FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   >>  
derided him and said, "Aha! you never thought to come to this, did you, you who were so proud! Where are all your gay trappings now?" THE DOG CHASING A WOLF A Dog was chasing a Wolf, and as he ran he thought what a fine fellow he was, and what strong legs he had, and how quickly they covered the ground. "Now, there's this Wolf," he said to himself, "what a poor creature he is: he's no match for me, and he knows it and so he runs away." But the Wolf looked round just then and said, "Don't you imagine I'm running away from you, my friend: it's your master I'm afraid of." GRIEF AND HIS DUE When Jupiter was assigning the various gods their privileges, it so happened that Grief was not present with the rest: but when all had received their share, he too entered and claimed his due. Jupiter was at a loss to know what to do, for there was nothing left for him. However, at last he decided that to him should belong the tears that are shed for the dead. Thus it is the same with Grief as it is with the other gods. The more devoutly men render to him his due, the more lavish is he of that which he has to bestow. It is not well, therefore, to mourn long for the departed; else Grief, whose sole pleasure is in such mourning, will be quick to send fresh cause for tears. THE HAWK, THE KITE, AND THE PIGEONS The Pigeons in a certain dovecote were persecuted by a Kite, who every now and then swooped down and carried off one of their number. So they invited a Hawk into the dovecote to defend them against their enemy. But they soon repented of their folly: for the Hawk killed more of them in a day than the Kite had done in a year. THE WOMAN AND THE FARMER A Woman, who had lately lost her husband, used to go every day to his grave and lament her loss. A Farmer, who was engaged in ploughing not far from the spot, set eyes upon the Woman and desired to have her for his wife: so he left his plough and came and sat by her side, and began to shed tears himself. She asked him why he wept; and he replied, "I have lately lost my wife, who was very dear to me, and tears ease my grief." "And I," said she, "have lost my husband." And so for a while they mourned in silence. Then he said, "Since you and I are in like case, shall we not do well to marry and live together? I shall take the place of your dead husband, and you, that of my dead wife." The Woman consented to the plan, which indeed seemed reason
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   >>  



Top keywords:

husband

 

Jupiter

 

dovecote

 
thought
 
FARMER
 

Farmer

 
engaged
 

ploughing

 

lament

 

repented


carried
 

number

 

swooped

 

persecuted

 

trappings

 
invited
 

killed

 

defend

 

derided

 
mourned

silence

 
reason
 

consented

 

plough

 

desired

 

CHASING

 

replied

 
received
 

happened

 

present


entered

 

strong

 

quickly

 

claimed

 

ground

 

covered

 

privileges

 

creature

 

running

 

friend


master

 

looked

 

imagine

 

afraid

 

assigning

 

However

 
pleasure
 

mourning

 

departed

 

PIGEONS