THE BULL AND THE CALF\n\nA Bull was once striving with all his might to squeeze himself through a narrow passage which led to his stall.\n\n"I will go through," said a young Calf, "and show you the way. I have done it many a time."\n\n"Save yourself the trouble," said the Bull; "I knew the way before you were born."
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1 THE BULL AND THE CALF
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THE FAWN AND HIS MOTHER\n\nA young Fawn once said to his Mother: "I do not see, Mother, how it is that you should be so afraid of the dogs. You are larger than a dog, and swifter; and you are much more used to running. Why is it that the mere mention of a hound puts you into such a terrible fright?"\n\nThe Mother smiled upon her brave young son. "I know very well," she said, "that all you say is true. I look at my long legs, and remember all the advantages that you mention, yet when I hear the bark of but a single dog, I faint with terror."
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2 THE FAWN AND HIS MOTHER
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THE MULE AND HIS SHADOW\n\nOne very hot day a Traveler hired a Mule with his driver to carry some merchandise to a distant place.\n\nThe way lay across a sandy plain, and the day being intensely hot, the Traveler called upon the driver to stop for rest. To escape from the direct heat of the sun, which was shining in all its strength, the Traveler proceeded to sit down in the shadow of the Mule.\n\nBut a violent dispute arose, for the shadow was sufficient for but one, and the driver, a lusty fellow, rudely pushed the Traveler one side, claiming the spot for himself, saying: "When you hired this Mule of me, you said nothing about the shadow. If now you want that too, you must pay for it."\n\nThe discussion grew so violent that they forgot the Mule, who took advantage of his freedom and ran away. And so, in disputing about the shadow they lost the substance.
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3 THE MULE AND HIS SHADOW
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THE BLIND MAN AND THE LAME MAN\n\nA Blind Man, being stopped in a bad piece of road, met a Lame Man, and entreated him to help him out of the difficulty into which he had fallen.\n\n"How can I," replied the Lame Man, "since I can scarcely drag myself along? I am lame, and you look very strong."\n\n"I am strong enough," said the other. "I could go if I could but see the way."\n\n"Oh, then we may help each other," said the Lame Man. "If you will take me on your shoulders, we will seek our fortunes together. I will be eyes for you, and you shall be feet for me."\n\n"With all my heart," said the Blind Man. "Let us render each other our mutual services." So he took his lame companion upon his back, and they traveled on with safety and pleasure.
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4 THE BLIND MAN AND THE LAME MAN
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THE TWO POTS\n\nA river carried down, in its stream, two Pots, one made of Earthenware and the other of Brass.\n\nThe Brass Pot was disposed to be social. "Since we must be companions, let us be friendly," he said. "In union is strength. Though we are carried away against our will, it is of no use to repine. We may yet see much good."\n\nBut the Earthen Pot said: "I beg you not to come so near me. I am as much afraid of you as of the river; for if you do but touch me ever so slightly, I shall be sure to break. To be really social and friendly people must have ways and needs in common."
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5 THE TWO POTS
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THE QUACK FROG\n\nThere was once a Frog who made proclamation that he was a learned physician, able to heal all diseases.\n\nHe went so far as to tell the beasts that it was their own fault that they were ill, since if they would but submit to his treatment, he would restore them to perfect health.\n\nA Fox, hearing it, asked: "How is it, since you can do such great things for others, you do not first try to mend your own ugly gait and your wrinkled skin? They who assume to help others should first improve themselves."
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6 THE QUACK FROG
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THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING\n\nA Wolf once clothed himself in the fleece of a sheep, and being mistaken for one of the flock, got into the fold. He had a chance to make way with as many sheep as he liked; but his time for doing so was short, for the Shepherd, coming into the fold during the night, discovered him.\n\nTying him to a tree, he left him hanging there, still in his sheep's dress, as a warning to other wolves who might be prowling about.\n\nSome shepherds who chanced to pass by saw him there, and stopped to inquire why sheep should be thus served. As they came nearer and saw that it was not a sheep but a Wolf, the Shepherd said, "This is the way I serve a Wolf, even though I find him wearing the habit of a sheep."
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7 THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING
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THE BOY AND THE FILBERTS\n\nA Boy once thrust his hand into a pitcher nearly filled with Filberts. He grasped as many as his hand could possibly hold; but when he tried to draw out his closed fist, the narrowness of the neck prevented him from doing so. Unwilling to lose his nuts, yet unable to get them by drawing out his hand, he burst into tears and bitterly lamented his hard fortune. A person standing by finally gave him this wise and reasonable advice:\n\n"Be satisfied to take half as many, my boy, and you will get them easily."
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8 THE BOY AND THE FILBERTS
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THE MISER\n\nA Miser who had buried a lump of gold in the ground came to the spot every day to look at it.\n\nFinding one day that it had been stolen, he began to tear his hair and lament loudly.\n\nA neighbor, seeing him, said: "Pray do not grieve so. Bury a stone in the same hole and fancy it is the gold. It will serve you just as well, for when the gold was there you made no use of it."
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9 THE MISER
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THE WIDOW AND HER LITTLE MAIDS\n\nA Widow who had great reputation as a housekeeper, because she was so fond of cleaning, was waited upon by two little Maids.\n\nShe herself was wakened before dawn by the crowing of the cock, and would rise at once and call her Maids.\n\nThe Maids, who had no taste for such excessive tidiness, and who were kept weary by such constant labor, held a spite against the poor cock for rousing their mistress so early.\n\n"If it were not for him," they said, "the mistress would sleep till the sun is well up. Let us kill the cock, since there is no other way to stop his loud crowing."\n\nBut the mistress, no longer hearing the cock, was unable to tell the time, and so often woke her Maids in the middle of the night and set them to work.
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10 THE WIDOW AND HER LITTLE MAIDS
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THE CHARCOAL BURNER AND THE FULLER\n\nA Charcoal Burner carried on his trade at his own house. One day he met a friend who was a Fuller, and begged him to come and live with him.\n\n"We shall be far better friends if we live together," he said, "and then our housekeeping expenses will be greatly lessened."\n\nThe Fuller replied: "The arrangement would not suit me in the least, for whatever I should take pains to whiten, your charcoal would immediately blacken. I am afraid we should not grow better friends under such circumstances."
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11 THE CHARCOAL BURNER AND THE FULLER
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THE PORCUPINE AND THE SNAKES\n\nA prickly Porcupine came wandering along one day, looking for a place to live.\n\nHe found a family of Snakes in a warm cave, and asked them to let him share their shelter.\n\nThe Snakes consented, though much against their will, and the Porcupine crept into their home. But it was not long before they found that his sharp quills stuck into them and hurt them, and they wished they had never let him in.\n\n"Dear Porcupine, please go away," they said; "you are so large and so prickly."\n\nBut the Porcupine was very rude, and said: "Oh, no. If you do not like it here, you can go away. I find it very comfortable."\n\nIt was too late that the Snakes learned that it is easier to keep an intruder out than to compel him to go when you have once let him in.
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12 THE PORCUPINE AND THE SNAKES
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THE BUNDLE OF STICKS\n\nAN Old Man had many Sons, who were often quarreling. He tried to make them good friends, but could not. As the end of his life drew near, the old Man called them all to him and showed them a bundle of sticks tied tightly together.\n\n"Now," said the Father, "see if you can break this bundle of sticks."\n\nEach of the Sons in turn took the bundle and tried with all his might to break it, but could not. When all had tried and given it up, the Father said, "Untie the bundle, and each of you take a stick and see if you can break that." This they could do very easily. Then said the Father:\n\n"You saw when the sticks were bound together how strong they were; but as soon as they were untied, you broke them easily. Now, if you will stop quarreling and stand by each other, you will be like the bundle of sticks—no one can do you any harm; but if you do not keep together, you will be as weak as is one of the little sticks by itself, which any one\ncan break."
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13 THE BUNDLE OF STICKS
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THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG\n\nThere was once a Dog who used to run at every one whom he met, but so quietly that no one suspected harm from him till he began to bite his heels.\n\nIn order to give notice to strangers that the Dog could not be trusted, and at the same time to punish the Dog himself, the master would sometimes hang a bell about his neck and compel him to drag a heavy clog, which he firmly attached to his collar by a chain.\n\nFor a time the Dog hung his head; but seeing that his bell and clog brought him into notice, he grew proud of them, and ran about the market place to display them and attract attention to himself. He even went so far as to give himself airs with the other dogs, who had no such mark of distinction.\n\nAn old Hound, seeing it, said: "Why do you make such an exhibition of yourself, as if your bell and clog were marks of merit? They do indeed bring you into notice; but when their meaning is understood, they are marks of disgrace—a reminder that you are an ill-mannered cur. It is one thing to be renowned when our virtues give occasion for it; it is quite another to become notorious for our faults."
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14 THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG
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THE DOG AND THE OYSTER\n\nA Dog, seeing an Oyster, took it to be an egg and swallowed it. Soon after, suffering great pain, he said, "It was my greedy haste that brought me this torment."
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15 THE DOG AND THE OYSTER
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THE FOX AND THE LEOPARD\n\nThe Fox and the Leopard once disputed who was the more beautiful. The Leopard exhibited, one by one, the various spots which covered his skin. The Fox, who was even more proud of his wits than of his person, interrupted him at last by saying: "Yet when all is said, how much more beautiful am I, who am decorated not simply in body but in mind. The person should be of more value than his coat."
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16 THE FOX AND THE LEOPARD
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THE DOGS AND THE HIDES\n\nSome Dogs, famished with hunger, saw cowhides steeping in a river, close by a tannery, and thought they might be eaten. Not being able to reach them, they set to work first to drink up the river, but burst themselves with drinking long before they reached the hides.
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17 THE DOGS AND THE HIDES
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THE WOODMAN AND THE TREES\n\nA Woodman came into a forest, and made a petition to the Trees to provide him a handle for his ax.\n\nThe Trees, honored by his civility, acceded to his request, and held a consultation to decide which of them should be given him.\n\nWithout a dissenting voice, they chose the Ash, who, it seems, is not a favorite among the Trees. Some of them were bold enough to say that bad luck went with the Ash, and that at heart they were not bound to be in sympathy with woodcutters.\n\nThe Woodman cut down the Tree, and fitted the handle to his ax; then to the dismay of the Trees, set to work and, with strong strokes, quickly felled all the noblest giants of the forest.\n\nLamenting too late the fate of his companions, an old Oak remarked to a neighboring Cedar:\n\n"The first step has lost us all. If we had not so willingly given up the rights of the Ash, we might have stood for ages."
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18 THE WOODMAN AND THE TREES
