now was falling fast, when a Goatherd
drove his Goats, all white with snow, into a desert cave for shelter.
There he found that a herd of Wild Goats, more numerous and larger than
his own, had already taken possession. So, thinking to secure them all,
he left his own Goats to take care of themselves, and threw the branches
which he had brought for them to the Wild Goats to browse on. But when
the weather cleared up, he found his own Goats had perished from hunger,
while the Wild Goats were off and away to the hills and woods. So the
Goatherd returned a laughing-stock to his neighbors, having failed to
gain the Wild Goats, and having lost his own.

They who neglect their old friends for the sake of new ones, are rightly
served if they lose both.

The Goose with the Golden Eggs.

[Illustration]

A certain man had the good fortune to possess a Goose that laid him a
Golden Egg every day. But dissatisfied with so slow an income, and
thinking to seize the whole treasure at once, he killed the Goose, and
cutting her open, found her--just what any other goose would be!

Much wants more, and loses all.

The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar.

[Illustration]

An Old Woman found an empty jar which had lately been full of prime old
wine, and which still retained the fragrant smell of its former
contents. She greedily placed it several times to her nose, and drawing
it backwards and forwards, said: "O most delicious! How nice must the
Wine itself have been when it leaves behind in the very vessel which
contained it so sweet a perfume!"

The memory of a good deed lives.

The Ass Carrying Salt.

[Illustration]

A certain Huckster who kept an Ass, hearing that Salt was to be had
cheap at the sea-side, drove down his Ass thither to buy some. Having
loaded the beast as much as he could bear, he was driving him home,
when, as they were passing a slippery ledge of rock, the Ass fell into
the stream below, and the Salt being melted, the Ass was relieved of his
burden, and having gained the bank with ease, pursued his journey
onward, light in body and in spirit. The Huckster soon afterwards set
off for the sea-shore for some more Salt, and loaded the Ass, if
possible, yet more heavily than before. On their return, as they crossed
the stream into which he had formerly fallen, the Ass fell down on
purpose, and by the dissolving of the Salt, was again released from his
load. The Master, provoked at the loss, and