FABLES

What is Fable ?

Do you know what fable is ? Fables are stories that borrow the animal world as a figure that played in it.

Although in reality, the world of "Fable" was not only interesting for the child reading narrator, but also among the adult such as George Orwell in his novel "Animal Farm" which describes the political rudeness "man" who symbolized the park of the animals.

Example of Fable :

The Bull and the Goat

A Bull, escaping from a Lion, entered a cave, which some shepherds hadlately occupied. A He-goat was left in it, who sharply attacked him withhis horns. The Bull quietly addressed him—"Butt away as much as youwill. I have no fear of you, but of the Lion. Let that monster once go,and I will soon let you know what is the respective strength of a Goatand a Bull."
It shows an evil disposition to take advantage of a friend in distress.

Another examples of Fable :

• The Cock And The Dog
• The Two Crabs
• The Tortoise And The Birds
• Nurse And The Wolf
• The Dog In The Manger
• The Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing
• The Fox And The Cat
• The Tree And The Reed
• The Ant And The Grasshopper
• The Lion And The Statue
• The Fox And The Lion
• The Peacock And The Juno
• The Horse, The Hunter And The Stag
• The Fox And The Grapes
• The Hart In The Ox Stall
• The Belly And The Members
• The Serpent And The File
• The Hart And The Hunter
• The Bat, The Birds And The Beasts
• The Androcles
• The Frog And The Ox
• The Jay And The Peacock
• The Fox And The Mask
• The Fox And The Stork
• The Bald Man And The Fly
• The Hares And The frogs
• The Mountains In The Labour
• The Frogs Desiring The King
• The Swallow And The Other Birds
• The Fox And The Crow
• Town Mouse And Country Mouse
• The Men And The Serpent
• The Wolf And The Crane
• The Lions Share
• The Dog And The Shadow
• The Wolf And The Lamb
• The Cock And The Pearl
• The Crab And Its Mother
• The Farmer And His Sons
• The Shepherd And The Wolf
• The Ox And The Frog
• The Kid and The Wolf
• The Shepherds Boy And The Wolf
• The Cat And The Birds
• The Widow And Her Little Maidens
• Jupiter And The Monkey
• The Vine And The Goat
• The Belly And The Members
• The Horse And His Rider
• The Fox And The Monkey
• The Charger And The Miller
• The Fighting Cocks And The Eagle
• The Old Woman And The Physician
• The Wolf And The Sheeps
• The Astronomer
• The Man And His Two Sweetheart
• The Boy And The Nettles
• The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail
• The Mischievous Dog
• The Goatherd And The Wild Goats
• The Vain Jackdaw
• The Lion, The Mouse And The Fox
• The Oxen And The Butchers
• The Salt Merchant And His Ass
• The Sick Stag
• The Boys And The frogs
• The Frogs Asking For The King
• The Ass And The Mule
• The Wolf In Sheeps Clothing
• The Laborer And The Snake
• The Lion In Love
• The Boy And The Filberts
• The Piglet, The Sheep And The Goat
• The Cat And The Cock
• The Boasting Traveler
• The Ass And The Lapdog
• The Horse And The Groom
• The Sick Lion
• The Miser
• The Goat And The Goatherd
• The Raven And The Swan
• The Thirsty Pigeon
• The Bear And The Two Travelers
• The Fox And The Goat
• The Dog In Manger
• The Farmer And The Cranes
• The Man And The Lion
• The Flies And The Honey Pots
• The Tortoise And The Eagle
• The Ass, The Fox And The Lion
• The Mountain In Labour
• The Swallow And The Crow
• The Bear And The Fox
• The Fawn And His Mother
• The Farmer And The Stork
• The hare And The Tortoise
• The Herdsman And The Lost Bull
• The Mole And His Mother
• The Dog And The Shadow
• The Traveler And His Dog
• The Ants And The Grasshopper
• Hercules And The Wagoner
• The Fisherman Piping
• The Wolf And The Crane
• Kingdom Of The Lion
• The Cock And The Jewel
• The Boy Hunting Locusts
• The Carcoal Burner And The Fuller
• The Father And His Sons
• The Lion And The Mouse
• The Ass And The Grasshopper
• The Bat And The Weasels
• The Wolf And The Lamb
• Golden Snail
• The Buffalo And The Monkey
• Baruklinting Dragon
• The Farmer And The Hedgehog
• The Golden Goose
• The Eagle And The Jackdaw
• Belling The Cat
• The Dog, The Cock And The Fox
• The Frogs And The Ox
• The Tortoise And The Duck
• The Wolf And The Kid

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 Fox, the Cock, and the Dog

One moonlight night a Fox was prowling about a farmer's hen-coop, and saw a Cock roosting high up beyond his reach. 'Good news, good news!' he cried.
'Why, what is that?' said the Cock.
'King Lion has declared a universal truce. No beast may hurt a bird henceforth, but all shall dwell together in brotherly friendship.'
'Why, that is good news,' said the Cock; 'and there I see some one coming, with whom we can share the good tidings.' And so saying he craned his neck forward and looked afar off.
'What is it you see?' said the Fox.
'It is only my master's Dog that is coming towards us. What, going so soon?' he continued, as the Fox began to turn away as soon as he had heard the news. 'Will you not stop and congratulate the Dog on the reign of universal peace?'
'I would gladly do so,' said the Fox, 'but I fear he may not have heard of King Lion's decree.'
Cunning often outwits itself.

The Two Crabs

One fine day two Crabs came out from their home to take a stroll on the sand. 'Child,' said the mother, 'you are walking very ungracefully. You should accustom yourself, to walking straight forward without twisting from side to side.'
'Pray, mother,' said the young one, 'do but set the example yourself, and I will follow you.'
Example is the best precept.

The Tortoise and the Birds

A Tortoise desired to change its place of residence, so he asked an Eagle to carry him to his new home, promising her a rich reward for her trouble. The Eagle agreed and seizing the Tortoise by the shell with her talons soared aloft. On their way they met a Crow, who said to the Eagle: 'Tortoise is good eating.' 'The shell is too hard,' said the Eagle in reply. 'The rocks will soon crack the shell,' was the Crow's answer; and the Eagle, taking the hint, let fall the Tortoise on a sharp rock, and the two birds made a hearty meal of the Tortoise.
Never soar aloft on an enemy's pinions.

The Nurse and the Wolf

'Be quiet now,' said an old Nurse to a child sitting on her lap. 'If you make that noise again I will throw you to the Wolf.'
Now it chanced that a Wolf was passing close under the window as this was said. So he crouched down by the side of the house and waited. 'I am in good luck to-day,' thought he. 'It is sure to cry soon, and a daintier morsel I haven't had for many a long day.' So he waited, and he waited, and he waited, till at last the child began to cry, and the Wolf came forward before the window, and looked up to the Nurse, wagging his tail. But all the Nurse did was to shut down the window and call for help, and the dogs of the house came rushing out. 'Ah,' said the Wolf as he galloped away,
'Enemies promises were made to be broken.'

The Man and His Two Wives

In the old days, when men were allowed to have many wives, a middle-aged Man had one wife that was old and one that was young; each loved him very much, and desired to see him like herself. Now the Man's hair was turning grey, which the young Wife did not like, as it made him look too old for her husband. So every night she used to comb his hair and pick out the white ones. But the elder Wife saw her husband growing grey with great pleasure, for she did not like to be mistaken for his mother. So every morning she used to arrange his hair and pick out as many of the black ones as she could. The consequence was the Man soon found himself entirely bald.
Yield to all and you will soon have nothing to yield.

The Shepherd's Boy

There was once a young Shepherd Boy who tended his sheep at the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. It was rather lonely for him all day, so he thought upon a plan by which he could get a little company and some excitement. He rushed down towards the village calling out 'Wolf, Wolf,' and the villagers came out to meet him, and some of them stopped with him for a considerable time. This pleased the boy so much that a few days afterwards he tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to his help. But shortly after this a Wolf actually did come out from the forest, and began to worry the sheep, and the boy of course cried out 'Wolf, Wolf,' still louder than before. But this time the villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the boy was again deceiving them, and nobody stirred to come to his help. So the Wolf made a good meal off the boy's flock, and when the boy complained, the wise man of the village said:
'A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.'

The Fisher

A Fisher once took his bagpipes to the bank of a river, and played upon them with the hope of making the fish rise; but never a one put his nose out of the water. So he cast his net into the river and soon drew it forth filled with fish. Then he took his bagpipes again, and, as he played, the fish leapt up in the net. 'Ah, you dance now when I play,' said he.
'Yes,' said an old Fish:
'When you are in a man's power you must do as he bids you.'

The Man and the Wooden God

In the old days men used to worship stocks and stones and idols, and prayed to them to give them luck. It happened that a Man had often prayed to a wooden idol he had received from his father, but his luck never seemed to change. He prayed and he prayed, but still he remained as unlucky as ever. One day in the greatest rage he went to the Wooden God, and with one blow swept it down from its pedestal. The idol broke in two, and what did he see? An immense number of coins flying all over the place.

The Dog in the Manger

A Dog looking out for its afternoon nap jumped into the Manger of an Ox and lay there cosily upon the straw. But soon the Ox, returning from its afternoon work, came up to the Manger and wanted to eat some of the straw. The Dog in a rage, being awakened from its slumber, stood up and barked at the Ox, and whenever it came near attempted to bite it. At last the Ox had to give up the hope of getting at the straw, and went away muttering:
'Ah, people often grudge others what they cannot enjoy themselves.'

The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

A Wolf found great difficulty in getting at the sheep owing to the vigilance of the shepherd and his dogs. But one day it found the skin of a sheep that had been flayed and thrown aside, so it put it on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep. The Lamb that belonged to the sheep, whose skin the Wolf was wearing, began to follow the Wolf in the Sheep's clothing; so, leading the Lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal off her, and for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying hearty meals.
Appearances are deceptive.

The Fox and the Cat

A Fox was boasting to a Cat of its clever devices for escaping its enemies. 'I have a whole bag of tricks,' he said, 'which contains a hundred ways of escaping my enemies.'
'I have only one,' said the Cat; 'but I can generally manage with that.' Just at that moment they heard the cry of a pack of hounds coming towards them, and the Cat immediately scampered up a tree and hid herself in the boughs. 'This is my plan,' said the Cat. 'What are you going to do?' The Fox thought first of one way, then of another, and while he was debating the hounds came nearer and nearer, and at last the Fox in his confusion was caught up by the hounds and soon killed by the huntsmen. Miss Puss, who had been looking on, said:
'Better one safe way than a hundred on which you cannot reckon.'

The Tree and the Reed

'Well, little one,' said a Tree to a Reed that was growing at its foot, 'why do you not plant your feet deeply in the ground, and raise your head boldly in the air as I do?'
'I am contented with my lot,' said the Reed. 'I may not be so grand, but I think I am safer.'
'Safe!' sneered the Tree. 'Who shall pluck me up by the roots or bow my head to the ground?' But it soon had to repent of its boasting, for a hurricane arose which tore it up from its roots, and cast it a useless log on the ground, while the little Reed, bending to the force of the wind, soon stood upright again when the storm had passed over.
Obscurity often brings safety.

The Ant and the Grasshopper

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
'Why not come and chat with me,' said the Grasshopper, 'instead of toiling and moiling in that way?'
'I am helping to lay up food for the winter,' said the Ant, 'and recommend you to do the same.'
'Why bother about winter?' said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present.' But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew:
It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

The Lion and the Statue

A Man and a Lion were discussing the relative strength of men and lions in general. The Man contended that he and his fellows were stronger than lions by reason of their greater intelligence. 'Come now with me,' he cried, 'and I will soon prove that I am right.' So he took him into the public gardens and showed him a statue of Hercules overcoming the Lion and tearing his mouth in two.
'That is all very well,' said the Lion, 'but proves nothing, for it was a man who made the statue.'
We can easily represent things as we wish them to be.

The Fox and the Lion

When first the Fox saw the Lion he was terribly frightened, and ran away and hid himself in the wood. Next time however he came near the King of Beasts he stopped at a safe distance and watched him pass by. The third time they came near one another the Fox went straight up to the Lion and passed the time of day with him, asking him how his family were, and when he should have the pleasure of seeing him again; then turning his tail, he parted from the Lion without much ceremony.
Familiarity breeds contempt.

The Peacock and Juno

A Peacock once placed a petition before Juno desiring to have the voice of a nightingale in addition to his other attractions; but Juno refused his request. When he persisted, and pointed out that he was her favourite bird, she said:
'Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything.'

The Horse, Hunter, and Stag

A quarrel had arisen between the Horse and the Stag, so the Horse came to a Hunter to ask his help to take revenge on the Stag. The Hunter agreed, but said: 'If you desire to conquer the Stag, you must permit me to place this piece of iron between your jaws, so that I may guide you with these reins, and allow this saddle to be placed upon your back so that I may keep steady upon you as we follow after the enemy.' The Horse agreed to the conditions, and the Hunter soon saddled and bridled him. Then with the aid of the Hunter the Horse soon overcame the Stag, and said to the Hunter: 'Now, get off, and remove those things from my mouth and back.'
'Not so fast, friend,' said the Hunter. 'I have now got you under bit and spur, and prefer to keep you as you are at present.'
If you allow men to use you for your own purposes, they will use you for theirs.

The Fox and the Grapes

One hot summer's day a Fox was strolling through an orchard till he came to a bunch of Grapes just ripening on a vine which had been trained over a lofty branch. 'Just the thing to quench my thirst,' quoth he. Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and a jump, and just missed the bunch. Turning round again with a One, Two, Three, he jumped up, but with no greater success. Again and again he tried after the tempting morsel, but at last had to give it up, and walked away with his nose in the air, saying: 'I am sure they are sour.'
It is easy to despise what you cannot get.