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By Root 189 0

proceeded for some distance by land. When they came to the pond, the frog told the mouse to trust him and be brave as he began swimming across the water. But, no sooner had they reached the middle of the pond than the frog suddenly plunged to the bottom, dragging the unfortunate mouse after him. Now the struggling and floundering mouse made such a great commotion in the water that he managed to attract the attention of a hawk, who pounced upon the mouse and carried him away to be devoured. Since the frog was still tied to the mouse, he shared the same fate of his companion and was justly punished for his treachery.

Whoever plots the downfall of his neighbor is often betrayed by his own treachery.

XLV

The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf

A shepherd boy, who tended his flock not far from a village, used to amuse himself at times by crying out “Wolf! Wolf!” His trick succeeded two or three times, and the whole village came running to his rescue. However, the villagers were simply rewarded with laughter for their pains.

One day the wolf really did come, and the boy cried out in earnest. But his neighbors thought that he was up to his old tricks and paid no attention to his cries. Consequently, the sheep were left at the mercy of the wolf.

Even when liars tell the truth, they are never believed.

XLVI

The Peach, the Apple, and the Blackberry

The peach and the apple decided to have a contest to determine which one was more beautiful than the other. However, when tempers flared and the competition appeared to be getting out of hand, a blackberry thrust his head from a nearby bush and cried out, “This dispute’s gone on long enough. Let’s all be friends and stop this nonsense!”

The loudest quarrels are often the most petty.

XLVII

The Hare and the Hound

A hound scared a hare from a bush and chased him for some distance, but the hare was faster and got away. A goatherd, who happened to pass by at the time, mocked the hound for letting a scrawny hare outrun him.

. “You forget,” replied the hound, “that it’s one thing to run for your dinner and another to run for your life.”

XLVIII

The Stag in the Ox Stall

Hard pressed by the hounds, a stag was driven out of his cover and bolted in terror over the fields. Blind through fear, he took refuge in a farmyard and hid himself in an ox stall, which happened to be open. As he was trying to conceal himself under some straw, an ox asked, “Don’t you know that it’s certain death if you stay here?”

“Just don’t betray me,” said the stag, “and I’ll be off again at my first opportunity.”

Toward evening the herdsman came to feed the cattle, but did not notice the stag. The other farm servants came in and out of the barn, and the stag remained safe. Then, after the foreman passed though, everything seemed all right. So the stag now felt quite secure and began to thank the oxen for their silence and hospitality.

“Wait awhile,” said one of them. “We really wish you well, but there’s another person that may give you trouble, one with a hundred eyes. If he should happen to come this way, I fear that your life will still be in jeopardy.”

While he was speaking, the master, having finished his supper, made the rounds to see that everything was safe for the night, for he thought that his cattle had not been looking as well as they should be. When he went up to the rack, he asked his servants, “Why is there so little fodder here? Why isn’t there more straw?” Then he added, “I wonder how long it would take to sweep out those cobwebs?”

As he began prying and looking here, there, and everywhere, he caught sight of the stag’s antlers jutting out from the straw, and he immediately called in his servants, who seized the poor beast.

Nothing escapes the master’s eye.

XLIX

The Crow and the Pitcher

A crow, on the verge of dying with thirst, spied a pitcher in the distance and flew to it with joy. But when he arrived, he discovered to his grief it contained so little water that he could not possibly get at it, despite all his efforts. At one point he decided to turn