The Mischievous Dog There was once a Dog who was so ill-natured and mischievous that his master had to fasten a heavy wooden clog about his neck to keep him from annoying visitors and neighbors. But the Dog seemed to be very proud of the clog and dragged it about noisily as if he wished to attract everybody’s attention. He was not able to impress anyone. “You would be wiser,” said...

The Bat and The Weasels Bat blundered into the nest of a Weasel, who ran up to catch and eat him. The Bat begged for his life, but the Weasel would not listen. “You are a Mouse,” he said, “and I am a sworn enemy of Mice. Every Mouse I catch, I am going to eat!” “But I am not a Mouse!” cried the Bat. “Look at my wings. Can Mice...

The Miser Miser had buried his gold in a secret place in his garden. Every day he went to the spot, dug up the treasure, and counted it piece by piece to make sure it was all there. He made so many trips that a Thief, who had been observing him, guessed what it was the Miser had hidden and one night quietly dug up the treasure and made off with...

The Wolf and The Shepherd Wolf, lurking near Shepherd’s hut, saw the Shepherd and his family feasting on a roasted lamb. “Aha!” he muttered. “What a great shouting and running about there would have been, had they caught me at just the very thing they are doing with so much enjoyment!” Men often condemn others for what they see as no wrong in e doing themselves.

The Old Lion and The Fox An old Lion, whose teeth and claws were so worn that it was not so easy for him to get food as in his younger days, pretended that he was sick. He took care to let all his neighbors know about it and then lay down in his cave to wait for visitors. And when they came to offer him their sympathy, he ate them...

The Bull and The Goat Bull once escaped from a Lion by entering a cave that the Goatherds used to house their flocks in stormy weather and at night. It happened that one of the Goats had been left behind, and the Bull had no sooner got inside than this Goat lowered his head and made a rush at him, butting him with his horns. As the Lion was still prowling...

Mercury and The Woodman A poor Woodman was cutting down a tree near the edge of a deep pool in the forest. It was late in the day and woodman was tired. He had been working since sunrise and sunrise and his strokes were not as sure as they had been early that morning. Thus it happened that the axe slipped and flew out of his hands into the pool. The...