Recorded by Beth Dudek Aesop's FablesThe Bat and the Weasels
A bat fell to the ground, and was caught by a weasel, and was just going to be killed and eaten, when it begged to be let go. The weasel said he couldn't do that because he was an enemy of all birds on principle. "Oh, but," said the bat "I'm not a bird at all, I'm a mouse". "So you are," said the weasel, "now I come to look at you." And he let it go. Some time after this, the bat was caught in just the same way by another weasel, and, as before, begged for its life. "No," said the weasel, "I never let a mouse go, by any chance." "But I'm not a mouse," said the bat, "I'm a bird". "Why so you are," said the weasel, and he too let the bat go. Look and see which way the wind blows before you commit yourself. End of The Bat and the Weasels
Archive | aesop
RSS feed for this sectionFrom Wikipedia : Aesop (/ˈiːsɒp/ EE-sop; Ancient Greek: Αἴσωπος, Aisōpos; c. 620 – 564 BCE) was a Greek story teller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day.
The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion
Recorded by Annie Colman in St Louis, Missouri, on January 13, 2006. Aesop's Fables.The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion
An ass and a fox went into partnership, and sallied out to forage for food together. They hadn't gone far before they saw a lion coming their way, at which they were both dreadfully frightened. But the fox thought he saw a way of saving his own skin, and went boldly up to the lion, and whispered in his ear. "I'll manage that you shall get hold of the ass, without the trouble of stalking him, if you'll promise to let me go free." The lion agreed to this, and the fox then rejoined his companion, and contrived before long to lead him by a hidden pit, which some hunter had dug as a trap for wild animals, and into which he fell. When the lion saw that the ass was safely caught, and couldn't get away, it was to the fox that he first turned his attention and he soon finished him off. And then, at his leisure, proceeded to feast upon the ass. Betray a friend, and you'll often find you have ruined yourself. End of The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion
The Goods and the Ills
The Goods and the Ills
There was a time, in the youth of the World, when Goods and Ills entered equally into the concerns of Men, so that the Goods did not prevail to make them altogether blessed, nor the Ills to make the wholely miserable. But owing to the foolishness of Mankind, the Ills multiplied greatly in number, and increased in strength, until it seemed as though they would deprive the Goods of all share in human affairs, and banish them from the Earth. The latter, therefore, betook themselves to heaven, and complained to Jupiter of the treatment they had received. At the same time, praying to him to grant them protection from the Ills, and to advise them concerning the manner of their intercourse with Men. Jupiter granted their request for protection, and decreed that for the future, they should not go among Men openly in a body, and so be liable to attack from the hostile Ills, but singly, and unobserved, and at infrequent and unexpected intervals. Hence it is that the Earth is full of Ills, for they come and go as they please, and are never far away, while Goods, alas, come one-by-one only, and have to travel all the way from heaven, so that they are very seldom seen. End of The Goods and the Ills
The Old Woman and the Doctor
Recording by Kristen Lemoine, greenkri.com. Aesop's Fables.The Old Woman and the Doctor
An old woman became almost totally blind from a disease of the eyes, and after consulting a doctor, made an agreement with him, in the presence of witnesses,that she should pay him a high fee if he cured her, while if he failed he was to receive nothing. The doctor accordingly prescribed a course of treatment, and every time he paid her a visit he took away with him some article out of the house, until at last, when he visited her for the last time, and the cure was complete, there was nothing left. When the old woman saw that the house was empty, she refused to pay him his fee, and after repeated refusals on her part, he sued her before the magistrates for payment of her debt. On being brought into court, she was ready with her defence. "The claimant", said she, "has stated the facts about our agreement correctly. I undertook to pay him a fee if he cured me, and he, on his part, promised to charge nothing if he failed. Now he says I am cured, but I say, that I am blinder than ever, and I can prove what I say. When my eyes were bad, I could at any rate see well enough to be aware that my house contained a certain amount of furniture, and other things. But now, when according to him I am cured, I am entirely unable to see anything there at all." End of The Old Woman and the Doctor.
The Mischievous Dog
Recording by Kristen Lemoine, greenkri.com. Aesop's Fables.The Mischievous Dog
There was once a dog who used to snap at people, and bite them, without any provocation, and who was a great nuisance to everyone who came to his master's house. So his master fastened a bell round his neck to warn people of his presence. The dog was very proud of the bell, and strutted about tinkling it with immense satisfaction. But an old dog came up to him and said "fewer airs you give yourself, the better, my friend. You don't think, do you, that your bell was given you as a reward of merit. On the contrary, it is a badge of disgrace." Notoriety is often mistaken for fame. End of The Mischievous Dog
The Cat and the Mice
Recording by Kristen Lemoine, greenkri.com. Aesop's Fables.The Cat and The Mice.
There was once a house that was overrun with mice. A cat heard of this and said to herself "that's the place for me", and off she went, and took up her quarters in the house, and caught the mice, one by one, and ate them. At last, the mice could stand it no longer, and they determined to take to their holes, and stay there. "That's awkward," said the cat to herself. "The only thing to do is to coax them out by a trick". So she considered a while, an then climbed up the wall, and let herself hang down by her hind legs from a peg, and pretended to be dead. By and by, a mouse peeped out, and saw the cat hanging there. "Aha," it cried, "you are very clever madam, no doubt. But you may turn yourself into a bag of meal hanging there, if you like, yet you won't catch us coming anywhere near you." If you are wise, you won't be deceived by the innocent airs of those whom you have once found to be dangerous. End of The Cat and the Mice.
The Fox & the Grapes
Aesop's Fables.The Fox and The Grapes
A hungry fox saw some fine bunches of grapes hanging from a vine that was trained along a high trellis... And did his best to reach them by jumping as high as he could into the air. But, it was all in vain, for they were just out of reach. So he gave up trying, and walked away with an air of dignity and unconcern, remarking "I thought those grapes were ripe, but, I see now they are quite sour".
The Lion and the Hare
A lion found a hare sleeping in her form [ 'a shallow depression or flattened nest of grass' ] , and was just going to devour her when he caught sight of a passing stag. Dropping the hare, he at once made for the bigger game, but finding, after a long chase, that he could not overtake the stag, he abandoned the attempt , and came back for the hare. When he reached the spot, however, he found she was nowhere to be seen, and he had to go without his dinner. "It serves me right", he said, "I should have been content with what I had got, instead of hankering after a better prize."
The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs
This is the first of a series of Aesop’s Fables which will appear soon on the website.