Aesop's Fables, Volume 10 (Fables 226-250)-Aesop

0:00This is a Libervox recording. All Libervox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libervox.org. Esubs Fables The Weasel and the Man Recorded by Maria Chilano A man once called a Weasel, which was always sneaking about the house and was just going to drown it in a tub of water when it begged hard for its life and said to him, Surely you haven't the heart to put me to death. Think how useful I have been in clearing your house of the mice and lizards which he used to infest it and show your gratitude by sparing my life. You have not been altogether useless? I grant you, said the man, but who killed the fowls? Who stole the meat? No, no. You do much more harm than good and die, you shall. And of the Weasel and the Man.

1:02This is a Libervox recording. All Libervox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libervox.org. Recorded by Nicole Dulin On the web at NicoleDulin.com March 2006 Esubs Fables The plowman, the ass, and the ox. A plowman yoked his ox and his ass together and set to work to plow his field. It was a poor makeshift of a team, but it was the best he could do as he had but a single ox. At the end of the day when the beasts were loosed from the yoke. The ass said to the ox, Well, we've had a hard day, which of us is to carry the master home. The ox looks surprised at the question. Why said he, you to be sure as usual?

2:02And of the plowman, the ass, and the ox. Recorded by Nicole Dulin on the web at NicoleDulin.com This is a Libervox recording. All Libervox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibRavox.org Recorded by NicoleDulin on the web at NicoleDulin.com Esubs Fables Demades and his Fable Demades the order was once speaking in the assembly at Athens, but the people were very inattentive to what he was saying, so he stopped and said, Gentlemen, I should like to tell you one of Esubs Fables. This made everyone listen intently.

3:03Then Demades began. Demeter, a swallow, and an eel were once traveling together and came to a river without a bridge. The swallow flew over it and the eel swam across, and then he stopped. What happened to Demeter? Cried several people in the audience. Demeter, he replied, is very angry with you for listening to Fables when you ought to be minding public business. End of Demades and his Fable This is LibRavox Recording. All LibRavox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibRavox.org. This recording is by Aaron Hockmer in Auckland, New Zealand.

4:03A subs Fables, the Monkey and the Dolphin. When people go on a voyage, they often take with them lap dogs or monkeys as pets to while away at the time. Thus it fell out that a man returning to Athens from the east had a pet monkey on board with him. As they neared the coast of Attica, a great storm burst upon them and the ship capsized. All on board were thrown into the water and tried to save themselves by swimming, the monkey among the rest. A dolphin saw him and, supposing him to be a man, took a man on his back and began swimming towards the shore. When they got near the Pyrrius, which is the port of Athens, the dolphin asked the monkey if he was an Athenian. The monkey replied that he was, and added that he came of a very distinguished family. Then of course, you know the Pyrrius continued the dolphin. The monkey thought he was referring to some high official or other, and replied, oh yes, he's a very old friend of mine.

5:05At that, detecting his apocracy, the dolphin was so disgusted that he died below the surface and the unfortunate monkey was quickly drowned. End of the monkey and the dolphin from Aesop's Fables. This is a Labravox recording. All Labravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit libravox.org. This recording by Cori Lemoine, keen New Hampshire. Aesop's Fables, the Crow and the Snake. A hungry Crow spied a snake lying asleep in his sunny spot, and picking it up in his claws, he was carrying it off to a place where he could make a meal of it without being disturbed. And the snake reared its head and bit him. It was a poisonous snake, and the bite was fatal, and the dying Crow said, what a cruel fate is mine, I thought I had made a lucky find, and it has cost me my life. End of the Crow and the Snake.

6:16This is a Labravox recording. All Labravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit libravox.org recoded by Nicole Doulin on the web at NicoleDoulin.com. Aesop's Fables. The Dogs and the Fox. Some dogs once found a lion's skin, and were worrying it with their teeth. Just then a fox came by and said, you think yourselves very brave no doubt, but if that were a live lion, you'd find his claws a good deal sharper than your teeth. End of the Dogs and the Fox. This is a Labravox recording. All Labravox recordings are in the public domain.

7:17For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit libravox.org. Aesop's Fables. The Nightingale and the Hawk. Recited by Maria Chilano. A Nightingale was sitting on a bow of an oak and singing as her custom was. A hungry Hawk presently spied her and, darting to the spot, seized her in his talons. He was just about to tear her in pieces. When she begged him to spare her life, I'm not big enough, she pleaded, to make you a good meal. You want to seek your prey among the bigger birds? The Hawk eyed her with some contempt. You must think me very simple, said he, if you suppose I'm going to give up a certain prize on the chance of a better of which I see it present no sign.

8:18End of the Nightingale and the Hawk. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. Aesop's Fables. The Rose and the Amorance. Recited by Maria Chilano. A Rose and an Amorance blossomed aside by side in a garden. And the Amorance said to her neighbor, how I envy you, your beauty and your sweet scent. No wonder you are such a universal favorite. But the Rose replied with a shade of sadness in her voice, my dear friend, I bloom but for a time. My petals soon wither and fall, and then I die, but your flowers never fade, even if they are cut for they are everlasting.

9:23End of the Rose and the Amorance. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. Recoded by Nicole Dulan on the web at NicoleDulan.com. Aesop's Fables. The Man, the Horse, the Ox and the Dog. One Winter's Day. During a severe storm. A horse and Ox and a Dog came in begged for shelter in the house of a man. He readily admitted them. And as they were cold and wet, he lit a fire for their comfort, and he put oats before the horse, and hay before the Ox. While he fed the Dog with the remains of his own dinner.

10:25When the storm abated, and they were about to depart, they determined to show their gratitude in the following way. They divided the life of man among them, and each endowed one part of it, with the qualities which were peculiarly his own. The Horse took youth, and hence young men are high, meadowed, and impatient of restraint. The Ox took middle age, and accordingly men in middle life are steady and hardworking. While the Dog took old age, which is the reason why old men are so often pee-vish and ill-tempered, and, like Dogs, attached chiefly to those who look to their comfort. While they are disposed to snap at those who are unfamiliar or distasteful to them. And of the man, the horse, the Ox, and the Dog.

11:26This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information and to find out how you can volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Esubsphables. The wolves, the sheep, and the ram, recited by Maria Chalano. The wolves sent a deputation to the sheep with proposals for a lasting peace between them on condition of their giving up the sheep dogs to instant death. The foolish sheep agreed to the terms, but an old ram whose years had brought him wisdom, interfered, and said, how can we expect to live a peace with you? Why even with the dogs at hand to protect us, we are never secure from your murderous attacks. End of the wolves, the sheep, and the ram. This is a Libravox recording.

12:27All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Disappointed by Gem of Life. Esubsphables. The swan. The swan is said to sing, but once in its life when it knows that it is about to die. A certain man who had heard of the song of the swan, one day saw one of these birds for sail in the market and bought it and took it home with him. A few days later he had some friends to dinner and produced the swan, and baited it sing for their entertainment. But the swan remained silent. In course of time, when it was growing old, it became aware of its approaching end and broke into a sweet sad song. When its owner heard it, he said angrily, if the creature only sings when it is about to die, what a fool I was that day I wanted to hear its song.

13:30I ought to have wronged its neck instead of merely inviting it to sing and of this swan. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Esubsphables. The snake and Jupiter. A snake suffered a good deal from being constantly trotted upon by man and beast, owing partly to the length of his body, and partly to his being unable to raise himself above the surface of the ground. So he went and complained to Jupiter about the risks to which he was exposed. But Jupiter had little sympathy for him. I dare say, said he, that if you had bitten the first that trotted on you, the others would have taken more trouble to look where they put their feet. And of this snake and Jupiter, recorded by one Carlos Bagnell. Thank you for listening.

14:34This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Recorded by Gemma Blithe. Esubsphables. The Wolf and his Shadow. A wolf who was roaming about on the plane when the sun was getting low in the sky was much impressed by the size of his shadow and said to himself, I had no idea I was so big. Fancy my being afraid of a lion, why I not he, ought to be king of the beasts, and heathless of danger. He strutted about as if there could be no doubt at all about it. Just then a lion sprang upon him and began to devour him. Alas, he cried. Had I not lost sight of the facts, I shouldn't have been ruined by my fancies. End of the wolf and his shadow.

15:37This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Recorded by Gemma Blithe. Esubsphables. The Blowman and the Wolf. A Blowman loosed his oxen from the blow and led them away to the water to drink. While he was absent, a half-starved wolf appeared on the scene and went up to the blow and began chewing the leather straps attached to the yoke. As he nodded away desperately in the hope of satisfying his craving for food, he somehow got entangled in an harness and taking fright, struggled to get free, tugging at the traces as if he would drag the plow along with him. Just then the Blowman came back and seeing what was happening, he cried. Are you old rascal? I wish you would give up thieving for good and take to honest work instead.

16:40End of the Blowman and the Wolf. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Esubsphables. Mercury and the man bitten by an ant. Recited by Maria Chalano. A man once saw a ship go down with all its crew and commented severely on the injustice of the gods. They care nothing for a man's character, said he, but let the good and the bad go to their deaths together. There was an ant heat close by where he was standing and just as he spoke, he was bitten in the foot by an ant. Turning in a temper to the ant heat, he stamped upon it and crushed hundreds of unoffending ants. Suddenly Mercury appeared and labored him with his staff, saying as he did so, you villain,

17:46where's your nice sense of justice now? End of Mercury and the man bitten by an ant. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Recoded by Nicole Dulan on the web at NicoleDulan.com Esubsphables. The Wile-A-Lion. A lion watched a fat ball feeding in a meadow, and his mouth watered when he thought of the royal feast he would make. But he did not dare to attack him. So he was afraid of his sharp horns. Hunger, however, presently compelled him to do something, and as the use of force did not promise success, he determined to resort to Artifice.

18:51Going up to the ball in friendly fashion, he said to him, I cannot help saying how much I admire your magnificent figure. But a fine head, what powerful shoulders and thighs. But my dear friend, what in the world makes you wear those ugly horns? You must find them as awkward as they are incitely. Believe me, you would do much better without them. The ball was foolish enough to be persuaded by this flattery to have his horns cut off. And having now lost his only means of defense, fell an easy prey to the lion. End of the Wile-A-Lion. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain.

19:52For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit Libravox.com. Visit Libravox.org Recoded by Nicol Doulin on the web at NicolDoulin.com A. Sobs Fables, the parrot and the cat, a man once bought a parrot and gave it the run of his house. It reveled in its liberty and presently flew up onto the mantelpiece and screamed away to its heart's content. Who was asleep on the herthrog? Looking up at the intruder she said, Who may you be? And where have you come from? The parrot replied, Your master has just bought me and brought me home with him. You impudent bird, said the cat. How dare you, a newcomer, make a noise like that? Why I was born here and have lived here all my life.

20:56And yet, if I venture to mu, they throw things at me and chase me all over the place. Look here, mistress, said the parrot. You just hold your tongue. My voice they delight in, but yours. Yours is a perfect nuisance. End of the parrot and the cat. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit libravox.org. Recorded by Cori Lemoine, Keen New Hampshire, Esaubs Fables, the Stag and the Lion. A stag was chased by the hounds and took refuge in a cave where he hoped to be safe from his pursuers. Unfortunately, the cave contained a lion to whom he fell in easy prey. Unhappy that I am, he cried,

21:57I am saved from the power of the dogs only to fall into the clutches of a lion. Out of the frying pan, into the fire. End of recording. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit libravox.org. This recording is by Aaron Hockwimmer in Auckland, New Zealand. Esaubs Fables, the imposter. A certain man fell ill and, being in a very bad way, he made a vow that he would sacrifice 100 oxen to the gods if they would grant him a return to health. Wishing to see how he would keep his vow, they caused him to recover in a short time. Now he hadn't an ox in the world, so he made 100 little oxen out of tello and offered them up on an altar.

23:01At the same time saying, ye gods, I call you to witness that I have discharged my vow. The gods determined to be even with them, so they sent him a dream in which he was bitten to go to the seashore and fetch 100 crowns which he was to find there. Hacening and great excitement to the shore, he fell in with a band of robbers who seized him and carried him off to sell us a slave. And when they sold him, 100 crowns was a semi-fetched. Do not promise more than you can before. End of the imposter from Aeop's Fables. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recorded by Thomas Bernthal, kidsforclassics.com. Aeop's Fables, the dog and the hides. Once upon a time, a number of dogs who were famished with hunger saw some hides steeping in a river, but couldn't get at them because the water was too deep.

24:10So they put their heads together and decided to drink away at the river until it was shallow enough for them to reach the hides. But long before that happened, they burst themselves with drinking. End of the dogs and the hides. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recorded by Nicole Dulan on the web at NicoleDulan.com. Aeop's Fables, the lion, the fox and the ass. A lion of fox and an ass went out hunting together. They had soon taken a large booty, which the lion requested the ass to divide between them.

25:10The ass divided it all into three equal parts, and modestly begged the others to take their choice, at which the lion bursting with fury, sprang upon the ass and tore him to pieces. Then, glaring at the fox, he bade him make a fresh division. The fox gathered almost to the hole in one great heap for the lion's share, leaving only the smallest possible morsel for himself. My dear friend said the lion. How did you get the knack of it so well? The fox replied, me, oh I took a lesson from the ass. Happy is he who learns from the misfortunes of others. And of the lion, the fox and the ass. This is a LibraVox recording. All LibraVox recordings are in the public domain.

26:17For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibraVox.org, recoded by Nicole Dulan on the web at NicoleDulan.com. Esaups Fables, the Fowler, the Partridge and the Cock. One day, as a Fowler was sitting down to a scanty supper of herbs and bread, a friend dropped in unexpectedly. The lauder was empty. So he went out and caught a tame partridge, which he kept as a decoy. And was about to ring her neck when she cried, surely you won't kill me! Why, what will you do without me next time you go fowling? How will you get the birds to come to your nets? He let her go at this and went to his henhouse where he had a plump young cock. When the cock saw what he was after, he too pleaded for his life and said,

27:17if you kill me, how will you know the time of night and who will wake you up in the morning when it is time to get to work? The Fowler, however, replied, you are useful for telling the time I know, but for all that I can't send my friends up a list of bed. And therewith, he caught him and ran his neck. End of the Fowler, the Partridge and the Cock. This is a LibraVoxyCording. All LibraVoxyCording are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibraVox.org. This reading by Mary and Margaret Hungary. Aeop's Fables, the Nat and the Lion. A Nat once went up to the Lion and said,

28:19I'm not in the list afraid of you. I don't even allow that you are a mere mere strength. What is your strength the man to after all? That you can scratch with your claws and bite with your teeth, just like a woman at a temper and nothing more. But I'm stronger than you. If you don't believe it, let us fight and see. So saying, the Nat sounded his horn and darted in and bit the lion on the nose. When the lion fell the sting in his haste to crush him, his crashed his nose badly and made it bleed, but failed altogether to hurt the Nat, which was often triumphed and related by its victory. Presently, however, it got entangled in a spider's web and was caught and eaten by the spider, thus falling prey to an insignificant insect after having triumphed over the king of the beasts.

29:28And of the Nat and the Lion. This is a Libra Vox recording. All Libra Vox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibraVox.org Recoded by Nicole Dulin on the web at NicoleDulin.com. Esaups Fables, the farmer and his dogs. A farmer was snowed up in his farm stood by a severe storm and was unable to go out and procure provisions for himself and his family. So he first killed his sheep and used them for food. Then as the storm still continued, he killed his goats. And last of all, as the weather showed no signs of improving, he was compelled to kill his oxen and eat them.

30:31When his dogs saw the various animals being killed and eaten in turn, they said to one another, we had better get out of this, or we shall be the next to go. And of the farmer and his dogs. This is a Libra Vox recording. All Libra Vox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibraVox.org. Recoded by Nicole Dulin on the web at NicoleDulin.com March 2006. Esaups Fables. The eagle and the fox and eagle and a fox became great friends and determined to live near one another. They thought that the more they saw of each other, the better friends they would be, so the eagle built a nest at the top of a high tree, while the fox settled in a thicket at the foot of it, and produced a litter of cubs. One day, the fox went out foraging for food.

31:42And the eagle, who also wanted food for her young, flew down into the thicket, caught up the fox's cubs and carried them up into the tree for a meal for herself and her family. When the fox came back and found out what had happened, she was not so much sorry for the loss of her cubs as furious because she couldn't get at the eagle and pay her out for her treachery. So she sat down not far off and cursed her, but it wasn't long before she had her revenge. Some villagers happened to be sacrificing a goat on a neighboring altar and the eagle flew down and carried off a piece of burning flesh to her nest. There was a strong wind blowing and the nest caught fire with the result that her fledgling spell half roasted to the ground, then the fox ran to the spot and devoured them in full sight of the eagle.

32:42False faith may escape human punishment, but cannot escape the divine end of the eagle and the fox recorded by Nicole Dulin on the web at NicoleDulin.com.