'The Wolf and the Crane',

'The Wolf and the Crane', an illustration by John Vernon Lord 

in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 85.

The Text:

The Wolf and the Crane

A Wolf, after devouring his prey, happened to have a bone stick in his throat, which gave him so much pain, that he went up howling up and down, and importuning every creature he met to lend him a kind hand in order to his relief; nay he promised a reasonable reward to anyone who should perform the operation with success. At last, the Crane undertook the business, ventured his long neck into the rapacious felon’s throat, plucked out the bone, and asked for the promised reward. The Wolf, turning his eyes disdainfully towards him, said, I did not think you had been so unconscionable: I had your head in my mouth, and could have bit it off whenever I pleased, but suffered you to take it away without any damage, and yet you are not contented.

Moral:  Do not expect gratitude for doing a good turn to a tyrant but consider that being left alone is reward enough.

Text: Thomas Bewick (p155, 1818).

Selected Parallels: Babrius 94. Caxton, Romulus 1/8. La Fontaine 5/8. L’Estrange 8. Chambry 224. Perry 156. TMI W154.3. 

A Heron is preferred to a Crane in many translations of the fable.

'The Dove and the Ant'

'The Dove and the Ant', an illustration by John Vernon Lord 

in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 85.

The Text:

The Dove and the Ant

HERE lesser animals th’ example give:

Along a limpid stream a sipping dove,

Beheld a drowning ant that strove to live,

Who just had fallen down the slant.

The bird display’d her wonted love,

On that dread ocean threw a blade of grass,

Which form’d a promontory for the ant,

Who safe again to shore did pass.

A certain beggar wander’d there,

Bare-foot and seeking better fare;

A bow and arrow he had got.

The bird of Venus - sought to destroy,

Nay thought he had her in his pot;

And lick’d his lips for joy.

While he prepar’d to make the dove his prey,

The ant severely stung his heel -

The fellow stamp’d, for she had made him feel,

The dove alarm’d,  fled off, and wing’d away.

Pigeons, said he, at loss of dinner sad,

Are not, I see, so easy to be had.

Moral: One good turn deserves another.

Text: Robert Thomson (an early English translation of La Fontaine 2/12, 1806).

Selected Parallels: Caxton, Remicius  11. La Fontaine 2/12. L’Estrange 203. Chambry 242. Perry 235. TMI B362.

'The Ass's skin used for a drum'

'The Ass's skin used for a drum', an illustration by John Vernon Lord 

in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 85.

The Text:

The Ass’s Skin Used for a Drum

A Miserable Ass that was ready to sink under Blows and Burdens, call’d upon Death to Deliver him from that Intolerable Oppression. Death was within Hearing it seems, and took him at his Word; but told him withal for his Comfort, that whereas other Creatures end their Misfortunes and their Lives together, You must not expect that it will be so with you; for (says Death,) they’l make Drums of your Skin, when your Carcass shall be Carrion, and never leave Drubbing of ye so long as one Piece will hold to another.

Moral: Even after death people cast aspersions on the reputation of others.

Text: Roger L’Estrange 1/437 (1692).

Selected parallels: Babrius 141. Phaedrus 4/1. Caxton, Romulus 3/18. Chambry 236. Perry 164. 

This fable is sometimes entitled the ‘Priests of Cybele’ who used to go on begging excursions with an ass to carry their belongings.

'The Lion and the Hare'

'The Lion and the Hare', an illustration by John Vernon Lord 

in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 83.

The Text:

The Lion and the Hare

A LION came across a Hare, who was fast asleep on her form.  He was just in the act of seizing her, when a fine young Hart trotted by, and he left the Hare to follow him.  The Hare, scared by the noise, awoke and scudded away.  The Lion was not able after a long chase to catch the Hart, and returned to feed upon the Hare.  On finding that the Hare also had run off, he said, “I am rightly served, for having let go the food that I had in my hand for the chance of obtaining more.”

Moral:  Attempting to gain a greater profit elsewhere may cause the loss of what you already have in the bag.

Text: George Fyler Townsend (p111, 1868).

Selected parallels: Chambry 204. Perry 148. Daly 148. TMI J321.3.

'The Frog and the Fox' (or 'The Quack Frog')

'The Frog and the Fox' (or 'The Quack Frog'), an illustration by John Vernon Lord in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 81.

The text:

The Frog, who Claimed he was a Physician, and the Fox

A FROG made proclamation to all the beasts of the forest that he was a skilful physician, and could cure all manner of diseases. This discourse uttered in a learned jargon of hard and cramped words, which nobody understood, made the beasts admire his learning, and give credit to his vauntings. At last the Fox asked him, with much indignation, how he, with his thin lantern jaws, speckled skin and disfigured body, could set up for one able to cure the infirmities of others.

Moral: We should not attempt to correct in others the faults peculiar to ourselves.

Text: Samuel Croxall (43, 1722) adapted by G. F. Townsend (3, 1866)

Selected parallels: Babrius 120. Avianus 6. L’Estrange 1/225. Chambry 69. Perry 289. TMI J1062.1.