Category Archives: AESOP TALES

7.Cut off your tails to save my face

A fox who had lost his tail in a trap was so ashamed of the disfigurement that he felt life was not worth living. So he decided to persuade all the other foxes to maim themselves in the same way; then, he thought, his own loss would not be so conspicuous. He collected them all and advised them to cut off their tails. A tail, he said, was merely a superfluous appendage, ugly to look at and heavy to carry. But one of the others answered: “Look here! You only give us this advice because it suits your own book.”

This tale satirises those who offer advice to their neighbours not out of benevolence but from self-interest.

6.Brother and Sister

A certain man had two children, a boy and a girl; and the boy was as good-looking as the girl was plain. One day, as they were playing together in their mother’s chamber, they chanced upon a mirror and saw their own features for the first time. The boy saw what a handsome fellow he was, and began to boast to his sister about his good looks. She, on her part, was ready to cry with vexation when she was aware of her plainness, and took his remarks as an insult to herself. Running to her father, she told him of her brother’s conceit, and accused him of meddling with his mother’s things.

He laughed and kissed them both, and said, “My children, learn from now onwards to make a good use of the glass. You, my boy, strive to be as good as it shows you to be handsome; and you, my girl, resolve to make up for the plainness of your features by the sweetness of your disposition.”

AESOP TALES

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AESOP TALES

1

A Black Grouse Enters a Technical University

2

A Case for Patience

3

Androcles

4

Avaricious and Envious

5

Belling the Cat

6

Brother and Sister

7

Cut off your tails to save my face

8

Death and Cupid

9

Father and Sons

10

Hercules and the Waggoner

11

Jupiter and the Monkey

12

Mercury and the Sculptor

13

Mercury and the Traveler

14

Sir Success, Sir Voyager, Lady Minerva, and Momus

15

The Ant and the Dove

16

The Ants and the Grasshopper

17

The Apes and the Two Travellers

18

The Ass and the Lapdog

19

The Ass and the Old Peasant

20

The Ass in the Lion’s Skin

21

The Ass’s Brains

22

The Astronomer

23

The Axe of Gold

24

The Bald Knight

25

The Bald Man and the Fly

26

The Bat and the Weasel

27

The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts

28

The Bear and the Hare

29

The Bear and the Two Travellers

30

The Beauty Contest

31

The Bee and Sir Success

32

The Belly and the Members

33

The Big Snake and the Fox

34

The Bird catcher, the Partridge, and the Cock

35

The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat

36

The Bitch and Her Whelps

37

The Black Servant

38

The Blind Man and the Whelp

39

The Boasting Traveller

40

The Bowman and Lion

41

The Boy and the Filberts

42

The Boy and the Hazelnuts

43

A Lesson for Fools

44

Dead men tell no tales

45

Fools Die for Want of Wisdom

46

Friend or Foe?

47

The Boy and the Nettles

48

The Boy Bathing

49

The Boy Hunting Locusts

50

The Boys and the Frogs

51

The Brazier and His Dog

52

The Brother and the Sister

53

The Buffoon and the Countryman

54

The Bull and the Calf

55

The Bull and the Goat

56

The Bull, the Lioness, and the Wild-Boar Hunter

57

The Bundle of Sticks

58

The Camel and Jove

59

The Camel and the Arab

60

The Camel

61

The Cat and Lady Love

62

The Cat and the Birds

63

The Cat and the Cock

64

The Cat and the Mice

65

The Cat-Maiden

66

The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller

67

The Charger and the Miller

68

The Cobbler Turned Doctor

69

The Cock and the Jewel

70

The Cock and the Pearl

71

The Crab and His Mother

72

The Crab and the Fox

73

The Crow and Lord Transporter

74

The Crow and the Pitcher

75

The Crow and the Raven

76

The Crow and the Serpent

77

The Crow and the Sheep

78

The Dancing Monkeys

79

The Doe and the Lion

80

The Dog and the Cook

81

The Dog and the Hare

82

The Dog and the Oyster

83

The Dog and the Shadow

84

The Dog and the Wolf

85

The Dog in the Manger

86

The Dog, the Cock, and the Fox

87

The Dogs and the Fox

88

The Dogs and the Hides

89

The Dog’s House

90

The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat

91

The Donkey and His Buyer

92

The Donkey and His Driver

93

The Donkey and His Masters

94

The Donkey and His Shadow

95

The Donkey and the Frogs

96

The Donkey and the Grasshoppers

97

The Donkey and the Horse

98

The Donkey and the Horseman

99

The Donkey and the Lapdog

100

The Donkey and the Mule

101

The Fox and the Stork

102

The Donkey and the Wolf

103

The Donkey Carrying the Image

104

The Donkey in the Lion’s Skin

105

The Donkey, the Cock, and the Lion

106

The Donkey, the Fox, and the Lion

107

The Dove and the Crow

108

The Eagle and His Captor

109

The Eagle and his Mother

110

The Eagle and the Arrow

111

The Eagle and the Fox

112

The Eagle and the Jackdaw

113

The Eagle and the Kite

114

The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow

115

The Elephant and the Painted Water

116

The Falling Cloister Manager

117

The Farmer and His Sons

118

The Farmer and the Cranes

119

The Farmer and the Fox

120

The Farmer and the Snake

121

The Farmer and the Stork

122

The Father and His Sons

123

The Father and His Two Daughters

124

The Fawn and His Mother

125

The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle

126

The Fir-Tree and the Bramble

127

The Fisher and the Little Fish

128

The Fox and the Grapes

129

The Fisherman and His Nets

130

The Fisherman and the Little Fish

131

The Fisherman Piping

132

The Fishermen

133

The Flea and the Man

134

The Flea and the Ox

135

The Flea and the Wrestler

136

The Flies and the Honey-Pot

137

The Fly and the Draught-Mule

138

The Fortune Teller

139

The Four Oxen and the Lion

140

The Fowler and the Viper

141

The Fox and the Bramble

142

The Fox and the Cat

143

The Fox and the Crane

144

The Fox and the Crow

145

The Fox and the Goat

146

The Fox and the Hedgehog

147

The Fox and the Leopard

148

The Fox and the Lion

149

The Fox and the Mask

150

The Fox and the Monkey

151

The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail

152

The Fox and the Woodcutter

153

The Fox, the Cock, and the Dog

154

The Frog and the Ox

155

The Frogs Asking for a King

156

The Frogs’ Complaint against the Sun

157

The Gamecocks and the Partridge

158

The Geese and the Cranes

159

The Gnat and the Bull

160

The Gnat and the Lion

161

The Goat and the Donkey

162

The Goat and the Goatherd

163

The Goatherd and the Wild Goats

164

The Goods and the Ills

165

The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs

166

The Grasshopper and the Owl

167

The Hare and the Hound

168

The Hare and the Tortoise

169

The Hare With Many Friends

170

The Hares and the Foxes

171

The Hares and the Frogs

172

The Hares and the Lions

173

The Hart and the Hunter

174

The Hart and the Vine

175

The Hart in the Ox-Stall

176

The Hawk and the Nightingale

177

The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons

178

The Heifer and the Ox

179

The Hen and the Swallow

180

The Herdsman and the Lost Bull

181

The Horse and Groom

182

The Horse and His Rider

183

The Horse and the Ass

184

The Horse, Hunter, and Stag

185

The Hunted Beaver

186

The Hunter and the Horseman

187

The Hunter and the Woodman

188

The Huntsman and the Fisherman

189

The Ill Kite

190

The Lion and The Fox or The Ill Lion

191

The Ill Stag

192

The Image of God and the Carpenter

193

The Goat and the Wolf

194

The Jackdaw and the Doves

195

The Jackdaw and the Fox

196

The Jay and the Peacock

197

The Kid and Wolf

198

The Kingdom of the Lion

199

The King’s Son and the Painted Lion

200

The Kites and the Swans

201

The Labourer and the Nightingale

202

The Labourer and the Snake

203

The Lamb and the Wolf

204

The Lamp

205

The Lark and Her Young Ones

206

The Lark Burying Her Father

207

The Lion and the Boar

208

The Lion and the Bull

209

The Lion and the Dolphin

210

The Lion and the Eagle

211

The Lion and the Fox

212

The Lion and the Hare

213

The Lion and the Mouse

214

The Lion and the Shepherd

215

The Lion and the Statue

216

The Lion in a Farmyard

217

The Lion in Love

218

The Lion, Sir Success, and the Elephant

219

The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox

220

The Lion, the Fox, and the Beasts

221

The Lion, the Fox, and the Donkey

222

The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox

223

The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox

224

The Lion’s Share

225

The Lioness and the Vixen

226

The Man and His Two Mistresses

227

The Man and His Wife

228

The Man and the Mountain-Dweller

229

The Man and the Wood

230

The Man Bitten by a Dog

231

The Man Who Promised the Impossible

232

The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey

233

The Man, the Horse, the Ox, and the Dog

234

The Manslayer

235

The Master and His Dogs

236

The Mice and the Weasels

237

The Milkmaid and Her Pail

238

The Mischievous Dog

239

The Miser and His Gold

240

The Mole and His Mother

241

The Monkey and the Camel

242

The Monkey and the Dolphin

243

The Monkey and the Fishermen

244

The Monkeys and Their Mother

245

The Mother and the Wolf

246

The Mountains in Labour

247

The Mouse and the Bull

248

The Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk

249

The Mule

250

The Mules and the Robbers

251

The North Wind and the Sun

252

The Nurse and the Wolf

253

The Oak and the Reeds

254

The Oak and the Woodcutter

255

The Oaks and Sir Success

256

The Old Hound

257

The Old Lion

258

The Old Man and Death

259

The Old Trout, the Young Trout, and the Salmon

260

The Old Woman and the Doctor

261

The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar

262

The Olive-Tree and the Fig-Tree

263

The One-Eyed Doe

264

The Owl and the Birds

265

The Ox and the Frog

266

The Oxen and the Axle-Trees

267

The Oxen and the Butchers

268

The Panther and the Shepherds

269

The Partridge and the Fowler

270

The Peacock and Juno

271

The Peacock and the Crane

272

The Peasant and the Apple Tree

273

The Serpent and the File

274

The Philosopher, the Ants, and Sir Transporter

275

The Piglet, the Sheep, and the Goat

276

The Pomegranate, Apple-Tree, and Bramble

277

The Quack Frog

278

The Raven and the Swan

279

The Rich Man and the Tanner

280

The Rivers and the Sea

281

The Rose and the Amaranth

282

The Seagull and the Kite

283

The Seaside Travellers

284

The Seller of Images

285

The Serpent and the Eagle

286

The She-Goats and Their Beards

287

The Shepherd and the Dog

288

The Shepherd and the Sea

289

The Shepherd and the Sheep

290

The Shepherd and the Wolf

291

The Shepherd’s Boy

292

The Shipwrecked Man and the Sea

293

The Sparrow and the Hare

294

The Spendthrift and the Swallow

295

The Stag At the Pool

296

The Stag in the Manger

297

The Stag in the Ox-Stall

298

The Stag, the Wolf, and the Sheep

299

The Swallow and the Crow

300

The Swallow and the Other Birds

301

The Swallow, the Serpent, and the Court of Justice

302

The Swan and the Goose

303

The Swan

304

The Swollen Fox

305

The Thief and His Mother

306

The Thief and the House-Dog

307

The Thief and the Innkeeper

308

The Thieves and the Cock

309

The Thirsty Pigeon

310

The Three Tradesmen

311

The Thrush and the Fowler

312

The Tortoise and the Birds

313

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

314

The Traveller and Fortune

315

The Traveller and His Dog

316

The Travellers and the Plane-Tree

317

The Tree and the Reed

318

The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner

319

The Two Bags

320

The Two Dogs

321

The Two Fellows and the Bear

322

The Two Frogs

323

The Two Men Who Were Enemies

324

The Two Pots

325

The Two Rats

326

The Two Soldiers and the Robber

327

The Two Travellers and the Axe

328

The Vain Jackdaw

329

The Vine and the Goat

330

The Walnut-Tree

331

The Wasp and the Snake

332

The Wasps, the Partridges, and the Farmer

333

The Weasel and the Mice

334

The Widow and Her Little Maidens

335

The Widow and the Sheep

336

The Wild Boar and the Fox

337

The Wolf and the Crane

338

The Wolf and the Fox

339

The Wolf and the Goat

340

The Wolf and the Horse

341

The Wolf and the House-Dog

342

The Wolf and the Lamb

343

The Wolf and the Lion

344

The Wolf and the Sheep

345

The Wolf and the Shepherd

346

The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

347

The Wolf killed by the Lion

348

The Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape

349

The Wolves and the Sheep

350

The Wolves and the Sheepdogs

351

The Woman and Her Hen

352

The Woodman and the Serpent

353

Truth and the Traveller

354

What sort of judges you are

5. Belling the Cat

LONG ago, the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat. Some said this, and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet the case. “You will all agree,” said he, “that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us. Now, if we could receive some signal of her approach, we could easily escape from her. I venture, therefore, to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the Cat. By this means we should always know when she was about, and could easily retire while she was in the neighbourhood.” 

This proposal met with general applause, until an old mouse got up and said: “That is all very well, but who is to bell the Cat?” The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke. Then the old mouse said:

IT IS EASY TO PROPOSE IMPOSSIBLE REMEDIES.”