Aesop’s Fables, part 10 · page 21 2101“I have reasons enough,” said the Bull.102“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.”103The Fox and the Mask104A FOX entered the house of an actor and, rummaging through all his properties, came upon a Mask, an admirable imitation of a human head.105He placed his paws on it and said, “What a beautiful head!106Yet it is of no value, as it entirely lacks brains.”107The Grasshopper and the Owl108AN 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.109The Grasshopper refused to desist, and chirped louder and louder the more the Owl entreated.110When she saw that she could get no redress and that her words were despised, the Owl attacked the chatterer by a stratagem.111“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.112If you do not dislike it, come to me and we will drink it together.”113The Grasshopper, who was thirsty, and pleased with the praise of her voice, eagerly flew up.114The Owl came forth from her hollow, seized her, and put her to death.115The Fowler and the Viper116A FOWLER, taking his bird-lime and his twigs, went out to catch birds.117Seeing 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.118While thus looking upwards, he unknowingly trod upon a Viper asleep just before his feet.checked by a teacher119The 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.”120The Horse and the Ass121A HORSE, proud of his fine trappings, met an Ass on the highway.122The Ass, being heavily laden, moved slowly out of the way.123“Hardly,” said the Horse, “can I resist kicking you with my heels.”124The Ass held his peace, and made only a silent appeal to the justice of the gods.125Not long afterwards the Horse, having become broken-winded, was sent by his owner to the farm.126The 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?”127The Lion and the Three Bulls128THREE BULLS for a long time pastured together.129A Lion lay in ambush in the hope of making them his prey, but was afraid to attack them while they kept together.130Having 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.1 2← previousAesop’s Fables, part 9next →Aesop’s Fables, part 11↑ back to Three hundred Aesop’s fablesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg21/12/page/2/