Fables

"The Fox and The Grapes" - It was a sunny day and fox was walking across the fields. Soon he came to a vineyard. As he came nearer, he could see some bunches of juicy grapes. The fox looked carefully around him. He had to make sure that he was safe from the hunters. He decided to steal some before anyone came along. He jumped upwards but he could not reach the grapes. He jumped again as high as he could. He still could not reach them. The grapes were just too high for him! He was not ready to give up. He backed off, took some running steps and leapt into the air towards the grapes. Again he failed to reach them. It was getting dark, and he was getting angry. His legs hurt with all that running and jumping. At last he stopped trying. As he walked away, he said to himself, “I don’t really want those grapes. I’m sure they are too sour to eat.” Moral: It’s easy to despise what you cannot have.

"The Rabbit and The Turtle" - Tortoise one day met a hare who made fun of her. “My, my, you move so slowly, you will never get far!” The tortoises, upset by the hare’s manner, said, “Let’s have a race and see who is faster.” The hare laughed and said, “You must be joking! But all right, we’ll see who reaches the other side of the hill first.” Off he ran, leaving the tortoise far behind. After a while, the hare stopped to wait for the tortoise to come long. He waited and waited till he felt sleepy. “I might as well take a nap,” he thought. “Even if she catches up with me, I can easily win the race.” So he lay down under a shady tree and closed his eyes. When the tortoise passed the sleeping hare, she walked on slowly but steadily. By the time the hare woke up, the tortoise was near the finishing line. He ran as fast as he could, but he could not catch up with the tortoise. Moral: never underestimate the weakest opponent.

"The Lion and The Mouse" - A Mouse running over his face awakened a Lion from sleep. Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him. Then the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: “If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness.” The Lion laughed at him but allowed him go. It happened shortly after this that some hunters, who bound him by strong ropes to the ground, caught the Lion. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set him free, exclaiming: “You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, never expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor, Now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion.” Moral: It is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion.

"The Stag at the River" - A Stag, very thirsty because of the heat, came to a river in a forest to drink some water. He saw his shadow reflected in the water, and greatly admired the size of his horns, but felt ashamed of his weak and thin legs. “I wish my legs were as beautiful as my horns,” he sobbed. While he was lost in these thoughts, a Lion appeared at the river. The Stag fled from the river in an instant, but his horns soon became entangled with the branches and he found himself stuck The Lion quickly caught up with him and captured him. “How wrong I was to despise my legs which could have saved me now, had it not been for my horns which I so admired!” he cried. Moral: The most valuable things are often disregarded.

"The Ant and the Grasshopper" - One summer's day, a merry Grasshopper was dancing, singing and playing his violin with all his heart. He saw an Ant passing by, bearing along with great toil a wheatear to store for the winter. “Come and sing with me instead of working so hard”, said the Grasshopper “Let’s have fun together.” “I must store food for the winter”, said the Ant, “and I advise you to do the same.” “Don’t worry about winter, it’s still very far away”, said the Grasshopper, laughing at him. But the Ant wouldn’t listen and continued his toil. When the winter came, the starving Grasshopper went to the Ant’s house and humbly begged for something to eat. “If you had listened to my advice in the summer you would not now be in need,” said the Ant. “I’m afraid you will have to go supperless to bed,” and he closed the door. Moral: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.