 Section 87 of Fables of Aesop and Others. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Muhammad Bin Naim from Lahore. Fables of Aesop and Others by Aesop. The Bull and the Goat. A bull being pursued by a lion fled towards a cave in which he designed to secure himself, but was opposed at the entrance by a goat who had got possession before him, and threatening a kind of defiance with his horns seemed resolved to dispute the past. The bull who thought he had no time to lose in a contest of this nature immediately made off, but told the goat that it was not for fear of him or his defiance. For, say, he, if the lion were not so near, I would soon teach you the difference between a bull and a goat. Application. O air matched unedited and his foes at hand. Safely the coward, made the brave, would stand. But think not, the star dust by glories shine. He fears a greater force, but scuffs at thine. It is very inhuman to deny, scur, and comfort to people in tribulation, but to insult them and add to their misfortunes is something superlatively brutish and cruel. There is, however, in the world a sort of people of this wild temper and illness of mind who wait for an opportunity of aggravating their neighbor's affliction, and defer the execution of their evil inclinations until they can do it with the severest effect. If a person suffer under an expensive lawsuit, at least he should escape from that. One of these gentlemen will take care to arrest him in a second action, hoping at least to keep him at bay, while the more powerful adversary attacks him on the other side. One cannot consider this temper without observing something remarkably cowardly in it. For these shuffling antagonists never begin their encounter, till they are very sure the person they aim at is already over-matched. End of Section 87. Recording by Muhammad Bin Naim from Lahore. Section 88 of Fables of Aesop and Others. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Muhammad Bin Naim from Lahore. Fables of Aesop and Others by Aesop. The Fisherman. A certain fisherman, having laid his nets in the river, and placed them across the whole stream from one side to the other, took a long pole, and fell to beating the water to make the fish strike into his nets. One of his neighbors, seeing him do so, wondered what he meant. And going up to him, Friend, say he, What are you doing here? Do you think it is to be suffered that you shall stand splashing and dashing the water, and making it so muddy that it is not fit for use? Who do you think can live at this rate? He was going on in a great fury when the other interrupted him and replied, I do not much trouble myself how you are to live with my doing this, but I assure you I cannot live without it. Application. This fable is levelled at those who love to fish in troubled waters, and whose excruble principles are such that they care not what mischief or what confusion they occasion in the world, provided that they can obtain their ends, or even gratify some little selfish appetite. Little villains would set fire to a town, provided they could rake something of value to themselves or of its ashes, or kindle the flames of discord among friends and neighbors, purely to gratify their own malicious temper. And among the great ones, there are those who to succeed in their ambitious designs will make no scruple of involving their country in divisions and animosities at home, and sometimes in war and bloodshed abroad. Provided they do, but maintain themselves in power, they care not what havoc and desolation they bring upon the rest of mankind. Their only reason is that it must be so, because they cannot live as they wish without it. But brutish unsocial sentiments like these are such, as a mere state of nature would scarcely suggest, and it is preventing the very end and overturning the first principles of society, when instead of contributing to the welfare of mankind in return for the benefits we receive from them, we thrive by their misfortunes, or subsist by their ruin. Those therefore who have the happiness of mankind at heart, for happiness and morality are inseparable connected, should enter their protest, against such wicked selfish notion, and oppose them with all their might, at the same time shunning the society of their possessors as a plague, and consigning their characters to the destination of prosperity. Section 89 of Fables of Aesop and Others This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Fables of Aesop and Others by Aesop The Fox and the Boar The fox, in traversing the forest, observed a boar rubbing his tusks against a tree. Why how now? said the fox. Why make those martial preparations of wetting the teeth, since there is no enemy near that I can perceive? That may be, said the boar, but you ought to know, Master Renard, that we should scour up our arms while we have leisure. For in time of danger, we shall have something else to do, and it is a good thing always to be prepared against the worst that can happen. Application All business that is necessary to be done should be done be times, for there is a little trouble in doing it in season as out of season. And he that is always ready can never be taken by surprise. Wise, just and vigilant governments know that they cannot be safe in peace unless they are always prepared for war and are ready to meet the worst that can happen. When they become corrupt or supine and off their guard, they thereby invite and expose their country to the sudden attacks of its enemies. In private life, many evils and calamities befall those who make no provision against unforeseen or untoward accidents. Which the prudent man prevents by looking forward to probable contingencies and having a reserve of everything necessary beforehand, that he may not be put into hurry and confusion, nor thrown into dilemmas and difficulties. When the time comes, that he may have to encounter them. It cannot be too strongly impressed upon the minds of all men that day by day they are approaching towards old age, and that they should honorably endeavor to provide a store of conveniences against that time, when they will be most in want of them and least able to procure them. To reflect properly upon this, we will give them pleasure instead of pain, and they will not die a day sooner for being always ready for that certain event. To do otherwise is acting like weak-minded men who delay making their wills and properly settling their worldly affairs. Because to them, it looks so like the near approach of death. End of section 89 Section 90 of Fables of Aesop and Others This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Fables of Aesop and Others By Aesop Caesar and the Slave As Tiberius Caesar was upon a journey to Naples, he stopped at a house which he had upon the mountain Mycenaeus. As he was walking in the garden attached to the house, one of his domestic slaves appeared in the walks, sprinkling the ground with a watering pot. In order to lay the dust, and this he did so officiously and ran with so much alertness from one walk to another that wherever the emperor went, he still found his fellow mighty busy with his watering pot. But at last his design being discovered, which was to attract the notice of Caesar by his extraordinary diligence in the hopes that he would make him free. Part of the ceremony of doing which consisted in giving the slave a gentle stroke on one side of his face. His Imperial Majesty, being disposed to be merry, called the man to him. When he came up full of joyful expectations of his liberty, Hark, you friend, say he, I have observed that you have been very busy a great while, but you were officiously meddling where you had nothing to do. While you might have employed your time better elsewhere, and therefore I must tell you that I cannot afford a box on the ear at so low a price as you bid for it. Application Fedros tells us upon his word that this is a true story and that he wrote it for the sake of a set of industrious idle gentlemen at Rome who were harassed and fatigued with the daily succession of care and trouble because they had nothing to do. Always in a hurry, but without business. Busy, but to no purpose, laboring under a voluntary necessity and taking abundance of pains to shoo they were good for nothing. But what great town or city is so entirely free of this sect as to render the moral of this fabled useless anywhere. For it points at all those officious good-natured people who are eternally running up and down to serve their friends without doing them any good, who by accomplissance, wrong, judged or ill-applied, displease, while list the endeavor to oblige and are never doing less to the purpose that when they are most employed. In a word, this fable is designed for the reformation of all those who endeavor to gain for themselves benefits and applause from a misapplied industry. It is not our being busy and officious that will procure us the esteem of men of sense, but the application of our actions to some noble useful purpose and for the general good of mankind. End of section 90 Fables of Esop and others by Esop The Frogs and the Fighting Bulls A frog one day, peeping out of the lake and looking about him saw two bulls fighting at some distance off in the meadow and calling to his associates, Look, says he, what dreadful work is yonder? Dear sirs, what will become of us? Tush, said one of his companions, do not frighten yourself so about nothing. How can their quarrels affect us? They are of a different kind and are at present only contending which shall be the master of the herd. That is true, replies the first. Their quality and station in life are different from ours, but as one of them will certainly prove conqueror, he that is worsted being beaten out of the meadow will take refuge here in the marshes and possibly tread some of us to death. So you see we are more nearly concerned about this dispute of theirs than you were at first aware. Application A wise man, however low his condition in life, looks forward through the proper and natural course and connection of causes and effects and in so doing, he fortifies his mind against the worst that can befall him. It is of no small importance to the honest and quiet part of mankind who desire nothing so much as to see peace and virtue flourish to consider well the consequences that may arise to them out of the quarrels and feuds of the great and to endeavor by every means in their power to avoid being in any way drawn in by their influence to become a party concerned in their broils and disputes. For no matter in which way the strife between the high contending parties may terminate those who may have had the misfortune to be concerned with them ought to think themselves well off as they do not smart for it severely in the end. How often has it happened that men in eminent stations who want to engross all power into their own hands begin under the mask of patriotism to foment divisions and form factions and excite animosities between well-meaning but undiscerning people without whose aid in one way or another they could not succeed but who at the same time little think that the great aim of their leaders is more than the advancement of their own private interest or ambitious ends. The good of the public is always pretended upon such occasions and may sometimes happen to be tacked to their own but then it is purely accidental and never was originally intended. End of Section 91 Section 92 of Fables of Esop and Others This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer visit LibriVox.org Recording by Mark Henry Fables of Esop and Others by Esop The Old Hound An old hound who had excelled in his time and given his master great satisfaction in many a chase at last through age became feeble and unserviceable. However, being in the field one day when the stag was almost run down he happened to be the first that came in with him and seized him by the haunch but his decayed and broken teeth not being able to keep their hold the deer escaped upon which his master fell into a great passion and began to whip him severely. The honest old creature is said to have barked out this apology Ah, do not thus strike your poor old servant. It is not my heart and inclination but my strength and speed that fail me. If what I now am displeases you pray do not forget what I have been. Application Oh, let not those whom honest servants bless with cruel hands their age and firm oppress forget their service past their former truth and all the cares and labours of their youth. This fable is intended to reprove the ingratitude too common among mankind which leaves the faithful servant to want and wretchedness after he has spent the prime of his life in our service for a bare subsistence. Where slavery is allowed the laws compel the master to provide for the worn out slave and where there is no law to enforce the dead of gratitude none but those who are insensible to all the finer feelings of humanity will neglect it. Those who forget past services and treat their faithful servants or friends unkindly or injuriously when they are no longer of use to them however high their pride are unworthy of the name of gentlemen. They are indeed commonly of an upstart breed with whom the failure of human nature itself is imputed as a crime and servants and dependents instead of being considered their fellow men are treated like brutes for not being more than men. The imprudence of this conduct is equal to its wickedness in as much as it directly tends to extinguish the honest desire to please and to act faithfully in the younger servants when they see that worn out merit thus goes unrewarded. Humanity and gratitude are the greatest ornaments of the human mind and when they are extinguished every generous and noble sentiment perishes along with them. End of section 92 Section 93 of Fables of Aesop and Others This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Chad Horner from Liverpool Fables of Aesop and Others by Aesop The two bitches A bitch who was just ready to wilt entreated another to lend her her kennel only till her month was up and assured her that when she should have it again the other very readily consented and with a great deal of civility resigned it to her immediately however when the time was elapsed she came and made her a visit and very modestly intimate it that now she was up and well she hoped she should see her aboard again for that really it would be inconvenient for her to be without her kennel any longer and therefore she told her she must be so free as to desire her to provide herself with other lodgings as soon as she could The lying in-bets replied that truly she was ashamed of having kept her so long out of her own house but it was not upon her own account for indeed she was well enough to go anywhere so much as that of her puppies who were yet so weak that she was afraid they would not be able to follow her and if she would be so good as to let her stay a fortnight longer she would take it as the greatest obligation in the world The other bitch was so good-natured and compassionate as to comply with this request also but at the expiration of the term came and told her positively that she must turn out for she could not possibly let her be there a day longer must turn out says the other we will see to that for I promise you unless you can beat me and my whole little letter of wilps you are never likely to have anything more to do here application wise and good-natured men do not shut their ears nor harden their hearts against the calls of humanity and the cries of distress but how often are their generous natures imposed upon by the artifices of the base and worthless these fail not to lay their plans with deep cunning to work themselves into the good graces of the benevolent and having accomplished their ends the return they often make as abusive language or the most open acts of violence one of the evil and lamentable consequences arising out of this is that worth and distress suffers by it for distrust and suspicion take hold of the minds of good men and the hand of charity is thus benumbed this fable may also serve to caution us never to let anything we value go out of our possession without good security the man who means to act prudently without never to put himself in the power of others or to run any risk of involving his own family in room end of section 93 section 94 of fables of esop and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Mark Henry fables of esop and others by esop the hen and the fox a fox having crept into an outhouse looked up and down seeking what he might devour and at last spied a hen perched up so high that he could by no means come at her my dear friend says he how do you do I heard that you were ill and kept within at which I was so concerned that I could not rest till I came to see you pray how is it with you now let me feel your pulse a little indeed you do not look well at all he was running on after this fulsome manner when the hen answered him from the roost truly friend Reynard you are judging rightly for I never was in more pain in my life I must beg your pardon for being so free as to tell you that I see no company and you must excuse me too for not coming down to you for to say the truth my condition is such that I fear I should catch my death by it application it is generally the design of hypocritical persons to delude and impose upon others with an eye to derive some benefit to themselves when they pretend to feel a flattering anxiety for their welfare or sometimes they may perhaps with impertinent folly mean no more than merely to mock and be fool men who are weak enough to become their dupes in both cases they are enemies to truth and sincerity which adorn and tend so greatly to promote the happiness of society and they ought to be exposed as such for although men of penetration see through the pretense and escape its dangers yet the weak, the vain and the unsuspicious are put off their guard and have not discernment enough to shun the trap so pleasingly baited the fable also furnishes a hint against hypocritical legacy hunters whose regard is generally of the same nature as that of the fox for the hen End of Section 94 Section 95 of fables of ESOP and others This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Fables of ESOP and Others by ESOP The Ass in the Lion's Skin An ass while feeding upon the coarse herbage by the edge of a wood found a lion's skin and putting it on went in this disguise into the adjoining forests and pastures and through all the flocks and herds into the greatest consternation and dismay At length his master who was in search of him made his appearance A silly beast, entertaining the idea of frightening him also capered forward with a terrific gait towards him But the good man, seeing his long ears stick out, presently knew him and with a stout cudgel made him sensible that notwithstanding his being dressed in a lion's skin he was really no more than an ass Application As all affectation is wrong and tends to expose and make a man ridiculous so the more distant he is from the thing which he affects to appear the stronger will be the ridicule which he excites and the greater the inconvenience into which he thereby runs himself How strangely absurd it is for a timorous person to procure a military post in order to keep himself out of danger and to fancy a red coat the surest protection for cowardice Yet there have been those commissioned to avoid being insulted and have been so silly as to think courage was interwoven with a sash or tied up in a cockade But it would not be a miss for such gentleman to consider that it is not in the power of scarlet cloth to alter nature and that as it is expected a soldier should show himself a man of courage and intrepidity upon all proper occasions They may by this means meet the disgrace they intended to avoid and appear greater asses than they needed to have done However, it is not in point of fortitude only that people are liable to expose themselves by assuming a character to which they are not equal But he who puts on a show of learning, of religion of a superior capacity in any respect or in short of any virtue or knowledge to which he has no proper claim is and will always be found to be an ass in a lion's skin End of section 95 Section 96 of Fables of Esop and Others This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Mark Henry Fables of Esop and Others by Esop The Clown and The Nat As a clownish fellow was sitting musing upon a bank a Nat alighted upon his leg and bit it He slapped his hand upon the place with the intention of crushing the assailant but the little nimble insect escaped between his fingers and repeated its attacks Every time he struck at it he gave himself a smart blow upon the leg but missed his aim At this he became enraged and in the height of his peevish and impatient humor he earnestly prayed to Hercules beseeching him with his mighty power to stretch forth his arm against a pernicious insect by which he was so miserably tormented Application He who suffers his mind to be ruffled by every little inconvenience subjects himself to perpetual uneasiness and disquiet There is no accident however trivial but is capable of disconcerting him and he becomes absurdly miserable on the most foolish occasion His good humor is soured in an instant and he is rendered uncomfortable to himself and odious or ridiculous to all about him He prays with earnestness to the supreme being to aid him in all his paltry selfish schemes or to gratify vanities for which as a rational being he ought to blush and be ashamed The imaginary distresses which his unfortunate disposition heightens into severe calamities are matter of diversion to those who are disposed to sneer at him and when his petish humor makes him rave like a madman and curse his fate at the dropping of a hat or the blunder of a servant even his friends must view his behavior with a mixed emotion of pity and contempt End of section 96 Section 97 of Fables by Asop and Others This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Rachel Marie Fables of Asop and Others by Asop The Wolf and the Lamb One hot, sultry day a wolf and a lamb happen to come just at the same time to quench their thirst in the stream of a brook that fell tumbling down the side of a rocky mountain The wolf stood upon the higher ground and the lamb at some distance below him However the wolf, having a mind to pick a quarrel with the lamb asked him what he meant by disturbing the water and making it so muddy that he could not drink and at the same time demanded satisfaction The lamb, frightened of this threatening charge told him in a tone as mild as possible that with humble submission he could not conceive how that could be since the water which he drank ran down from the wolf to him and therefore could not be disturbed so far up the stream Be that as it may, replies the wolf you are a rascal and I have been told that you used ill language concerning me behind my back about half a year ago Upon my words, says the lamb the time you mentioned was before I was born The wolf, finding it to no purpose to argue any longer against truth fell into a great passion snarling and foaming at the mouth as if he had been mad and drawn nearer to the lamb Sira, says he If it were not you it was your father and that is the same so he seized the poor innocent helpless thing tore it to pieces and made a meal of it Application When air, oppression, rules, fell wolves devour and the worst crimes are want of strength and power They who do not feel the sentiments of humanity will seldom listen to the voice of reason and when cruelty and injustice are armed with power and determined on oppression the strongest pleas of innocence are preferred in vain and nothing is more easy than finding pretenses to discriminate the unsuspecting victims of tyranny How many of the degenerate, corrupt and arbitrary governments with which the civilized world has been disfigured incite their vengeance upon the honest and virtuous who have dared in bad times to speak the truth and how many men in private life are to be met with whose wolfish dispositions and envious and rapacious tempers cannot bear to see honest industry rear its head End of Section 97 Section 98 of fables of Aesop and others This is a Libvok's recording All Libvok's recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libvok's.org Recording by Aetolacement Fables of Aesop and others by Aesop The Mice in Council The mice called the General Council and after the doors were locked entered into a free consultation about ways and means how to render themselves more secure from the danger of the cat Many schemes were proposed and much debate took place upon the matter At last, a young mouse in a fine, flooded speech broached an expedient which he contended was the only one to put them entirely out of the power of the enemy and this was that the cat should wear a bell about her neck which upon the least motion would give the alarm and be a signal for them to retire into their holes This speech was received great applause and it was even proposed by some that the mouse who had made it should have the tanks of the assembly Upon which, an old mouse who had said silent hit her too gravely observed that the contrivance was admirable and the author of it without doubt very ingenious but he thought it would not be so proper to vote him tanks till he should further inform them how the bell was to be fastened about the cat's neck and who would undertake the task Application It is very easy for visionary projectors to devise schemes and to discant on their utility which after all are found to be so impractical or so difficult that no man of solid judgment can be prevailed upon to attempt putting them into execution In all matters where the good of the community is at stake, new projects should be carefully examined in all their bearings that the ruinous consequences which might follow them may be avoided All business of this import ought to be left to the decision of such man only as are distinguished for their good sense, property honor and patriotism When these have examined them in all their different pairings we may place confidence in their labors and adopt their plans But the fable teaches us not to listen to those rash and negative politicians who are always foisting their schemes upon the public, upon every occurrence of mall administration without looking beneath the surface or considering whether they be practical or otherwise End of section 98 Section number 99 of fables of ESOP and others This is a LibreVolks recording or LibreVolks recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibreVolks.org Recording by Elaine Conway England Fables of ESOP and others by ESOP The ape chosen king On the death of the old lion without his leaving an heir the beasts assemble to choose another king of the forest In his stead the crown was tried on many a head but did not sit easy upon anyone At length the ape putting it upon his own declared that it fitted him quite well and after shooing their many antique tricks he with a great deal of grimace and an affected air of wisdom offered himself to fill the high office the silly creatures being pleased with him at the moment instantly by a great majority proclaimed him king The fox quite vexed to see his fellow subjects act so foolishly resolved to convince them of their sorry choice and knowing of a trap ready baited at no great distance he addressed himself to king ape and told him that he had discovered a treasure which being found on the waist belonged to his majesty The ape presently went to take possession of the prize but no sooner had he laid his paws upon the bait and he was caught fast in the trap in this situation between shame and anger he chatted out many bitter reproaches against the fox calling him rebel and traitor and threatening revenge to all which Reynard gravely replied that this was nothing but a beginning of what he would meet within the high station his vanity had prompted him to aspire to as it was only one of the many traps that would be laid for him and in which he would be caught but he hoped this one might be a treasure to him if it operated as a caution and served to put him in mind of the false estimate he had put upon his abilities and supposing that with his inexperienced empty paid he would manage the weighty affairs of state he then with a laugh left him to be relieved from his peril by one or other of his foolish loving subjects application when apes are in power foxes would never be wanting to play upon them men shoe their folly rashness and want of consideration when they elect rulers without the qualifications of integrity and abilities to recommend them to the office and the higher it is the more important it is to the interests of the community that it should be properly filled the fable also shoes the weakness of those who through self-conceit aspire to any high station without the requisites to be fit them for it and the want of which exposes authority to school end of section 99 section 100 of fables of eesop and others this is a LibriVox recording while LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org fables of eesop and others by eesop the old man and death a poor feeble old man who had crawled from his cottage into a neighboring wood to gather a few sticks and made up his bundle and laying it over his shoulders was trudging homewards but what with his age in the length of the way he grew so faint and weak that he sunk under it and as he sat upon the ground called upon death to come once for all and ease him of his troubles death no sooner heard them than he came and demanded what he wanted the poor old creature who little thought death was so near out of his senses with his terrible aspect answered him trembling that having by chance let his bundle of sticks fall and being too infirm to get it up himself he had made bold to call upon him to help him and he hoped his worship was not offended with him for the liberty he had taken in craving his assistance application this fable gives us a lively representation of the general behavior of mankind towards that grim king of terrors death such liberties did they take with him behind his back that upon every little accident which happens in their way death is immediately called upon and they even wish it might be lawful for them to finish with their own hands a life so odious so perpetually tormenting and vexatious when let but death make his appearance as near approach almost does the business then it is that they change their minds and would be glad to come off so well as to have their old birth and laid upon their shoulders again and wise and good men know that care and numberless disappointments must be their portion in their passage through life and know also that it is their duty to endure them with patience for he is the best and happiest man who neither wishes nor fears the approach of death and of section 100 section 101 of fables of esoph and others this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Catherine Phipps fables of esoph and others by esoph the two frogs one hot sultry summer the lakes and ponds being almost everywhere dried up a couple of frogs agreed to travel together in search of water at last they came to a deep well and sitting upon the brink of it began to consult whether they should leap in or not one of them was for it urging that there was plenty of clear spring water and no danger of being disturbed well says the other all this may be true and yet I cannot come into your opinion if the water should happen to dry there too how should we get out again application in human affairs many stations we meet where it is easy to enter but hard to retreat we ought never to change our situation in life nor undertake any action of importance without first duly and deliberately weighing the consequences that may follow in all their different bearings it is commonly owing to the neglect of such wholesome precautions that numbers of young people are led into unfortunate matches suddenly made up and others are from the same causes led into a round of profuse living or into gaming and other extravagant conduct which is sure to terminate in ruin to look before we leap is a maxim worthy of being remembered by all ranks and conditions of men from the lowest to the highest even kings may reap benefit by it for when they inconsiderately execute those schemes which their wicked counsellors advise they have often abundant reason to repent by this blind stupidity wars are commenced from which a state cannot be extricated either with honour or safety and unwise projects are encouraged by the rash accession of those who never considered the consequences or how they were to get out till they had plunged themselves irrecoverably into them in his flight from the hounds got his foot severely torn by a briar smarting with the pain he burst into revilings and complaints at this treatment which he declared he little expected to meet with for only passing over a hedge and he could not help thinking it was very bad usage to be thus grappled by the long arms and cut and wounded by the sharp crooked spines of a briar true says the briar but recollect that you intended to have made me serve your turn and would without ceremony have trampled me down to the ground but none of your freedoms with me master Reynard you may make a convenience of others perhaps but the family of the briars are not of that caste whoever presumes to use any impudent familiarities with them is sure to smart for it application presuming and arrogant people do not hesitate to make a convenience or a kind of stepping stone of anyone who will suffer them to do so and if they can only get their turn served no matter how they use no ceremony nor show any delicacy in accomplishing their ends but the selfish and impudent gentry who are so apt to take liberties of this kind now and then mistake their men and are justly retorted upon and however upon these occasions they may be surprised and angry others who are in different spectators instead of viewing them as objects of pity feel a secret satisfaction in seeing them suffer as proper examples of justice end of section 102 the man and the weasel a man having caught a weasel in his pantry was just going to kill it when the little captive begged that he would not do so cruel a deed but spare his life and he assured the man that he was his friend and only entered his pantry with a view of destroying the mice with which it was infested that may be said the man but you do not do this with the intention of serving me nor with any other view and besides you are so ferocious and cruel a little creature that you will kill every animal you have within your power without the least compunction and seem to delight in killing for killing's sake therefore your pretensions to serve me and your plea for mercy are good for nothing application many people in the world are ever ready to set up the pretensions of their acting with zeal purely to serve the public to the warmth of their friendship that they do the same to individuals but the main spring of all the actions of the agents of treachery and of bad men is said a going with the view only of serving themselves it is thus that the unprincipled and mercenary thief taker would like well to be accounted a public spirited man and he cannot help boasting of his services as such the hangman's pretensions are of the same kind but however useful and necessary some of such a description of men may be the wicked part of mankind who are a nuisance to civilized society yet the instruments themselves are very like in character to the weasel and the fable the same may be said of those factuous writers who pester the public with their clamorous charges under the mask of patriotism but whose real motive is either to gain money by the sale of their highly seasoned scandals or to run down their corrupt opponents in order to obtain their places end of section 103 section 104 of fables of ASOP and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Jennifer Henry fables of ASOP and others by ASOP the boar and the ass an ass happening to meet with a boar and being in a frolicsome humor having a mind to show some of his silly wit began in a sneering familiar style to accost the boar with so ho brother your humble servant how is all at home with you the boar netled at his familiarity muttered out brother indeed then bristled up towards him told him he was surprised at his impudence and was just going to show his resentment by giving him a rip in the flank but wisely stifling his passion he contented himself with only saying go thou sorry beast I could be easily and amply revenged upon thee but I don't care to foul my tusks with the blood of so base a creature application it is no uncommon thing to meet with impudent fools so very eager of being thought wits that they will run great hazards in attempting to show themselves such and will often persist in their awkward railery to the last degree of offence but these kind of folks instead of raising themselves into esteem are held in contempt by men of sense the generous and the brave may scorn to suffer themselves to be ruffled by the insolent behavior of every ass that offends them yet such sparks must not from thence conclude that they will not meet with retorts in kind from men far superior to themselves in mental endowments or that their unseasoned wits will always escape a more proper but a different chastisement end of section 104 without debating long upon the matter or making any scruple for want of evidence gave sentence for the plaintiff who immediately tore the poor sheep in pieces and divided the spoil with the unjust judges application of the many evils which throw back the well-being of society none raise in the honest mind more painful and indignant feelings than beholding the judgment the seat of mercy and justice filled by an unjust corrupt and wicked judge who has become step by step hardened in his impious enormities and is the fully prepared tool and supporter of tyranny and arbitrary power fraud and oppression follow in his train the righteous laws of a just government are frittered away or superseded truth and innocence are obnoxious honesty is sneered at and it becomes criminal to espouse the cause of virtue in this state of things wickedness predominates and its rapacious abetters give full scope to the exercise of all kind of oppression and injustice to gratify their own vicious lusts then it is that mankind are made to feel the evils of power being in the hands of the worst of their species who without hesitation rob them of their property and divide the spoils if there be not a sufficiency of the most spirited and virtuous patriotism to rescue the country from their fangs then is despotism and degradation near at hand end of section 105 recording by Christine layman recita california section 106 of fables of asop and others this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org fables of asop and others by asop jupiter and the herdsman a herdsman missing a young heifer went up and down the forest to seek it and having walked over a great deal and to no purpose he fell a praying to jupiter for relief promising to sacrifice a kid to him if he would help him to a discovery of the thief after this he went on a little farther and came near a grove of oaks where he aspired the carcass of his heifer and a lion growling over it and feeding upon it this sight almost scared him out of his wits so down he fell upon his knees once more and addressing himself to jupiter oh jupiter says he I promise the a kid to show me the thief but now I promise the a bull if thou wilt be so merciful as to deliver me out of his clutches application we ought never to supplicate the divine power but through motives of religion and virtue prayers dictated by blind interest or to gratify some misguided passion cannot it is presumed be acceptable to the deity and of all the involuntary sins which men commit scarcely any are more frequent than their praying absurdly and improperly as well as unseasonably when their time might have been employed to a better purpose would men as they ought to do obey the commands of omnipotence by fulfilling their moral duties and endeavor with all their might to live as justly as they can a just providence would give them what they ought to have but stupidity and ignorance until better informed and divested of superstition and bigotry will continue to form their notions of the supreme being from their own poor shallow conceptions and nothing contributes more to up this injudicious practice among simple but perhaps well-meaning people than the numerous collections of those crude rhapsodies the offspring of itinerant bigotry with which the country overflows while most of those prayers are neglected which have been composed with due reflection and mature deliberation by the most learned and pious of men this fable also teaches us frequently the gratification of our vain prayers would only lead us into dangers and evils of the existence of which we had no previous suspicion and of section 106 recording by Christine Lehmann Recita, California section 107 of fables of Isop and others this is a LibriVox recording while LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org fables of Isop and others by Isop the old lion a lion that in the prime of his life had been very rapacious and cruel was reduced by age infirmities to extreme feebleness several of the beasts of the forest who had been great sufferers by him now came and revenged themselves the boar ripped him with one of his tusks the boar gored him with his horns in others in various ways each had a stroke at him when the ass saw that they might do all this without danger he also came and threw his heels in the lion's face upon which the poor expiring tyrant is said to have grown out these words alas how grievous it is to suffer insults even from the brave and valiant but to be spurned at by so basic creature as this is worse than dying 10,000 deaths application when men in power lose sight of justice and mercy and cruelly and unjustly tyrannized over the people under their sway they never will gain sincere reverence or respect from the rest of mankind the injuries they inflict and the heyday of their wicked career will be remembered with detestation through life and when age and impotence lay hold of them they must not expect to meet with friends they never deserved but may be certain of being treated with neglect and contempt and the baser their enemies are the more insolent and intolerable will be the affront will then be discovered with bitter remorse that the days have passed away in which virtue and dignity ought to have laid the foundation of a reputation which would have been the solace of old age and also extended a good name to posterity with feelings of veneration instead of which the remembrance of past crimes will haunt the guilty mind and the unjust man will at last be thrown into the grave with a common dust amidst the whispers of let him go and he will be no more remembered than the animals on which he feasted or the herbage which was cut down when he was a child End of section 107 Section 108 of Fables of Aesop and Others This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Fables of Aesop and Others by Aesop The Magpie and the Sheep A Magpie sat chattering upon the back of a sheep and pulling off the wool to line her nest Peace, you noisy thing says the sheep If I were a dog, you'd durst not serve me so That is true enough, replies the Magpie I know very well whom I have to deal with I never meddle with the surly and revengeful, but I love to plague such poor, helpless creatures as you are who cannot do me any harm Application It is the characteristic of a mean, low, base spirit to be insolent or tyrannical to those who are obliged to submit to it and slavishly submissive to those who have the spirit and the power to resist Men of this stamp take a special care not to meddle with people of their own malicious principles for fear of meeting with a suitable return but they delight in doing mischief for mischief's sake and seem pleased when they can insult the innocent with impunity This kind of behaviour is inconsistent with all the rules of honour and generosity and is opposite to everything that is great, good, amiable and praiseworthy End of section 108 Recording by Christine Layman, Recita, California Section 109 of Fables of Issa and Others This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain Recorded by Taiz Cruz Fables of Issa and Others by Issa The Fox and the Stork The Fox invited the Stork to dinner and, being disposed to divert himself at the expense of his guest, provided nothing for the entertainment but soup, which he served up in a wide shallow dish. This, The Fox could lap up with a great deal of ease but the Stork, who could but just dip in the point of his bill, was not a bit the better for his entertainment. However, a few days after he returned a compliment and invited The Fox nothing to be brought to the table excepting some minced meat in a glass jar, the neck of which was so deep and so narrow that, though the Stork with his long bill made a shift to fill his belly, all that The Fox who was very hungry could do was to lick the prims as the Stork slabbered them with his eating. Renard was heartily vexed at first, but when he came to take his leave continuously that he had been used as he deserved and that he had no reason to take any treatment ill of which himself had set the example. Application It is very imprudent, as well as in civil, to affront anyone and we should always reflect before we rally another whether we can bear to have the chest retorted. Whoever takes the liberty to disguise his witty talent in that way must not be surprised if you meet reprisals in the end. Indeed, if all those who are thus paid in their own coin would take it with the same frankness that The Fox did, the matter would not be much. But we are too apt when the jest comes to be turned home upon ourselves to think that insufferable in another which we looked upon as pretty and facetious when the time came. The rule of doing as we would be done by, so proper to be a model in every transaction of life may more particularly be of use in this respect. People sell them or never receive any advantage by this little ludicrous impositions and yet if they are to ask themselves the question would find that they would receive the same treatment from another with a very bad grace. End of Section 109 Section 110 of Fables of Aesop and Others This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Fables of Aesop and Others by Aesop The Countryman and the Snake A villager found a snake under a hedge almost dead with cold. Having compassion on the poor creature he brought it home and laid it upon the hearth near the fire where it had not lain long before it revived with the heat and began to erect itself and fly at the wife and children of its preserver filling the whole cottage with its frightful hissings. The Countryman hearing an outcry came in and perceiving all the matter stood, took up a matok and soon dispatched the ingrate, upbraiding him at the same time in these words Is this, by all wretch, the reward you make to him that saved your life? Die as you deserve, but a single death is too good for you. Application There are some minds so depraved and entirely abandoned to wickedness, so dead to all virtuous feelings, that tenderness and humanity of others though exerted in their own favor not only fail to make a proper impression of gratitude upon them, but are not able to restrain them from repaying benevolence with injuries. Moralists, in all ages, have incessantly declined against the enormity of this crime concluding that they who are capable of injuring their benefactors are not fit to live in community, being such as the natural ties of parent, friend, or country are too weak to restrain within the bounds of society. Indeed, the sin of ingratitude is so detestable that none but the basest tempers can be guilty of it. Men of low, groveling minds who have been rescued from indigence by the hand of benevolence or of charity forget their benefactors as well as their original wretchedness, and as soon as prosperity flows upon them it too often serves only to rekindle their native rancor and venom, and they hiss and brandish their tongues against those who are so inadvertent or unfortunate as to have served them. But prudent people need not to be admonished on this subject, for they know how much it behooves them to beware and snake into their bosom. Section 111 of Fables of Aesop and Others This is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Elaine Conway England Fables of Aesop and Others by Aesop The Cock and the Fox A cock perched upon a lofty tree crowed so loud that his voice echoed through the wood and drew to the place a fox was prowling in quest of prey but Reynard finding the cock was inaccessible had recourse to stratagem to decoy him down approaching the tree Cousin says he I am heartily glad to see you but I cannot forbear expressing my uneasiness at the inconvenience of the place which will not let me pay my respects to you in a better manner though I suppose you will come down presently and that difficulty will be removed. Indeed Cousin says the cock to tell you the truth I do not think it's safe to venture upon the ground for though I am convinced how much you are my friend yet I may have the misfortune to fall into the clutches of some other beast and what will become of me then? Oh dear says Reynard is it possible you do not know of the piece that has been so lately proclaimed between all kinds of birds and beasts and that we are for the future to forbear hostilities and to live in harmony under the severest penalties all this while the cock seemed to give little attention to what was said but stretched out his neck as if he saw something at a distance Cousin says the fox what is it that you look at so earnestly why says the cock I think I see a pack of hands yonder a good way off oh then says the fox you're humble servant I must be gone nay pray Cousin do not go says the cock I'm just coming down sure you're not afraid of the dogs in these peaceable times no no says he but ten to one whether they have yet heard application application the moral of this fable principally instructs us not to be too credulous in believing the insinuations of those who are already distinguished by their want of faith and honesty for perfidious people ought ever to be suspected in the reports that favour their own interest when therefore any search would draw us into a compliance or a destructive measures by a pretended civility or plausible relation we should consider such proposals as a bait artfully placed to conceal some fatal hook which is intended to draw us into danger and if by any simple counterplot we can unmask the design and defeat the schemes of the wicked it will not only be innocent but praiseworthy end of section 111 section 112 of fables of esop and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Larry Wilson fables of esop and others by esop the hare and the tortoise a hare vainly boasting of her great speed in running and casting a look of disdain upon a tortoise that was slowly moving along what a poor crawling thing you are said she I can go over a territory of country with the velocity of the wind while you are an hour in accomplishing a journey of half a furlong in a race I could leave you twenty miles behind me in the time you were about reaching the end of one I don't know that said the tortoise and will give you a trial upon this a match was made to run a certain distance and the fox who had heard the dispute was chosen umpire of the race they then started together and away went the hare with great swiftness and soon left the tortoise out of sight and thinking herself certain of winning the race she made a jest of the matter squatted down in a tuft of fern and took a nap concluding and easily make up the lost ground should the tortoise at any time pass by indulging in this security she overslept herself until the tortoise in a continued steady pace arrived first at the fixed distance and won the race application we must not flatter ourselves with coming to the end of our journey and time if we sleep by the way and unnecessary delays in all pressing affairs we have so much time lost action is an important part of the business of life and up and be doing is a motto we ought to keep in mind as it has guided many a plain plotty man with steady aim to carry his point effectually in making his own fortune and at the same time gaining the esteem of the world industry and application to business make amends for the want of a quick and ready wit abilities and vivacity of imagination often presumed too much upon the superiority of their genius and if to this presumption they add pride and conceit they despise the drudgery of business and suffer their affairs to go to disorder or ruin through idleness and neglect into section 112 a man having bought a black amour was so simple as to think that the colour of his skin was only dirt which he had contracted for want of due care under his former master this fault he fancied might easily be removed by washing so he ordered the black amour and the black amour the black amour the black amour the black amour was used by washing so he ordered the poor black to be put into a tub and was at a considerable charge in providing ashes, soap and scrubbing brushes for the operation to work they went rubbing and scouring his skin all over but to no manner of purpose for when they had repeated their washing several times and were grown quite weary all they got by it was that the black amour caught cold application what's bread in the bone will never come out of the flesh nature cannot by any art or labour be changed she may indeed be wrought upon and moulded by good council and discipline but it is in vain to attempt a total transformation of our genius, person or complexion therefore our application aciduity and pains when wrong directed are of no avail we should indeed strive to discover which way the bent of our genius lies that we may apply ourselves to a judicious cultivation and improvement of it but we ought to be sure never to thwart or oppose nature's fixed laws when men aspire to eminence in any of the various arts or sciences without being gifted with the innate powers or abilities for such attainments is only like attempting to wash the black amour white end of section 113 recording by Christine Lehmann section 114 of fables of esoph and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or volunteer please visit LibriVox.org fables of esoph and others by esoph the lion in love the lion by chance the forester's daughter as she was tripping over a lawn and fell in love with her so violent was his passion that he could not live unless he made her his own therefore without more delay he broke his mind to the father and demanded the damsel for his wife the man odd as the proposal seemed at first soon recollected that by complying he might get the lion into his power but by refusing him should only exasperate provoke his rage accordingly he seemed to consent but told him it must be upon these conditions that considering the girl was young and tender he must let his teeth be plucked out and his claws be cut off lest he should hurt her or at least threaten her with the apprehension of them the lion was too much in love to hesitate but was no sooner deprived of his teeth and claws then the treacherous forester attacked him in a huge club and knocked out his brains application of all the ill consequences that may attend the blind passion of love few proof so fatal as that of its drawing people into a sudden and ill concerted marriage in the midst of a fit of madness they commit a rash act of which as soon as they come to themselves they find reason to repent as long as they live many an unthinking young man has been treated as much like a savage in this respect as the lion in the fable he has perhaps had nothing valuable belonging to him but his estate and the documents which formed his title to it and if he is so far captivated as to be persuaded to part with these his teeth and claws are gone and he lies entirely at the mercy of madam and her relations who will most likely not fail to keep him in complete subjection after they have stripped him of all his power nothing but a true friendship and a mutual interest can keep up a reciprocal love between the conjugal pair and when they are wanting contempt and aversion soon step in to supply their place matrimony then becomes a state of downright enmity and hostility and what a miserable case he must be in who has put himself and his whole power into the hands of his enemy but those reflect upon this while they are in their sober senses who pour the thoughts of being portrayed into their ruin by following the impulse of a blind unheeding passion End of section 114 section 115 of fables of ESOP and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Emma Charlotte fables of ESOP and others by ESOP The Fox and the Hedgehog A fox in swimming across a river was forced down by the rapidity of the stream to a place where the bank was so steep and slippery that he could not ascend it while he was struggling in this situation a swarm of flies settled on his head and eyes and tormented him grievously a hedgehog who saw and pitied his condition offered to call in the assistance of the swallow to drive them away no no friend replies the fox I thank you for your kind author but it is better to let this swarm alone for they are already pretty well filled and should they be driven away a fresh and more hungry set would succeed them and suck me until I should not have a drop of blood left in my veins application this fable is recorded by Aristotle who tells us that ESOP spoke it to the Sammians on occasion of a populace edition to dissuade them from deposing their great minister of state lest they might in getting rid of one who was already glutted with their spoils make room for a more hungry and rapacious one in his stead by this it would appear that some ministers of state in ancient times instead of being guided by integrity and patriotism were intent only upon filling their own coffers and aggrandizing and enriching their own relations from the plunder of the people whose affairs they were entrusted with and that they considered them as their prey rather than their charge a succession of such ministers who can be countenanced by weak monarchs only is more calamitous to a nation than plague pestilence and famine for the effects of their mal-administration do not end with their wicked lives but lay the foundation of ruin to nations that would under a patriotic government have been virtuous great and flourishing End of section 115 Section 116 of fables of esoph and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Emma Baker fables of esoph and others by esoph the sparrow and the hare a hare being seized by an eagle squeaked out in a most woeful manner a sparrow that sat upon a tree just by and saw the affair could not forbear being unseasonably witty but called out to the hare so ho watch sit there and be killed pretty up and away I dare say if he would but try so swift a creature as you are would easily escape from an eagle as he was going on with his cruel railery down came a hawk and snapped him up and notwithstanding his cries and lamentations fell to devouring him in an instant the hare who was just expiring addressing her last words to the sparrow said you who just now insulted the misfortune with so much security as you thought may please to show us how well you can bear the like now it has befallen you application to insult people in distress is the characteristic of a cruel indiscreet and giddy temper and he must surely have a very bad heart and no very good head who can look on the day of grief and the hour of distress as a time for impertinent railery if any other arguments were necessary or might be supposed capable of enforcing moral precepts on those who cannot be actuated by humanity it might be added that the vicissitudes of human affairs render such behaviour imprudent as well as barbarous since we cannot tell how soon we may be ourselves reduced to lament the woes which are now the objects of our derision for nobody knows whose turn may be the next end of section 116 section 117 of fables of esoph and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Emma Charlotte fables of esoph and others the man and his two wives a man in times when polygamy was allowed had two wives one of whom like himself had seen her best days and was verging upon the decline of life but possessed many engaging qualities the other was young and beautiful and shared the affection of her husband whom she made as happy as he was capable of being but was not completely so herself the white hairs mixed with the black upon the good man's head gave her some uneasiness by proclaiming with great disparity of their years wherefore under colour of dressing his head she plucked out the silver hairs that he might still have as few visible signs of an advanced age as possible the older Dame for reasons directly opposite has steamed these grey locks as the honours of his head and thought while they gave him a venerable look they made her appear something younger so that every time she combed his head she took equal pains to extirpate the black hairs each continued her project unknown to the other until the poor man who thought their desire to oblige him put them upon this extraordinary auspiciousness in dressing his head found himself without any hair at all application as Christianity has banished polygamy no immediate moral can be derived by husbands from this fable unless we conclude that it is as impossible to serve two mistresses as two masters for whatever we do to please the one will probably offend the other to conciliate the affections of persons whose tempers are opposite is extremely difficult if not impracticable to wives it may teach that those whose love is tempered with a tolerable share of good sense will be sure to have no separate views of their own nor do anything immediately relating to their husbands without consulting them first all that we shall add to what has been said is to observe that many women may ignorantly out of a pure effect of complacence do a thousand disagreeable things to their husbands but in a married state one party should not be guessing at or presuming but inform themselves certainly what will please the other and if a wife use her husband like a friend only the least she can do will indicate to him all the important enterprises she undertakes and especially those which she intends should be for his honour and advantage end of section section 118 of fables of esaupe and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Emma Charlotte fables of esaupe and others by Esaupe Mercury and the Carther Mercury being very desirous to know what credit he had obtained in the world and how he was esteemed among mankind disguised himself and went to the shop of a famous statuary where images were to be sold he saw Jupiter, Juno and himself and most of the other gods and goddesses so pretending that he wanted to buy he asked the prices of several and at length pointing to Jupiter what says he is the lowest price you will take for that a crown says the other and what for that pointing to Juno I must have something more for that Mercury then casting his eye upon the figure of himself with all his symbols about it here am I said he to himself in quality of Jupiter's messenger and the patron of artisans with all my trades about me and then smiling with a self-sufficient hair and pointing to the image and pray friend what is the price of this elegant figure oh! replied the statuary if you will buy Jupiter and Juno I will throw you that into the bargain application if we knew ourselves of what could any of us be vain vanity is the fruit of ignorance and the froth of perverted pride humidity is the constant attendant on men of great talents and good qualities these enable them to see how far they are short of perfection but the vain and arrogant conceive they have attained its height all vain men who affect popularity fancy other people have the same opinion of them that they have of themselves but nothing makes them look so cheap and little in the eyes of discerning people as they're inquiring like Mercury in the fable after their own worth and wanting to know what value others set upon them and those who are so full of themselves as to hunt for praise the traps for commendation will generally be disappointed and be marked out as the emptiest of fellows for it argues a littleness of mind to be too anxious and solicitous concerning our fame he that behaves himself as he should do need not fear procuring a good share of respect and a fair reputation but then these should not be the end or the motive of our pursuits our principal aim should be the welfare of our country our friends and ourselves and should be directed by the rules of honour and virtue end of section section 119 of fables of esoph and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org a fox having tumbled by chance into a well had been in effectually endeavouring a long while to get out again when at last a goat came to the place and wanting to drink asked Reynard whether the water was good good said he I so sweet that I am afraid I have surthurted my soul I have drunk so abundantly the goat upon this without more consideration lept in when the fox mounted upon his back and taking the advantage of his horns bounded up in an instant and left the poor simple goat at the bottom of the well to shift for himself upon the goats reproaching him for his perthody ah master goat said he you have far more hairs in your beard than brains in your head application credulity may be said to be the child of ignorance and the mother of distress a wise man will not suffer himself to be imposed upon by slender artifices and idle tales but the credulous man is easily deluded and subjects himself to numberless misfortunes he is ever the dupe of designing naves and of needy adventurers who are always intent upon serving themselves at the expense of others they tharcen upon opulent men of weak minds as the objects of delusion and for this purpose tempt them with proposals of apparently advantageous schemes which they have ready made out to entice their victims to embark along with them by credulity they hope to establish their own fortune and provided this be done they care not even if the ruin of their unsuspecting associates follow it will likewise ever be found that when an honest man and a nave happen to become partners in the same common interest the latter, when other necessity pinches will be sure to shift for himself and leave the former in the lurch End of section Section 120 of fables of ASOP and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Rachel Marie fables of ASOP and others by ASOP Juno and the Peacock Peacock complained to Juno how hardly he was used in not having so good a voice as the Nightingale that little bird, says he charms every ear with his melody while my horse's screenings disgust everyone who hears them the goddess, concerned of the uneasiness of her favourite bird answered him very kindly to this purpose if the Nightingale be blessed with a fine voice you have the advantage in point of beauty and majesty of person ah! said the Peacock what fails my silent un-leaning beauty when I am so far excelled in voice the goddess dismissed him with this advice consider that the properties of every creature were appointed by the decree of fate to you beauty strength to the eagle to the Nightingale a voice of melody the faculty of speech to the parrot and to the dove innocence each of these is contented with his own peculiar quality and unless you have a mind to be miserable you must learn to be so too application the most useful lesson that we can possibly learn towards the attainment of happiness in this world is to enjoy those blessings that we have in our power without vainly pining after those which we have not instead of being ambitious of having more endowments than nature has allotted to us we should spare no pains to cultivate those we have and which a sourness of temper instead of improving will certainly lessen and impair whoever neglects the happiness within his reach in order to brood over the consideration of how much happier he might have been had his situation been like that of others ingeniously contrives to torment himself and opens a perpetual source of discontent which prevents his ever being at ease he does not reflect or he would soon discover that all the desirable properties in the world are in one man and that those who have had the greatest share of them if of an unhappy disposition still wished for something more and wanted to possess some inherent gifts which shown forth in other men but such persons ought to be put in mind that it does not become mortals to repine at the will of heaven which distributes happiness with an equal hand upon the highest and the lowest of mankind if they were wise enough and grateful enough to perceive it Section 121 of fables of Eesup and others this is a Librebox recording all Librebox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit Librebox.org recording by Chad Horner from Liverpool fables of Eesup and others by Eesup the lion and other beasts the lion having entered into an alliance with other beasts it was agreed for their mutual advantage that they should hunt in company and divide the spoil they accordingly met on a certain day that commenced the chase and air long they ran down and killed a fine fat deer which was instantly divided into four parts they are happening to be then only the lion and three others present after the division was made the lion advancing forward with an air of majesty and pointing to one of the shares was pleased to declare himself after the following manner this I take possession of as my right which devolves to me as I am descended by a true linear hereditary succession from the royal family of lion that pointing to the second acclaimed by I think no unreasonable title considering that the success of all the engagements you have with the enemy depends chiefly upon my courage and conduct and you very well know that wars are too expensive to be carried on without large supplies then nodding his head towards the third that I shall take by virtue of my prerogative to which I make no question but so dutiful and loyal a people will pay all the difference and regard that I desire now as for the remaining part the necessity of our present affairs is so very urgent our stock so low that I must insist upon your granting that without hesitation or demure and hear off feel not at your peril application no alliance is safe which is made with the wicked if they be superior to us in power the most solemn treaties will be disregarded as soon as they can be broken with advantage powerful putting dates when they are regardless of moral obligation consider might only to be right will never want specious pretenses to fervish out their declarations for more hesitant about veigling less powerful states to join them and after subduing the enemy and seizing upon the spoils will fall upon their allies on the slightest pretenses or for no better reason but because they are powerful enough to do so no man ought to be entrusted with unlimited power and when a community has been stupid enough to put the management of their affairs into such hands they have ever found their confidence abused and their property invaded end of section 121 once upon a time the heathen gods agreed to adopt each particular tree into their patronage jupiter chose the oak venus was pleased to name the myrtle apollo pitched upon the laurel kybelle took the pine and hercules the poplar palace being present expressed her surprise at their fancy in making choice of trees that bore nothing oh says jupiter the main reason of that is plain enough for we would not be thought to dispense our favors with any mercenary view you may do as you please says she but let the olive be my tree and I declare my reason for choosing it is because it bears plenty of noble useful fruit upon which the thunderer putting on a serious composed gravity spoke thus to the goddess indeed daughter it is not without cause that you are so celebrated for your wisdom for unless some benefit attend our actions to perform them for the sake of glory and silly business application in all our actions we should intend something useful and beneficial for the standing value of all things is in proportion to their use to undertake affairs with no other view but that of empty glory whatever some curious dreamers may fancy is employing our time after a very foolish manner the almighty created the world out of his infinite goodness for the good of his creatures and not out of a passion for glory which is a vain mean principle and when we talk of glorifying the author of our being if we think reasonably we must mean shooing our gratitude to him by imitating this goodness of his as far as we are able and endeavouring to make some good or other the aim of all our undertakings for if empty glory be unworthy in the pursuit of a wise man how vast the improper must it be to make an offering of it to an all wise deity end of section 122 of fables of asop and others section 123 of fables of asop and others this is a livervox recording all livervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit livervox.org fables of asop and others by asop the viper and the file having entered a smith's shop looked up and down for something to eat when casting his eye upon a file he greedily seized upon it and fell to gnawing it with his teeth after he had spent some time in his attempts to devour it the file told him very gruffly that he had better be quiet and let him alone for he would get very little by nibbling at one who upon occasion could bite iron and steel application this fable is leveled at those spiteful people who take so malignant a pleasure in the design of hurting others as not to feel and understand that they hurt only themselves and at those who are blinded by envy which prompts them rather than not bite at all to fall foul where they cannot expect their nibbling will meet with anything but disappointment as everyone who is biting at that which is too hard for his teeth thus it is that spite and malignity which are twin brothers and the offspring of envy are as well as their parent their own tormentors they intend that the wound same flick should be deadly and the greatest wits and brightest characters in all ages have been the objects of their attacks but the brilliancy of truth and justice at length shines forth and shows the deformity of such characters in the clearest light other people of the same character and disposition of a finer consideration indeed ought not to be passed over unnoticed these may be called nibblers who let their tongues slip very freely in censuring the actions of persons who in the esteem of the world are of such an unquestionable reputation that nobody will believe what is insinuated against them and of such influence through their own veracity that the least word from them would ruin the credit of such adversaries to all intents and purposes the efforts of little villains of this stamp like dirty lickers squirted against the wind recoil back and be spattered their own faces or like the shades of a picture served to set off the brilliant tense of the opposite virtues with support and adorned society end of section 123 Recording by Mark Dixorn For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Larry Wilson The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing A wolf disguising himself in the skin of a sheep and getting in among the flock easily caught and devoured many of them at last the shepherd discovered him and cunningly watched the opportunity of slipping a noose in the air and immediately hung him up on the branch of a tree Some other shepherds observing what he was about drew near and expressed their surprise at it Brother Shepherd says one of them What? Are you hanging your sheep? No, replies the other but I am hanging a wolf in sheep's clothing and I shall never fail to do the same whenever I can catch one of them in that garb The shepherds then expressed themselves pleased at his dexterity and applauded the justice of the execution application We ought not to judge of men by their looks or their dress and appearances but by the character of their lives in conversation and by their works where when we do not examine these we must not be surprised if we find that we have mistaken evil for good and instead of an innocent sheep taking a wolf in disguise under our protection the finished hypocrite by assuming the character of virtue makes the vice more odious and abominable and when the mask is torn off and fraud and imposture are detected every honest man rejoices in the punishment of the offender men who have not had good religious and moral principles early instilled into their minds find no barrier to check their propensity to evil and even the most liberal education if it want the foundation of truth and honesty is often a curse instead of a blessing and the objects of it fail to do honor either to themselves or to their country thus it is we see tyranny stalking along under the mask of care and protection injustice sets up the letter of the law against its spirit oppression strips the widow and the orphan and at the same time preaches up treachery covers itself under a cloak of kindness and above all it is peculiarly painful to find numbers of men even of the learned professions who ought to set an example of property and honor misapply their abilities to twist and pervert the sacred meaning of both law and gospel to the basest and worst of purposes into section 124 section 125 fables of asap and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Mark Dyksorn the fables of asap and others by asap the stag in the ox stall a stag pursued by the hunters took refuge in a stable and begged to the oxen to suffer him to conceal himself under the straw in one of the stalls they told him that he would be in great danger there for both the master and the servants would soon come to fodder them and then he might be sure of meeting his doom ah says the stag if you will be so good as not betray me I hope I shall be safe enough presently in came a servant who gave a careless look around and then went out without any discovery all the other servants of the farm came and went like the first upon this the stag began to exult imagining himself quite secure but a shrewd old ox told him that he was reckoning upon his safety too soon for there was another person to come by whom he would not so readily be looked over accordingly by and by came the master who carefully peeped into every corner and at last and turning over the litter discovered the stag's horn sticking out of the straw upon which he called all his servants back and soon made prize of the poor creature application this fable is leveled at those worthless hirelings who slide over their time in negligent disorder and this not so much for want of capacity as honesty their own private interest almost solely occupying their attention while that of their master whose wages they receive and whose bread they eat are protected such servants deserve not to be inmates in any good man's house but where they are it is absolutely necessary for the governors of families to look into their affairs with their own eyes for though they may happen not to be in personal danger from the treachery of their domestics they are perpetually liable to injuries from their negligence which leaves the master open to the artifices of those who defraud him few families are reduced to poverty merely by their own extravagance the inattention of servants swells every article of expense in domestic economy and the retinue of great men instead of exerting their industry to increase their master's wealth commonly exercised no other office than that of caterpillars to consume and devour it the fate of the stag also warns us not to engage in any hazardous speculation the success of which is to depend upon the ignorance or carelessness of those with whom we have to deal for though we may overreach one or two yet some master eyes sure at least to pierce our covering of straw and make us paid yearly for deviating from the straight road of candor and prudence end of section 125 section 126 of the fables of asap and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Mark Dykesorn the fables of asap and others by asap the fowler and the ring dove a fowler took his gun and went to the woods of shooting he spied a ring dove among the branches of an oak and clapping the piece to his shoulder took his aim and made himself sure of killing it but just as he was going to pull the trigger and adder which he had trod upon under the grass bit him so painfully in the leg that he was obliged to quit his design and throw his gun down in an agony the venom immediately infected his blood and his whole body began to mortify which when he perceived he could not help owning it to be just fate says he has brought destruction upon me while I was contriving the death of another application the mischief that bad men meditate to others commonly like a judgment falls upon their own heads and the punishment of wickedness is so just in itself that the sufferer who has made others feel it cannot if you think rightly but confess that he deserves the like inflicted on himself the hardened unfeeling heart of a cruel and unjust man can however continue to do a thousand bitter things to others until he tastes calamity himself and then only it is that he feels the insupportable uneasiness at occasions why should we think others born to hard treatment more than ourselves or imagine it can be reasonable to do to another what we should think very hard to suffer in our own persons end of section 126 section 127 of fables of asop and others this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Mark Dixorn fables of asop and others by asop the hares and the frogs the hares in a certain park having met to consult upon some plan to preserve themselves from their numerous enemies all agreed that life was full of care and misery and that they saw no prospect of things changing for the better full of these desponding thoughts and just as it had been proposed that they should put an end to their existence a storm arose which tore the branches from the trees and whirled the leaves about their ears panic struck they ran like mad creatures until they were stopped by a lake into which they hastily resolved to throw themselves headlong rather than lead a life so full of dangers and crosses but upon approaching its margin a number of frogs which were sitting there frightened at their sudden approach in the greatest confusion leapt into the water to the bottom which an old hare or sedate than the rest observing called out have a care of what you do here are other creatures I perceive which have their fears as well as we don't then let us fancy ourselves the most miserable of any upon earth but rather by their example learn to bear patiently those inconveniences which nature has thrown upon us application this fable is designed to show us how unreasonable many people are who live in continual fears and disquiet about the miserableness of their condition there is hardly any state of life great enough to satisfy the wishes of an ambitious man and scarcely any so mean but may supply the necessities of him that is moderate there are few beings so very wretched that they cannot pick out others in a more deplorable situation and with whom they would not change cases the rich man envies the poor man's health without considering his wants and the poor man envies the other's treasure without considering his diseases the miseries of others should serve to add vigor to our minds and teach us to bear up against the load of lighter misfortunes but what shall we say to those who have a way of creating themselves panics from the rustling of the wind the scratching of a rat or a mouse behind the hangings the fluttering of a moth or the motion of their own shadow by moonlight their whole life is as full of alarms as that of a hare and they never think themselves so easy as when like the timorous folks in the fable they meet with a set of creatures as fearful as themselves end of section 127 section 128 of fables of asap and others this is a livervox recording all livervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit livervox.org recording by Mark Dixorn fables of asap and others by ASAP the mountains in labor the mountains were said to be in labor and uttered the most dreadful groans people came together far and near to see what birth would be produced and after they had waited a considerable time and expectation out crept a mouse application projectors of all kinds who endeavor by artful rumors large promises and vast preparations to raise the expectations of mankind and then by their mean performances disappoint them have, time out of mind, been lashed with the recital of this fable it should teach us to suspect those who promise very largely and to examine cautiously what grounds they proceed upon and whether their pretensions are not intended to render us their tools or the dupes of their artifices it likewise teaches us not to rely implicitly upon those constant declarations for liberty and the public good which artful politicians use as stepping stones to power but who having raised the people's expectations to the highest pitch and obtained their desire by the public enthusiasm then turned their whole art in cunning to embezzling the public treasure for their own private wicked ends or to ruin and enslave their country or at best but imitate the bad conduct of those whom they turned out by their clamor while the sanguine hopes of all those that wished well to virtue and flattered themselves with a reformation of everything that opposed the well-being of the community vanish away in smoke and are lost in a gloomy, uncomfortable prospect the fable likewise intimates that the uncertain issue of all human undertakings should induce us not to make pompous boasts of ourselves but to guard against promising anything exceedingly great or fear of coming off with a production ridiculously little if we set out modestly and perform more than we engage to do we shall find our fame grow upon us and every unexpected addition we make to our plan will raise us more and more in the good opinion of the world but if, on the contrary we make ample professions of the greatness of our designs and the excellence of our own abilities it will too often happen that instead of swelling our reputation we shall only blow the trumpet to our shame End of section 128