Aesop's Fables (Penguin Classics) - Aesop [21]
“Don’t blame me,” responded the dolphin. “Blame my nature. No matter how powerful I am at sea, my nature makes me helpless on land.”
In choosing allies, make sure that they are not only willing to help but have the power to do so.
CVI
The Comedian and the Farmer
A wealthy patrician once treated the people of Rome to great theatrical acts and publicly offered a prize to anyone who could perform something unique. Stimulated by this offer, numerous actors arrived from all over the country to compete for the prize, and among them was a well-known, witty comedian, who spread the news that he would do something extraordinary. When the people heard his news, the whole city came together, and the theater could barely hold the number of spectators who came to see the spectacle. When the comedian appeared alone on stage without any props or assistants, curiosity and suspense mounted, keeping the spectators in profound silence. All of a sudden the comedian thrust his head into his bosom and mimicked the squealing of a young pig in such a natural way that the audience believed he had one under his cloak and ordered him to be searched. Yet, once this was done, nothing could be found, and they celebrated this event with the most extravagant applause imaginable.
A farmer was in the audience, and when he witnessed this unique act, he remarked, “Oh, I can do better than that!” And all at once he announced that he would perform the next day.
As a result, an even larger crowd gathered the following day. However, most of the people were biased in favor of the comedian, and they came to laugh at the farmer rather than give him a fair chance. When the two men came out on stage, the comedian grunted away first, and his performance was received with great clapping and applause. Then the farmer pretended that he had concealed a little pig under his clothes (which he had really done) and pinched its ear until he made it squeal.
The people cried out that the comedian had imitated the pig much more naturally and began hooting and demanding that the farmer leave the stage. But to show them how wrong they were, the farmer produced the real pig from his bosom.
"And now, gentlemen," he said, "you can decide for yourselves what sad judges you make!"
It is easier to convince a man against his senses than against his will.
CVII
The Dog Invited to Supper
A rich gentleman invited a nobleman to dine with him, and extraordinary preparations were made for the repast. At the same time the gentleman’s dog met the nobleman’s dog, and he, too, said, “Come, my good fellow, and sup with us tonight.”
The nobleman’s dog was delighted with the invitation and arrived early to watch the preparations for the feast.
“What a splendid meal this will be!” he said to himself. “What good luck! I’ll revel in the delicious food, and I’ll take good care to store away a few things tonight, for I may have nothing to eat tomorrow.”
As he said this to himself, he wagged his tail and gave a sly look to his friend who had invited him. But his wagging tail caught the cook’s eye, and he immediately grabbed the strange dog by the legs and threw him out of the window. When the dog landed on the ground, he began yelping and running down the street. Thereupon, the neighbor’s dogs ran up to him and asked him how he had liked his supper.
“To tell you the truth,” he said with a sorry smile, “I hardly know, for we drank so much that I can’t even tell you how I got out of the house.”
Those who enter through the back door can expect to be shown out through the window.
CVIII
The Ass Loaded with Salt
There was once a huckster who kept an ass, and when he heard that some cheap salt was being sold at the seaside, he drove his ass there to buy some. After having loaded the ass with as much salt as it could carry, the huckster drove him home alongside a slippery ledge of rock, until the ass accidentally fell into the river below. When the salt dissolved, the ass was relieved of his burden so that he reached the bank with ease. Then he continued his journey, light