Fables quotes

But it was all in vain, for they were just out of reach: so he gave up trying, and walked away with an air of dignity and unconcern, remarking, “

I thought those Grapes were ripe, but I see now they are quite sour.

”

But when they cut it open they found it was just like any other goose. Thus, they neither got rich all at once, as they had hoped, nor enjoyed any longer the daily addition to their wealth.

Much wants more and loses all.

There was once a house that was overrun with Mice.

So his master fastened a bell round his neck to warn people of his presence. The Dog was very proud of the bell, and strutted about tinkling it with immense satisfaction. But an old dog came up to him and said, “

The fewer airs you give yourself the better, my friend.

You don’t think, do you, that your bell was given you as a reward of merit? On the contrary, it is a badge of disgrace.”

But an old dog came up to him and said, “The fewer airs you give yourself the better, my friend. You don’t think, do you, that your bell was given you as a reward of merit? On the contrary, it is a badge of disgrace.”

Notoriety is often mistaken for fame.

There was once a Charcoal-burner who lived and worked by himself. A Fuller, however, happened to come and settle in the same neighbourhood;

“No,” said the Weasel, “I never let a mouse go by any chance.” “But I’m not a mouse,” said the Bat; “I’m a bird.” “Why, so you are,” said the Weasel; and he too let the Bat go.

Look and see which way the wind blows before you commit yourself.

A Dog and a Sow were arguing and each claimed that its own young ones were finer than those of any other animal. “Well,” said the Sow at last, “mine can see, at any rate, when they come into the world:

The Crow was hugely flattered by this, and just to show the Fox that she could sing she gave a loud caw. Down came the cheese, of course, and the Fox, snatching it up, said, “

You have a voice, madam, I see: what you want is wits.

”

“That cannot be,” replied the Lamb, “for I have never yet tasted grass.” “You drink from my spring, then,” continued the Wolf. “Indeed, sir,” said the poor Lamb, “I have never yet drunk anything but my mother’s milk.” “Well, anyhow,” said the Wolf, “

I’m not going without my dinner

”: and he sprang upon the Lamb and devoured it without more ado.

A change, however, took place in the weather, and there came a sharp frost which killed the unfortunate Swallow. When the Spendthrift saw its dead body he cried, “Miserable bird! Thanks to you I am perishing of cold myself.”

One swallow does not make summer.

An Old Woman became almost totally blind from a disease of the eyes, and, after consulting a Doctor, made an agreement with him in the presence of witnesses that she should pay him a high fee if he cured her, while if he failed he …

but Mercury was so disgusted at his dishonesty that he not only declined to give him the golden axe, but also refused to recover for him the one he had let fall into the stream.

Honesty is the best policy.

An Ass and a Fox went into partnership and sallied out to forage for food together. They hadn’t gone far before they saw a Lion coming their way, at which they were both dreadfully frightened.

When the Lion saw that the Ass was safely caught and couldn’t get away, it was to the Fox that he first turned his attention, and he soon finished him off, and then at his leisure proceeded to feast upon the Ass.

Betray a friend, and you’ll often find you have ruined yourself.

A Lion asleep in his lair was waked up by a Mouse running over his face. Losing his temper he seized it with his paw and was about to kill it. The Mouse, terrified, piteously entreated him to spare its life.

At last she hit upon a clever plan. She began dropping pebbles into the Pitcher, and with each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it reached the brim, and the knowing bird was enabled to quench her thirst.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Some mischievous Boys were playing on the edge of a pond, and, catching sight of some Frogs swimming about in the shallow water, they began to amuse themselves by pelting them with stones, and they killed several of them.

then he shone forth in his full strength, and the man, before he had gone many steps, was glad to throw his cloak right off and complete his journey more lightly clad.

Persuasion is better than force.

A Widow, thrifty and industrious, had two servants, whom she kept pretty hard at work. They were not allowed to lie long abed in the mornings, but the old lady had them up and doing as soon as the cock crew.

Forgetting all about the pail, and suiting the action to the word, she tossed her head. Down went the pail, all the milk was spilled, and all her fine castles in the air vanished in a moment!

Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.

The Dolphins quarrelled with the Whales, and before very long they began fighting with one another. The battle was very fierce, and had lasted some time without any sign of coming to an end, when a Sprat thought that perhaps he could stop it;

When it had rested sufficiently and was about to fly away, it said to the Bull, “Do you mind if I go now?” The Bull merely raised his eyes and remarked, without interest, “

It’s all one to me; I didn’t notice when you came, and I shan’t know when you go away.

”

The other replied, “He told me never again to travel with a friend who deserts you at the first sign of danger.”

Misfortune tests the sincerity of friendship.

A Slave ran away from his master, by whom he had been most cruelly treated, and, in order to avoid capture, betook himself into the desert.

but he had given his word, so he said that stings they should have. The stings he gave them, however, were of such a kind that whenever a bee stings a man the sting is left in the wound and the bee dies.

Evil wishes, like fowls, come home to roost.

An Oak that grew on the bank of a river was uprooted by a severe gale of wind, and thrown across the stream.

wolf!” as loud as he could: but the people were so used to hearing him call that they took no notice of his cries for help. And so the Wolf had it all his own way, and killed off sheep after sheep at his leisure.

You cannot believe a liar even when he tells the truth.

A Fox fell into a well and was unable to get out again. By and by a thirsty Goat came by, and seeing the Fox in the well asked him if the water was good. “Good?”

but the Fox merely turned and said, “If you had as much sense in your head as you have hair in your beard you wouldn’t have got into the well without making certain that you could get out again.”

Look before your leap.

A Fisherman cast his net into the sea, and when he drew it up again it contained nothing but a single Sprat that begged to be put back into the water.

You ought to walk straight.” The Young Crab replied, “Show me how, dear mother, and I’ll follow your example.” The Old Crab tried, but tried in vain, and then saw how foolish she had been to find fault with her child.

Example is better than precept.

A certain man hired an Ass for a journey in summertime, and started out with the owner following behind to drive the beast.

Among the crowd was a Fox, who called out, “You a doctor! Why, how can you set up to heal others when you cannot even cure your own lame legs and blotched and wrinkled skin?”

Physician, heal thyself.

A hungry Fox found in a hollow tree a quantity of bread and meat, which some shepherds had placed there against their return. Delighted with his find he slipped in through the narrow aperture and greedily devoured it all.

“What a selfish beast,” said one of them to his companions; “he can’t eat himself and yet he won’t let those eat who can.”

Every man carries Two Bags about with him, one in front and one behind, and both are packed full of faults.

The Bag in front contains his neighbours’ faults, the one behind his own. Hence it is that men do not see their own faults, but never fail to see those of others.

Every man carries Two Bags about with him, one in front and one behind, and both are packed full of faults. The Bag in front contains his neighbours’ faults, the one behind his own.

Hence it is that men do not see their own faults, but never fail to see those of others.

A pair of Oxen were drawing a heavily loaded wagon along the highway, and, as they tugged and strained at the yoke, the Axletrees creaked and groaned terribly. This was too much for the Oxen, who turned round indignantly and said, “Hullo, you there!

This was too much for the Oxen, who turned round indignantly and said, “Hullo, you there! Why do you make such a noise when we do all the work?”

They complain most who suffer least.

A Boy put his hand into a jar of Filberts, and grasped as many as his fist could possibly hold.

“There!” said the Man triumphantly, “look at that! Doesn’t that prove to you that we are stronger than you?” “Not so fast, my friend,” said the Lion: “that is only your view of the case.

If we Lions could make statues, you may be sure that in most of them you would see the Man underneath.

”

“They’re ugly things anyhow,” he said, “and besides they’re heavy, and it’s tiresome to be always carrying them about with you.” But one of the other Foxes said, “

My friend, if you hadn’t lost your own tail, you wouldn’t be so keen on getting us to cut off ours.

”

to yourself beauty, to the eagle strength, to the nightingale song, and so on to all the rest in their degree; but you alone are dissatisfied with your portion. Make, then, no more complaints.

For, if your present wish were granted, you would quickly find cause for fresh discontent.

”

If you won’t lift a finger to help yourself, you can’t expect Hercules or anyone else to come to your aid.”

Heaven helps those who help themselves.

A Pomegranate and an Apple-tree were disputing about the quality of their fruits, and each claimed that its own was the better of the two.

As it is, calm yourself, and put up your sword: there is no further use for it.

You may delude others into thinking you’re as brave as a lion: but I know that, at the first sign of danger, you run away like a hare.

”

“Why do you do that?” asked the Satyr. “To cool my porridge,” said the Man. The Satyr got up from the table. “Goodbye,” said he, “I’m going:

I can’t be friends with a man who blows hot and cold with the same breath.

”

Meanwhile the Tortoise kept plodding on, and in time reached the goal. At last the Hare woke up with a start, and dashed on at his fastest, but only to find that the Tortoise had already won the race.

Slow and steady wins the race.

A Soldier gave his Horse a plentiful supply of oats in time of war, and tended him with the utmost care, for he wished him to be strong to endure the hardships of the field, and swift to bear his master, when need arose, out …

But the poor half-starved beast sank down under his weight, and said to his rider, “You will have to go into battle on foot this time.

Thanks to hard work and bad food, you have turned me from a Horse into an ass; and you cannot in a moment turn me back again into a Horse.

”

The latter seized the beast by the ear, but his teeth were gone and he could not retain his hold; so the boar escaped. His master began to scold him severely, but the Hound interrupted him with these words: “

My will is as strong as ever, master, but my body is old and feeble. You ought to honour me for what I have been instead of abusing me for what I am.

”

At last the Hare said, “I wish you would show yourself in your true colours! If you are my friend, why do you bite me? If you are my enemy, why do you play with me?”

He is no friend who plays double.

A Lion was lying asleep at the mouth of his den when a Mouse ran over his back and tickled him so that he woke up with a start and began looking about everywhere to see what it was that had disturbed him.

But an Eagle espied him from high up in the sky, and swooped down and carried him off. Forthwith the other Cock came out of his corner and ruled the roost without a rival.

Pride comes before a fall.

A Man caught a Jackdaw and tied a piece of string to one of its legs, and then gave it to his children for a pet. But the Jackdaw didn’t at all like having to live with people;

Unfortunately, the string was still on his leg, and before long it got entangled in the branches of a tree and the Jackdaw couldn’t get free, try as he would. He saw it was all up with him, and cried in despair, “

Alas, in gaining my freedom I have lost my life.

”

“May we ask,” said they, “what you were doing with yourself all last summer? Why didn’t you collect a store of food for the winter?” “The fact is,” replied the Grasshopper, “I was so busy singing that I hadn’t the time.”

“If you spent the summer singing,” replied the Ants, “you can’t do better than spend the winter dancing.”

And they chuckled and went on with their work.

“A very good sign,” said the Doctor; “you are doing very nicely indeed.” Afterwards a friend came to see the invalid, and on asking him how he did, received this reply: “

My dear friend, I’m dying of good signs.

”

The Wolf urged it to come out of the precincts, and said, “If you don’t, the priest is sure to catch you and offer you up in sacrifice on the altar.” To which the Lamb replied, “Thanks, I think I’ll stay where I am:

I’d rather be sacrificed any day than be eaten up by a Wolf.

”

The Bull turned upon him an amused look.

“I knew that way,” said he, “before you were born.”

A Woodman went into the forest and begged of the Trees the favour of a handle for his Axe.

He then tried to get it to come out a second time, pretending that he wished to make up the quarrel. But the Snake said, “

I can never be your friend because of my lost tail, nor you mine because of your lost child.

”

He then tried to get it to come out a second time, pretending that he wished to make up the quarrel. But the Snake said, “I can never be your friend because of my lost tail, nor you mine because of your lost child.”

Injuries are never forgotten in the presence of those who caused them.

A Singing-bird was confined in a cage which hung outside a window, and had a way of singing at night when all other birds were asleep.

“I don’t want to put him through any more tests,” replied the other: “I could see what sort of beast he is from the companion he chose for himself.”

A man is known by the company he keeps.

A Kid strayed from the flock and was chased by a Wolf. When he saw he must be caught he turned round and said to the Wolf, “I know, sir, that I can’t escape being eaten by you:

But very soon afterwards he was put into the harness and compelled to go a very long way with a heavy load behind him. At the end of the day, exhausted by his unusual exertions, he said dejectedly to himself, “

I must have been mistaken about my father; he can only have been an ass after all.

”

so at last he threw down his flute and cast his net into the sea, and made a great haul of fish. When they were landed and he saw them leaping about on the shore, he cried, “

You rascals! you wouldn’t dance when I piped: but now I’ve stopped, you can do nothing else!

”

The Fox gathered almost the whole in one great heap for the Lion’s share, leaving only the smallest possible morsel for himself. “My dear friend,” said the Lion, “how did you get the knack of it so well?” The Fox replied, “

Me? Oh, I took a lesson from the Ass.

”

“My dear friend,” said the Lion, “how did you get the knack of it so well?” The Fox replied, “Me? Oh, I took a lesson from the Ass.”

Happy is he who learns from the misfortunes of others.

One day, as a Fowler was sitting down to a scanty supper of herbs and bread, a friend dropped in unexpectedly. The larder was empty;

A Fox and a Leopard were disputing about their looks, and each claimed to be the more handsome of the two. The Leopard said, “Look at my smart coat; you have nothing to match that.” But the Fox replied, “

Your coat may be smart, but my wits are smarter still.

”

Naturally, he got badly scratched, and in disgust he cried to the Bramble, “It was your help I wanted, and see how you have treated me! I’d sooner have fallen outright.” The Bramble, interrupting him, replied, “

You must have lost your wits, my friend, to catch at me, who am myself always catching at others.

”

A Fox caught sight of it from the bank as it went whirling along, and called out, “

Gad! the passenger fits the ship!

”

The Fox, meanwhile, watched his chance and, when the Lion wasn’t looking, filched away the brains to reward him for his trouble. Presently the Lion began searching for them, of course without success: and the Fox, who was watching him, said, “

I don’t think it’s much use your looking for the brains: a creature who twice walked into a Lion’s den can’t have got any.

”

The Woodman answered, “If you will come with me, I will show you the lion himself.” The Hunter turned pale with fear, and his teeth chattered as he replied, “

Oh, I’m not looking for the lion, thanks, but only for his tracks.

”