Aesop's Fables (Penguin Classics) - Aesop [11]
Necessity is the mother of invention.
L
The Lion and the Mouse
A lion was sleeping in his lair when a mouse mistakenly ran over the mighty beast’s nose and awakened him. The lion grabbed the frightened little creature with his paw and was just about to crush him when the mouse began pleading for mercy and declared that he had not consciously intended to offend the lion. Moreover, the mouse sought to convince the lion not to stain his honorable paws with such an insignificant prey. Smiling at his little prisoner’s fright, the lion generously let him go.
Now a short time after this occurrence the lion was caught in a net laid by some hunters while roaming the woods in search of prey. Finding himself entangled in rope without the hope of escape, the lion let out a roar that resounded throughout the entire forest. Recognizing the voice of his former savior, the mouse ran to the spot, and without much ado, began nibbling the knots that had ensnared the lion. In a short time he freed the noble beast and thus convinced him that kindness is seldom wasted and that, no matter how meager a creature may be, he may have it in his power to return a good deed.
Little friends may prove great friends.
LI
The One-Eyed Doe
A one-eyed doe used to graze near the sea, and in order to protect herself from attack, she kept her eye focused on the land in case hunters might approach, while her blind side was turned toward the sea because she did not expect a threat from that direction. But some sailors came rowing by in a boat, and when they saw her, they took aim from the water and shot her. Heaving her last gasp, she sighed, “Unfortunate creature that I am! I was safe on the land side where I expected to be attacked, but found an enemy in the sea to which I looked most for protection.”
Danger often comes from a source that is least suspected.
LII
The Trees and the Ax
A woodsman went into the forest and petitioned the trees to provide him a handle for his ax. It seemed so modest a request that the principal trees granted it right away, and they declared that the plain homely ash should furnish what he needed. No sooner had the woodsman fitted the staff for his purpose, however, than he began chopping down the noblest trees in the woods. By the time the oak grasped the entire matter, it was too late, and he whispered to a neighboring cedar, “With our first concession we lost everything. If we had not sacrificed our humble neighbor, we might still be able to stand for ages.”
When the rich surrender the rights of the poor, they provide a handle to be used against their own privileges.
LIII
The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox Who Went Hunting
One day the lion, the ass, and the fox went hunting together, and it was agreed that whatever they caught would be shared between them. After killing a large stag, they decided to have a hearty meal. The lion asked the ass to divide the spoils, and after the ass made three equal parts, he told his friends to take their pick, whereupon the lion, in great indignation, seized the ass and tore him to pieces. He then told the fox to divide the spoils, and the fox gathered everything into one great pile except for a tiny portion that he reserved for himself.
“Ah, friend,” asked the lion, “who taught you to divide things so equally?”
“I needed no other lesson,” replied the fox, “than the ass’s fate.”
Better to learn from the mistakes of others than by your own.
LIV
The Travelers and the Bear
Two friends were traveling on the same road together when they encountered a bear. Without thinking about his companion, one of the travelers, a nimble fellow, climbed up a tree in great fear and hid himself. The other realized that he had no chance to fight the bear single-handedly, so he threw himself