Aesop's Fables

by Aesop

one of them snatched up a joint and hastily thrust it under the other’s cloak,

the one who had taken it said he hadn’t got it, and the one who had got it said he hadn’t taken it.

Prevarication often amounts to perjury.

“Leave it alone, my friend; that which you see before you is the apple of discord: if you do not meddle with it, it remains small as it was at first, but if you resort to violence it swells into the thing you see.”

Better servitude with safety than freedom with danger.

they have drunk the water of oblivion,

Those who pretend to be something they are not only make themselves ridiculous.

put a brick into the hole, and take a look at it every day: you won’t be any worse off than before, for even when you had your gold it was of no earthly use to you.”

said the neighbor to the miser who buried gold was stolen.

The Fox, meanwhile, watched his chance and, when the Lion wasn’t looking, filched away the brains to reward him for his trouble. Presently the Lion began searching for them, of course without success: and the Fox, who was watching him, said, “I don’t think it’s much use your looking for the brains: a creature who twice walked into a Lion’s den can’t have got any.”

One good turn deserves another.

“Stranger, whether the thing that you hold in your hand be alive or dead is a matter that depends entirely on your own will.”

The scene of past sufferings revives painful memories.