The Baby's Own Aesop

Excerpt

THE MOUSE & THE LION

A poor thing the Mouse was, and yet,
When the Lion got caught in a net,
All his strength was no use
’Twas the poor little Mouse
Who nibbled him out of the net.

SMALL CAUSES MAY PRODUCE GREAT RESULTS

So the Mouse had Miss Lion for bride;
Very great was his joy and his pride:
But it chanced that she put
On her husband her foot,
And the weight was too much, so he died.

ONE MAY BE TOO AMBITIOUS

 

HERCULES & THE WAGGONER

When the God saw the Waggoner kneel,
Crying, “Hercules! Lift me my wheel
From the mud, where ’tis stuck!”
He laughed—“No such luck;
Set your shoulder yourself to the wheel.”

THE GODS HELP THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES

 

Two Maids killed the Rooster whose warning
Awoke them too soon every morning:
But small were their gains,
For their Mistress took pains
To rouse them herself without warning.

LAZINESS IS ITS OWN PUNISHMENT

 

THE SNAKE & THE FILE

A Snake, in a fix, tried a File
For a dinner. “’Tis not worth your while,”
Said the steel, “don’t mistake;
I’m accustomed totake,
Togive’snot the way of a File.”

WE MAY MEET OUR MATCH

Said sly Fox to the Crow with the cheese,
“Let me hear your sweet voice, now do please!”
And this Crow, being weak,
Cawed the bit from her beak—
“Music charms,” said the Fox, “and here’s cheese!”

BEWARE OF FLATTERERS

 

THE DOG IN THE MANGER

A Cow sought a mouthful of hay;
But a Dog in the manger there lay,
And he snapped out “how now?”
When most mildly, the Cow
Adventured a morsel to pray.

DON’T BE SELFISH

Said the Frog, quite puffed up to the eyes,
“Was this Bull about me as to size?”
“Rather bigger, frog-brother.”
“Puff, puff,” said the other,
“A Frog is a Bull if he tries!”

BRAG IS NOT ALWAYS BELIEF

 

THE FOX & THE CRANE

You have heard how Sir Fox treated Crane:
With soup in a plate. When again
They dined, a long bottle
Just suited Crane’s throttle;
And Sir Fox licked the outside in vain.

THERE ARE GAMES THAT TWO CAN PLAY AT

 

When the Horse first took Man on his back,
To help him the Stag to attack;
How little his dread,
As the enemy fled,
Man would make him his slave & his hack.

ADVANTAGES MAY BE DEARLY BOUGHT

THE ASS & THE ENEMY

“Get up! let us flee from the Foe,”
Said the Man: but the Ass said, “Why so?”
“Will they double my load,
Or my blows? Then, by goad,
And by stirrup, I’ve no cause to go.”

YOUR REASONS ARE NOT MINE

 

Being plagued with Mosquitoes one day,
Said old Fox, “pray don’t send them away,
For a hungrier swarm
Would work me more harm;
I had rather the full ones should stay.”

THERE WERE POLITICIANS IN ÆSOP’S TIME

THE FOX & THE LION

The first time the Fox had a sight
Of the Lion, he ’most died of fright;
When he next met his eye,
Fox felt just a bit shy;
But the next—quite at ease, & polite.

FAMILIARITY DESTROYS FEAR

 

He buried his Gold in a hole....