Three fables about Water
The Water becomes Vapour The water finding that its element was the lordly ocean, was seized with a desire to rise above the air, and being encouraged by the element of fire and rising as a very subtle vapour, it seemed as though it were really as thin as air. But...
The Fire and the Water
In a dispute with water in a pot, the fire says that water should not stand above fire, which is the king of the elements, and it tries to drive the water from the pot by boiling it. The water, paying the fire the honor of its obedience, descends and drowns the fire....
The Butterfly and the Candle
The vain and wandering butterfly, not content with being able to fly at its ease through the air, overcome by the tempting flame of the candle, decided to fly into it; but its sportive impulse was the cause of a sudden fall, for its delicate wings were burnt in the...
The Candlestick
Some flames had already lasted in the furnace of a glass-blower, when they saw a candle approaching in a beautiful and glittering candlestick. With ardent longing they strove to reach it; and one of them, quitting its natural course, writhed up to an unburnt brand on...
The Fire and the Stone
The flint on being struck by the steel marvelled greatly and said to it in a stern voice, ‘What arrogance prompts you to annoy me? Trouble me not, for you have chosen me by mistake; I have never done harm to any one.’ To which the steel made the answer, ‘If you will...
The Privet and the Blackbird
The privet feeling its tender boughs loaded with young fruit, pricked by the sharp claws and beak of the insolent blackbird, complained to the blackbird with pitious remonstrance entreating her that since she stole its delicious fruits she should not deprive it of the...
The Chestnut and the Fig tree
The chesnut, seeing a man upon the fig-tree, bending its boughs down and pulling off the ripe fruits, which he put into his open mouth destroying and crushing them with his hard teeth, it tossed its long boughs and with a noisy rustle exclaimed: “O fig! how much...
The Nut and the Crow
A nut, having been carried by a crow to the top of a tall campanile and released by falling into a chink from the mortal grip of its beak, it prayed the wall by the grace bestowed on it by God in allowing it to be so high and thick, and to own such fine bells and of...
The Willow and the Magpie bird
The hapless willow, finding that she could not enjoy the pleasure of seeing her slender branches grow or attain to the height she wished, or point to the sky, by reason of the vine and whatever other trees that grew near, but was always maimed and lopped and spoiled,...