THE FOX AND THE LION

 


86. THE SHIPWRECKED MAN AND THE SEA  A shipwrecked man cast up on the beach fell asleep after his struggle with the waves. When he woke up, he bitterly reproached the sea for its treachery in enticing men with its smooth and smiling surface, and then, when they were well embarked, turning in fury upon them and sending both ship and sailors to destruction. The sea arose in the form of a woman, and replied, “Lay not the blame on me, 0 sailor, but on the winds. By nature I am as calm and safe as the land itself, but the winds fall upon me with their gusts and gales, and lash me into a fury that is not natural to me.”


87. THE WILD BOAR AND THE FOX  A wild boar was engaged in whetting his tusks upon the trunk of a tree in the forest when a fox came by and, seeing what he was at, said to him, “Why are you doing that, pray? The huntsmen are not out today, and there are no other dangers at hand that I can see.” “True, my friend,” replied the boar, “but the instant my life is in danger I shall need to use my tusks. There’ll be no time to sharpen them then.”


88. MERCURY AND THE SCULPTOR  Mercury was very anxious to know in what estimation he was held by mankind, so he disguised himself as a man and walked into a sculptor’s studio where there were a number of statues finished and ready for sale. Seeing a statue of Jupiter among the rest, he inquired the price of it. “A crown,” said the sculptor. “Is that all?” said he, laughing. “And (pointing to one of Juno) how much is that one?” “That,” was the reply, “is half a crown.” “And how much might you be wanting for that one over there, now?” he continued, pointing to a statue of himself. “That one?” said the sculptor. “Oh, I’ll throw him in for nothing if you’ll buy the other two.”


89. THE FAWN AND HIS MOTHER  A hind said to her fawn, who was now well grown and strong, “My son, nature has given you a powerful body and a stout pair of horns, and I can’t think why you are such a coward as to run away from the hounds.” Just then they both heard the sound of a pack in full cry, but at a considerable distance. “You stay where you are,” said the hind. “Never mind me.” And with that she ran off as fast as her legs could carry her.


90. THE FOX AND THE LION  A fox who had never seen a lion one day met one, and was so terrified at the sight of him that he was ready to die with fear. After a time he met him again, and was still rather frightened, but not nearly so much as he had been when he met him first. But when he saw him for the third time he was so far from being afraid that he went up to him and began to talk to him as if he had known him all his life.

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