of +land not far from Athens, he asked the Monkey if he were an +Athenian. The latter replied that he was, and that he was +descended from one of the most noble families in that city. The +Dolphin then inquired if he knew the Piraeus (the famous harbor +of Athens). Supposing that a man was meant, the Monkey answered +that he knew him very well and that he was an intimate friend. +The Dolphin, indignant at these falsehoods, dipped the Monkey +under the water and drowned him. + + +The Jackdaw and the Doves + +A JACKDAW, seeing some Doves in a cote abundantly provided with +food, painted himself white and joined them in order to share +their plentiful maintenance. The Doves, as long as he was +silent, supposed him to be one of themselves and admitted him to +their cote. But when one day he forgot himself and began to +chatter, they discovered his true character and drove him forth, +pecking him with their beaks. Failing to obtain food among the +Doves, he returned to the Jackdaws. They too, not recognizing +him on account of his color. expelled him from living with them. +So desiring two ends, he obtained neither. + + +The Horse and the Stag + +AT ONE TIME the Horse had the plain entirely to himself. Then a +Stag intruded into his domain and shared his pasture. The Horse, +desiring to revenge himself on the stranger, asked a man if he +were willing to help him in punishing the Stag. The man replied +that if the Horse would receive a bit in his mouth and agree to +carry him, he would contrive effective weapons against the Stag. +The Horse consented and allowed the man to mount him. From that +hour he found that instead of obtaining revenge on the Stag, he +had enslaved himself to the service of man. + + +The Kid and the Wolf + +A KID, returning without protection from the pasture, was pursued +by a Wolf. Seeing he could not escape, he turned round, and +said: "I know, friend Wolf, that I must be your prey, but before +I die I would ask of you one favor you will play me a tune to +which I may dance." The Wolf complied, and while he was piping +and the Kid was dancing, some hounds hearing the sound ran up and +began chasing the Wolf. Turning to the Kid, he said, "It is just +what I deserve; for I, who am only a butcher, should not have +turned piper to please you." + + +The Prophet + +A WIZARD, sitting in the marketplace, was telling the fortunes of +the passers-by when a person ran up in great haste, and +announced to him that the doors of his house had been broken open +and that all his goods were being stolen. He sighed heavily and +hastened away as fast as he could run. A neighbor saw him +running and said, "Oh! you fellow there! you say you can foretell +the fortunes of others; how is it you did not foresee your own?' + + +The Fox and the Monkey + +A FOX and a Monkey were traveling together on the same road. As +they journeyed, they passed through a cemetery full of monuments. +"All these monuments which you see," said the Monkey, "are +erected in honor of my ancestors, who were in their day freedmen +and citizens of great renown." The Fox replied, "You have chosen +a most appropriate subject for your falsehoods, as I am sure none +of your ancestors will be able to contradict you." + +A false tale often betrays itself. + + +The Thief and the Housedog + +A THIEF came in the night to break into a house. He brought with +him several slices of meat in order to pacify the Housedog, so +that he would not alarm his master by barking. As the Thief +threw him the pieces of meat, the Dog said, "If you think to stop +my mouth, you will be greatly mistaken. This sudden kindness at +your hands will only make me more watchful, lest under these +unexpected favors to myself, you have some private ends to +accomplish for your own benefit, and for my master's injury." + + +The Man, the Horse, the Ox, and the Dog + +A HORSE, Ox, and Dog, driven to great straits by the cold, sought +shelter and protection from Man. He received them kindly, +lighted a fire, and warmed them. He let the Horse make free with +his oats, gave the Ox an abundance of hay, and fed the Dog with +meat from his own table. Grateful for these favors, the animals +determined to repay him to the best of their ability. For this +purpose, they divided the term of his life between them, and each +endowed one portion of it with the qualities which chiefly +characterized himself. The Horse chose his earliest years and +gave them his own attributes: hence every man is in his youth +impetuous, headstrong, and obstinate in maintaining his own +opinion. The Ox took under his patronage the next term of life, +and therefore man in his middle age is fond of work, devoted to +labor, and resolute to amass wealth and to husband his resources. +The end of life was reserved for the Dog, wherefore the old man +is often snappish, irritable, hard to please, and selfish, +tolerant only of his own household, but averse to strangers and +to all who do not administer to his comfort or to his +necessities. + + +The Apes and the Two Travelers + +TWO MEN, one who always spoke the truth and the other who told +nothing but lies, were traveling together and by chance came to +the land of Apes. One of the Apes, who had raised himself to be +king, commanded them to be seized and brought before him, that he +might know what was said of him among men. He ordered at the +same time that all the Apes be arranged in a long row on his +right hand and on his left, and that a throne be placed for him, +as was the custom among men. After these preparations he +signified that the two men should be brought before him, and +greeted them with this salutation: "What sort of a king do I seem +to you to be, O strangers?' The Lying Traveler replied, "You seem +to me a most mighty king." "And what is your estimate of those +you see around me?' "These," he made answer, "are worthy +companions of yourself, fit at least to be ambassadors and +leaders of armies." The Ape and all his court, gratified with the +lie, commanded that a handsome present be given to the flatterer. +On this the truthful Traveler thought to himself, "If so great a +reward be given for a lie, with what gift may not I be rewarded, +if, according to my custom, I tell the truth?' The Ape quickly +turned to him. "And pray how do I and these my friends around me +seem to you?' "Thou art," he said, "a most excellent Ape, and all +these thy companions after thy example are excellent Apes too." +The King of the Apes, enraged at hearing these truths, gave him +over to the teeth and claws of his companions. + + +The Wolf and the Shepherd + +A WOLF followed a flock of sheep for a long time and did not +attempt to injure one of them. The Shepherd at first stood on +his guard against him, as against an enemy, and kept a strict +watch over his movements. But when the Wolf, day after day, kept +in the company of the sheep and did not make the slightest effort +to seize them, the Shepherd began to look upon him as a guardian +of his flock rather than as a plotter of evil against it; and +when occasion called him one day into the city, he left the sheep +entirely in his charge. The Wolf, now that he had the +opportunity, fell upon the sheep, and destroyed the greater part +of the flock. When the Shepherd returned to find his flock +destroyed, he exclaimed: "I have been rightly served; why did I +trust my sheep to a Wolf?' + + +The Hares and the Lions + +THE HARES harangued the assembly, and argued that all should be +equal. The Lions made this reply: "Your words, O Hares! are +good; but they lack both claws and teeth such as we have." + + +The Lark and Her Young Ones + +A LARK had made her nest in the early spring on the young green +wheat. The brood had almost grown to their full strength and +attained the use of their wings and the full plumage of their +feathers, when the owner of the field, looking over his ripe +crop, said, "The time has come when I must ask all my neighbors +to help me with my harvest." One of the young Larks heard his +speech and related it to his mother, inquiring of her to what +place they should move for safety. "There is no occasion to move +yet, my son," she replied; "the man who only sends to his friends +to help him with his harvest is not really in earnest." The owner +of the field came again a few days later and saw the wheat +shedding the grain from excess of ripeness. He said, "I will +come myself tomorrow with my laborers, and with as many reapers +as I can hire, and will get in the harvest." The Lark on hearing +these words said to her brood, "It is time now to be off, my +little ones, for the man is in earnest this time; he no longer +trusts his friends, but will reap the field himself." + +Self-help is the best help. + + +The Fox and the Lion + +WHEN A FOX who had never yet seen a Lion, fell in with him by +chance for the first time in the forest, he was so frightened +that he nearly died with fear. On meeting him for the second +time, he was still much alarmed, but not to the same extent as at +first. On seeing him the third time, he so increased in boldness +that he went up to him and commenced a familiar conversation with +him. + +Acquaintance softens prejudices. + + +The Weasel and the Mice + +A WEASEL, inactive from age and infirmities, was not able to +catch mice as he once did. He therefore rolled himself in flour +and lay down in a dark corner. A Mouse, supposing him to be +food, leaped upon him, and was instantly caught and squeezed to +death. Another perished in a similar manner, and then a third, +and still others after them. A very old Mouse, who had escaped +many a trap and snare, observed from a safe distance the trick of +his crafty foe and said, "Ah! you that lie there, may you prosper +just in the same proportion as you are what you pretend to be!" + + +The Boy Bathing + +A BOY bathing in a river was in danger of being drowned. He +called out to a passing traveler for help, but instead of holding +out a helping hand, the man stood by unconcernedly, and scolded +the boy for his imprudence. "Oh, sir!" cried the youth, "pray +help me now and scold me afterwards." + +Counsel without help is useless. + + +The Ass and the Wolf + +AN ASS feeding in a meadow saw a Wolf approaching to seize him, +and immediately pretended to be lame. The Wolf, coming up, +inquired the cause of his lameness. The Ass replied that passing +through a hedge he had trod with his foot upon a sharp thorn. He +requested that the Wolf pull it out, lest when he ate him it +should injure his throat. The Wolf consented and lifted up the +foot, and was giving his whole mind to the discovery of the +thorn, when the Ass, with his heels, kicked his teeth into his +mouth and galloped away. The Wolf, being thus fearfully mauled, +said, "I am rightly served, for why did I attempt the art of +healing, when my father only taught me the trade of a butcher?' + + +The Seller of Images + +A CERTAIN MAN made a wooden image of Mercury and offered it for +sale. When no one appeared willing to buy it, in order to +attract purchasers, he cried out that he had the statue to sell +of a benefactor who bestowed wealth and helped to heap up riches. +One of the bystanders said to him, "My good fellow, why do you +sell him, being such a one as you describe, when you may yourself +enjoy the good things he has to give?' "Why," he replied, "I am +in need of immediate help, and he is wont to give his good gifts +very slowly." + + +The Fox and the Grapes + +A FAMISHED FOX saw some clusters of ripe black grapes hanging +from a trellised vine. She resorted to all her tricks to get at +them, but wearied herself in vain, for she could not reach them. +At last she turned away, hiding her disappointment and saying: +"The Grapes are sour, and not ripe as I thought." + + +The Man and His Wife + +A MAN had a Wife who made herself hated by all the members of his +household. Wishing to find out if she had the same effect on the +persons in her father's house, he made some excuse to send her +home on a visit to her father. After a short time she returned, +and when he inquired how she had got on and how the servants had +treated her, she replied, "The herdsmen and shepherds cast on me +looks of aversion." He said, "O Wife, if you were disliked by +those who go out early in the morning with their flocks and +return late in the evening, what must have been felt towards you +by those with whom you passed the whole day!" + +Straws show how the wind blows. + + +The Peacock and Juno + +THE PEACOCK made complaint to Juno that, while the nightingale +pleased every ear with his song, he himself no sooner opened his +mouth than he became a laughingstock to all who heard him. The +Goddess, to console him, said, "But you far excel in beauty and +in size. The splendor of the emerald shines in your neck and you +unfold a tail gorgeous with painted plumage." "But for what +purpose have I," said the bird, "this dumb beauty so long as I am +surpassed in song?' "The lot of each," replied Juno, "has been +assigned by the will of the Fates--to thee, beauty; to the eagle, +strength; to the nightingale, song; to the raven, favorable, +and to the crow, unfavorable auguries. These are all contented +with the endowments allotted to them." + + +The Hawk and the Nightingale + +A NIGHTINGALE, sitting aloft upon an oak and singing according to +his wont, was seen by a Hawk who, being in need of food, swooped +down and seized him. The Nightingale, about to lose his life, +earnestly begged the Hawk to let him go, saying that he was not +big enough to satisfy the hunger of a Hawk who, if he wanted +food, ought to pursue the larger birds. The Hawk, interrupting +him, said: "I should indeed have lost my senses if I should let +go food ready in my hand, for the sake of pursuing birds which +are not yet even within sight." + + +The Dog, the Cock, and the Fox + +A DOG and a Cock being great friends, agreed to travel together. +At nightfall they took shelter in a thick wood. The Cock flying +up, perched himself on the branches of a tree, while the Dog +found a bed beneath in the hollow trunk. When the morning +dawned, the Cock, as usual, crowed very loudly several times. A +Fox heard the sound, and wishing to make a breakfast on him, came +and stood under the branches, saying how earnestly he desired to +make the acquaintance of the owner of so magnificent a voice. +The Cock, suspecting his civilities, said: "Sir, I wish you would +do me the favor of going around to the hollow trunk below me, and +waking my porter, so that he may open the door and let you in." +When the Fox approached the tree, the Dog sprang out and caught +him, and tore him to pieces. + + +The Wolf and the Goat + +A WOLF saw a Goat feeding at the summit of a steep precipice, +where he had no chance of reaching her. He called to her and +earnestly begged her to come lower down, lest she fall by some +mishap; and he added that the meadows lay where he was standing, +and that the herbage was most tender. She replied, "No, my +friend, it is not for the pasture that you invite me, but for +yourself, who are in want of food." + + +The Lion and the Bull + +A LION, greatly desiring to capture a Bull, and yet afraid to +attack him on account of his great size, resorted to a trick to +ensure his destruction. He approached the Bull and said, "I have +slain a fine sheep, my friend; and if you will come home and +partake of him with me, I shall be delighted to have your +company." The Lion said this in the hope that, as the Bull was in +the act of reclining to eat, he might attack him to advantage, +and make his meal on him. The Bull, on approaching the Lion's +den, saw the huge spits and giant caldrons, and no sign whatever +of the sheep, and, without saying a word, quietly took his +departure. The Lion inquired why he went off so abruptly without +a word of salutation to his host, who had not given him any cause +for offense. "I have reasons enough," said the Bull. "I see no +indication whatever of your having slaughtered a sheep, while I +do see very plainly every preparation for your dining on a bull." + + + +The Goat and the Ass + +A MAN once kept a Goat and an Ass. The Goat, envying the Ass on +account of his greater abundance of food, said, "How shamefully +you are treated: at one time grinding in the mill, and at another +carrying heavy burdens"; and he further advised him to pretend to +be epileptic and fall into a ditch and so obtain rest. The Ass +listened to his words, and falling into a ditch, was very much +bruised. His master, sending for a leech, asked his advice. He +bade him pour upon the wounds the lungs of a Goat. They at once +killed the Goat, and so healed the Ass. + + +The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse + +A COUNTRY MOUSE invited a Town Mouse, an intimate friend, to pay +him a visit and partake of his country fare. As they were on the +bare plowlands, eating there wheat-stocks and roots pulled up +from the hedgerow, the Town Mouse said to his friend, "You live +here the life of the ants, while in my house is the horn of +plenty. I am surrounded by every luxury, and if you will come +with me, as I wish you would, you shall have an ample share of my +dainties." The Country Mouse was easily persuaded, and returned +to town with his friend. On his arrival, the Town Mouse placed +before him bread, barley, beans, dried figs, honey, raisins, and, +last of all, brought a dainty piece of cheese from a basket. The +Country Mouse, being much delighted at the sight of such good +cheer, expressed his satisfaction in warm terms and lamented his +own hard fate. Just as they were beginning to eat, someone +opened the door, and they both ran off squeaking, as fast as they +could, to a hole so narrow that two could only find room in it by +squeezing. They had scarcely begun their repast again when +someone else entered to take something out of a cupboard, +whereupon the two Mice, more frightened than before, ran away and +hid themselves. At last the Country Mouse, almost famished, said +to his friend: "Although you have prepared for me so dainty a +feast, I must leave you to enjoy it by yourself. It is +surrounded by too many dangers to please me. I prefer my bare +plowlands and roots from the hedgerow, where I can live in +safety, and without fear." + + +The Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape + +A WOLF accused a Fox of theft, but the Fox entirely denied the +charge. An Ape undertook to adjudge the matter between them. +When each had fully stated his case the Ape announced this +sentence: "I do not think you, Wolf, ever lost what you claim; +and I do believe you, Fox, to have stolen what you so stoutly +deny." + +The dishonest, if they act honestly, get no credit. + + +The Fly and the Draught-Mule + +A FLY sat on the axle-tree of a chariot, and addressing the +Draught-Mule said, "How slow you are! Why do you not go faster? +See if I do not prick your neck with my sting." The Draught-Mule +replied, "I do not heed your threats; I only care for him who +sits above you, and who quickens my pace with his whip, or holds +me back with the reins. Away, therefore, with your insolence, +for I know well when to go fast, and when to go slow." + + +The Fishermen + +SOME FISHERMEN were out trawling their nets. Perceiving them to +be very heavy, they danced about for joy and supposed that they +had taken a large catch. When they had dragged the nets to the +shore they found but few fish: the nets were full of sand and +stones, and the men were beyond measure cast downso much at the +disappointment which had befallen them, but because they had +formed such very different expectations. One of their company, +an old man, said, "Let us cease lamenting, my mates, for, as it +seems to me, sorrow is always the twin sister of joy; and it was +only to be looked for that we, who just now were over-rejoiced, +should next have something to make us sad." + + +The Lion and the Three Bulls + +THREE BULLS for a long time pastured together. A Lion lay in +ambush in the hope of making them his prey, but was afraid to +attack them while they kept together. Having at last by guileful +speeches succeeded in separating them, he attacked them without +fear as they fed alone, and feasted on them one by one at his own +leisure. + +Union is strength. + + +The Fowler and the Viper + +A FOWLER, taking his bird-lime and his twigs, went out to catch +birds. Seeing a thrush sitting upon a tree, he wished to take +it, and fitting his twigs to a proper length, watched intently, +having his whole thoughts directed towards the sky. While thus +looking upwards, he unknowingly trod upon a Viper asleep just +before his feet. The Viper, turning about, stung him, and +falling into a swoon, the man said to himself, "Woe is me! that +while I purposed to hunt another, I am myself fallen unawares +into the snares of death." + + +The Horse and the Ass + +A HORSE, proud of his fine trappings, met an Ass on the highway. +The Ass, being heavily laden, moved slowly out of the way. +"Hardly," said the Horse, "can I resist kicking you with my +heels." The Ass held his peace, and made only a silent appeal to +the justice of the gods. Not long afterwards the Horse, having +become broken-winded, was sent by his owner to the farm. The +Ass, seeing him drawing a dungcart, thus derided him: "Where, O +boaster, are now all thy gay trappings, thou who are thyself +reduced to the condition you so lately treated with contempt?' + + +The Fox and the Mask + +A FOX entered the house of an actor and, rummaging through all +his properties, came upon a Mask, an admirable imitation of a +human head. He placed his paws on it and said, "What a beautiful +head! Yet it is of no value, as it entirely lacks brains." + + +The Geese and the Cranes + +THE GEESE and the Cranes were feeding in the same meadow, when a +birdcatcher came to ensnare them in his nets. The Cranes, being +light of wing, fled away at his approach; while the Geese, being +slower of flight and heavier in their bodies, were captured. + + +The Blind Man and the Whelp + +A BLIND MAN was accustomed to distinguishing different animals by +touching them with his hands. The whelp of a Wolf was brought +him, with a request that he would feel it, and say what it was. +He felt it, and being in doubt, said: "I do not quite know +whether it is the cub of a Fox, or the whelp of a Wolf, but this +I know full well. It would not be safe to admit him to the +sheepfold." + +Evil tendencies are shown in early life. + + +The Dogs and the Fox + +SOME DOGS, finding the skin of a lion, began to tear it in pieces +with their teeth. A Fox, seeing them, said, "If this lion were +alive, you would soon find out that his claws were stronger than +your teeth." + +It is easy to kick a man that is down. + + +The Cobbler Turned Doctor + +A COBBLER unable to make a living by his trade and made desperate +by poverty, began to practice medicine in a town in which he was +not known. He sold a drug, pretending that it was an antidote to +all poisons, and obtained a great name for himself by long-winded +puffs and advertisements. When the Cobbler happened to fall sick +himself of a serious illness, the Governor of the town determined +to test his skill. For this purpose he called for a cup, and +while filling it with water, pretended to mix poison with the +Cobbler's antidote, commanding him to drink it on the promise of +a reward. The Cobbler, under the fear of death, confessed that +he had no knowledge of medicine, and was only made famous by the +stupid clamors of the crowd. The Governor then called a public +assembly and addressed the citizens: "Of what folly have you been +guilty? You have not hesitated to entrust your heads to a man, +whom no one could employ to make even the shoes for their feet." + + +The Wolf and the Horse + +A WOLF coming out of a field of oats met a Horse and thus +addressed him: "I would advise you to go into that field. It is +full of fine oats, which I have left untouched for you, as you +are a friend whom I would love to hear enjoying good eating." The +Horse replied, "If oats had been the food of wolves, you would +never have indulged your ears at the cost of your belly." + +Men of evil reputation, when they perform a good deed, fail to +get credit for it. + + +The Brother and the Sister + +A FATHER had one son and one daughter, the former remarkable for +his good looks, the latter for her extraordinary ugliness. While +they were playing one day as children, they happened by chance to +look together into a mirror that was placed on their mother's +chair. The boy congratulated himself on his good looks; the girl +grew angry, and could not bear the self-praises of her Brother, +interpreting all he said (and how could she do otherwise?) into +reflection on herself. She ran off to her father. to be avenged +on her Brother, and spitefully accused him of having, as a boy, +made use of that which belonged only to girls. The father +embraced them both, and bestowing his kisses and affection +impartially on each, said, "I wish you both would look into the +mirror every day: you, my son, that you may not spoil your beauty +by evil conduct; and you, my daughter, that you may make up for +your lack of beauty by your virtues." + + +The Wasps, the Partridges, and the Farmer + +THE WASPS and the Partridges, overcome with thirst, came to a +Farmer and besought him to give them some water to drink. They +promised amply to repay him the favor which they asked. The +Partridges declared that they would dig around his vines and make +them produce finer grapes. The Wasps said that they would keep +guard and drive off thieves with their stings. But the Farmer +interrupted them, saying: "I have already two oxen, who, without +making any promises, do all these things. It is surely better +for me to give the water to them than to you." + + +The Crow and Mercury + +A CROW caught in a snare prayed to Apollo to release him, making +a vow to offer some frankincense at his shrine. But when rescued +from his danger, he forgot his promise. Shortly afterwards, +again caught in a snare, he passed by Apollo and made the same +promise to offer frankincense to Mercury. Mercury soon appeared +and said to him, "O thou most base fellow? how can I believe +thee, who hast disowned and wronged thy former patron?' + + +The North Wind and the Sun + +THE NORTH WIND and the Sun disputed as to which was the most +powerful, and agreed that he should be declared the victor who +could first strip a wayfaring man of his clothes. The North Wind +first tried his power and blew with all his might, but the keener +his blasts, the closer the Traveler wrapped his cloak around him, +until at last, resigning all hope of victory, the Wind called +upon the Sun to see what he could do. The Sun suddenly shone out +with all his warmth. The Traveler no sooner felt his genial rays +than he took off one garment after another, and at last, fairly +overcome with heat, undressed and bathed in a stream that lay in +his path. + +Persuasion is better than Force. + + +The Two Men Who Were Enemies + +TWO MEN, deadly enemies to each other, were sailing in the same +vessel. Determined to keep as far apart as possible, the one +seated himself in the stem, and the other in the prow of the +ship. A violent storm arose, and with the vessel in great danger +of sinking, the one in the stern inquired of the pilot which of +the two ends of the ship would go down first. On his replying +that he supposed it would be the prow, the Man said, "Death would +not be grievous to me, if I could only see my Enemy die before +me." + + +The Gamecocks and the Partridge + +A MAN had two Gamecocks in his poultry-yard. One day by chance +he found a tame Partridge for sale. He purchased it and brought +it home to be reared with his Gamecocks. When the Partridge was +put into the poultry-yard, they struck at it and followed it +about, so that the Partridge became grievously troubled and +supposed that he was thus evilly treated because he was a +stranger. Not long afterwards he saw the Cocks fighting together +and not separating before one had well beaten the other. He then +said to himself, "I shall no longer distress myself at being +struck at by these Gamecocks, when I see that they cannot even +refrain from quarreling with each other." + + +The Quack Frog + +A FROG once upon a time came forth from his home in the marsh and +proclaimed to all the beasts that he was a learned physician, +skilled in the use of drugs and able to heal all diseases. A Fox +asked him, "How can you pretend to prescribe for others, when you +are unable to heal your own lame gait and wrinkled skin?' + + +The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox + +A LION, growing old, lay sick in his cave. All the beasts came +to visit their king, except the Fox. The Wolf therefore, +thinking that he had a capital opportunity, accused the Fox to +the Lion of not paying any respect to him who had the rule over +them all and of not coming to visit him. At that very moment the +Fox came in and heard these last words of the Wolf. The Lion +roaring out in a rage against him, the Fox sought an opportunity +to defend himself and said, "And who of all those who have come +to you have benefited you so much as I, who have traveled from +place to place in every direction, and have sought and learnt +from the physicians the means of healing you?' The Lion commanded +him immediately to tell him the cure, when he replied, "You must +flay a wolf alive and wrap his skin yet warm around you." The +Wolf was at once taken and flayed; whereon the Fox, turning to +him, said with a smile, "You should have moved your master not to +ill, but to good, will." + + +The Dog's House + +IN THE WINTERTIME, a Dog curled up in as small a space as +possible on account of the cold, determined to make himself a +house. However when the summer returned again, he lay asleep +stretched at his full length and appeared to himself to be of a +great size. Now he considered that it would be neither an easy +nor a necessary work to make himself such a house as would +accommodate him. + + +The Wolf and the Lion + +ROAMING BY the mountainside at sundown, a Wolf saw his own shadow +become greatly extended and magnified, and he said to himself, +"Why should I, being of such an immense size and extending nearly +an acre in length, be afraid of the Lion? Ought I not to be +acknowledged as King of all the collected beasts?' While he was +indulging in these proud thoughts, a Lion fell upon him and +killed him. He exclaimed with a too late repentance, "Wretched +me! this overestimation of myself is the cause of my +destruction." + + +The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat + +THE BIRDS waged war with the Beasts, and each were by turns the +conquerors. A Bat, fearing the uncertain issues of the fight, +always fought on the side which he felt was the strongest. When +peace was proclaimed, his deceitful conduct was apparent to both +combatants. Therefore being condemned by each for his treachery, +he was driven forth from the light of day, and henceforth +concealed himself in dark hiding-places, flying always alone and +at night. + + +The Spendthrift and the Swallow + +A YOUNG MAN, a great spendthrift, had run through all his +patrimony and had but one good cloak left. One day he happened +to see a Swallow, which had appeared before its season, skimming +along a pool and twittering gaily. He supposed that summer had +come, and went and sold his cloak. Not many days later, winter +set in again with renewed frost and cold. When he found the +unfortunate Swallow lifeless on the ground, he said, "Unhappy +bird! what have you done? By thus appearing before the springtime +you have not only killed yourself, but you have wrought my +destruction also." + + +The Fox and the Lion + +A FOX saw a Lion confined in a cage, and standing near him, +bitterly reviled him. The Lion said to the Fox, "It is not thou +who revilest me; but this mischance which has befallen me." + + +The Owl and the Birds + +AN OWL, in her wisdom, counseled the Birds that when the acorn +first began to sprout, to pull it all up out of the ground and +not allow it to grow. She said acorns would produce mistletoe, +from which an irremediable poison, the bird- +lime, would be extracted and by which they would be captured. +The Owl next advised them to pluck up the seed of the flax, which +men had sown, as it was a plant which boded no good to them. +And, lastly, the Owl, seeing an archer approach, predicted that +this man, being on foot, would contrive darts armed with feathers +which would fly faster than the wings of the Birds themselves. +The Birds gave no credence to these warning words, but considered +the Owl to be beside herself and said that she was mad. But +afterwards, finding her words were true, they wondered at her +knowledge and deemed her to be the wisest of birds. Hence it is +that when she appears they look to her as knowing all things, +while she no longer gives them advice, but in solitude laments +their past folly. + + +The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner + +A TRUMPETER, bravely leading on the soldiers, was captured by the +enemy. He cried out to his captors, "Pray spare me, and do not +take my life without cause or without inquiry. I have not slain +a single man of your troop. I have no arms, and carry nothing +but this one brass trumpet." "That is the very reason for which +you should be put to death," they said; "for, while you do not +fight yourself, your trumpet stirs all the others to battle." + + +The Ass in the Lion's Skin + +AN ASS, having put on the Lion's skin, roamed about in the forest +and amused himself by frightening all the foolish animals he met +in his wanderings. At last coming upon a Fox, he tried to +frighten him also, but the Fox no sooner heard the sound of his +voice than he exclaimed, "I might possibly have been frightened +myself, if I had not heard your bray." + + +The Sparrow and the Hare + +A HARE pounced upon by an eagle sobbed very much and uttered +cries like a child. A Sparrow upbraided her and said, "Where now +is thy remarkable swiftness of foot? Why were your feet so slow?" +While the Sparrow was thus speaking, a hawk suddenly seized him +and killed him. The Hare was comforted in her death, and +expiring said, "Ah! you who so lately, when you supposed yourself +safe, exulted over my calamity, have now reason to deplore a +similar misfortune." + + +The Flea and the Ox + +A FLEA thus questioned an Ox: "What ails you, that being so huge +and strong, you submit to the wrongs you receive from men and +slave for them day by day, while I, being so small a creature, +mercilessly feed on their flesh and drink their blood without +stint?' The Ox replied: "I do not wish to be ungrateful, for I am +loved and well cared for by men, and they often pat my head and +shoulders." "Woe's me!" said the flea; "this very patting which +you like, whenever it happens to me, brings with it my inevitable +destruction." + + +The Goods and the Ills + +ALL the Goods were once driven out by the Ills from that common +share which they each had in the affairs of mankind; for the Ills +by reason of their numbers had prevailed to possess the earth. +The Goods wafted themselves to heaven and asked for a righteous +vengeance on their persecutors. They entreated Jupiter that they +might no longer be associated with the Ills, as they had nothing +in common and could not live together, but were engaged in +unceasing warfare; and that an indissoluble law might be laid +down for their future protection. Jupiter granted their request +and decreed that henceforth the Ills should visit the earth in +company with each other, but that the Goods should one by one +enter the habitations of men. Hence it arises that Ills abound, +for they come not one by one, but in troops, and by no means +singly: while the Goods proceed from Jupiter, and are given, not +alike to all, but singly, and separately; and one by one to those +who are able to discern them. + + +The Dove and the Crow + +A DOVE shut up in a cage was boasting of the large number of +young ones which she had hatched. A Crow hearing her, said: "My +good friend, cease from this unseasonable boasting. The larger +the number of your family, the greater your cause of sorrow, in +seeing them shut up in this prison-house." + + +Mercury and the Workmen + +A WORKMAN, felling wood by the side of a river, let his axe drop +- by accident into a deep pool. Being thus deprived of the means +of his livelihood, he sat down on the bank and lamented his hard +fate. Mercury appeared and demanded the cause of his tears. +After he told him his misfortune, Mercury plunged into the +stream, and, bringing up a golden axe, inquired if that were the +one he had lost. On his saying that it was not his, Mercury +disappeared beneath the water a second time, returned with a +silver axe in his hand, and again asked the Workman if it were +his. When the Workman said it was not, he dived into the pool +for the third time and brought up the axe that had been lost. +The Workman claimed it and expressed his joy at its recovery. +Mercury, pleased with his honesty, gave him the golden and silver +axes in addition to his own. The Workman, on his return to his +house, related to his companions all that had happened. One of +them at once resolved to try and secure the same good fortune for +himself. He ran to the river and threw his axe on purpose into +the pool at the same place, and sat down on the bank to weep. +Mercury appeared to him just as he hoped he would; and having +learned the cause of his grief, plunged into the stream and +brought up a golden axe, inquiring if he had lost it. The +Workman seized it greedily, and declared that truly it was the +very same axe that he had lost. Mercury, displeased at his +knavery, not only took away the golden axe, but refused to +recover for him the axe he had thrown into the pool. + + +The Eagle and the Jackdaw + +AN EAGLE, flying down from his perch on a lofty rock, seized upon +a lamb and carried him aloft in his talons. A Jackdaw, who +witnessed the capture of the lamb, was stirred with envy and +determined to emulate the strength and flight of the Eagle. He +flew around with a great whir of his wings and settled upon a +large ram, with the intention of carrying him off, but his claws +became entangled in the ram's fleece and he was not able to +release himself, although he fluttered with his feathers as much +as he could. The shepherd, seeing what had happened, ran up and +caught him. He at once clipped the Jackdaw's wings, and taking +him home at night, gave him to his children. On their saying, +"Father, what kind of bird is it?' he replied, "To my certain +knowledge he is a Daw; but he would like you to think an Eagle." + + + +The Fox and the Crane + +A FOX invited a Crane to supper and provided nothing for his +entertainment but some soup made of pulse, which was poured out +into a broad flat stone dish. The soup fell out of the long bill +of the Crane at every mouthful, and his vexation at not being +able to eat afforded the Fox much amusement. The Crane, in his +turn, asked the Fox to sup with him, and set before her a flagon +with a long narrow mouth, so that he could easily insert his neck +and enjoy its contents at his leisure. The Fox, unable even to +taste it, met with a fitting requital, after the fashion of her +own hospitality. + + +Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus + +ACCORDING to an ancient legend, the first man was made by +Jupiter, the first bull by Neptune, and the first house by +Minerva. On the completion of their labors, a dispute arose as +to which had made the most perfect work. They agreed to appoint +Momus as judge, and to abide by his decision. Momus, however, +being very envious of the handicraft of each, found fault with +all. He first blamed the work of Neptune because he had not made +the horns of the bull below his eyes, so he might better see +where to strike. He then condemned the work of Jupiter, because +he had not placed the heart of man on the outside, that everyone +might read the thoughts of the evil disposed and take precautions +against the intended mischief. And, lastly, he inveighed against +Minerva because she had not contrived iron wheels in the +foundation of her house, so its inhabitants might more easily +remove if a neighbor proved unpleasant. Jupiter, indignant at +such inveterate faultfinding, drove him from his office of judge, +and expelled him from the mansions of Olympus. + + +The Eagle and the Fox + +AN EAGLE and a Fox formed an intimate friendship and decided to +live near each other. The Eagle built her nest in the branches +of a tall tree, while the Fox crept into the underwood and there +produced her young. Not long after they had agreed upon this +plan, the Eagle, being in want of provision for her young ones, +swooped down while the Fox was out, seized upon one of the little +cubs, and feasted herself and her brood. The Fox on her return, +discovered what had happened, but was less grieved for the death +of her young than for her inability to avenge them. A just +retribution, however, quickly fell upon the Eagle. While +hovering near an altar, on which some villagers were sacrificing +a goat, she suddenly seized a piece of the flesh, and carried it, +along with a burning cinder, to her nest. A strong breeze soon +fanned the spark into a flame, and the eaglets, as yet unfledged +and helpless, were roasted in their nest and dropped down dead at +the bottom of the tree. There, in the sight of the Eagle, the +Fox gobbled them up. + + +The Man and the Satyr + +A MAN and a Satyr once drank together in token of a bond of +alliance being formed between them. One very cold wintry day, as +they talked, the Man put his fingers to his mouth and blew on +them. When the Satyr asked the reason for this, he told him that +he did it to warm his hands because they were so cold. Later on +in the day they sat down to eat, and the food prepared was quite +scalding. The Man raised one of the dishes a little towards his +mouth and blew in it. When the Satyr again inquired the reason, +he said that he did it to cool the meat, which was too hot. "I +can no longer consider you as a friend," said the Satyr, "a +fellow who with the same breath blows hot and cold." + + +The Ass and His Purchaser + +A MAN wished to purchase an Ass, and agreed with its owner that +he should try out the animal before he bought him. He took the +Ass home and put him in the straw-yard with his other Asses, upon +which the new animal left all the others and at once joined the +one that was most idle and the greatest eater of them all. +Seeing this, the man put a halter on him and led him back to his +owner. On being asked how, in so short a time, he could have +made a trial of him, he answered, "I do not need a trial; I know +that he will be just the same as the one he chose for his +companion." + +A man is known by the company he keeps. + + +The Two Bags + +EVERY MAN, according to an ancient legend, is born into the world +with two bags suspended from his neck all bag in front full of +his neighbors' faults, and a large bag behind filled with his own +faults. Hence it is that men are quick to see the faults of +others, and yet are often blind to their own failings. + + +The Stag at the Pool + +A STAG overpowered by heat came to a spring to drink. Seeing his +own shadow reflected in the water, he greatly admired the size +and variety of his horns, but felt angry with himself for having +such slender and weak feet. While he was thus contemplating +himself, a Lion appeared at the pool and crouched to spring upon +him. The Stag immediately took to flight, and exerting his +utmost speed, as long as the plain was smooth and open kept +himself easily at a safe distance from the Lion. But entering a +wood he became entangled by his horns, and the Lion quickly came +up to him and caught him. When too late, he thus reproached +himself: "Woe is me! How I have deceived myself! These feet which +would have saved me I despised, and I gloried in these antlers +which have proved my destruction." + +What is most truly valuable is often underrated. + + +The Jackdaw and the Fox + +A HALF-FAMISHED JACKDAW seated himself on a fig-tree, which had +produced some fruit entirely out of season, and waited in the +hope that the figs would ripen. A Fox seeing him sitting so long +and learning the reason of his doing so, said to him, "You are +indeed, sir, sadly deceiving yourself; you are indulging a hope +strong enough to cheat you, but which will never reward you with +enjoyment." + + +The Lark Burying Her Father + +THE LARK (according to an ancient legend) was created before the +earth itself, and when her father died, as there was no earth, +she could find no place of burial for him. She let him lie +uninterred for five days, and on the sixth day, not knowing what +else to do, she buried him in her own head. Hence she obtained +her crest, which is popularly said to be her father's +grave-hillock. + +Youth's first duty is reverence to parents. + + +The Gnat and the Bull + +A GNAT settled on the horn of a Bull, and sat there a long time. +Just as he was about to fly off, he made a buzzing noise, and +inquired of the Bull if he would like him to go. The Bull +replied, "I did not know you had come, and I shall not miss you +when you go away." + +Some men are of more consequence in their own eyes than in the +eyes of their neighbors. + + +The Bitch and Her Whelps + +A BITCH, ready to whelp, earnestly begged a shepherd for a place +where she might litter. When her request was granted, she +besought permission to rear her puppies in the same spot. The +shepherd again consented. But at last the Bitch, protected by +the bodyguard of her Whelps, who had now grown up and were able +to defend themselves, asserted her exclusive right to the place +and would not permit the shepherd to approach. + + +The Dogs and the Hides + +SOME DOGS famished with hunger saw a number of cowhides steeping +in a river. Not being able to reach them, they agreed to drink +up the river, but it happened that they burst themselves with +drinking long before they reached the hides. + +Attempt not impossibilities. + + +The Shepherd and the Sheep + +A SHEPHERD driving his Sheep to a wood, saw an oak of unusual +size full of acorns, and spreading his cloak under the branches, +he climbed up into the tree and shook them down. The Sheep +eating the acorns inadvertently frayed and tore the cloak. When +the Shepherd came down and saw what was done, he said, "O you +most ungrateful creatures! You provide wool to make garments for +all other men, but you destroy the clothes of him who feeds you." + + + +The Grasshopper and the Owl + +AN OWL, accustomed to feed at night and to sleep during the day, +was greatly disturbed by the noise of a Grasshopper and earnestly +besought her to stop chirping. The Grasshopper refused to +desist, and chirped louder and louder the more the Owl entreated. +When she saw that she could get no redress and that her words +were despised, the Owl attacked the chatterer by a stratagem. +"Since I cannot sleep," she said, "on account of your song which, +believe me, is sweet as the lyre of Apollo, I shall indulge +myself in drinking some nectar which Pallas lately gave me. If +you do not dislike it, come to me and we will drink it together." +The Grasshopper, who was thirsty, and pleased with the praise of +her voice, eagerly flew up. The Owl came forth from her hollow, +seized her, and put her to death. + + +The Monkey and the Camel + +THE BEASTS of the forest gave a splendid entertainment at which +the Monkey stood up and danced. Having vastly delighted the +assembly, he sat down amidst universal applause. The Camel, +envious of the praises bestowed on the Monkey and desiring to +divert to himself the favor of the guests, proposed to stand up +in his turn and dance for their amusement. He moved about in so +utterly ridiculous a manner that the Beasts, in a fit of +indignation, set upon him with clubs and drove him out of the +assembly. + +It is absurd to ape our betters. + + +The Peasant and the Apple-Tree + +A PEASANT had in his garden an Apple-Tree which bore no fruit but +only served as a harbor for the sparrows and grasshoppers. He +resolved to cut it down, and taking his axe in his hand, made a +bold stroke at its roots. The grasshoppers and sparrows +entreated him not to cut down the tree that sheltered them, but +to spare it, and they would sing to him and lighten his labors. +He paid no attention to their request, but gave the tree a second +and a third blow with his axe. When he reached the hollow of the +tree, he found a hive full of honey. Having tasted the +honeycomb, he threw down his axe, and looking on the tree as +sacred, took great care of it. + +Self-interest alone moves some men. + + +The Two Soldiers and the Robber + +TWO SOLDIERS traveling together were set upon by a Robber. The +one fled away; the other stood his ground and defended himself +with his stout right hand. The Robber being slain, the timid +companion ran up and drew his sword, and then, throwing back his +traveling cloak said, "I'll at him, and I'll take care he shall +learn whom he has attacked." On this, he who had fought with the +Robber made answer, "I only wish that you had helped me just now, +even if it had been only with those words, for I should have been +the more encouraged, believing them to be true; but now put up +your sword in its sheath and hold your equally useless tongue, +till you can deceive others who do not know you. I, indeed, who +have experienced with what speed you run away, know right well +that no dependence can be placed on your valor." + + +The Trees Under the Protection of the Gods + +THE GODS, according to an ancient legend, made choice of certain +trees to be under their special protection. Jupiter chose the +oak, Venus the myrtle, Apollo the laurel, Cybele the pine, and +Hercules the poplar. Minerva, wondering why they had preferred +trees not yielding fruit, inquired the reason for their choice. +Jupiter replied, "It is lest we should seem to covet the honor +for the fruit." But said Minerva, "Let anyone say what he will +the olive is more dear to me on account of its fruit." Then said +Jupiter, "My daughter, you are rightly called wise; for unless +what we do is useful, the glory of it is vain." + + +The Mother and the Wolf + +A FAMISHED WOLF was prowling about in the morning in search of +food. As he passed the door of a cottage built in the forest, he +heard a Mother say to her child, "Be quiet, or I will throw you +out of the window, and the Wolf shall eat you." The Wolf sat all +day waiting at the door. In the evening he heard the same woman +fondling her child and saying: "You are quiet now, and if the +Wolf should come, we will kill him." The Wolf, hearing these +words, went home, gasping with cold and hunger. When he reached +his den, Mistress Wolf inquired of him why he returned wearied +and supperless, so contrary to his wont. He replied: "Why, +forsooth! +use I gave credence to the words of a woman!" + + +The Ass and the Horse + +AN ASS besought a Horse to spare him a small portion of his feed. +"Yes," said the Horse; "if any remains out of what I am now +eating I will give it you for the sake of my own superior +dignity, and if you will come when I reach my own stall in the +evening, I will give you a little sack full of barley." The Ass +replied, "Thank you. But I can't think that you, who refuse me a +little matter now. will by and by confer on me a greater +benefit." + + +Truth and the Traveler + +A WAYFARING MAN, traveling in the desert, met a woman standing +alone and terribly dejected. He inquired of her, "Who art thou?" +"My name is Truth," she replied. "And for what cause," he asked, +"have you left the city to dwell alone here in the wilderness?" +She made answer, "Because in former times, falsehood was with +few, but is now with all men." + +The Manslayer + +A MAN committed a murder, and was pursued by the relations of the +man whom he murdered. On his reaching the river Nile he saw a +Lion on its bank and being fearfully afraid, climbed up a tree. +He found a serpent in the upper branches of the tree, and again +being greatly alarmed, he threw himself into the river, where a +crocodile caught him and ate him. Thus the earth, the air, and +the water alike refused shelter to a murderer. + +The Lion and the Fox + +A FOX entered into partnership with a Lion on the pretense of +becoming his servant. Each undertook his proper duty in +accordance with his own nature and powers. The Fox discovered +and pointed out the prey; the Lion sprang on it and seized it. +The Fox soon became jealous of the Lion carrying off the Lion's +share, and said that he would no longer find out the prey, but +would capture it on his own account. The next day he attempted +to snatch a lamb from the fold, but he himself fell prey to the +huntsmen and hounds. + +The Lion and the Eagle + +AN EAGLE stayed his flight and entreated a Lion to make an +alliance with him to their mutual advantage. The Lion replied, +"I have no objection, but you must excuse me for requiring you to +find surety for your good faith, for how can I trust anyone as a +friend who is able to fly away from his bargain whenever he +pleases?' + +Try before you trust. + +The Hen and the Swallow + +A HEN finding the eggs of a viper and carefully keeping them +warm, nourished them into life. A Swallow, observing what she +had done, said, "You silly creature! why have you hatched these +vipers which, when they shall have grown, will inflict injury on +all, beginning with yourself?' + +The Buffoon and the Countryman + +A RICH NOBLEMAN once opened the theaters without charge to the +people, and gave a public notice that he would handsomely reward +any person who invented a new amusement for the occasion. +Various public performers contended for the prize. Among them +came a Buffoon well known among the populace for his jokes, and +said that he had a kind of entertainment which had never been +brought out on any stage before. This report being spread about +made a great stir, and the theater was crowded in every part. +The Buffoon appeared alone upon the platform, without any +apparatus or confederates, and the very sense of expectation +caused an intense silence. He suddenly bent his head towards his +bosom and imitated the squeaking of a little pig so admirably +with his voice that the audience declared he had a porker under +his cloak, and demanded that it should be shaken out. When that +was done and nothing was found, they cheered the actor, and +loaded him with the loudest applause. A Countryman in the crowd, +observing all that has passed, said, "So help me, Hercules, he +shall not beat me at that trick!" and at once proclaimed that he +would do the same thing on the next day, though in a much more +natural way. On the morrow a still larger crowd assembled in the +theater, but now partiality for their favorite actor very +generally prevailed, and the audience came rather to ridicule the +Countryman than to see the spectacle. Both of the performers +appeared on the stage. The Buffoon grunted and squeaked away +first, and obtained, as on the preceding day, the applause and +cheers of the spectators. Next the Countryman commenced, and +pretending that he concealed a little pig beneath his clothes +(which in truth he did, but not suspected by the audience ) +contrived to take hold of and to pull his ear causing the pig to +squeak. The Crowd, however, cried out with one consent that the +Buffoon had given a far more exact imitation, and clamored for +the Countryman to be kicked out of the theater. On this the +rustic produced the little pig from his cloak and showed by the +most positive proof the greatness of their mistake. "Look here," +he said, "this shows what sort of judges you are." + +The Crow and the Serpent + +A CROW in great want of food saw a Serpent asleep in a sunny +nook, and flying down, greedily seized him. The Serpent, turning +about, bit the Crow with a mortal wound. In the agony of death, +the bird exclaimed: "O unhappy me! who have found in that which I +deemed a happy windfall the source of my destruction." + +The Hunter and the Horseman + +A CERTAIN HUNTER, having snared a hare, placed it upon his +shoulders and set out homewards. On his way he met a man on +horseback who begged the hare of him, under the pretense of +purchasing it. However, when the Horseman got the hare, he rode +off as fast as he could. The Hunter ran after him, as if he was +sure of overtaking him, but the Horseman increased more and more +the distance between them. The Hunter, sorely against his will, +called out to him and said, "Get along with you! for I will now +make you a present of the hare." + +The King's Son and the Painted Lion + +A KING, whose only son was fond of martial exercises, had a dream +in which he was warned that his son would be killed by a lion. +Afraid the dream should prove true, he built for his son a +pleasant palace and adorned its walls for his amusement with all +kinds of life-sized animals, among which was the picture of a +lion. When the young Prince saw this, his grief at being thus +confined burst out afresh, and, standing near the lion, he said: +"O you most detestable of animals! through a lying dream of my +father's, which he saw in his sleep, I am shut up on your account +in this palace as if I had been a girl: what shall I now do to +you?' With these words he stretched out his hands toward a +thorn-tree, meaning to cut a stick from its branches so that he +might beat the lion. But one of the tree's prickles pierced his +finger and caused great pain and inflammation, so that the young +Prince fell down in a fainting fit. A violent fever suddenly set +in, from which he died not many days later. + +We had better bear our troubles bravely than try to escape them. + + +The Cat and Venus + +A CAT fell in love with a handsome young man, and entreated Venus +to change her into the form of a woman. Venus consented to her +request and transformed her into a beautiful damsel, so that the +youth saw her and loved her, and took her home as his bride. +While the two were reclining in their chamber, Venus wishing to +discover if the Cat in her change of shape had also altered her +habits of life, let down a mouse in the middle of the room. The +Cat, quite forgetting her present condition, started up from the +couch and pursued the mouse, wishing to eat it. Venus was much +disappointed and again caused her to return to her former shape. + + +Nature exceeds nurture. + + +The She-Goats and Their Beards + +THE SHE-GOATS having obtained a beard by request to Jupiter, the +He-Goats were sorely displeased and made complaint that the +females equaled them in dignity. "Allow them," said Jupiter, "to +enjoy an empty honor and to assume the badge of your nobler sex, +so long as they are not your equals in strength or courage." + +It matters little if those who are inferior to us in merit should +be like us in outside appearances. + +The Camel and the Arab + +AN ARAB CAMEL-DRIVER, after completing the loading of his Camel, +asked him which he would like best, to go up hill or down. The +poor beast replied, not without a touch of reason: "Why do you +ask me? Is it that the level way through the desert is closed?" + + +The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass + +A MILLER and his son were driving their Ass to a neighboring fair +to sell him. They had not gone far when they met with a troop of +women collected round a well, talking and laughing. "Look +there," cried one of them, "did you ever see such fellows, to be +trudging along the road on foot when they might ride?' The old +man hearing this, quickly made his son mount the Ass, and +continued to walk along merrily by his side. Presently they came +up to a group of old men in earnest debate. "There," said one of +them, "it proves what I was a-saying. What respect is shown to +old age in these days? Do you see that idle lad riding while his +old father has to walk? Get down, you young scapegrace, and let +the old man rest his weary limbs." Upon this the old man made his +son dismount, and got up himself. In this manner they had not +proceeded far when they met a company of women and children: +"Why, you lazy old fellow," cried several tongues at once, "how +can you ride upon the beast, while that poor little lad there can +hardly keep pace by the side of you?' The good-natured Miller +immediately took up his son behind him. They had now almost +reached the town. "Pray, honest friend," said a citizen, "is +that Ass your own?' "Yes," replied the old man. "O, one would +not have thought so," said the other, "by the way you load him. +Why, you two fellows are better able to carry the poor beast than +he you." "Anything to please you," said the old man; "we can but +try." So, alighting with his son, they tied the legs of the Ass +together and with the help of a pole endeavored to carry him on +their shoulders over a bridge near the entrance to the town. +This entertaining sight brought the people in crowds to laugh at +it, till the Ass, not liking the noise nor the strange handling +that he was subject to, broke the cords that bound him and, +tumbling off the pole, fell into the river. Upon this, the old +man, vexed and ashamed, made the best of his way home again, +convinced that by endeavoring to please everybody he had pleased +nobody, and lost his Ass in the bargain. + +The Crow and the Sheep + +A TROUBLESOME CROW seated herself on the back of a Sheep. The +Sheep, much against his will, carried her backward and forward +for a long time, and at last said, "If you had treated a dog in +this way, you would have had your deserts from his sharp teeth." +To this the Crow replied, "I despise the weak and yield to the +strong. I know whom I may bully and whom I must flatter; and I +thus prolong my life to a good old age." + +The Fox and the Bramble + +A FOX was mounting a hedge when he lost his footing and caught +hold of a Bramble to save himself. Having pricked and grievously +tom the soles of his feet, he accused the Bramble because, when +he had fled to her for assistance, she had used him worse than +the hedge itself. The Bramble, interrupting him, said, "But you +really must have been out of your senses to fasten yourself on +me, who am myself always accustomed to fasten upon others." + +The Wolf and the Lion + +A WOLF, having stolen a lamb from a fold, was carrying him off to +his lair. A Lion met him in the path, and seizing the lamb, took +it from him. Standing at a safe distance, the Wolf exclaimed, +"You have unrighteously taken that which was mine from me!" To +which the Lion jeeringly replied, "It was righteously yours, eh? +The gift of a friend?' + +The Dog and the Oyster + +A DOG, used to eating eggs, saw an Oyster and, opening his mouth +to its widest extent, swallowed it down with the utmost relish, +supposing it to be an egg. Soon afterwards suffering great pain +in his stomach, he said, "I deserve all this torment, for my +folly in thinking that everything round must be an egg." + +They who act without sufficient thought, will often fall into +unsuspected danger. + +The Ant and the Dove + +AN ANT went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and +being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on the point of +drowning. A Dove sitting on a tree overhanging the water plucked +a leaf and let it fall into the stream close to her. The Ant +climbed onto it and floated in safety to the bank. Shortly +afterwards a birdcatcher came and stood under the tree, and laid +his lime-twigs for the Dove, which sat in the branches. The Ant, +perceiving his design, stung him in the foot. In pain the +birdcatcher threw down the twigs, and the noise made the Dove +take wing. + +The Partridge and the Fowler + +A FOWLER caught a Partridge and was about to kill it. The +Partridge earnestly begged him to spare his life, saying, "Pray, +master, permit me to live and I will entice many Partridges to +you in recompense for your mercy to me." The Fowler replied, "I +shall now with less scruple take your life, because you are +willing to save it at the cost of betraying your friends and +relations." + +The Flea and the Man + +A MAN, very much annoyed with a Flea, caught him at last, and +said, "Who are you who dare to feed on my limbs, and to cost me +so much trouble in catching you?' The Flea replied, "O my dear +sir, pray spare my life, and destroy me not, for I cannot +possibly do you much harm." The Man, laughing, replied, "Now you +shall certainly die by mine own hands, for no evil, whether it be +small or large, ought to be tolerated." + +The Thieves and the Cock + +SOME THIEVES broke into a house and found nothing but a Cock, +whom they stole, and got off as fast as they could. Upon +arriving at home they prepared to kill the Cock, who thus pleaded +for his life: "Pray spare me; I am very serviceable to men. I +wake them up in the night to their work." "That is the very +reason why we must the more kill you," they replied; "for when +you wake your neighbors, you entirely put an end to our +business." + +The safeguards of virtue are hateful to those with evil +intentions. + +The Dog and the Cook + +A RICH MAN gave a great feast, to which he invited many friends +and acquaintances. His Dog availed himself of the occasion to +invite a stranger Dog, a friend of his, saying, "My master gives +a feast, and there is always much food remaining; come and sup +with me tonight." The Dog thus invited went at the hour +appointed, and seeing the preparations for so grand an +entertainment, said in the joy of his heart, "How glad I am that +I came! I do not often get such a chance as this. I will take +care and eat enough to last me both today and tomorrow." While he +was congratulating himself and wagging his tail to convey his +pleasure to his friend, the Cook saw him moving about among his +dishes and, seizing him by his fore and hind paws, bundled him +without ceremony out of the window. He fell with force upon the +ground and limped away, howling dreadfully. His yelling soon +attracted other street dogs, who came up to him and inquired how +he had enjoyed his supper. He replied, "Why, to tell you the +truth, I drank so much wine that I remember nothing. I do not +know how I got out of the house." + +The Travelers and the Plane-Tree + +TWO TRAVELERS, worn out by the heat of the summer's sun, laid +themselves down at noon under the widespreading branches of a +Plane-Tree. As they rested under its shade, one of the Travelers +said to the other, "What a singularly useless tree is the Plane! +It bears no fruit, and is not of the least service to man." The +Plane-Tree, interrupting him, said, "You ungrateful fellows! Do +you, while receiving benefits from me and resting under my shade, +dare to describe me as useless, and unprofitable?' + +Some men underrate their best blessings. + + +The Hares and the Frogs + +THE HARES, oppressed by their own exceeding timidity and weary of +the perpetual alarm to which they were exposed, with one accord +determined to put an end to themselves and their troubles by +jumping from a lofty precipice into a deep lake below. As they +scampered off in large numbers to carry out their resolve, the +Frogs lying on the banks of the lake heard the noise of their +feet and rushed helter-skelter to the deep water for safety. On +seeing the rapid disappearance of the Frogs, one of the Hares +cried out to his companions: "Stay, my friends, do not do as you +intended; for you now see that there are creatures who are still +more timid than ourselves." + + +The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant + +THE LION wearied Jupiter with his frequent complaints. "It is +true, O Jupiter!" he said, "that I am gigantic in strength, +handsome in shape, and powerful in attack. I have jaws well +provided with teeth, and feet furnished with claws, and I lord it +over all the beasts of the forest, and what a disgrace it is, +that being such as I am, I should be frightened by the crowing of +a cock." Jupiter replied, "Why do you blame me without a cause? I +have given you all the attributes which I possess myself, and +your courage never fails you except in this one instance." On +hearing this the Lion groaned and lamented very much and, +reproaching himself with his cowardice, wished that he might die. +As these thoughts passed through his mind, he met an Elephant and +came close to hold a conversation with him. After a time he +observed that the Elephant shook his ears very often, and he +inquired what was the matter and why his ears moved with such a +tremor every now and then. Just at that moment a Gnat settled on +the head of the Elephant, and he replied, "Do you see that little +buzzing insect? If it enters my ear, my fate is sealed. I should +die presently." The Lion said, "Well, since so huge a beast is +afraid of a tiny gnat, I will no more complain, nor wish myself +dead. I find myself, even as I am, better off than the +Elephant." + +The Lamb and the Wolf + +A WOLF pursued a Lamb, which fled for refuge to a certain Temple. +The Wolf called out to him and said, "The Priest will slay you in +sacrifice, if he should catch you." On which the Lamb replied, +"It would be better for me to be sacrificed in the Temple than to +be eaten by you." + + +The Rich Man and the Tanner + +A RICH MAN lived near a Tanner, and not being able to bear the +unpleasant smell of the tan-yard, he pressed his neighbor to go +away. The Tanner put off his departure from time to time, saying +that he would leave soon. But as he still continued to stay, as +time went on, the rich man became accustomed to the smell, and +feeling no manner of inconvenience, made no further complaints. + + +The Shipwrecked Man and the Sea + +A SHIPWRECKED MAN, having been cast upon a certain shore, slept +after his buffetings with the deep. After a while he awoke, and +looking upon the Sea, loaded it with reproaches. He argued that +it enticed men with the calmness of its looks, but when it had +induced them to plow its waters, it grew rough and destroyed +them. The Sea, assuming the form of a woman, replied to him: +"Blame not me, my good sir, but the winds, for I am by my own +nature as calm and firm even as this earth; but the winds +suddenly falling on me create these waves, and lash me into +fury." + + +The Mules and the Robbers + +TWO MULES well-laden with packs were trudging along. One carried +panniers filled with money, the other sacks weighted with grain. +The Mule carrying the treasure walked with head erect, as if +conscious of the value of his burden, and tossed up and down the +clear-toned bells fastened to his neck. His companion followed +with quiet and easy step. All of a sudden Robbers rushed upon +them from their hiding-places, and in the scuffle with their +owners, wounded with a sword the Mule carrying the treasure, +which they greedily seized while taking no notice of the grain. +The Mule which had been robbed and wounded bewailed his +misfortunes. The other replied, "I am indeed glad that I was +thought so little of, for I have lost nothing, nor am I hurt with +any wound." + + +The Viper and the File + +A LION, entering the workshop of a smith, sought from the tools +the means of satisfying his hunger. He more particularly +addressed himself to a File, and asked of him the favor of a +meal. The File replied, "You must indeed be a simple-minded +fellow if you expect to get anything from me, who am accustomed +to take from everyone, and never to give anything in return." + + +The Lion and the Shepherd + +A LION, roaming through a forest, trod upon a thorn. Soon +afterward he came up to a Shepherd and fawned upon him, wagging +his tail as if to say, "I am a suppliant, and seek your aid." The +Shepherd boldly examined the beast, discovered the thorn, and +placing his paw upon his lap, pulled it out; thus relieved of his +pain, the Lion returned into the forest. Some time after, the +Shepherd, being imprisoned on a false accusation, was condemned +"to be cast to the Lions" as the punishment for his imputed +crime. But when the Lion was released from his cage, he +recognized the Shepherd as the man who healed him, and instead of +attacking him, approached and placed his foot upon his lap. The +King, as soon as he heard the tale, ordered the Lion to be set +free again in the forest, and the Shepherd to be pardoned and +restored to his friends. + + +The Camel and Jupiter + +THE CAMEL, when he saw the Bull adorned with horns, envied him +and wished that he himself could obtain the same honors. He went +to Jupiter, and besought him to give him horns. Jupiter, vexed +at his request because he was not satisfied with his size and +strength of body, and desired yet more, not only refused to give +him horns, but even deprived him of a portion of his ears. + + +The Panther and the Shepherds + +A PANTHER, by some mischance, fell into a pit. The Shepherds +discovered him, and some threw sticks at him and pelted him with +stones, while others, moved with compassion towards one about to +die even though no one should hurt him, threw in some food to +prolong his life. At night they returned home, not dreaming of +any danger, but supposing that on the morrow they would find him +dead. The Panther, however, when he had recruited his feeble +strength, freed himself with a sudden bound from the pit, and +hastened to his den with rapid steps. After a few days he came +forth and slaughtered the cattle, and, killing the Shepherds who +had attacked him, raged with angry fury. Then they who had +spared his life, fearing for their safety, surrendered to him +their flocks and begged only for their lives. To them the +Panther made this reply: "I remember alike those who sought my +life with stones, and those who gave me food +aside, therefore, your fears. I return as an enemy only to those +who injured me." + + +The Ass and the Charger + +AN ASS congratulated a Horse on being so ungrudgingly and +carefully provided for, while he himself had scarcely enough to +eat and not even that without hard work. But when war broke out, +a heavily armed soldier mounted the Horse, and riding him to the +charge, rushed into the very midst of the enemy. The Horse was +wounded and fell dead on the battlefield. Then the Ass, seeing +all these things, changed his mind, and commiserated the Horse. + + +The Eagle and His Captor + +AN EAGLE was once captured by a man, who immediately clipped his +wings and put him into his poultry-yard with the other birds, at +which treatment the Eagle was weighed down with grief. Later, +another neighbor purchased him and allowed his feathers to grow +again. The Eagle took flight, and pouncing upon a hare, brought +it at once as an offering to his benefactor. A Fox, seeing this, +exclaimed, "Do not cultivate the favor of this man, but of your +former owner, lest he should again hunt for you and deprive you a +second time of your wings." + + +The Bald Man and the Fly + +A FLY bit the bare head of a Bald Man who, endeavoring to destroy +it, gave himself a heavy slap. Escaping, the Fly said mockingly, +"You who have wished to revenge, even with death, the Prick of a +tiny insect, see what you have done to yourself to add insult to +injury?' The Bald Man replied, "I can easily make peace with +myself, because I know there was no intention to hurt. But you, +an ill-favored and contemptible insect who delights in sucking +human blood, I wish that I could have killed you even if I had +incurred a heavier penalty." + + +The Olive-Tree and the Fig-Tree + +THE OLIVE-TREE ridiculed the Fig-Tree because, while she was +green all the year round, the Fig-Tree changed its leaves with +the seasons. A shower of snow fell upon them, and, finding the +Olive full of foliage, it settled upon its branches and broke +them down with its weight, at once despoiling it of its beauty +and killing the tree. But finding the Fig-Tree denuded of +leaves, the snow fell through to the ground, and did not injure +it at all. + + +The Eagle and the Kite + +AN EAGLE, overwhelmed with sorrow, sat upon the branches of a +tree in company with a Kite. "Why," said the Kite, "do I see you +with such a rueful look?' "I seek," she replied, "a mate suitable +for me, and am not able to find one." "Take me," returned the +Kite, "I am much stronger than you are." "Why, are you able to +secure the means of living by your plunder?' "Well, I have often +caught and carried away an ostrich in my talons." The Eagle, +persuaded by these words, accepted him as her mate. Shortly +after the nuptials, the Eagle said, "Fly off and bring me back +the ostrich you promised me." The Kite, soaring aloft into the +air, brought back the shabbiest possible mouse, stinking from the +length of time it had lain about the fields. "Is this," said the +Eagle, "the faithful fulfillment of your promise to me?' The Kite +replied, "That I might attain your royal hand, there is nothing +that I would not have promised, however much I knew that I must +fail in the performance." + + +The Ass and His Driver + +AN ASS, being driven along a high road, suddenly started off and +bolted to the brink of a deep precipice. While he was in the act +of throwing himself over, his owner seized him by the tail, +endeavoring to pull him back. When the Ass persisted in his +effort, the man let him go and said, "Conquer, but conquer to +your cost." + + +The Thrush and the Fowler + +A THRUSH was feeding on a myrtle-tree and did not move from it +because its berries were so delicious. A Fowler observed her +staying so long in one spot, and having well bird-limed his +reeds, caught her. The Thrush, being at the point of death, +exclaimed, "O foolish creature that I am! For the sake of a +little pleasant food I have deprived myself of my life." + + +The Rose and the Amaranth + +AN AMARANTH planted in a garden near a Rose-Tree, thus addressed +it: "What a lovely flower is the Rose, a favorite alike with Gods +and with men. I envy you your beauty and your perfume." The Rose +replied, "I indeed, dear Amaranth, flourish but for a brief +season! If no cruel hand pluck me from my stem, yet I must perish +by an early doom. But thou art immortal and dost never fade, but +bloomest for ever in renewed youth." + + +The Frogs' Complaint Against the Sun + +ONCE UPON A TIME, when the Sun announced his intention to take a +wife, the Frogs lifted up their voices in clamor to the sky. +Jupiter, disturbed by the noise of their croaking, inquired the +cause of their complaint. One of them said, "The Sun, now while +he is single, parches up the marsh, and compels us to die +miserably in our arid homes. What will be our future condition +if he should beget other suns?' + + +LIFE OF AESOP + +THE LIFE and History of Aesop is involved, like that of Homer, +the most famous of Greek poets, in much obscurity. Sardis, the +capital of Lydia; Samos, a Greek island; Mesembria, an ancient +colony in Thrace; and Cotiaeum, the chief city of a province of +Phrygia, contend for the distinction of being the birthplace of +Aesop. Although the honor thus claimed cannot be definitely +assigned to any one of these places, yet there are a few +incidents now generally accepted by scholars as established +facts, relating to the birth, life, and death of Aesop. He is, +by an almost universal consent, allowed to have been born about +the year 620 B.C., and to have been by birth a slave. He was +owned by two masters in succession, both inhabitants of Samos, +Xanthus and Jadmon, the latter of whom gave him his liberty as a +reward for his learning and wit. One of the privileges of a +freedman in the ancient republics of Greece, was the permission +to take an active interest in public affairs; and Aesop, like the +philosophers Phaedo, Menippus, and Epictetus, in later times, +raised himself from the indignity of a servile condition to a +position of high renown. In his desire alike to instruct and to +be instructed, he travelled through many countries, and among +others came to Sardis, the capital of the famous king of Lydia, +the great patron, in that day, of learning and of learned men. +He met at the court of Croesus with Solon, Thales, and other +sages, and is related so to have pleased his royal master, by the +part he took in the conversations held with these philosophers, +that he applied to him an expression which has since passed into +a proverb, "The Phrygian has spoken better than all." + +On the invitation of Croesus he fixed his residence at Sardis, +and was employed by that monarch in various difficult and +delicate affairs of State. In his discharge of these commissions +he visited the different petty republics of Greece. At one time +he is found in Corinth, and at another in Athens, endeavouring, +by the narration of some of his wise fables, to reconcile the +inhabitants of those cities to the administration of their +respective rulers Periander and Pisistratus. One of these +ambassadorial missions, undertaken at the command of Croesus, was +the occasion of his death. Having been sent to Delphi with a +large sum of gold for distribution among the citizens, he was so +provoked at their covetousness that he refused to divide the +money, and sent it back to his master. The Delphians, enraged at +this treatment, accused him of impiety, and, in spite of his +sacred character as ambassador, executed him as a public +criminal. This cruel death of Aesop was not unavenged. The +citizens of Delphi were visited with a series of calamities, +until they made a public reparation of their crime; and, "The +blood of Aesop" became a well- +known adage, bearing witness to the truth that deeds of wrong +would not pass unpunished. Neither did the great fabulist lack +posthumous honors; for a statue was erected to his memory at +Athens, the work of Lysippus, one of the most famous of Greek +sculptors. Phaedrus thus immortalizes the event: + +Aesopo ingentem statuam posuere Attici, +Servumque collocarunt aeterna in basi: +Patere honoris scirent ut cuncti viam; +Nec generi tribui sed virtuti gloriam. + +These few facts are all that can be relied on with any degree of +certainty, in reference to the birth, life, and death of Aesop. +They were first brought to light, after a patient search and +diligent perusal of ancient authors, by a Frenchman, M. Claude +Gaspard Bachet de Mezeriac, who declined the honor of being +tutor to Louis XIII of France, from his desire to devote himself +exclusively to literature. He published his Life of Aesop, Anno +Domini 1632. The later investigations of a host of English and +German scholars have added very little to the facts given by M. +Mezeriac. The substantial truth of his statements has been +confirmed by later criticism and inquiry. It remains to state, +that prior to this publication of M. Mezeriac, the life of Aesop +was from the pen of Maximus Planudes, a monk of Constantinople, +who was sent on an embassy to Venice by the Byzantine Emperor +Andronicus the elder, and who wrote in the early part of the +fourteenth century. His life was prefixed to all the early +editions of these fables, and was republished as late as 1727 by +Archdeacon Croxall as the introduction to his edition of Aesop. +This life by Planudes contains, however, so small an amount of +truth, and is so full of absurd pictures of the grotesque +deformity of Aesop, of wondrous apocryphal stories, of lying +legends, and gross anachronisms, that it is now universally +condemned as false, puerile, and unauthentic. l It is given up +in the present day, by general consent, as unworthy of the +slightest credit. +G.F.T. + +1 M. Bayle thus characterises this Life of Aesop by Planudes, +"Tous les habiles gens conviennent que c'est un roman, et que les +absurdites grossieres qui l'on y trouve le rendent indigne de +toute." +Dictionnaire Historique. Art. Esope. +*********Preface******** +PREFACE + +THE TALE, the Parable, and the Fable are all common and popular +modes of conveying instruction. Each is distinguished by its own +special characteristics. The Tale consists simply in the +narration of a story either founded on facts, or created solely +by the imagination, and not necessarily associated with the +teaching of any moral lesson. The Parable is the designed use of +language purposely intended to convey a hidden and secret +meaning other than that contained in the words themselves; and +which may or may not bear a special reference to the hearer, or +reader. The Fable partly agrees with, and partly differs from +both of these. It will contain, like the Tale, a short but real +narrative; it will seek, like the Parable, to convey a hidden +meaning, and that not so much by the use of language, as by the +skilful introduction of fictitious characters; and yet unlike to +either Tale or Parable, it will ever keep in view, as its high +prerogative, and inseparable attribute, the great purpose of +instruction, and will necessarily seek to inculcate some moral +maxim, social duty, or political truth. The true Fable, if it +rise to its high requirements, ever aims at one great end and +purpose representation of human motive, and the improvement of +human conduct, and yet it so conceals its design under the +disguise of fictitious characters, by clothing with speech the +animals of the field, the birds of the air, the trees of the +wood, or the beasts of the forest, that the reader shall receive +advice without perceiving the presence of the adviser. Thus the +superiority of the counsellor, which often renders counsel +unpalatable, is kept out of view, and the lesson comes with the +greater acceptance when the reader is led, unconsciously to +himself, to have his sympathies enlisted in behalf of what is +pure, honorable, and praiseworthy, and to have his indignation +excited against what is low, ignoble, and unworthy. The true +fabulist, therefore, discharges a most important function. He is +neither a narrator, nor an allegorist. He is a great teacher, a +corrector of morals, a censor of vice, and a commender of virtue. +In this consists the superiority of the Fable over the Tale or +the Parable. The fabulist is to create a laugh, but yet, under a +merry guise, to convey instruction. Phaedrus, the great imitator +of Aesop, plainly indicates this double purpose to be the true +office of the writer of fables. + +Duplex libelli dos est: quod risum movet, +Et quod prudenti vitam consilio monet. + +The continual observance of this twofold aim creates the charm, +and accounts for the universal favor, of the fables of Aesop. +"The fable," says Professor K. O. Mueller, "originated in Greece +in an intentional travestie of human affairs. The 'ainos,' as +its name denotes, is an admonition, or rather a reproof veiled, +either from fear of an excess of frankness, or from a love of fun +and jest, beneath the fiction of an occurrence happening among +beasts; and wherever we have any ancient and authentic account of +the Aesopian fables, we find it to be the same." l + +The construction of a fable involves a minute attention to (1) +the narration itself; (2) the deduction of the moral; and (3) a +careful maintenance of the individual characteristics of the +fictitious personages introduced into it. The narration should +relate to one simple action, consistent with itself, and neither +be overladen with a multiplicity of details, nor distracted by a +variety of circumstances. The moral or lesson should be so +plain, and so intimately interwoven with, and so necessarily +dependent on, the narration, that every reader should be +compelled to give to it the same undeniable interpretation. The +introduction of the animals or fictitious characters should be +marked with an unexceptionable care and attention to their +natural attributes, and to the qualities attributed to them by +universal popular consent. The Fox should be always cunning, the +Hare timid, the Lion bold, the Wolf cruel, the Bull strong, the +Horse proud, and the Ass patient. Many of these fables are +characterized by the strictest observance of these rules. They +are occupied with one short narrative, from which the moral +naturally flows, and with which it is intimately associated. +"'Tis the simple manner," says Dodsley, 2 "in which the morals of +Aesop are interwoven with his fables that distinguishes him, and +gives him the preference over all other mythologists. His +'Mountain delivered of a Mouse,' produces the moral of his fable +in ridicule of pompous pretenders; and his Crow, when she drops +her cheese, lets fall, as it were by accident, the strongest +admonition against the power of flattery. There is no need of a +separate sentence to explain it; no possibility of impressing it +deeper, by that load we too often see of accumulated +reflections." 3 An equal amount of praise is due for the +consistency with which the characters of the animals, +fictitiously introduced, are marked. While they are made to +depict the motives and passions of men, they retain, in an +eminent degree, their own special features of craft or counsel, +of cowardice or courage, of generosity or rapacity. + +These terms of praise, it must be confessed, cannot be bestowed +on all the fables in this collection. Many of them lack that +unity of design, that close connection of the moral with the +narrative, that wise choice in the introduction of the animals, +which constitute the charm and excellency of true Aesopian fable. +This inferiority of some to others is sufficiently accounted for +in the history of the origin and descent of these fables. The +great bulk of them are not the immediate work of Aesop. Many are +obtained from ancient authors prior to the time in which he +lived. Thus, the fable of the "Hawk and the Nightingale" is +related by Hesiod; 4 the "Eagle wounded by an Arrow, winged with +its own Feathers," by Aeschylus; 5 the "Fox avenging his wrongs +on the Eagle," by Archilochus. 6 Many of them again are of later +origin, and are to be traced to the monks of the middle ages: and +yet this collection, though thus made up of fables both earlier +and later than the era of Aesop, rightfully bears his name, +because he composed so large a number (all framed in the same +mould, and conformed to the same fashion, and stamped with the +same lineaments, image, and superscription) as to secure to +himself the right to be considered the father of Greek fables, +and the founder of this class of writing, which has ever since +borne his name, and has secured for him, through all succeeding +ages, the position of the first of moralists.7 + +The fables were in the first instance only narrated by Aesop, and +for a long time were handed down by the uncertain channel of oral +tradition. Socrates is mentioned by Plato 8 as having employed +his time while in prison, awaiting the return of the sacred ship +from Delphos which was to be the signal of his death, in turning +some of these fables into verse, but he thus versified only such +as he remembered. Demetrius Phalereus, a philosopher at Athens +about 300 B.C., is said to have made the first collection of +these fables. Phaedrus, a slave by birth or by subsequent +misfortunes, and admitted by Augustus to the honors of a +freedman, imitated many of these fables in Latin iambics about +the commencement of the Christian era. Aphthonius, a rhetorician +of Antioch, A.D. 315, wrote a treatise on, and converted into +Latin prose, some of these fables. This translation is the more +worthy of notice, as it illustrates a custom of common use, both +in these and in later times. The rhetoricians and philosophers +were accustomed to give the Fables of Aesop as an exercise to +their scholars, not only inviting them to discuss the moral of +the tale, but also to practice and to perfect themselves thereby +in style and rules of grammar, by making for themselves new and +various versions of the fables. Ausonius, 9 the friend of the +Emperor Valentinian, and the latest poet of eminence in the +Western Empire, has handed down some of these fables in verse, +which Julianus Titianus, a contemporary writer of no great name, +translated into prose. Avienus, also a contemporary of Ausonius, +put some of these fables into Latin elegiacs, which are given by +Nevelet (in a book we shall refer to hereafter), and are +occasionally incorporated with the editions of Phaedrus. + +Seven centuries elapsed before the next notice is found of the +Fables of Aesop. During this long period these fables seem to +have suffered an eclipse, to have disappeared and to have been +forgotten; and it is at the commencement of the fourteenth +century, when the Byzantine emperors were the great patrons of +learning, and amidst the splendors of an Asiatic court, that we +next find honors paid to the name and memory of Aesop. Maximus +Planudes, a learned monk of Constantinople, made a collection of +about a hundred and fifty of these fables. Little is known of +his history. Planudes, however, was no mere recluse, shut up in +his monastery. He took an active part in public affairs. In +1327 A.D. he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Venice by the +Emperor Andronicus the Elder. This brought him into immediate +contact with the Western Patriarch, whose interests he henceforth +advocated with so much zeal as to bring on him suspicion and +persecution from the rulers of the Eastern Church. Planudes has +been exposed to a two-fold accusation. He is charged on the one +hand with having had before him a copy of Babrias (to whom we +shall have occasion to refer at greater length in the end of this +Preface), and to have had the bad taste "to transpose," or to +turn his poetical version into prose: and he is asserted, on the +other hand, never to have seen the Fables of Aesop at all, but to +have himself invented and made the fables which he palmed off +under the name of the famous Greek fabulist. The truth lies +between these two extremes. Planudes may have invented some few +fables, or have inserted some that were current in his day; but +there is an abundance of unanswerable internal evidence to prove +that he had an acquaintance with the veritable fables of Aesop, +although the versions he had access to were probably corrupt, as +contained in the various translations and disquisitional +exercises of the rhetoricians and philosophers. His collection +is interesting and important, not only as the parent source or +foundation of the earlier printed versions of Aesop, but as the +direct channel of attracting to these fables the attention of the +learned. + +The eventual re-introduction, however, of these Fables of Aesop +to their high place in the general literature of Christendom, is +to be looked for in the West rather than in the East. The +calamities gradually thickening round the Eastern Empire, and the +fall of Constantinople, 1453 A.D. combined with other events to +promote the rapid restoration of learning in Italy; and with that +recovery of learning the revival of an interest in the Fables of +Aesop is closely identified. These fables, indeed, were among +the first writings of an earlier antiquity that attracted +attention. They took their place beside the Holy Scriptures and +the ancient classic authors, in the minds of the great students +of that day. Lorenzo Valla, one of the most famous promoters of +Italian learning, not only translated into Latin the Iliad of +Homer and the Histories of Herodotus and Thucydides, but also the +Fables of Aesop. + +These fables, again, were among the books brought into an +extended circulation by the agency of the printing press. Bonus +Accursius, as early as 1475-1480, printed the collection of these +fables, made by Planudes, which, within five years afterwards, +Caxton translated into English, and printed at his press in West- +minster Abbey, 1485. 10 It must be mentioned also that the +learning of this age has left permanent traces of its influence +on these fables, ll by causing the interpolation with them of +some of those amusing stories which were so frequently introduced +into the public discourses of the great preachers of those days, +and of which specimens are yet to be found in the extant sermons +of Jean Raulin, Meffreth, and Gabriel Barlette. 12 The +publication of this era which most probably has influenced these +fables, is the "Liber Facetiarum," l3 a book consisting of a +hundred jests and stories, by the celebrated Poggio Bracciolini, +published A.D. 1471, from which the two fables of the "Miller, +his Son, and the Ass," and the "Fox and the Woodcutter," are +undoubtedly selected. + +The knowledge of these fables rapidly spread from Italy into +Germany, and their popularity was increased by the favor and +sanction given to them by the great fathers of the Reformation, +who frequently used them as vehicles for satire and protest +against the tricks and abuses of the Romish ecclesiastics. The +zealous and renowned Camerarius, who took an active part in the +preparation of the Confession of Augsburgh, found time, amidst +his numerous avocations, to prepare a version for the students in +the university of Tubingen, in which he was a professor. Martin +Luther translated twenty of these fables, and was urged by +Melancthon to complete the whole; while Gottfried Arnold, the +celebrated Lutheran theologian, and librarian to Frederick I, +king of Prussia, mentions that the great Reformer valued the +Fables of Aesop next after the Holy Scriptures. In 1546 A.D. +the second printed edition of the collection of the Fables made +by Planudes, was issued from the printing-press of Robert +Stephens, in which were inserted some additional fables from a +MS. in the Bibliotheque du Roy at Paris. + +The greatest advance, however, towards a re-introduction of the +Fables of Aesop to a place in the literature of the world, was +made in the early part of the seventeenth century. In the year +1610, a learned Swiss, Isaac Nicholas Nevelet, sent forth the +third printed edition of these fables, in a work entitled +"Mythologia Aesopica." This was a noble effort to do honor to +the great fabulist, and was the most perfect collection of +Aesopian fables ever yet published. It consisted, in addition to +the collection of fables given by Planudes and reprinted in the +various earlier editions, of one hundred and thirty-six new +fables (never before published) from MSS. in the Library of the +Vatican, of forty fables attributed to Aphthonius, and of +forty-three from Babrias. It also contained the Latin versions +of the same fables by Phaedrus, Avienus, and other authors. This +volume of Nevelet forms a complete "Corpus Fabularum +Aesopicarum;" and to his labors Aesop owes his restoration to +universal favor as one of the wise moralists and great teachers +of mankind. During the interval of three centuries which has +elapsed since the publication of this volume of Nevelet's, no +book, with the exception of the Holy Scriptures, has had a wider +circulation than Aesop's Fables. They have been translated into +the greater number of the languages both of Europe and of the +East, and have been read, and will be read, for generations, +alike by Jew, Heathen, Mohammedan, and Christian. They are, at +the present time, not only engrafted into the literature of the +civilized world, but are familiar as household words in the +common intercourse and daily conversation of the inhabitants of +all countries. + +This collection of Nevelet's is the great culminating point in +the history of the revival of the fame and reputation of Aesopian +Fables. It is remarkable, also, as containing in its preface the +germ of an idea, which has been since proved to have been correct +by a strange chain of circumstances. Nevelet intimates an +opinion, that a writer named Babrias would be found to be the +veritable author of the existing form of Aesopian Fables. This +intimation has since given rise to a series of inquiries, the +knowledge of which is necessary, in the present day, to a full +understanding of the true position of Aesop in connection with +the writings that bear his name. + +The history of Babrias is so strange and interesting, that it +might not unfitly be enumerated among the curiosities of +literature. He is generally supposed to have been a Greek of +Asia Minor, of one of the Ionic Colonies, but the exact period in +which he lived and wrote is yet unsettled. He is placed, by one +critic, l4 as far back as the institution of the Achaian League, +B.C. 250; by another as late as the Emperor Severus, who died +A.D. 235; while others make him a contemporary with Phaedrus in +the time of Augustus. At whatever time he wrote his version of +Aesop, by some strange accident it seems to have entirely +disappeared, and to have been lost sight of. His name is +mentioned by Avienus; by Suidas, a celebrated critic, at the +close of the eleventh century, who gives in his lexicon several +isolated verses of his version of the fables; and by John +Tzetzes, a grammarian and poet of Constantinople, who lived +during the latter half of the twelfth century. Nevelet, in the +preface to the volume which we have described, points out that +the Fables of Planudes could not be the work of Aesop, as they +contain a reference in two places to "Holy monks," and give a +verse from the Epistle of St. James as an "Epimith" to one of +the fables, and suggests Babrias as their author. Francis +Vavassor, 15 a learned French jesuit, entered at greater length +on this subject, and produced further proofs from internal +evidence, from the use of the word Piraeus in describing the +harbour of Athens, a name which was not given till two hundred +years after Aesop, and from the introduction of other modern +words, that many of these fables must have been at least +committed to writing posterior to the time of Aesop, and more +boldly suggests Babrias as their author or collector. 16 These +various references to Babrias induced Dr. Plichard Bentley, at +the close of the seventeenth century, to examine more minutely +the existing versions of Aesop's Fables, and he maintained that +many of them could, with a slight change of words, be resolved +into the Scazonic l7 iambics, in which Babrias is known to have +written: and, with a greater freedom than the evidence then +justified, he put forth, in behalf of Babrias, a claim to the +exclusive authorship of these fables. Such a seemingly +extravagant theory, thus roundly asserted, excited much +opposition. Dr. Bentley l8 met with an able antagonist in a +member of the University of Oxford, the Hon. Mr. Charles Boyle, +19 afterwards Earl of Orrery. Their letters and disputations on +this subject, enlivened on both sides with much wit and learning, +will ever bear a conspicuous place in the literary history of the +seventeenth century. The arguments of Dr. Bentley were yet +further defended a few years later by Mr. Thomas Tyrwhitt, a +well-read scholar, who gave up high civil distinctions that he +might devote himself the more unreservedly to literary pursuits. +Mr. Tyrwhitt published, A.D. 1776, a Dissertation on Babrias, +and a collection of his fables in choliambic meter found in a MS. +in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Francesco de Furia, a learned +Italian, contributed further testimony to the correctness of the +supposition that Babrias had made a veritable collection of +fables by printing from a MS. contained in the Vatican library +several fables never before published. In the year 1844, +however, new and unexpected light was thrown upon this subject. +A veritable copy of Babrias was found in a manner as singular as +were the MSS. of Quinctilian's Institutes, and of Cicero's +Orations by Poggio in the monastery of St. Gall A.D. 1416. M. +Menoides, at the suggestion of M. Villemain, Minister of Public +Instruction to King Louis Philippe, had been entrusted with a +commission to search for ancient MSS., and in carrying out his +instructions he found a MS. at the convent of St. Laura, on +Mount Athos, which proved to be a copy of the long suspected and +wished-for choliambic version of Babrias. This MS. was found to +be divided into two books, the one containing a hundred and +twenty-five, and the other ninety-five fables. This discovery +attracted very general attention, not only as confirming, in a +singular manner, the conjectures so boldly made by a long chain +of critics, but as bringing to light valuable literary treasures +tending to establish the reputation, and to confirm the antiquity +and authenticity of the great mass of Aesopian Fable. The Fables +thus recovered were soon published. They found a most worthy +editor in the late distinguished Sir George Cornewall Lewis, and +a translator equally qualified for his task, in the Reverend +James Davies, M.A., sometime a scholar of Lincoln College, +Oxford, and himself a relation of their English editor. Thus, +after an eclipse of many centuries, Babrias shines out as the +earliest, and most reliable collector of veritable Aesopian +Fables. + +The following are the sources from which the present translation +has been prepared: Babrii Fabulae Aesopeae. George Cornewall +Lewis. Oxford, 1846. +Babrii Fabulae Aesopeae. E codice manuscripto partem secundam +edidit. George Cornewall Lewis. London: Parker, 1857. +Mythologica Aesopica. Opera et studia Isaaci Nicholai Neveleti. +Frankfort, 1610. +Fabulae Aesopiacae, quales ante Planudem ferebantur cura et +studio Francisci de Furia. Lipsiae, 1810. +??????????????. Ex recognitione Caroli Halmii. Lipsiae, Phaedri +Fabulae Esopiae. Delphin Classics. 1822. + +GEORGE FYLER TOWNSEND + +FOOTNOTES + +1 A History of the Literature of Ancient Greece, by K. O. +Mueller. Vol. i, p. l9l. London, Parker, 1858. +2 Select Fables of Aesop, and other Fabulists. In three books, +translated by Robert Dodsley, accompanied with a selection of +notes, and an Essay on Fable. Birmingham, 1864. P. 60. +3 Some of these fables had, no doubt, in the first instance, a +primary and private interpretation. On the first occasion of +their being composed they were intended to refer to some passing +event, or to some individual acts of wrong-doing. Thus, the +fables of the "Eagle and the Fox" and of the "Fox and Monkey' are +supposed to have been written by Archilochus, to avenge the +injuries done him by Lycambes. So also the fables of the +"Swollen Fox" and of the "Frogs asking a King" were spoken by +Aesop for the immediate purpose of reconciling the inhabitants of +Samos and Athens to their respective rulers, Periander and +Pisistratus; while the fable of the "Horse and Stag" was composed +to caution the inhabitants of Himera against granting a bodyguard +to Phalaris. In a similar manner, the fable from Phaedrus, the +"Marriage of the Sun," is supposed to have reference to the +contemplated union of Livia, the daughter of Drusus, with Sejanus +the favourite, and minister of Trajan. These fables, however, +though thus originating in special events, and designed at first +to meet special circumstances, are so admirably constructed as to +be fraught with lessons of general utility, and of universal +application. +4 Hesiod. Opera et Dies, verse 202. +5 Aeschylus. Fragment of the Myrmidons. Aeschylus speaks of +this fable as existing before his day. See Scholiast on the Aves +of Aristophanes, line 808. +6 Fragment. 38, ed. Gaisford. See also Mueller's History of +the Literature of Ancient Greece, vol. i. pp. 190-193. +7 M. Bayle has well put this in his account of Aesop. "Il n'y a +point d'apparence que les fables qui portent aujourd'hui son nom +soient les memes qu'il avait faites; elles viennent bien de lui +pour la plupart, quant a la matiere et la pensee; mais les +paroles sont d'un autre." And again, "C'est donc a Hesiode, que +j'aimerais mieux attribuer la gloire de l'invention; mais sans +doute il laissa la chose tres imparfaite. Esope la perfectionne +si heureusement, qu'on l'a regarde comme le vrai pere de cette +sorte de production." M. Bayle. Dictionnaire Historique. +8 Plato in Ph2done. +9 Apologos en! misit tibi + Ab usque Rheni limite + Ausonius nomen Italum + Praeceptor Augusti tui + Aesopiam trimetriam; + Quam vertit exili stylo + Pedestre concinnans opus + Fandi Titianus artifex. + Ausonii Epistola, xvi. 75-80. +10 Both these publications are in the British Museum, and are +placed in the library in cases under glass, for the inspection of +the curious. +ll Fables may possibly have been not entirely unknown to the +mediaeval scholars. There are two celebrated works which might +by some be classed amongst works of this description. The one is +the "Speculum Sapientiae," attributed to St. Cyril, Archbishop +of Jerusalem, but of a considerably later origin, and existing +only in Latin. It is divided into four books, and consists of +long conversations conducted by fictitious characters under the +figures the beasts of the field and forest, and aimed at the +rebuke of particular classes of men, the boastful, the proud, the +luxurious, the wrathful, &c. None of the stories are precisely +those of Aesop, and none have the concinnity, terseness, and +unmistakable deduction of the lesson intended to be taught by +the fable, so conspicuous in the great Greek fabulist. The exact +title of the book is this: "Speculum Sapientiae, B. Cyrilli +Episcopi: alias quadripartitus apologeticus vocatus, in cujus +quidem proverbiis omnis et totius sapientiae speculum claret et +feliciter incipit." The other is a larger work in two volumes, +published in the fourteenth century by Caesar Heisterbach, a +Cistercian monk, under the title of "Dialogus Miraculorum," +reprinted in 1851. This work consists of conversations in which +many stories are interwoven on all kinds of subjects. It has no +correspondence with the pure Aesopian fable. +12 Post-medieval Preachers, by S. Baring-Gould. Rivingtons, +1865. +13 For an account of this work see the Life of Poggio +Bracciolini, by the Rev. William Shepherd. Liverpool. 1801. +14 Professor Theodore Bergh. See Classical Museum, No. viii. +July, 1849. +15 Vavassor's treatise, entitled "De Ludicra Dictione" was +written A.D. 1658, at the request of the celebrated M. Balzac +(though published after his death), for the purpose of showing +that the burlesque style of writing adopted by Scarron and +D'Assouci, and at that time so popular in France, had no sanction +from the ancient classic writers. Francisci Vavassoris opera +omnia. Amsterdam. 1709. +16 The claims of Babrias also found a warm advocate in the +learned Frenchman, M. Bayle, who, in his admirable dictionary, +(Dictionnaire Historique et Critique de Pierre Bayle. Paris, +1820,) gives additional arguments in confirmation of the opinions +of his learned predecessors, Nevelet and Vavassor. +17 Scazonic, or halting, iambics; a choliambic (a lame, halting +iambic) differs from the iambic Senarius in always having a +spondee or trichee for its last foot; the fifth foot, to avoid +shortness of meter, being generally an iambic. See Fables of +Babrias, translated by Rev. James Davies. Lockwood, 1860. +Preface, p. 27. +18 See Dr. Bentley's Dissertations upon the Epistles of +Phalaris. +19 Dr. Bentley's Dissertations on the Epistles of Phalaris, and +Fables of Aesop examined. By the Honorable Charles Boyle. diff --git a/prod/resources/text-files/small.txt b/prod/resources/text-files/small.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f5072d6 --- /dev/null +++ b/prod/resources/text-files/small.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +Ala ma kota +Ala ma rysia +Marysia ma rysia