THREE HUNDRED ÆSOP’S FABLES
LITERALLY TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK
By the Rev. George Fyler Townsend, M.A.
LONDON GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS
THE BROADWAY, LUDGATE NEW YORK: 416 BROOME STREET
CONTENTS
PREFACE LIFE OF AESOP AESOP’S FABLES The Lion And The Mouse The Wolf And The Lamb The Ass And The Grasshopper The Wolf and the Crane The Father And His Sons The Bat And The Weasels The Cock and the Jewel The Swallow and the Crow The Kingdom of the Lion The Traveler and His Dog The Ants and the Grasshopper The Hare and the Tortoise The Charcoal-Burner And The Fuller The Boy Hunting Locusts The Fisherman Piping The Dog and the Shadow Hercules and the Wagoner The Mole and His Mother The Herdsman and the Lost Bull The Fawn and His Mother The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion The Flies and the Honey-Pot The Lioness The Farmer and the Snake The Man and the Lion The Pomegranate, Apple-Tree, and Bramble The Farmer and the Stork The Mountain in Labor The Bear and the Fox The Tortoise and the Eagle The Fox and the Goat The Raven and the Swan The Thirsty Pigeon The Dog in the Manger The Oxen and the Axle-Trees The Farmer and the Cranes The Sick Lion The Bear and the Two Travelers The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail The Cat and the Cock The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing The Goat and the Goatherd The Boasting Traveler The Lion in Love The Miser The Porker, the Sheep, and the Goat The Boy and the Filberts The Frogs Asking for a King The Laborer and the Snake The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox The Horse and Groom The Ass and the Mule The Ass and the Lapdog The Oxen and the Butchers The Shepherd’s Boy and the Wolf The Boys and the Frogs The Salt Merchant and His Ass The Mischievous Dog The Goatherd and the Wild Goats The Man and His Two Sweethearts The Sick Stag The Boy and the Nettles The Astronomer The Wolves and the Sheep The Cat and the Birds The Vain Jackdaw The Kid and the Wolf The Old Woman and the Physician The Ox and the Frog The Farmer and His Sons The Heifer and the Ox The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle The Charger and the Miller The Fox and the Monkey The Horse and His Rider The Belly and the Members The Widow and Her Little Maidens The Vine and the Goat Jupiter and the Monkey The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat The Swallow, the Serpent, and the Court of Justice The Two Pots The Shepherd and the Wolf The Crab and Its Mother The Father and His Two Daughters The Thief and His Mother The Old Man and Death The Fir-Tree and the Bramble The Æthiop The Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk The Fisherman and His Nets The Wolf and the Sheep The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar The Man Bitten by a Dog The Huntsman and the Fisherman The Fox and the Crow The Widow and the Sheep The Playful Ass The Stag in the Ox-Stall The Two Dogs The Wild Ass and the Lion The Lion and the Dolphin The Eagle and the Arrow The Sick Kite The Lion and the Boar The Mice in Council The One-Eyed Doe The Mice and the Weasels The Shepherd and the Sea The Ass, the Cock, and the Lion The Rivers and the Sea The Wild Boar and the Fox The Milk-Woman and Her Pail The Bee and Jupiter The Wolf and the Housedog The Three Tradesmen The Ass Carrying the Image The Master and His Dogs The Old Hound The Two Travelers and the Axe The Old Lion The Wolf and the Shepherds The Seaside Travelers The Ass and His Shadow The Ass and His Masters Mercury and the Sculptor The Fox and the Woodcutter The Oak and the Reeds The Lion in a Farmyard The Wolf and the Lion The Birdcatcher, the Partridge, and the Cock The Ant and the Dove The Hares and the Frogs The Monkey and the Fishermen The Swan and the Goose The Doe and the Lion The Fisherman and the Little Fish The Hunter and the Woodman The Swollen Fox The Two Frogs The Lamp The Camel and the Arab The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass The Cat and the Mice The Mouse and the Bull The Dog and the Cook The Thieves and the Cock The Dancing Monkeys The Farmer and the Fox The Traveler and Fortune The Seagull and the Kite The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox The Philosopher, the Ants, and Mercury The Peasant and the Eagle The Fox and the Leopard The Lion and the Hare The Image of Mercury and the Carpenter The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass The Bull and the Goat The Bald Knight The Oaks and Jupiter The Monkeys and Their Mother The Hare and the Hound The Shepherd and the Dog The Oak and the Woodcutters The Wasp and the Snake The Peacock and the Crane The Hen and the Golden Eggs The Ass and the Frogs The Crow and the Raven The Trees and the Axe The Wolves and the Sheepdogs The Bull, the Lioness, and the Wild-Boar Hunter The Bowman and Lion The Camel The Crab and the Fox The Ass and the Old Shepherd The Fox and the Hedgehog The Woman and Her Hen The Kites and the Swans The Dog and the Hare The Hares and the Foxes The Bull and the Calf The Stag, the Wolf, and the Sheep The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow The Wolf and the Fox The Mule The Prophet The Two Frogs The Serpent and the Eagle The Crow and the Pitcher The Thief and the Innkeeper The Hart and the Vine The Gnat and the Lion The Fox and the Grapes The Walnut-Tree The Kid and the Wolf The Monkey and the Dolphin The Horse and the Stag The Jackdaw and the Doves The Fox and the Monkey The Man and His Wife The Man, the Horse, the Ox, and the Dog The Thief and the Housedog The Apes and the Two Travelers The Fox and the Lion The Weasel and the Mice The Boy Bathing The Peacock and Juno The Wolf and the Shepherd The Hares and the Lions The Seller of Images The Hawk and the Nightingale The Lark and Her Young Ones The Dog, the Cock, and the Fox The Geese and the Cranes The Ass and the Wolf The Goat and the Ass The Lion and the Bull The Fox and the Mask The Grasshopper and the Owl The Fowler and the Viper The Horse and the Ass The Lion and the Three Bulls The Wolf and the Goat The Fly and the Draught-Mule The Fishermen The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse The Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape The Wasps, the Partridges, and the Farmer The Brother and the Sister The Dogs and the Fox The Blind Man and the Whelp The Cobbler Turned Doctor The Wolf and the Horse The Two Men Who Were Enemies The Gamecocks and the Partridge The Fox and the Lion The Quack Frog The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox The Dog’s House The North Wind and the Sun The Crow and Mercury The Fox and the Crane The Wolf and the Lion The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat The Spendthrift and the Swallow The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner The Owl and the Birds The Goods and the Ills The Ass in the Lion’s Skin The Sparrow and the Hare The Flea and the Ox The Ass and His Purchaser The Dove and the Crow The Man and the Satyr Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus The Eagle and the Jackdaw The Eagle and the Fox The Two Bags The Bitch and Her Whelps The Stag at the Pool The Lark Burying Her Father The Gnat and the Bull The Monkey and the Camel The Dogs and the Hides The Jackdaw and the Fox Mercury and the Workmen The Peasant and the Apple-Tree The Two Soldiers and the Robber The Shepherd and the Sheep The Trees Under the Protection of the Gods The Flea and the Wrestler The Lion and the Fox Truth and the Traveler The Manslayer The Lion and the Eagle The Ass and His Driver The Thrush and the Fowler The Mother and the Wolf The Hen and the Swallow The Rose and the Amaranth The Travelers and the Plane-Tree The Ass and the Horse The Crow and the Sheep The Fox and the Bramble The Ass and the Charger The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant The Dog and the Oyster The Mules and the Robbers The Lamb and the Wolf The Partridge and the Fowler The Flea and the Man The Rich Man and the Tanner The Viper and the File The Lion and the Shepherd The Camel and Jupiter The Panther and the Shepherds The Eagle and the Kite The Eagle and His Captor The King’s Son and the Painted Lion The Cat and Venus The Eagle and the Beetle The She-Goats and Their Beards The Bald Man and the Fly The Shipwrecked Man and the Sea The Buffoon and the Countryman The Crow and the Serpent The Hunter and the Horseman The Olive-Tree and the Fig-Tree The Frogs’ Complaint Against the Sun The Brazier and His Dog FOOTNOTES INDEX
PREFACE
The Tale, the Parable, and the Fable are all common and popular modes of conveying instruction. Each is distinguished by its own special characteristics. The Tale consists simply in the narration of a story either founded on facts, or created solely by the imagination, and not necessarily associated with the teaching of any moral lesson. The Parable is the designed use of language purposely intended to convey a hidden and secret meaning other than that contained in the words themselves; and which may or may not bear a special reference to the hearer, or reader. The Fable partly agrees with, and partly differs from both of these. It will contain, like the Tale, a short but real narrative; it will seek, like the Parable, to convey a hidden meaning, and that not so much by the use of language, as by the skilful introduction of fictitious characters; and yet, unlike to either Tale or Parable, it will ever keep in view, as its high prerogative, and inseparable attribute, the great purpose of instruction, and will necessarily seek to inculcate some moral maxim, social duty, or political truth. The true Fable, if it rise to its high requirements, ever aims at one great end and purpose—the representation of human motive, and the improvement of human conduct, and yet it so conceals its design under the disguise of fictitious characters, by clothing with speech the animals of the field, the birds of the air, the trees of the wood, or the beasts of the forest, that the reader shall receive advice without perceiving the presence of the adviser. Thus the superiority of the counsellor, which often renders counsel unpalatable, is kept out of view, and the lesson comes with the greater acceptance when the reader is led, unconsciously to himself, to have his sympathies enlisted in behalf of what is pure, honourable, and praiseworthy, and to have his indignation excited against what is low, ignoble, and unworthy. The true fabulist, therefore, discharges a most important function. He is neither a narrator, nor an allegorist. He is a great teacher, a corrector of morals, a censor of vice, and a commender of virtue. In this consists the superiority of the Fable over the Tale or the Parable. The fabulist is to create a laugh, but yet, under a merry guise, to convey instruction. Phædrus, the great imitator of Æsop, plainly indicates this double purpose to be the true office of the writer of fables.