AESOP DOG FABLES

The Dog and the Shadow

A dog crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of flesh in his mouth sees his own shadow, and. taking it for that of another dog with a piece of meat double his own in size, he Lets go of his own and fiercely attacks the other "dog" white his dinner is swept away in the stream. Thus he learns about the tosses that come with envy.

The Dog in the Manger

A dog lies in a manger, and by his growling and snapping, prevents the oxen from eating the hay that has been placed for them, "What a selfish Dog!" says one of them to his companions; "he cannot eat the hay himself, and yet refuses to allow those to eat who can," The phrase "a dog in a manger" has since come to mean a selfish person who prevents others from enjoying themselves,

The Donkey and the Lap Dog

A man who owns a donkey and a Maltese lap dog favors the dog, who knows many tricks and provides companionship. The donkey laments his life as a beast of bur~ den, and in an attempt to win his master's love, he gallops into his house and tries to imitate the behavior of the little dog. He succeeds only in causing a ruckus and an­noying the man. The donkey, nearly beaten to death, is led back to his stall, lament­ing: "I have brought it all  on myself! Why could I not have been contented to labor with my companions and not wish to be idle all the day like that useless little lap dog!"

The Mischievous Dog

A dog who runs up on the heels of every~ one he meets to bite them is outfitted with a bell around his neck so that he might give notice of his presence wherever he goes. Thinking it a mark of distinction, the dog proudly wears his bell and shows it off to the other dogs, until an old hound dog explains that the bell is a mark of dis­grace-and that notoriety is often mis­taken for fame.

The Man Bitten by a Dog

A man who has been bitten by a dog goes about in quest of someone who might heal him. A friend suggests, "Take a piece of bread and dip it in the blood from your wound, and go and give it to the dog that bit you." The man who had been bitten laughs at this advice and says, "Why? If I should do so, it would be as if I should beg every dog in the town to bite me." The moral: Benefits bestowed upon the evil - disposed increase their means of injuring you.

The Two Dogs

A man had two dogs: a hound, trained to assist him in his sports, and a house dog, taught to watch the house. When he re~ turned home in the evening after hunting, he always gave the house dog a Large share of his spoil. The hound, feeling dejected, reproached his companion, saying, "It is very hard to have [to] labor while you, who do not assist in the chase, luxuriate on the fruits of my exertions," The house dog replied, "Do not blame me, my friend, but find fault with the master, who has not taught me to Labor, but to depend for sub­sistence on the labor of others:' Children cannot be blamed for the faults of their parents.

The Wolf and the House Dog

A wolf, meeting a big well-fed Mastiff with a wooden collar around his neck, asks him who it was that fed him so well and yet compelled him to wear the heavy weight wherever he went. "The master," he replies. Says the wolf: "May no friend of mine ever be in such a plight; for the weight of this chain is enough to spoil the appetite:'

The Master and His Dogs

A man detained by a storm in his country house first kills his sheep, and then his goats, for the maintenance of his house­hold. The storm still continuing, he is obliged to slaughter his yoke oxen for food. On seeing this, his dogs decide: "It is time for us to be off, for if the master spares not his oxen, who work for his gain, how can we expect him to spare us?" He who mistreats his own family is not to be trusted as a friend.

The Old Hound

An old hound, who in the days of his youth and strength had never yielded to any beast of the forest, encounters a boar. The hound seizes him boldly by the ear but cannot retain his hold because of the decay of his teeth, so the boar escapes. His mas­ter, who watches the incident, is disappointed and fiercely punishes the dog. The hound tells him, "It was not my fault, master: My spirit was as good as ever, but I could not help my infirmities. I rather de­serve to be praised for what I have been, than to be blamed for what I am."'

The Brazier and His Dog

A brazier has a little dog that is a great fa­vorite with his master and his constant companion. While the man hammers away at his metals the dog sleeps; but when the man goes to dinner and begins to eat, the dog wakes up and wags his tail, begging for a share of his meal. One day, pretend­ing to be angry and shaking his stick at him, the master says, "You wretched lit­tle sluggard! What shall I do to you? While I am hammering on the anvil, you sleep on the mat; and when I begin to eat after my toil, you wake up and wag your tail for food. Do you not know that labor is the source of every blessing, and that none but those who work are entitled to eat?"

The Wolves and the Sheepdogs

A group of wolves address a group of sheepdogs: "Why should you, who are like us in so many things, not be entirely of one mind with us, and live with us as brothers should? We differ from you in one point only, We live in freedom, but you bow down to and slave for men, who in return for your services flog you with whips and put collars on your necks. They make you also guard their sheep, and while they eat the mutton throw only the bones to you, Give us the sheep, and we will enjoy them in common, till we all are surfeited."' The dogs, ignoring the very nature of the wolves, enter the den, where they are immediately set upon and torn to pieces,

The Dog and the Hare

A hound pursues a hare on a hillside for some distance, at one time biting her with his teeth as if he would take her life, and at another fawning on her, as if in play with another dog. The hare says to him, "I wish you would act sincerely by me, and show yourself in your true colors. If you are a friend, why do you bite me so hard? If an enemy, why do you fawn on me?'" No one can be a friend if you know not whether to trust or distrust him.

The Dog, the Rooster, and the Fox

A dog and a rooster who are good friends agree to travel together. At nightfall they take shelter in a thick wood. The rooster, flying up, perches himself on the branches of a tree, while the dog finds a bed beneath in the hollow trunk, When morning comes, the rooster, as usual, crows very loudly several times, attracting the attention of a fox in search of food, The fox stands under the branches of the tree and compliments the rooster, saying how much he would like to meet the owner of this fine voice in per­son. The rooster, suspecting his civilities, says: "Sir, I wish you would do me the favor of going around to the hollow trunk below me, and waking my porter, so that he may open the door and let you in."' When the fox approaches the tree, the dog springs out and catches him and tears him to pieces, proving his everlasting Loyalty to his friend.

The Blind Man and the Dog

A blind man is accustomed to distinguish­ing different animals by touching them with his hands. A young wolf is brought to him with a request that he feel it and say what it was. He feels it and, being in doubt, says: "I do not quite know whether it is the cub of a fox, or the whelp of a wolf, but this I know full well. It would not be safe to admit him to the sheepfold,'" thus demonstrating that evil tendencies cannot be hidden for long.

The Dogs and the Fox

A group of wild dogs, finding the skin of a lion, begin to tear it to pieces with their teeth. A fox, seeing them, says, "If this lion were alive, you would soon find out that his claws were stronger than your teeth."' It is easy to kick a man that is down.

The Dog and the Oyster

A dog who eats eggs sees an oyster and swallows it down with the utmost relish, supposing it to be an egg. Soon afterward, suffering a terrible stomachache, he says, "I deserve all this torment, for my folly in thinking that everything round must be an egg,'" They who act without sufficient thought will often fall into unsuspected danger.

The Dog and the Cook

A rich man gives a great feast for his many friends and acquaintances. His dog decides to invite another dog, a friend of his, say­ing, "My master gives a feast, and there is always much food remaining come and sup with me tonight." The invitee boasts to the other street dogs of his good for­tune and then goes to the party. Seeing the grand preparations, he declares his grat­itude and goes about consuming as much food as he can. But the cook sees him saun­tering among the other guests and imme­diately bundles him without ceremony and tosses him out. The humiliated dog howls, attracting the attention of the other street dogs, who come up to him and inquire how he enjoyed his supper, He replies, "Why, to tell you the truth, I drank so much wine that I remember nothing. I do not know how I got out of the house,'" Pride goeth before the fall.

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