fantastic fables- 第18部分

〃The　coldness　of　the　human　heart；〃　he　said；　with　a　grin；　〃will　keep　



the　creature　in　his　present　condition　until　I　can　reach　home　and　



revive　him　on　the　coals。〃







But　the　pleasures　of　hope　so　fired　his　heart　that　the　Viper　thawed；　



and　sliding　to　the　ground　thanked　the　Man　civilly　for　his　



hospitality　and　glided　away。















The　Man　and　the　Eagle















AN　Eagle　was　once　captured　by　a　Man；　who　clipped　his　wings　and　put　



him　in　the　poultry　yard；　along　with　the　chickens。　　The　Eagle　was　



much　depressed　in　spirits　by　the　change。







〃Why　should　you　not　rather　rejoice？〃　said　the　Man。　　〃You　were　only　



an　ordinary　fellow　as　an　eagle；　but　as　an　old　rooster　you　are　a　



fowl　of　incomparable　distinction。















The　War…horse　and　the　Miller















HAVING　heard　that　the　State　was　about　to　be　invaded　by　a　hostile　



army；　a　War…horse　belonging　to　a　Colonel　of　the　Militia　offered　his　



services　to　a　passing　Miller。







〃No；〃　said　the　patriotic　Miller；　〃I　will　employ　no　one　who　deserts　



his　position　in　the　hour　of　danger。　　It　is　sweet　to　die　for　one's　



country。〃







Something　in　the　sentiment　sounded　familiar；　and；　looking　at　the　



Miller　more　closely　the　War…horse　recognised　his　master　in　



disguise。















The　Dog　and　the　Reflection















A　DOG　passing　over　a　stream　on　a　plank　saw　his　reflection　in　the　



water。







〃You　ugly　brute！〃　he　cried；　〃how　dare　you　look　at　me　in　that　



insolent　way。〃







He　made　a　grab　in　the　water；　and；　getting　hold　of　what　he　supposed　



was　the　other　dog's　lip；　lifted　out　a　fine　piece　of　meat　which　a　



butcher's　boy　had　dropped　into　the　stream。















The　Man　and　the　Fish…horn















A　TRUTHFUL　Man；　finding　a　musical　instrument　in　the　road；　asked　the　



name　of　it；　and　was　told　that　it　was　a　fish…horn。　　The　next　time　he　



went　fishing　he　set　his　nets　and　blew　the　fish…horn　all　day　to　



charm　the　fish　into　them；　but　at　nightfall　there　were　not　only　no　



fish　in　his　nets；　but　none　along　that　part　of　the　coast。　　Meeting　a　



friend　while　on　his　way　home　he　was　asked　what　luck　he　had　had。







〃Well；〃　said　the　Truthful　Man；　〃the　weather　is　not　right　for　



fishing；　but　it's　a　red…letter　day　for　music。〃















The　Hare　and　the　Tortoise















A　HARE　having　ridiculed　the　slow　movements　of　a　Tortoise；　was　



challenged　by　the　latter　to　run　a　race；　a　Fox　to　go　to　the　goal　and　



be　the　judge。　　They　got　off　well　together；　the　hare　at　the　top　of　



her　speed；　the　Tortoise；　who　had　no　other　intention　than　making　his　



antagonist　exert　herself；　going　very　leisurely。　　After　sauntering　



along　for　some　time　he　discovered　the　Hare　by　the　wayside；　



apparently　asleep；　and　seeing　a　chance　to　win　pushed　on　as　fast　as　



he　could；　arriving　at　the　goal　hours　afterward；　suffering　from　



extreme　fatigue　and　claiming　the　victory。







〃Not　so；〃　said　the　Fox；　〃the　Hare　was　here　long　ago；　and　went　back　



to　cheer　you　on　your　way。〃















Hercules　and　the　Carter















A　CARTER　was　driving　a　waggon　loaded　with　a　merchant's　goods；　when　



the　wheels　stuck　in　a　rut。　　Thereupon　he　began　to　pray　to　Hercules；　



without　other　exertion。







〃Indolent　fellow！〃　said　Hercules；　〃you　ask　me　to　help　you；　but　will　



not　help　yourself。〃







So　the　Carter　helped　himself　to　so　many　of　the　most　valuable　goods　



that　the　horses　easily　ran　away　with　the　remainder。















The　Lion　and　the　Bull















A　LION　wishing　to　lure　a　Bull　to　a　place　where　it　would　be　safe　to　



attack　him；　said：　〃My　friend；　I　have　killed　a　fine　sheep；　will　you　



come　with　me　and　partake　of　the　mutton？〃







〃With　pleasure；〃　said　the　Bull；　〃as　soon　as　you　have　refreshed　



yourself　a　little　for　the　journey。　　Pray　have　some　grass。〃















The　Man　and　his　Goose















〃SEE　these　valuable　golden　eggs；〃　said　a　Man　that　owned　a　Goose。　　



〃Surely　a　Goose　which　can　lay　such　eggs　as　those　must　have　a　gold　



mine　inside　her。〃







So　he　killed　the　Goose　and　cut　her　open；　but　found　that　she　was　



just　like　any　other　goose。　　Moreover；　on　examining　the　eggs　that　



she　had　laid　he　found　they　were　just　like　any　other　eggs。















The　Wolf　and　the　Feeding　Goat















A　WOLF　saw　a　Goat　feeding　at　the　summit　of　a　rock；　where　he　could　



not　get　at　her。







〃Why　do　you　stay　up　there　in　that　sterile　place　and　go　hungry？〃　



said　the　Wolf。　　〃Down　here　where　I　am　the　broken…bottle　vine　cometh　



up　as　a　flower；　the　celluloid　collar　blossoms　as　the　rose；　and　the　



tin…can　tree　brings　forth　after　its　kind。〃







〃That　is　true；　no　doubt；〃　said　the　Goat；　〃but　how　about　the　circus…



poster　crop？　　I　hear　that　it　failed　this　year　down　there。〃







The　Wolf；　perceiving　that　he　was　being　chaffed；　went　away　and　



resumed　his　duties　at　the　doors　of　the　poor。















Jupiter　and　the　Birds















JUPITER　commanded　all　the　birds　to　appear　before　him；　so　that　he　



might　choose　the　most　beautiful　to　be　their　king。　　The　ugly　



jackdaw；　collecting　all　the　fine　feathers　which　had　fallen　from　the　



other　birds；　attached　them　to　his　own　body　and　appeared　at　the　



examination；　looking　very　gay。　　The　other　birds；　recognising　their　



own　borrowed　plumage；　indignantly　protested；　and　began　to　strip　



him。







〃Hold！〃　said　Jupiter；　〃this　self…made　bird　has　more　sense　than　any　



of　you。　　He　is　your　king。〃















The　Lion　and　the　Mouse















A　LION　who　had　caught　a　Mouse　was　about　to　kill　him；　when　the　Mouse　



said：







〃If　you　will　spare　my　life；　I　will　do　as　much　for　you　some　day。〃







The　Lion；　good…naturedly　let　him　go。　　It　happened　shortly　



afterwards　that　the　Lion　was　caught　by　some　hunters　and　bound　with　



cords。　　The　Mouse；　passing　that　way；　and　seeing　that　his　benefactor　



was　helpless；　gnawed　off　his　tail。















The　Old　Man　and　His　Sons

















AN　Old　Man；　afflicted　with　a　family　of　contentious　Sons；　brought　in　



a　bundle　of　sticks　and　asked　the　young　men　to　break　it。　　After　



repeated　efforts　they　confessed　that　it　could　not　be　done。　　



〃Behold；〃　said　the　Old　Man；　〃the　advantage　of　unity；　as　long　as　



these　sticks　are　in　alliance　they　are　invincible；　but　observe　how　



feeble　they　are　individually。〃







Pulling　a　single　stick　from　the　bundle；　he　broke　it　easily　upon　the　



head　of　the　eldest　Son；　and　this　he　repeated　until　all　had　been　



served。















The　Crab　and　His　Son















A　LOGICAL　Crab　said　to　his　Son；　〃Why　do　you　not　walk　straight　



forward？　　Your　sidelong　gait　is　singularly　ungraceful。〃







〃Why　don't　you　walk　straight　forward　yourself；〃　said　the　Son。







〃Erring　youth；〃　replied　the　Logical　Crab；　〃you　are　introducing　new　



and　irrelevant　matter。〃















The　North　Wind　and　the　Sun















THE　Sun　and　the　North　Wind　disputed　which　was　the　more　powerful；　



and　agreed　that　he　should　be　declared　victor　who　could　the　sooner　



strip　a　traveller　of　his　clothes。　　So　they　waited　until　a　traveller　



came　by。　　But　the　traveller　had　been　indiscreet　enough　to　stay　over　



night　at　a　summer　hotel；　and　had　no　clothes。















The　Mountain　and　the　Mouse















A　MOUNTAIN　was　in　labour；　and　the　people　of　seven　cities　had　



assembled　to　watch　its　movements　and　hear　its　groans。　　While　they　



waited　in　breathless　expectancy　out　came　a　Mouse。







〃Oh；　what　a　baby！〃　they　cried　in　derision。







〃I　may　be　a　baby；〃　said　the　Mouse；　gravely；　as　he　passed　outward　



through　the　forest　of　shins；　〃but　I　know　tolerably　well　how　to　



diagnose　a　volcano。〃















The　Bellamy　and　the　Members















THE　Members　of　a　body　of　Socialists　rose　in　insurrection　against　



their　Bellamy。







〃Why；〃　said　they；　〃should　we　be　all　the　time　tucking　you　out　with　



food　when　you　do　nothing　to　tuck　us　out？〃







So；　resolving　to　take　no　further　action；　they　went　away；　and　



looking　backward　had　the　satisfaction　to　see　the　Bellamy　compelled　



to　sell　his　own　book。



















OLD　SAWS　WITH　NEW　TEETH



CERTAIN　ANCIENT　FABLES　APPLIED　TO



THE　LIFE　OF　OUR　TIMES



















The　Wolf　and　the　Crane















A　RICH　Man　wanted　to　tell　a　certain　lie；　but　the　lie　was　of　such　



monstrous　size　that　it　stuck　in　his　throat；　so　he　employed　an　



Editor　to　write　it　out　and　publish　it　in　his　paper　as　an　editorial。　　



But　when　the　Editor　presented　his　bill；　the　Rich　Man　said：







〃Be　content　…　is　it　nothing　that　I　refrained　from　advising　you　



about　investments？〃















The　Lion　and　the　Mouse















A　JUDGE　was　awakened　by　the　noise　of　a　lawyer　prosecuting　a　Thief。　　



Rising　in　wrath　he　was　about　to　sentence　the　Thief　to　life　



imprisonment　when　the　latter　said：







〃I　beg　that　you　will　set　me　free；　and　I　will　some　day　requite　your　



kindness。〃







Pleased　and　flattered　to　be　bribed；　although　by　nothing　but　an　



empty　promise；　the　Judge　let　him　go。　　Soon　afterward　he　found　that　



it　was　more　than　an　empty　promise；　for；　having　become　a　Thief；　he　



was　himself　set　free　by　the　other；　who　had　become　a　Judge。















The　Hares　and　the　Frogs















THE　Members　of　a　Legislature；　being　told　that　they　were　the　meanest　



thieves　in　the　world；　resolved　to　commit　suicide。　　So　they　bought　



shrouds；　and　laying　them　in　a　convenient　place　prepared　to　cut　



their　throats。　　While　they　were　grinding　their　razors　some　Tramps　



passing　that　way　stole　the　shrouds。







〃Let　us　live；　my　friends；〃　said　one　of　the　Legislators　to　the