Fifty Famous Fables | Page 4

OF A MEAN JOKE
2. THE MOUSE AND THE FROG 3. THE BOYS AND THE FROGS 4. THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF
FOLLY OF QUARRELING
5. THE TWO GOATS 6. THE STRIKE OP THE MILL FEEDERS 7. THE FARMER AND HIS SONS 8. THE FOUR OXEN AND THE LION
DEEDS BETTER THAN WORDS
9. THE HUNTER AND THE FARMER 10. THE FOX IN THE WELL 11. THE MICE IN COUNCIL
FOLLY OF PRIDE
12. THE FOX AND THE CROW 13. THE VAIN CROW 14. THE HORSE AND THE LOADED DONKEY 15. THE LEAVES AND THE ROOTS 16. THE BULL AND THE GNAT
WISDOM OF HEEDING GOOD ADVICE
17. THE FARMER AND HIS THREE SONS 18. THE YOUNG FOX 19. VISIT OF THE MOUSE TO THE COUNTRY 20. THE TWO DOVES
BASENESS OF DECEIT
21. THE HORSE AND THE WOLF 22. THE BIRDS, THE BEASTS, AND THE BAT 23. THE BEES, THE DRONES, AND THE WASP 24. THE WOODMAN AND HIS AXE 25. THE FOX WITH HIS TAIL CUT OFF 26. THE BLACKBIRD AND THE DOVE
RESULTS OF GREEDINESS
27. THE GREEDY DOG 28. THE GOOSE THAT LAID GOLD EGGS
DESIRABILITY OF CONTENTMENT
29. THE DONKEY AND HIS MASTERS 30. THE COBBLER AND THE RICH MAN
VALUE OF THINKING FOR ONESELF
31. THE ICE KING 32. THE WOLF, THE GOAT, AND THE KID 33. THE WISE GOAT 34. THE SHEPHERD AND THE DOGS 35. THE BOY AND THE NUTS 36. THE CROW AND THE PITCHER 37. THE GROCER AND HIS DONKEY 38. THE THREE FISH
WISDOM OF SELF-RELIANCE
39. THE WAGONER 40. THE LARK AND THE FARMER
KINDNESS AND ITS RESULTS
41. THE LION AND THE MOUSE 42. THE ANT AND THE DOVE 43. THE HAPPY FAMILY 44. THE TYRANT WHO BECAME A JUST RULER
MISCELLANEOUS
WISDOM OF PERSEVERANCE
45. THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE
FOLLY OF TRYING TO PLEASE EVERYBODY
46. THE MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR DONKEY
APPEARANCES SOMETIMES DECEITFUL
47. THE PUG DOG AND HIS SHADOW
PUNISHMENT OF TREACHERY
48. THE PARTRIDGE IN THE NET
GENTLENESS BETTER THAN HARSHNESS
49. THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN
MEANNESS OF SELFISHNESS
50. THE CAMEL AND HIS MASTER

FIFTY FAMOUS FABLES

THE TORTOISE AND THE DUCKS
"Take me with you, please," called a tortoise to a gray duck and a white duck that were flying over.
The ducks heard the tortoise and flew down toward him.
"Do you really wish to go with us?" asked the ducks as they came to the ground near the tortoise.
"I surely do," replied the tortoise. "Will you please take me?"
"Why, yes, I think we can do so," said the white duck slowly.
The two ducks talked together in low tones for a few minutes. Then they flew to the woods. They soon brought back a strong twig and dropped it in front of the tortoise.
"Now," said the ducks, "if we take you off to see the world, you must promise us one thing."
"What is that?" asked the tortoise. "I will promise almost anything if you will let me go."
"You must promise not to say one word while you are in the air, NOT ONE WORD," replied the ducks.
"All right, I promise," said the tortoise. "Sometimes I do not say a word for a whole day because there is no one to listen to me."
"Well, take firm hold of the middle of the twig; we are ready to start," said the gray duck.
"If you value your life, you must hold on tightly," said the white duck.
The tortoise took hold of the middle of the twig and each duck took hold of one end.
Then they flew up! up! up! while the tortoise swung from the middle of the twig. How he enjoyed it! He had never had such a ride.
They had gone a long way safely when they came to a hayfield. The haymakers looked up and saw the ducks and the tortoise.
"Ho! ho! the tortoise has stolen some wings," called one of the haymakers.
"What a queer carriage he has!" laughed another in a loud voice.
"I pity his horses," said another.
This made the tortoise so angry that he cried out, "You--" but no one knows what he was going to say, for he fell to the ground and was killed.
[Footnote: Adapted from The Tortoise and the Geese, in a book of the same name published by Houghton, Mifflin Co.]

THE MOUSE AND THE FROG
A frog, while out walking one day, saw a mouse coming toward him.
"There is that foolish mouse," said he. "I will play a good joke on him," and he grinned as he thought how much fun he would have.
As they met, the frog said, "Good morning, Sir Mouse; I hope I find you well to-day."
"Very well," replied the mouse. "How are you?"
"My health is not very good, so I have taken a holiday. If you are not busy, what do you say to our spending the day together?"
"Good!" answered the mouse. "I have little to do and nothing would suit me better." So they started off together.
They had not gone far when the frog