Aesop, in Rhyme | Page 5

up to their work in the
middle of the night.
Unlawful acts to escape trials only increase our troubles.

The Fox and the Lion.
[Illustration]
A Fox who had never yet seen a Lion, when he fell in with him by a
certain chance for the first time in the forest, was so frightened that he
was near dying with fear. On his meeting with him for the second time,
he was still much alarmed, but not to the same extent as at first. On
seeing him the third time, he so increased in boldness that he went up
to him, and commenced a familiar conversation with him.
Acquaintance softens prejudices.
[Illustration]

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.
[Illustration]
A Country Mouse invited a Town Mouse, an intimate friend, to pay
him a visit, and partake of his country fare. As they were on the bare
plough-lands, eating their wheat-stalks and roots pulled up from the
hedge-row, the Town Mouse said to his friend: "You live here the life
of the ants, while in my house is the horn of plenty. I am surrounded
with every luxury, and if you will come with me, as I much wish you
would, you shall have an ample share of my dainties." The Country
Mouse was easily persuaded, and returned to town with his friend. On
his arrival, the Town Mouse placed before him bread, barley, beans,

dried figs, honey, raisins, and, last of all, brought a dainty piece of
cheese from a basket. The Country Mouse, being much delighted at the
sight of such good cheer, expressed his satisfaction in warm terms, and
lamented his own hard fate. Just as they were beginning to eat, some
one opened the door, and they both ran off squeaking, as fast as they
could, to a hole so narrow that two could only find room in it by
squeezing. They had scarcely again begun their repast when some one
else entered to take something out of a cupboard, on which the two
Mice, more frightened than before, ran away and hid themselves. At
last the Country Mouse, almost famished, thus addressed his friend:
"Although you have prepared for me so dainty a feast, I must leave you
to enjoy it by yourself. It is surrounded by too many dangers to please
me."
[Illustration]
Better a little in safety, than an abundance surrounded by danger.

The Monkey and the Dolphin.
[Illustration]
A Sailor, bound on a long voyage, took with him a Monkey to amuse
him while on shipboard. As he sailed off the coast of Greece, a violent
tempest arose, in which the ship was wrecked, and he, his Monkey and
all the crew were obliged to swim for their lives. A Dolphin saw the
Monkey contending with the waves, and supposing him to be a man
(whom he is always said to befriend), came and placed himself under
him, to convey him on his back in safety to the shore. When the
Dolphin arrived with his burden in sight of land not far from Athens, he
demanded of the Monkey if he were an Athenian, who answered that he
was, and that he was descended from one of the noblest families in that
city.
The Dolphin then inquired if he knew the Piræus (the famous harbor of
Athens). The Monkey, supposing that a man was meant, and being

obliged to support his previous lie, answered that he knew him very
well, and that he was an intimate friend, who would, no doubt, be very
glad to see him. The Dolphin, indignant at these falsehoods, dipped the
Monkey under the water, and drowned him.
He who once begins to tell falsehoods is obliged to tell others to make
them appear true, and, sooner or later, they will get him into trouble.

The Game-cocks and the Partridge.
A Man had two Game-cocks in his poultry yard. One day, by chance,
he fell in with a tame Partridge for sale. He purchased it, and brought it
home that it might be reared with his Game-cocks. On its being put into
the poultry-yard, they struck at it, and followed it about, so that the
Partridge was grievously troubled in mind, and supposed that he was
thus badly treated because he was a stranger. Not long afterwards he
saw the Cocks fighting together, and not separating before one had well
beaten the other. He then said to himself: "I shall no longer distress
myself at being struck at by these Game-cocks, when I see that they
cannot even refrain from quarreling with each other."
Strangers should avoid those who quarrel among themselves.

The Boy and the Nettle.
A Boy was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his mother, saying:
"Although it pains