Aesop's Fables (Penguin Classics) - Aesop [29]
The bees readily assented to the wasp’s plan, but the drones declined. As a result, the wasp declared, “It is now clear who made the comb and who cannot make it. The court grants the honey to the bees.”
Professions are best tested by deeds.
CLII
The Kid and the Piping Wolf
A kid who had strayed from the herd was pursued by a wolf. When he saw that there was no hope of escape, he turned around and said to the wolf, “I must admit, indeed, that I am your victim, and since my life will now be very short, let it be a merry one. So, please pipe a tune for me, and I will dance.”
While the wolf was piping and the kid was dancing, the dogs heard the music and ran to see what was going on. When they saw the wolf, they immediately began chasing him, and the wolf took off as fast as his legs would carry him.
Whoever goes out of his way to play the fool should not be surprised if he loses face.
CLIII
The Stallion and the Ass
Adorned with his fine trappings, a stallion, who was on his way to war, came thundering along the road and aroused the envy of a poor ass, who was trudging along the same route with a heavy load on his back.
“Get out of my way,” cried the proud horse, “or I’ll trample you under my feet!”
The ass said nothing but quietly moved to one side to let the horse pass. Not long after this incident, he met the same horse on the same road but in different circumstances. The stallion had been wounded in battle, and his master killed. He himself was now lame, half blind, and obliged to carry a heavy load by a new master, who drove him along with brutal blows of a whip.
The path of contempt is not without its pitfalls.
CLIV
The Mice and the Weasels
The mice and the weasels had been at war with each other for a long time. Since the mice had continually got the worse of the battle, they gathered together at a solemn meeting, where they agreed that their defeats were due to nothing but a lack of discipline. Therefore, they decided to elect regular commanders for the future and chose those whose valor and prowess were suitable for the important positions. The new commanders were proud of their positions and desired to be as conspicuous as possible. So, they put horns on their foreheads as a sort of crest and mark of distinction. Not long after this, the battle with the weasels resumed. Just as before, the mice were soon put to flight. The common soldiers escaped into their holes, but the commanders were hampered by their horns, and every one of them was caught and devoured.
There is no distinction that does not bring some kind of danger with it.
CLV
The Stubborn Goat and the Goatherd
After a stubborn goat had strayed from the herd and stood on the edge of a high rock nibbling grass, the goatherd did his best to bring him back to his companions. He tried calling and whistling without success, and at last, having lost his patience, he picked up a stone and struck one of the goat’s horns, causing it to break. Alarmed at what he had done, the goatherd begged the goat not to tell his master what had happened, but the goat replied, “How foolish can you be! Even if I keep quiet about this incident, my horn will tell the story.”
Facts speak plainer than words.
CLVI
The Boys and the Frogs
Some boys were playing at the edge of a pond when they noticed a number of frogs in the water and began pelting them with stones. They had already killed many of the poor creatures when one of the frogs, more courageous than the rest, lifted his head out of the water and cried out to them, “Stop your cruel game, my boys! What you think is play is death to us.”
What we do in sport often causes great trouble for others.
CLVII
The Mouse and the