160.The Gnat and the Lion
A GNAT came and said to a lion, “I don’t in the least fear you, nor are you stronger than I am. For in what does your strength consist? You can scratch with your claws and bite with your teeth like a woman in her quarrels. I repeat that I am altogether more powerful than you; and if you doubt it, let us fight and see who will conquer.”
The gnat, having sounded his horn, fastened himself on the lion and stung him on the nostrils and the parts of the face devoid of hair. While trying to crush him, the lion tore himself with his claws, till he punished himself severely.
The gnat thus prevailed over the lion, and, buzzing about in a song of triumph, flew away. But shortly afterwards he became entangled in the meshes of a cobweb and was eaten by a spider. He greatly lamented his fate, saying,
“Woe is me! that I, who can wage war successfully with the hugest beasts, should perish myself from this spider, the most inconsiderable of insects!”
“When you can fight with enemies of more strength, don’t forget you cannot fight small enemies.”
159.The Gnat and the Bull
A GNAT settled on the horn of a bull, and sat there a long time. Just as he was about to fly off, he made a buzzing noise, and asked of the bull if he would like him to go.
The bull replied, “I did not know you had come, and I shall not miss you when you go away.”
❖ Some men are of more consequence in their own eyes than in the eyes of their neighbors.
158.The Geese and the Cranes
THE GEESE and the cranes were feeding in the same meadow, when a birdcatcher came to ensnare them in his nets. The cranes, being light of wing, fled away at his approach; while the geese, being slower of flight and heavier in their bodies, were captured.
❖ Much overweight surely is harsh at times.
157.The Gamecocks and the Partridge
A MAN had two Gamecocks in his poultry-yard. One day by chance he found a tame partridge for sale. He bought it and brought it home to be reared with his Gamecocks. When the partridge was put into the poultry-yard, they struck at it and followed it about, so that the partridge became grievously troubled and supposed that he was thus evilly treated because he was a stranger. Not long afterwards he saw the cocks fighting together and not separating before one had well beaten the other. He then said to himself, “I shall no longer distress myself at being struck at by these gamecocks, when I see that they cannot even refrain from quarreling with each other.”
