'The Fox and the Hedgehog'

'The Fox and the Hedgehog', an illustration by John Vernon Lord 

in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 105.

The text:

The Fox and the Hedgehog

A Fox, while crossing over a river, was driven by the stream into a narrowing gorge, and lay there for a long time unable to get out, covered with myriads of horse-flies that had fastened themselves upon him. A Hedgehog who was wandering in that direction, saw him, and taking compassion on him, asked him if he should drive away the flies that were so tormenting him. But the fox begged him to do nothing of the sort. “Why not?” asked the Hedgehog. “Because” replied the Fox, “these flies that are upon me now are already full, and draw but little blood, but should you remove them, a swarm of fresh and hungry ones will come, who will not leave a drop of blood in my body.”

Moral:  New dependants will suck you even more dry than the old ones, who have already had their fill.

Text: Thomas James (126, 1848).

Selected parallels: Aristotle Rhetoric 2.20.  La Fontaine 12/13. L’Estrange 1/254. Chambry 27. Perry 427. TMI J215.1.

Note: in many of the fables it is ticks that are referred to rather than horseflies.

'The Camel'

'The Camel', an illustration by John Vernon Lord 

in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 101.

The Text:

The Camel Seen for the First Time

WHEN man first saw the Camel, he was so frightened at his vast size that he ran away.  After a time, perceiving the meekness and gentleness of the his temper, he summoned courage enough to approach him.  Soon afterwards, observing that he was an animal altogether deficient in spirit, he assumed such boldness as to put a bridle in his mouth, and to set a child to drive him.

Moral: Use serves to overcome dread.

Text: George Fyler Townsend (p124, 1868).

Selected parallels: La Fontaine 4/10 (first part). L’Estrange 1/70. Chambry 148. Perry 195. TMI U131.2. 

'The Frog and the Cow'

'The Frog and the Cow', an illustration by John Vernon Lord 

in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 97.

The Text:

A frog once saw a cow in a field and was jealous of its mighty size. She tried to puff herself up to make herself bigger, like the cow. "Am I bigger than the cow yet?" she asked her child. "No no yet", came the reply. With a greater effort she puffed herself up more and asked her young one if she had reached the cow's size. "No, not yet, Mum" came the reply. Determined not to be beaten the frog continued to blow herself out even more but she suddenly burst and fell flat".

Moral: When people overreach themselves, by attempting to achieve something outside their own natural ability, they can come to grief.

Text: John Vernon Lord (2014)

Selected parallels: Phaedrus 1/24. Babrius 28. Caxton, Romulus 2/20. L’Estrange 1/35. Perry 376. TMI J 955.1.

'Two Travellers and the Axe'

'Two Travellers and the Axe', an illustration by John Vernon Lord 

in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 95.

The Text:

The Two Travellers and the Axe

TWO MEN were journeying together in each other’s company.  One of them picked up an axe that lay upon the path, and said, “I have found an axe.”  “Nay, my friend,” replied the other, “do not say ‘I,’ but ‘We’ have found an axe.”  They had not gone far before they saw the owner of the axe pursuing them, and he who had picked up the axe said, “We are undone.”  “Nay,” replied the other, “keep to your first mode of speech, my friend; what you thought right then, think right now. Say ‘I,’ not ‘We’ are undone.”

Moral:  Real friends are those who share things in good and bad times.

Text: George Fyler Townsend (p84, 1868).

Selected parallels: L’Estrange 1/164. Chambry 256. Perry 67.