As a Wolf was lapping at the head of a running brook, he spied a stray Lamb paddling, at some distance down the stream.
Having made up his mind to make his dinner off her, he bethought himself how he might begin the quarrel.
"Wretch", said he to her,
"how dare you muddle the water that I am drinking?"
"Indeed," said the Lamb humbly ,
"I do not see how I can disturb the water, since it runs from you to me, not from me to you."
"Be that as it may," replied the Wolf , "it was but a year ago that you called me many ill names."
"Oh, sir," said the Lamb trembling , "a year ago I was not born."
"No matter, it was your father then, or some of your relations," and immediately seizing the innocent Lamb, he tore her to pieces.
For adults :
For children :
The Bee and Jupiter
A BEE from Mount Hymettus, the queen of the hive, ascended to Olympus to present Jupiter some honey fresh from her combs.
Jupiter, delighted with the offering of honey, promised to give whatever she should ask.
She therefore besought him, saying, “Give me, I pray thee, a sting, that if any mortal shall approach to take my honey,
I may kill him.” Jupiter was much displeased, for he loved the race of man,
but could not refuse the request because of his promise.
He thus answered the Bee: “You shall have your request,
but it will be at the peril of your own life. For if you use your sting,
it shall remain in the wound you make, and then you will die from the loss of it.”
Evil wishes, like chickens, come home to roost.
Listen to the fable
The Two Dogs
A MAN had two dogs: a Hound, trained to assist him in his sports, and a Housedog, taught to watch the house.
When he returned home after a good day’s sport, he always gave the Housedog a large share of his spoil.
The Hound, feeling much aggrieved at this, reproached his companion, saying, “It is very hard to have all this labor, while you, who do not assist in the chase, luxuriate on the fruits of my exertions.”
The Housedog replied, “Do not blame me, my friend, but find fault with the master,
who has not taught me to labor, but to depend for subsistence on the labor of others.”
Children are not to be blamed for the faults of their parents.
