fantastic fables-第16章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
instead。 Thereupon the Swan； to induce him to spare her life；
began to sing； but she saved him nothing but the trouble of killing
her； for she died of the song。
The Lion； the Cock； and the Ass
A LION was about to attack a braying Ass； when a Cock near by
crowed shrilly； and the Lion ran away。 〃What frightened him？〃 the
Ass asked。
〃Lions have a superstitious terror of my voice；〃 answered the Cock；
proudly。
〃Well； well； well；〃 said the Ass； shaking his head； 〃I should think
that any animal that is afraid of your voice and doesn't mind mine
must have an uncommon kind of ear。〃
The Snake and the Swallow
A SWALLOW who had built her nest in a court of justice reared a
fine family of young birds。 One day a Snake came out of a chink in
the wall and was about to eat them。 The Just Judge at once issued
an injunction； and making an order for their removal to his own
house； ate them himself。
The Wolves and the Dogs
〃WHY should there be strife between us？〃 said the Wolves to the
Sheep。 〃It is all owing to those quarrelsome dogs。 Dismiss them；
and we shall have peace。〃
〃You seem to think；〃 replied the Sheep； 〃that it is an easy thing
to dismiss dogs。 Have you always found it so？〃
The Hen and the Vipers
A HEN who had patiently hatched out a brood of vipers； was accosted
by a Swallow； who said： 〃What a fool you are to give life to
creatures who will reward you by destroying you。〃
〃I am a little bit on the destroy myself；〃 said the Hen； tranquilly
swallowing one of the little reptiles； 〃and it is not an act of
folly to provide oneself with the delicacies of the season。〃
A Seasonable Joke
A SPENDTHRIFT； seeing a single swallow； pawned his cloak； thinking
that Summer was at hand。 It was。
The Lion and the Thorn
A LION roaming through the forest； got a thorn in his foot； and；
meeting a Shepherd； asked him to remove it。 The Shepherd did so；
and the Lion； having just surfeited himself on another shepherd；
went away without harming him。 Some time afterward the Shepherd
was condemned on a false accusation to be cast to the lions in the
amphitheatre。 When they were about to devour him； one of them
said：
〃This is the man who removed the thorn from my foot。〃
Hearing this； the others honourably abstained； and the claimant ate
the Shepherd all himself。
The Fawn and the Buck
A FAWN said to its father： 〃You are larger； stronger； and more
active than a dog； and you have sharp horns。 Why do you run away
when you hear one barking？〃
〃Because； my child；〃 replied the Buck； 〃my temper is so uncertain
that if I permit one of those noisy creatures to come into my
presence I am likely to forget myself and do him an injury。〃
The Kite； the Pigeons； and the Hawk
SOME Pigeons exposed to the attacks of a Kite asked a Hawk to
defend them。 He consented； and being admitted into the cote waited
for the Kite； whom he fell upon and devoured。 When he was so
surfeited that he could scarcely move； the grateful Pigeons
scratched out his eyes。
The Wolf and the Babe
A FAMISHING Wolf； passing the door of a cottage in the forest；
heard a Mother say to her babe：
〃Be quiet； or I will throw you out of the window； and the wolves
will get you。〃
So he waited all day below the window； growing more hungry all the
time。 But at night the Old Man； having returned from the village
club； threw out both Mother and Child。
The Wolf and the Ostrich
A WOLF； who in devouring a man had choked himself with a bunch of
keys； asked an ostrich to put her head down his throat and pull
them out； which she did。
〃I suppose；〃 said the Wolf； 〃you expect payment for that service。〃
〃A kind act；〃 replied the Ostrich； 〃is its own reward； I have eaten
the keys。〃
The Herdsman and the Lion
A HERDSMAN who had lost a bullock entreated the gods to bring him
the thief； and vowed he would sacrifice a goat to them。 Just then
a Lion； his jaws dripping with bullock's blood； approached the
Herdsman。
〃I thank you； good deities；〃 said the Herdsman； continuing his
prayer； 〃for showing me the thief。 And now if you will take him
away； I will stand another goat。〃
The Man and the Viper
A MAN finding a frozen Viper put it into his bosom。
〃The coldness of the human heart；〃 he said； with a grin； 〃will keep
the creature in his present condition until I can reach home and
revive him on the coals。〃
But the pleasures of hope so fired his heart that the Viper thawed；
and sliding to the ground thanked the Man civilly for his
hospitality and glided away。
The Man and the Eagle
AN Eagle was once captured by a Man； who clipped his wings and put
him in the poultry yard； along with the chickens。 The Eagle was
much depressed in spirits by the change。
〃Why should you not rather rejoice？〃 said the Man。 〃You were only
an ordinary fellow as an eagle； but as an old rooster you are a
fowl of incomparable distinction。
The War…horse and the Miller
HAVING heard that the State was about to be invaded by a hostile
army； a War…horse belonging to a Colonel of the Militia offered his
services to a passing Miller。
〃No；〃 said the patriotic Miller； 〃I will employ no one who deserts
his position in the hour of danger。 It is sweet to die for one's
country。〃
Something in the sentiment sounded familiar； and； looking at the
Miller more closely the War…horse recognised his master in
disguise。
The Dog and the Reflection
A DOG passing over a stream on a plank saw his reflection in the
water。
〃You ugly brute！〃 he cried； 〃how dare you look at me in that
insolent way。〃
He made a grab in the water； and； getting hold of what he supposed
was the other dog's lip； lifted out a fine piece of meat which a
butcher's boy had dropped into the stream。
The Man and the Fish…horn
A TRUTHFUL Man； finding a musical instrument in the road； asked the
name of it； and was told that it was a fish…horn。 The next time he
went fishing he set his nets and blew the fish…horn all day to
charm the fish into them； but at nightfall there were not only no
fish in his nets； but none along that part of the coast。 Meeting a
friend while on his way home he was asked what luck he had had。
〃Well；〃 said the Truthful Man； 〃the weather is not right for
fishing； but it's a red…letter day for music。〃
The Hare and the Tortoise
A HARE having ridiculed the slow movements of a Tortoise； was
challenged by the latter to run a race； a Fox to go to the goal and
be the judge。 They got off well together； the hare at the top of
her speed； the Tortoise； who had no other intention than making his
antagonist exert herself； going very leisurely。 After sauntering
along for some time he discovered the Hare by the wayside；
apparently asleep； and seeing a chance to win pushed on as fast as
he could； arriving at the goal hours afterward； suffering from
extreme fatigue and claiming the victory。
〃Not so；〃 said the Fox； 〃the Hare was here long ago； and went back
to cheer you on your way。〃
Hercules and the Carter
A CARTER was driving a waggon loaded with a merchant's goods； when
the wheels stuck in a rut。 Thereupon he began to pray to Hercules；
without other exertion。
〃Indolent fellow！〃 said Hercules； 〃you ask me to help you； but will
not help yourself。〃
So the Carter helped himself to so many of the most valuable goods
that the horses easily ran away with the remainder。
The Lion and the Bull
A LION wishing to lure a Bull to a place where it would be safe to
attack him； said： 〃My friend； I have killed a fine sheep； will you
come with me and partake of the mutton？〃
〃With pleasure；〃 said the Bull； 〃as soon as you have refreshed
yourself a little for the journey。 Pray have some grass。〃
The Man and his Goose
〃SEE these valuable golden eggs；〃 said a Man that owned a Goose。
〃Surely a Goose which can lay such eggs as those must have a gold
mine inside her。〃
So he killed the Goose and cut her open； but found that she was
just like any other goose。 Moreover； on examining the eggs that
she had laid he found they were just like any other eggs。
The Wolf and the Feeding Goat
A WOLF saw a Goat feeding at the summit of a rock； where he could
not get at her。
〃Why do you stay up there in that sterile place and go hungry？〃
said the Wolf。 〃Down here where I am the broken…bottle vine cometh
up as a flower； the celluloid collar blossoms as the rose； and the
tin…can tree brings forth after its kind。〃
〃That is true； no doubt；〃 said the Goat； 〃but how about the circus…
poster crop？ I hear that it failed this year down there。〃
The Wolf； perceiving that he was being chaffed； went away and
resumed his duties at the doors of the poor。
Jupiter and the Birds
JUPITER commanded all the birds to appear before him； so that he
might choose the most beautiful to be their king。 The ugly
jackdaw； collecting all the fine feathers which had fallen from the
other birds； attached them to his own body and appeared at the
examination； looking very gay。 The other birds； recognising their
own borrowed plumage； indignantly protested； and began to strip
him。
〃Hold！〃 said Jupiter； 〃this self…made bird has more sense than any
of you。 He is your king。〃
The Lion and the Mouse
A LION who had caught a Mouse was about to kill him； when the Mouse
said：
〃If you will spare my life； I will do as much for you some day。〃
The Lion； good…naturedly let him go。 It happened shortly
afterwards that the Lion was caught by some hunters and bound with
cords。 The Mouse； passing that way； and seeing that hi
