The Fox and The Goat

             One hot day a Fox, feeling very thirsty, went out in search of water. He came to a well but, unfortunately, dropped into it. The well was deep and the walls were steep and high. The fox tried to get out, but could not do so; He looked up and saw a Goat peeping over the edge of the well.

             “Hallo Mr. Fox,” said the Goat, “what are you doing there? Come out and let us play together.”

             “I am drinking water here,” said the Fox, “It is so sweet and cool Come, my friend, and have a refreshing drink.”

             At this the foolish Goat leapt into the well. The sly fox was too clever to miss the opportunity. He put his feet on the goat’s long horns and climbed up to the edge of the hill. He then said to the Goat, “If you had half as lunch brains as you have beard, you would have looked before you leaped.”

Moral: Look before you leap.

The Wolf and The Lamb

          One hot day a thirsty wolf went to a stream for a drink. There he saw a sweet little lamb standing on the bank before him and drinking.

          “That’s a nice fat lamb,” thought the wolf, “she will give me a good meal.” Seeking an excuse for killing the lamb, the wolf began to pick a quarrel.

          “How dare you spoil the water from which I am drinking ” the wolf asked. “Can’t you see that I have come to drink here?”

          “I beg your pardon, sir,” said the little Jamb, “the water is running down from you to mc. How can I then make it dirty for you ”

"Well  then,” said the wolf, “why did you call me bad names last year?”
“Oh, sir,” said the poor lamb, “a year ago was not born.”

          Then the wolf into a rage and Said, “Oh, you sheep are all the same.
don’t care, I am very hungry. I must have food.” So saying, the wolf seized the poor lamb and ate her up.

Moral: Evil-doers always find excuses.

The Ant and the Grasshopper

          In a sunny field an ant and a grasshopper lived close to each other. The ant worked hard all through the summer and filled her nest with food for the winter. But the grasshopper was jolly, but lazy. She kept singing ill the summer long.

The cold days of winter came. The grasshopper could not go out into the fields. So she had nothing to eat. She then went to the aunt’s house to borrow a little grain. “Kindly lend me a little grain,” he said to the ant. “if you don’t, I shall die of hunger.” 

“What were you doing in summer?“ asked the ant. “I worked hard to store my grains for the winter.”

“Oh,” said the grasshopper, “I was not then idle. I made music for the bees and sang.”

“Well, you have sung all the summer time,” said the ant, “now you may dance all the winter.”

The poor grasshopper came away with a heavy heart only to starve.

Moral: One should lay by something against the rainy day.

The Hare and The Tortoise

          One day a hare met a tortoise and made fun of his short legs and slow pace: “You are very slow, Mr. Tortoise,” said the hare. “Why don’t you hurry up?”

          “I may be slow,” said the tortoise, “but I can beat you in a race.” The hare was quite sure of a win. “Come on,” said the hare, “you shall soon see what my feet are made of.”

          A fox was made the judge. He fixed posts to mark out the race course. He asked the runners to be ready, and said, “One, — two, — three, — go.”

          The hare went on like an arrow and was soon out of sight. The poor tortoise was left far behind,

         “What a fool I am” said the hare to himself, “I will lie down and have a little nap.” So he lay down by the side of the road and the gentle cool wind soon lulled him to sleep. But the tortoise plodded on without stopping even for a moment. He passed the sleeping hare and reached the goal. The hare woke up and ran as fast as he could. He reached the goal only to see that the tortoise had got it before him. The proud hare was thus beaten.

Moral: The slow but steady wins the race.

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.