Moral in Fables

There was once a young Shepherd Boy who tended his sheep at the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. It was rather lonely for him all day, so he thought upon a plan by which he could get a little company and some excitement. He rushed down towards the village calling out ,“Wolf, Wolf,” and the villagers came out to meet him, and some of them stopped with him for a considerable time. This pleased the boy so much that a few days afterwards he tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to his help. But shortly after this a Wolf actually did come out from the forest, and began to worry the sheep, and the boy of course cried out “Wolf, Wolf,” still louder than before. But this time the villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the boy was again deceiving them, and nobody stirred to come to his help. So the Wolf made a good meal off the boy’s flock, and when the boy complained, the wise man of the village said...

• A liar is not believed, even when he speaks the truth.

• Do not trust flatterers.

• It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.

• Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

A Milkmaid was walking to market carrying her milk in a pail on her head. As she went along she began calculating what she would do with the money she would get for the milk. “I’ll buy some fowls from Farmer Brown,” said she, “and they will lay eggs each morning, which I will sell to the parson’s wife. With the money that I get from the sale of these eggs I’ll buy myself a new dress and a new hat; and when I go to market, won’t all the young men come up and speak to me! Polly Shaw will be that jealous...but I don’t care. I shall just look at her and toss my head like this.” As she spoke she tossed her head back, the Pail fell off, and all the milk was spilt. So she had to go home and tell her mother what had occurred. “Ah, my child,” said the mother...

• It is easy to despise what you cannot have.

• There is always someone worse off than you.

• Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

• It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

A Kid was perched on the top of a house, and looking down saw a Wolf passing under him. Immediately he began to revile and attack his enemy. “Murderer and thief,” he cried, “why are you here near honest folks’ houses? How dare you make an appearance where your vile deeds are known!”

“Curse away, my young friend,” said the Wolf...

• There is always someone worse off than you.

• We often give our enemies the means to our self destruction.

• Do not trust flatterers.

• It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.

A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree. “That’s for me,” said the Fox, and he walked up to the foot of the tree. “Good day, Mistress Crow,” he cried. “How well you are looking today: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eyes. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does. Let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds.” The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by the Fox. “That will do,” said he. “That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future...

• Do not trust flatterers.

• It is easy to despise what you cannot have.

• Plodding wins the race.

• There is always someone worse off than you.

One hot summer’s day a Fox was strolling through an orchard till he came to a bunch of Grapes just ripening on a vine which had been trained over a lofty branch. “Just the thing to quench my thirst,” said the Fox. Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and a jump, but just missed the bunch. Turning round again with a One, Two, Three, he jumped up, but with no greater success. Again and again he tried after the tempting morsel, but at last had to give it up. As the Fox walked away with his nose in the air, he said...

• We often give our enemies the means to our self destruction.

• It is easy to despise what you cannot have.

• United we stand, divided we fall.

• It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.