Aesop’s Fables, part 1 · page 21 2101The Mole and His Mother102A MOLE, a creature blind from birth, once said to his Mother: “I am sure than I can see, Mother!”103In the desire to prove to him his mistake, his Mother placed before him a few grains of frankincense, and asked, “What is it?”104The young Mole said, “It is a pebble.”105His Mother exclaimed: “My son, I am afraid that you are not only blind, but that you have lost your sense of smell.”106The Herdsman and the Lost Bull107A HERDSMAN tending his flock in a forest lost a Bull-calf from the fold.108After 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.109Not long afterwards, as he ascended a small hillock, he saw at its foot a Lion feeding on the Calf.110Terrified 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.”111The Fawn and His Mother112A 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?”113She smiled, and said: “I know full well, my son, that all you say is true.114I 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.”115No arguments will give courage to the coward.116The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion117THE ASS and the Fox, having entered into partnership together for their mutual protection, went out into the forest to hunt.118They had not proceeded far when they met a Lion.119The 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.120Then, 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.121The Lion, seeing that the Ass was secured, immediately clutched the Fox, and attacked the Ass at his leisure.122The Flies and the Honey-Pot123A 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.124Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that they could not use their wings, nor release themselves, and were suffocated.125Just as they were expiring, they exclaimed, “O foolish creatures that we are, for the sake of a little pleasure we have destroyed ourselves.”126Pleasure bought with pains, hurts.127The Lioness128A 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.129They rushed clamorously into the presence of the Lioness and demanded of her the settlement of the dispute.130“And you,” they said, “how many sons have you at a birth?”131The Lioness laughed at them, and said: “Why!132I have only one; but that one is altogether a thoroughbred Lion.”133The value is in the worth, not in the number.134The Farmer and the Snake135ONE WINTER a Farmer found a Snake stiff and frozen with cold.136He had compassion on it, and taking it up, placed it in his bosom.137The Snake was quickly revived by the warmth, and resuming its natural instincts, bit its benefactor, inflicting on him a mortal wound.138“Oh,” cried the Farmer with his last breath, “I am rightly served for pitying a scoundrel.”139The greatest kindness will not bind the ungrateful.140The Man and the Lion141A MAN and a Lion traveled together through the forest.142They soon began to boast of their respective superiority to each other in strength and prowess.143As they were disputing, they passed a statue carved in stone, which represented “a Lion strangled by a Man.”144The traveler pointed to it and said: “See there!145How strong we are, and how we prevail over even the king of beasts.”146The Lion replied: “This statue was made by one of you men.147If we Lions knew how to erect statues, you would see the Man placed under the paw of the Lion.”1 2← previousLife of Aesopnext →Aesop’s Fables, part 2↑ back to Three hundred Aesop’s fablesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg21/3/page/2/