The Baldwin Ljbrary

S. 71 '
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SOME OF

E SOP'S

FABLES

WITH

MODERN

INSTANCES

----------------

SOME

SOP

'S

FABLE

WITII

MODERN INSTANCES

SHEWN IN DESIGNS
BY
RANDOLPH CALDECOTT

FROM NEW TRANSLATIONS BY ALFRED CALDECOTT, M.A.

THE ENGRAVINGS BY J. D. COOPER

ronion

MACMILLAN AND
1883

CO.

S

OF

if

PIh,d bn y R. S, P. CLAPrIZd, 1,1i,6igIT1.

INDEX.

NUMBER PAGE
I. THE FOX AND THE CROW .

II. THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN 5

III. THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH .. 9 9

IV. THE JACKDAW AND THE DOVES 13

V. THE COPPERSMITH AND HIS PUPPY 17

VI. THE FROGS DESIRING A KING 21

VII. THE DOG AND THE WOLF 25

VIII. THE STAG LOOKING INTO THE WATER 29

IX. THE FROGS AND THE FIGHTING BULLS .. 33

X. THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS 37

XI. THE FOX AND THE STORK 41

XII. THE HORSE AND THE STAG 45

XIII. THE COCK AND THE JEWEL 49

XIV. THE ASS, THE LION, AND THE COCK 53

XV. THE WOLF AND THE LAMB 57

XVI. THE MAN AND HIS TWO WIVES 6

XVII. THE Fox WITHOUT A TAIL 65

XVIII. THE EAGLE AND THE FOX 69

XIX. THE OX AND THE FROG 73

XX. THE HAWK CHASING A DOVE 77

NOTE.

SIXTEEN of these Twenty Fables have been handed down to us in a
Greek form: for these Halm's text has been used. As to the other
four-Number IX. is from Phaedrus, and retains a flavour of artificiality;

Numbers XIII. and XX. are from Latin versions; and Number X. is
from a French one.

The Translations aim at replacing the florid style of our older English
versions, and the stilted harshness of more modern ones, by a plainness
and terseness more nearly like the character of the originals.

In the following cases the Designs are at variance with the proper
text. In Number I. the design puts cheese for meal; in Number VIII. a

pack of Hounds for a Lion; in Number XI. a Stork for a Crane; and
in Number XIX. a Frog for a Toad. The reason of this is, that in the
collaboration the Designer and Translator have not been on terms of equal
authority; the former has stood unshakeably by English tradition, and
has had his own,way.
A. C.

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THE FOX AND, THE CROW
THE FOX AND THE CROW

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THE FOX AND THE CROW.

A CROW stole a piece of cheese and alighted with it on a tree.
A Fox watched her, and wishing to get hold of the cheese stood
underneath and began to make compliments upon her size and beauty;
he went so far as to say that she had the best of claims to be made

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THE FOX AND THE CROW. 3

Queen of the Birds, and doubtless it would have been done if she

had only had a voice. The Crow, anxious to prove to him that she

did possess a voice, began to caw vigorously, of course dropping the

cheese. The Fox pounced upon it and carried it off, remarking as

he went away, My good friend Crow, you have every good quality:

now try to get some common sense."

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THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN

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THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN.

A N Ass who had dressed himself up in a Lion's skin was mis-
taken by everybody for a lion, and there was a stampede of
both herds and men. But presently the skin was whisked off
by a gust of wind, and the Ass stood exposed; and then the
men all charged at him, and with sticks and cudgels gave him a
sound drubbing.

THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN. 7

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THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH

THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH.

A FISHERMAN cast his net and caught a little Fish. The
little Fish begged him to let him go for the present, as he
was so small, and to catch him again to more purpose later on,
when he was bulkier. But the Fisherman said: Nay, I should
be a very simpleton to let go a good thing I have got and run
after a doubtful expectation."

THE FISHERMAN AND

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THE LITTLE

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THE JACKDAW AND THE DOVES.

THE JACKDAW AND THE DOVES.

A JACKDAW observing how well cared for were the Doves in a
certain dovecote whitewashed himself and went to take a part
in the same way of living. The Doves were friendly enough so long
as he kept silence, taking him for one of themselves; but when he
once forgot himself and gave a croak they immediately perceived

his character, and cuffed him out. So the Jackdaw, having failed

in getting a share of good things there, returned to his brother

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THE JACKDAW AND THE DOVES.

Jackdaws. But these latter not recognizing him, because of his

colour, kept him out of their mess also; so that in his desire

for two things he got neither.

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THE COPPERSMITH

AND HIS PUPPY

THE COPPERSMITH AND HIS PUPPY.

A CERTAIN Coppersmith had a Puppy. While the Copper-
smith was at work the Puppy lay asleep; but when meal-
time came he woke up. So his master throwing him a bone, said:
"You sleepy little wretch of a Puppy, what shall I do with you,
you inveterate sluggard? When I am thumping on my anvil you
can go to sleep on the mat; but when I come to work my teeth
immediately you are wide awake and wagging your tail at me."

THE COPPERSMITH AND HIS PUPPY. 19

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THE FROGS

DESIRING

A KING

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THE FROGS DESIRING A KING.

T HE Frogs were grieved at their own lawless condition, so they

sent a deputation to Zeus begging him to provide them with

a King. Zeus, perceiving their simplicity, dropped a Log of wood

into the pool. At first the Frogs were terrified by the splash, and

dived to the bottom; but after a while, seeing the Log remain

motionless, they came up again, and got to despise it so much

that they climbed up and sat on it. Dissatisfied with a King like

THE FROGS DESIRING A KING.

that, they came again to Zeus and entreated him to change their
ruler for them, the first being altogether too torpid. Then Zeus
was exasperated with them, and sent them a Stork, by whom they
were seized and eaten up.

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4

THE DOG AND

THE WOLF

THE DOG AND THE WOLF.

A WOLF, seeing a large Dog tied up with a collar, asked him:
"Who tied you up and fed you to be so sleek?" "My

master," answered the Dog. Then," said the Wolf, may no

friend of mine be treated like this; a collar is as grievous as

starvation."

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THE DOG AND THE WOLF.

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THE STAG

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THE STAG LOOKING INTO THE WATER.

A STAG parched with thirst came to a spring of water. As

he was drinking he saw his own reflection on the water,

and was in raptures with his horns when he observed their splendid

size and shape, but was troubled about his legs, they seemed so

thin and weak. As he was still musing, some huntsmen with a

pack of hounds appeared and disturbed him, whereupon the Stag

took to flight, and keeping a good distance ahead so long as the

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THE STAG LOOKING INTO THE WATER.

plain was free from trees, he was being saved; but when he
came to a woody place he got his horns entangled in the branches,
and being unable to move was seized by the hounds. When he
was at the point of death he said to himself: "What a fool am I,
who was on the way to be saved by the very things which I thought
would fail me; while by those in which I so much trusted I am
brought to ruin."

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THE FROGS AND THE FIGHTING BULLS

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THE FROGS AND THE FIGHTING BULLS.

A FROG in his marsh
exclaimed: 0 dear!
now !" Another Frog asked
Bulls were only fighting for
they lived quite remote from
is true that our positions are
of things, but still, the Bull

looking at some Bulls fighting,
what sad destruction threatens us
him why he said that, seeing that the
the first place in the herd, and that
the Frogs. "Ah," said the first, "it
wide apart, and we are different kinds
who will be driven from the rule of

THE FROGS AND THE FIGHTING BULLS. 35

the pasture will come to lie in hiding in the marsh, and crush us

to death under his hard hoofs, so that their raging really does

closely concern the lives of you and me."

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THE LION AND OTHER

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THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS.

T HE Lion one day went out hunting along with three other

Beasts, and they caught a Stag. With the consent of the

others the Lion divided it, and he cut it into four equal portions;

but when the others were going to take hold of their shares,

"Gently, my friends," said the Lion; "the first of these portions

is mine, as one of the party; the second also is mine, because of

my rank among beasts; the third you will yield me as a tribute

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THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS. 39

to my courage and nobleness of character; while, as to the fourth,-

why, if any one wishes to dispute with me for it, let him begin,

and we shall soon see whose it will be.

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THE FOX AND THE

STORK

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THE FOX AND THE STORK.

S-HE Fox poured out some rich soup upon a flat dish, tantalising
the Stork, and making him look ridiculous, for the soup,
being, a liquid, foiled all the efforts of his slender beak. In return
for this, when the Stork invited the Fox, he brought the dinner
on the table in a jug with a long narrow neck, so that while he
himself easily inserted his beak and took his fill, the Fox was
unable to do the same, and so was properly paid off.

THE FOX AND THE STORK. 43

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THE HORSE AND THE STAG.

T HERE was a Horse who had a meadow all to himself until
a Stag came and began to injure the pasture. The Horse,
eager to punish the Stag, asked a man whether there was any
way of combining to do this. Certainly," said the Man, "if you
don't object to a bridle and to my mounting you with javelins in
my hand." The Horse agreed, and was mounted by the Man;
but, instead of being revenged on the Stag, he himself became
a servant to the Man.

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THE HORSE AND THE STAG. 47

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THE COCK AND THE JEWEL

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upon a Jewel. Oh, why," said he, "should I find this

glistening thing? If some jeweller had found it he would have

been beside himself with joy at the thought of its value: but to

me it is of no manner of use, nor do I care one jot about it; why,

I would rather have one grain of barley than all the jewels in the

world."

THE COCK AND THE JEWEL. 51

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THE ASS, THE LION, AND THE COCK.

A N Ass and a Cock were in a shed. A hungry Lion caught
sight of the Ass, and was on the point of entering the

shed to devour him. But he took fright at the sound of the Cock

crowing (for people say that Lions are afraid at the voice of a

Cock), and turned away and ran. The Ass, roused to a lofty

contempt of him for being afraid of a Cock, went out to pursue

him; but when they were some distance away the Lion ate him up.

THE ASS, THE LION, AND THE COCK. 55

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THE WOLF AND THE LAMB

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.

A WOLF seeing a Lamb drinking at a brook, took it into his
head that he would find some plausible excuse for eating him.
So he drew near, and, standing higher up the stream, began to
accuse him of disturbing the water and preventing him from
drinking.
The Lamb replied that he was only touching the water with
the tips of his lips; and that, besides, seeing that he was standing

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.

down stream, he could not possibly be disturbing the water higher

up. So the Wolf, having done no good by that accusation, said:

"Well, but last year you insulted my Father." The Lamb replying

that at that time he was not born, the Wolf wound up by saying:

" However ready you may be with your answers, I shall none the

less make a meal of you."

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THE MAN AND HIS TWO WIVES

THE MAN AND HIS TWO WIVES.

A MAN whose hair was turning gray had two Wives, one
young and the other old. The elderly woman felt ashamed
at being married to a man younger than herself, and made it a
practice whenever he was with her to pick out all his black hairs;
while the younger, anxious to conceal the fact that she had an
elderly husband, used, similarly, to pull out the gray ones. So,
between them, it ended in the Man being completely plucked, and
becoming bald.

THE MAN AND HIS TWO WIVES. 63

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THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL

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THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.

A FOX had had his tail docked off in a trap, and in his disgrace
began to think his life not worth living. It therefore

occurred to him that the best thing he could do was to bring the

other Foxes into the same condition, and so conceal his own

deficiency in the general distress. Having assembled them all

together he recommended them to cut off their tails, declaring that

a tail was an ungraceful thing; and, further, was a heavy appendage,

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THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.

and quite superfluous. To this one of them rejoined: "My good
friend, if this had not been to your own advantage you would

never have advised us to do it."

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THE EAGLE AND THE FOX

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THE EAGLE AND THE FOX.

AN Eagle and a Fox entered into a covenant of mutual affection
and resolved to live near one another, looking upon close

intercourse as a way of strengthening friendship. Accordingly the

former flew to the top of a high tree and built her nest, while

the latter went into a bush at the foot and placed her litter there.

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THE EAGLE AND THE FOX.

One day, however, when the Fox was away foraging, the Eagle,
being hard pressed for food, swooped down into the bush, snatched
up the cubs and helped her own fledglings to devour them. When
the Fox came back and saw what had happened she was not so
much vexed at the death of her young ones as at the impossibility
of requital. For the Eagle having wings and she none, pursuit
was impossible. So she stood some distance away and did all
that is left for the weak and impotent to do-poured curses on
her foe. But the Eagle was not to put off for long the punishment
due to her violation of the sacred tie of friendship. It happened
that some country-people were sacrificing a goat, and the Eagle
flew down and carried away from the altar some of the burning
flesh. But when she had got it to her eyrie a strong wind got
up and kindled into flame the thin dry twigs of the nest, so that
the eaglets, being too young to be able to fly, were roasted, and
fell to the ground. Then the Fox ran up and, before the Eagle's
eyes, devoured them every one.

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THE OX AND THE FROG

THE OX AND THE FROG.

A N Ox, as he was drinking at the water's edge, crushed a young
Frog underfoot. When the mother Frog came to the spot
(for she happened to be away at the time) she asked his brothers
where he was. "He is dead, mother," they said; "a few minutes
ago a great big four-legged thing came up and crushed him dead
with his hoof." Thereupon the Frog began to puff herself out and
ask whether the animal was as big as that. "Stop, mother, don't
put yourself about," they said; "you will burst in two long before
you can make yourself the same size as that beast."

THE OX AND THE FROG. 75

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THE HAWK

CHASING

THE DOVE

THE HAWK CHASING THE DOVE.

A HAWK giving headlong chase to a Dove rushed after it
into a farmstead, and was captured by one of the farm men.
The Hawk began to coax the man to let him go, saying that he
had never done him any harm. No," rejoined the man; "nor
had this Dove harmed you."

THE HAWK CHASING THE DOVE. 79

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