Monthly Archives: August 2013
101.The Fox and the Stork
At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting terms and seemed very good friends. So the Fox invited the Stork to dinner, and for a joke put nothing before her but some soup in a very shallow dish. This the Fox could easily lap up, but the Stork could only wet the end of her long bill in it, and left the meal as hungry as when she began. “I am sorry, said the Fox, “the soup is not to your liking.”
“Pray do not apologise,” said the Stork. “I hope you will return this visit, and come and dine with me soon.” So a day was appointed when the Fox should visit the Stork; but when they were seated at table all that was for their dinner was contained in a very long-necked jar with a narrow mouth, in which the Fox could not insert his snout, so all he could manage to do was to lick the outside of the jar.
“I will not apologise for the dinner,” said the Stork:
“ONE BAD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER.”
100.The Donkey and the Mule
A DONKEY and a mule, both well laden, were trudging along the road together. As long as the donkey travelled along the plain, he carried his load with ease. But when he began to walk upwards along the steep path of a mountain, his load became more than he could bear. Therefore he begged his companion to relieve him of a small portion, that he might carry home the rest. But the mule paid no attention to it. In a short while after that, the donkey fell down dead under his burden.
Not knowing what else to do in so wild a region, the muleteer placed the donkey’s load on the mule in addition to his own. Finally, at the top of all he put the hide of the donkey after skinning him.
The mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself:
“I brought it on myself. If I had been willing to help the donkey a little in his need, I should not now be bearing his burden and himself.”
❖ It is not just at the start but at the finish that we should judge each other’s condition.
❖ At times a good pause may mark the turn for the better.
❖ The superior man may fall back on his inner worth to escape major difficulties. He may therefore withdraw into seclusion instead of persevering like an overloaded donkey into very bad fortune.
99.The Donkey and the Lapdog
A MAN had a donkey and a pretty Maltese lapdog. The donkey was left in a stable where there was plenty of oats and hay to eat. But the lapdog was fondled by the master and allowed to play with him. And when the man dined out, he would bring back titbits and throw them to the dog when it came running and rushing and wagging his tail.
The donkey on the other hand, had much work to do in grinding the corn-mill and in carrying wood from the forest or burdens from the farm. He often groaned over his own hard fate and contrasted it with the luxury and idleness of the lapdog, till one day he broke his cords and halter and galloped into his master’s house. Frisking around his master, he kept kicking up his heels without measure. He also tried to jump about his master as he had seen the lapdog do, but broke the table and smashed the dishes on it. Then he tried to lick his master, and jumped on his back.******
98.The Donkey and the Horseman
A DONKEY congratulated a horse on being so amply and carefully provided for, while he himself had scarcely enough to eat and not even that without hard work. But when war broke out, a heavily armed soldier mounted the horse; riding him to the charge, he rushed into the very midst of the enemy. The horse was wounded and fell dead on the battlefield. On seeing all these things the donkey changed his mind and pitied the horse.
❖ Full of trust, many domestic animals look up to those who dominate them severely.
