The Fox and The Oat

         Once a fox made friends with a cat in a wood. They spoke of the ways and ’means of fighting against men and dogs.

The fox was very proud of his cleverness. “I have no fear,” said the fox. “With my hundred tricks I can easily save my life from the attacks of men and dogs. But what’s about you Miss Puss? Alas! You are so tiny and meek. How would you save your life if they come on you?”

“Alas!” said the cat, “I have but one plan for safety, and if that fails me, I am lost.”

         Just then a hunter with a pack of hounds rushed to the spot in full cry. The cat at once ran up to the nearest tree where she was safe from all harm.

          But the vain fox was in a great fix. He began o run as fast as he could. But the hounds hotly pursued him. Very soon they caught the fox and tore him to pieces.

Moral : Pride must have a fail.

The Fox AND The Grapes

          One summer day a fox felt very hungry and thirsty. He was on the lookout for something to eat. He came to a vineyard full of ripe grapes. But they were high up, hanging down a vine. He thought, “Oh, how nice and sweet are these ‘I must have some of them.” The fox stood upon his hind legs, but could not reach the grapes. He then jumped once, twice, thrice, but all in vain. Each jump was still too short. At last the fox felt sure that he could not get at the grapes by any means.

          Just at the moment a friend of the fox came to the spot and said, “Brother, why don’t you try for the grapes “They are ripe and so sweet.”

          The fox at once replied: “These grapes are very sour. It is not worthwhile trying to get them.” So saying he went away.

Moral: When a thing is beyond reach, attribution of sourness to it is the consolation.

The Fox and The Crane

          One day a sly fox invited a crane to dinner. His object was to poke a fun at the crane.

“Thank you, Mr. Fox,” said the crane. “I shall be glad to go to your house.”

The crane came to dinner just in time. The fox set before her s shallow dish of soup. He also took a similar dish for him. This the fox lapped up very easily with great relish. But the crane with her long narrow bill was unable to make a meal. The fox made fun of her saying, “My friend, I hope you liked your dinner”. The crane felt insulted, but did not-express it. But before leaving, she begged they fox to return the visit. The fox agreed to align with him a few days later.

When the fox came, the dinner was served. But alas, it was in a jar with a long narrow neck. The crane put her long neck and bill into the jar and ate to her heart’s content. But the fox had to content himself by licking the outside of the jar. In this way the fox was paid back in his own coin.

Moral: Tit for tat.

The Clever King

          There was once a king who was active and intelligent. But his subjects were very lazy. Once he hit upon a plan to teach his subjects a lesson. With the help of an architect he built a big stone and had an iron box made. He filled it with many gold coins. At lead of night he had that big stone placed in the middle of the busy road of his capital. He put the iron-box fill of gold coins under the Stone.

          Next day a company of merchants noticed the stone. But they never thought of removing it for the convenience of the passers-by.
Some time after an officer of the king also passed that way. But he did not care to remove the stone. Later on a young soldier went I round the stone and said, “Strange how is it that a big stone lies in the middle of the road to obstruct the passage of men? Is it not the duty of the government to remove it at once from the road? To live under such a government is a curse indeed.” He thus found fault with the government for its negligence of duties and went on his way.

          The king in disguise noticed with great curiosity the behavior of his subjects. The stone remained in the middle of the road for a week.

          Being disgusted with his lazy people the king had the stone removed. People, to their wonder, saw that there was an iron-box under the stone. It was marked with the label, ‘for the man who moves away the stone.’ They were also surprised to find inside it a purse full of gold coins. They were ashamed and they left the place one by one.

Moral: Laziness is the mother of misfortune or ill-luck.

The Inchcape Rock

          There was in the rocky coast of Scotland a submarine rock in the sea called the lnchcape Rock. Many ships struck against it and sank. A pious priest placed a buoy on the rock and tied a bell to it. The bell rang as the waves moved the buoy. The warning sound of this bell helped the sailors to know the perilous rock. So they blessed the good priest for his benevolent work.

          One day a pirate ship becalmed near that rocky coast owing to the absence of wind. The pirate, Ralph the Rover heard the sound of the bell and noticed it from a distance. He was told that the bell was placed there by a good priest. His object was to warn sailors in storms about the presence of a dangerous submerged rock. So to spite the good priest he rowed over to the rock, and then cut the bell loose. “Down sank the bell with a gurgling sound,” The wind rose and the wicked pirate sailed away.

          Years afterwards the pirate, after long voyages in distant seas, sailed back to the same coast of Scotland. The, sea was stormy and covered with a thick sea-fog. There was no warning bell. So the pirate could not know where, lie was. Suddenly there was a shock and crash the ship had struck on the inch-cape Rock. At the moment of his death the pirate cursed himself for his folly.

Moral: Wickedness is punished in the long run.

KING CANUTE AND HIS COURTIERS

          One day Canute, king of England and Denmark was walking on the sea-shore with his courtiers. They were fond of flattery. They said, “Oh king, you are the lord of sea as well as of the land.” Canute wanted to teach these courtiers a lesson. It was then high tide. High waves were dashing towards the beach. He ordered a chair to be placed on the beach and thus addressed the sea, ‘0 mighty ocean, Thou art n’ subject. My courtiers tell me so. I, therefore, order thee to come no further upon my land.’ But the sea rolled on as before. It wetted the skirts of his robe.

          Canute then turned to his courtiers and said, “Vile flatterers. Do you think that I believed in your vile lies? Remember that a king is but a man and a man is but a worm. Shall a man assume the power of great God and expect that elements will obey him? Take away this crown. I shall wear it no more. May kings learn to be humble from this example and let courtiers learn truth from your disgrace.”

The Donkey and His Clever Master

          One day a man was leading his donkey with a load of salt on its back. On the way to the market place there was a little shallow stream with a bridge on it. At the time of crossing the bridge, the load fell into the water. The salt melted into the water. The donkey, being relieved of the burden, went home fresh and gay.

          Next day the master as usual loaded the donkey with salt and made for the market place. The donkey was crossing the same stream with the load. At this time it fell into the stream intentionally and got -rid of the load. ‘The master noticed the trick of the donkey and made up his mind to teach it a lesson. 

          The next time the master bought a load of sponge. He put it on the back of the donkey and drove it home.

          The donkey, while crossing the same stream played its old trick. 
But the master now pulled all the load out of water and placed it again on the donkey’s back. The sponge got wet and now the load was much heavier than the first. From that day the donkey never played such a trick again.