A Pedlar who owned an Ass one day bought a quantity
of salt, and loaded up his beast with as much as he
could bear. On the way home the Ass stumbled
as he was crossing a stream and fell into the water.
The salt got thoroughly wetted and much of it melted
and drained away, so that, when he got on his legs
again, the Ass found his load had become much less
heavy. His master, however, drove him back to
town and bought more salt, which he added to what
remained in the panniers, and started out again.
No sooner had they reached a stream than the Ass lay
down in it, and rose, as before, with a much lighter
load. But his master detected the trick, and
turning back once more, bought a large number of sponges,
and piled them on the back of the Ass. When they
came to the stream the Ass again lay down: but
this time, as the sponges soaked up large quantities
of water, he found, when he got up on his legs, that
he had a bigger burden to carry than ever.
You may play a good card once
too often.
A Shepherd’s Boy was tending his flock near
a village, and thought it would be great fun to hoax
the villagers by pretending that a Wolf was attacking
the sheep: so he shouted out, “Wolf! wolf!”
and when the people came running up he laughed at
them for their pains. He did this more than once,
and every time the villagers found they had been hoaxed,
for there was no Wolf at all. At last a Wolf really
did come, and the Boy cried, “Wolf! wolf!”
as loud as he could: but the people were so used
to hearing him call that they took no notice of his
cries for help. And so the Wolf had it all his
own way, and killed off sheep after sheep at his leisure.
You cannot believe a liar
even when he tells the truth.
A Fox fell into a well and was unable to get out again.
By and by a thirsty Goat came by, and seeing the Fox
in the well asked him if the water was good.
“Good?” said the Fox, “it’s
the best water I ever tasted in all my life.
Come down and try it yourself.” The Goat
thought of nothing but the prospect of quenching his
thirst, and jumped in at once. When he had had
enough to drink, he looked about, like the Fox, for
some way of getting out, but could find none.
Presently the Fox said, “I have an idea.
You stand on your hind legs, and plant your forelegs
firmly against the side of the well, and then I’ll
climb on to your back, and, from there, by stepping
on your horns, I can get out. And when I’m
out, I’ll help you out too.” The
Goat did as he was requested, and the Fox climbed on
to his back and so out of the well; and then he coolly
walked away. The Goat called loudly after him
and reminded him of his promise to help him out:
but the Fox merely turned and said, “If you
had as much sense in your head as you have hair in
your beard you wouldn’t have got into the well
without making certain that you could get out again.”
