THE STAG AND THE VINE

 

171. THE WOLF AND THE BOY   A wolf, who had just enjoyed a good meal and was in a playful mood, caught sight of a boy lying flat upon the ground, and, .realizing that he was trying to hide, and that it was fear of himself that made him do this, he went up to him and said, “Aha, I’ve found you, you see; but if you can say three things to me, the truth of which cannot be disputed, I will spare your life.” The boy plucked up courage and thought for a moment, and then he said, “First, it is a pity you saw me; secondly, I was a fool to let myself be seen; and thirdly, we all hate wolves because they are always making unprovoked attacks upon our flocks.” The wolf replied, “Well, what you say is true enough from your point of view; so you may go.”

172. THE MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR ASS  A miller, accompanied by his young son, was driving his ass to market in hopes of finding a purchaser for him. On the road they met a troop of girls, laughing and talking, who exclaimed, “Did you ever see such a pair of fools? To be trudging along the dusty road when they might be riding!” The miller thought there was sense in what they said; so he made his son mount the ass, and himself walked at the side. Presently they met some of his old cronies, who greeted them and said, “You’ll spoil that son of yours, letting him ride while you toil along on foot! Make him walk, young lazybones! It’ll do him all the good in the world.” The miller followed their advice, and took his son’s place on the back of the ass, while the boy trudged along behind. They had not gone far when they overtook a party of women and children, and the miller heard them say, “What a selfish old man! He himself rides in comfort, but lets his poor little boy follow as best he can on his own legs!” So he made his son get up behind him. Further along the road they met some travelers, who asked the miller whether the ass he was riding was his own property, or a beast hired for the occasion. He replied that it was his own, and that he was taking it to market to sell. “Good heavens!” said they. “With a load like that the poor beast will be so exhausted by the time he gets there that no one will look at him. Why, you’d do better to carry him!” “Anything to please you,” said the old man. “We can but try.” So they got off, tied the ass’s legs together with a rope and slung him on a pole, and at last reached the town, carrying him between them. This was so absurd a sight that the people ran out in crowds to laugh at it, and chaffed the father and son unmercifully, some even calling them lunatics. They had then got to a bridge over the river, where the ass, frightened by the noise and his unusual situation, kicked and struggled till he broke the ropes that bound him, and fell into the water and was drowned. Whereupon the unfortunate miller, vexed and ashamed, made the best of his way home again, convinced that in trying to please all, he had pleased none, and had lost his ass into the bargain.

173. THE STAG AND THE VINE  A stag, pursued by the huntsmen, concealed himself under cover of a thick vine. They lost track of him and passed by . his hiding place without being aware that he was anywhere near. Supposing all danger to be over, he presently began to browse on the leaves of the vine. The movement drew the attention of the returning huntsmen, and one of them, supposing some animal to be hidden there, shot an arrow at a venture into the foliage. The unlucky stag was pierced to the heart, and, as he expired, he said, “I deserve my fate for my treachery in feeding upon the leaves of my protector.” Ingratitude sometimes brings its own punishment.

174. THE LAMB CHASED BY A WOLF  A wolf was chasing a lamb, which took refuge in a temple. The wolf urged it to come out of the precincts, and said, “If you donʼt, the priest is sure to catch you and offer you up in sacrifice on the altar.” To which the lamb replied, “Thanks, I think I’ll stay where I am. I’d rather be sacrificed any day than be eaten up by a wolf.”

175. THE ARCHER AND THE LION  An archer went up into the hills to get some sport with his bow, and all the animals fled at the sight of him with the exception of the lion, who stayed behind and challenged him to fight. But he shot an arrow at the lion and hit him, and said, “There, you see what my messenger can do. Just you wait a moment and I’ll tackle you myself.” The lion, however, when he felt the sting of the arrow, ran away as fast as his legs could carry him. A fox, who had seen it all happen, said to the lion, “Come, don’t be a coward. Why don’t you stay and show fight?” But the lion replied, “You won’t get me to stay, not you. Why, when he sends a messenger like that before him, he must himself be a terrible fellow to deal with. ” Give a wide berth to those who can do damage at a distance.