The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller
The Herdsman and the Lost Bull
The Pomegranate, Apple-Tree, and Bramble
The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion
The Bear and the Two Travelers
The Piglet, the Sheep, and the Goat
The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox
The Goatherd and the Wild Goats
The Man and His Two Sweethearts
The Old Woman and the Physician
The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle
The Widow and Her Little Maidens
The Shepherd’s Boy and the Wolf
The Father and His Two Daughters
The Swallow, the Serpent, and the Court of Justice
The Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk
The Huntsman and the Fisherman
The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar
The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons
The Ass, the Cock, and the Lion
The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat
The Fisherman and the Little Fish
The Birdcatcher, the Partridge, and the Cock
The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox
The Philosopher, the Ants, and Mercury
The Image of Mercury and the Carpenter
The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass
The Bull, the Lioness, and the Wild-Boar Hunter
The Stag, the Wolf, and the Sheep
The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow
The Man, the Horse, the Ox, and the Dog
The Apes and the Two Travelers
The Dog, the Cock, and the Fox
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
The Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape
The Wasps, the Partridges, and the Farmer
The Gamecocks and the Partridge
The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox
The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat
The Spendthrift and the Swallow
Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus
The Peasant and the Apple-Tree
The Two Soldiers and the Robber
The Trees Under the Protection of the Gods
The Buffoon and the Countryman
The King’s Son and the Painted Lion
The She-Goats and Their Beards
The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass
The Travelers and the Plane-Tree
The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant
The Shipwrecked Man and the Sea
A FOX one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape. A Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and seeing the Fox, inquired if the water was good. Concealing his sad plight under a merry guise, the Fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraging him to descend. The Goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for their common escape. “If,” said he, “you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards.” The Goat readily assented and the Fox leaped upon his back. Steadying himself with the Goat’s horns, he safely reached the mouth of the well and made off as fast as he could. When the Goat upbraided him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out, “You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape.”
Look before you leap.