Category: Fables

A wolf, whose gettings from the flocks Began to be but few, Bethought himself to play the foxIn character quite new. A shepherd’s hat and coat he took, A cudgel for a crook, Nor e’en the pipe forgot: And more to seem what he was not, Himself upon his hat…

The king of animals, with royal grace, Would celebrate his birthday in the chase. ‘Twas not with bow and arrows, To slay some wretched sparrows; The lion hunts the wild boar of the wood, The antlered deer and stags, the fat and good. This time, the king, t’ insure success,…

A wolf, affirming his belief That he had suffer’d by a thief, Brought up his neighbour fox — Of whom it was by all confess’d, His character was not the best — To fill the prisoner’s box. As judge between these vermin, A monkey graced the ermine; And truly other…

Two thieves, pursuing their profession, Had of a donkey got possession, Whereon a strife arose, Which went from words to blows. The question was, to sell, or not to sell; But while our sturdy champions fought it well, Another thief, who chanced to pass, With ready wit rode off the…

A grasshopper gay Sang the summer away, And found herself poor By the winter’s first roar. Of meat or of bread, Not a morsel she had! So a-begging she went, To her neighbour the ant, For the loan of some wheat, Which would serve her to eat, Till the season…

God’s works are good. This truth to prove Around the world I need not move; I do it by the nearest pumpkin. “This fruit so large, on vine so small,” Surveying once, exclaim’d a bumpkin — “What could He mean who made us all? He’s left this pumpkin out of…