Aesop's Fables (Penguin Classics) - Aesop [14]
LXV
The Fisherman and the Little Fish
One day a fisherman, who earned his living with his nets, caught nothing but one little fish after a long, hard day of work.
“Spare me,” pleaded the little creature. “I beg you. I’m so small that I wouldn’t be much of a meal for you anyway. I haven’t reached my full size yet. If you throw me back into the river, I’ll become bigger and will be worth eating. Then you can come here and catch me again.”
“Do you take me for a fool?” replied the man. “I’ve got you now, and if I let you return to the water, your tune will be, ‘Catch me, if you can.’ ”
Only a fool would pass up a certain gain for an uncertain profit.
LXVI
The Wind and the Sun
The wind and the sun once had an argument as to which was the stronger of the two, and they agreed to settle the issue by holding a contest: whoever could make a traveler take off his coat first would be recognized as the most powerful. The wind began and blew with all his might until he stirred up a blast, cold and fierce as an Alaskan storm. The stronger he blew, however, the tighter the traveler wrapped his coat around him and clasped it with his hands. Then the sun broke out, and with his welcome beams he dispersed the clouds and the cold. The traveler felt the sudden warmth, and as the sun shone brighter and brighter, he sat down, overcome by the heat, and threw his coat on the ground.
Thus the sun was declared the winner, and ever since then, persuasion has been held in higher esteem than force. Indeed, sunshine of a kind and gentle manner will sooner open a poor man’s heart than all the threats and force of blustering authority.
LXVII
The Farmer and the Stork
A farmer set up a net in his field to catch some cranes that had been constantly feeding upon his newly-sown corn. When he went to examine the net and to see what the cranes had taken, there was a stork among them.
“Spare me!” cried the stork. “I’m not a crane. Nor have I eaten any of your corn. As you can see, I’m a poor innocent stork, the most pious and dutiful of birds. I honor and respect my mother and father. I—”
But the farmer cut him short. “All this may be true enough, but I only know that I’ve caught you with those birds who were destroying my crops, and since you were sharing their company, you must share their fate.”
Birds of a feather flock together.
LXVIII
The Lioness
Once when all the beasts were arguing among themselves as to which of the animals could produce the largest number of whelps at birth, they went to the lioness and asked her to settle the dispute.
“And how many do you have at birth?” they asked.
“One,” she said defiantly, “but that one is a lion.”
No matter how much you have, never argue with quality.
LXIX
The Brash Candlelight
A candlelight that had grown fat and saucy with too much grease boasted one evening before a large gathering that it shone brighter than the sun, the moon, and all the stars put together. Right at that moment, a puff of wind came and blew it out. Someone lit it again and said, “Shine on, friend candlelight, but hold your tongue. The lights of heaven are never blown out.”
LXX
The Old Woman and the Physician
An old woman, who had become blind, called in a physician and promised him before witnesses that she would reward him most generously if he could restore her eyesight. However, he was to receive nothing if he did not cure her malady. Upon agreeing to these conditions, the physician treated the old lady’s eyes from time to time without attempting to make much progress. In the meantime he succeeded in carrying off all her goods little by little. After a few weeks had gone by, he finally set about his task in earnest and cured her, whereupon he requested his reward. But, when the old woman recovered her sight, she saw that her house had been ransacked and continually put off the physician with excuses whenever he demanded payment. Consequently, he summoned her before the judges and charged her with neglect of payment. In her defense,