| The Frog and the Oxe A little frog and a big one were sitting by the side of a pool. "Oh Father," said the little Frog, "I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as big as a mountain. It had horns on its head, a long tail, and it had hoofs on its feet." "Calm down, child," said the old Frog, "that was only an Ox. It isn't so big; he may be a little bit taller than I, but I could easily make myself quite as broad; just you see." So he blew himself out, and blew himself out, and blew himself out. "Was he as big as that?" asked he. "Oh, much bigger than that," said the young Frog. Again the old one blew himself out, and asked the young one if the Ox was as big as that. "Bigger, father, bigger," was the reply. So the Frog took a deep breath, and blew and blew and blew, and swelled and swelled and swelled. And then he said: "I'm sure the Ox is not as big as that.” But at this moment he burst. |
| AESOP'S FABLES |
| The Lion and the Mouse Once when a Lion was asleep, a little Mouse began running up and down upon him. This soon wakened the Lion. He placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I will never forget it and I will repay your kindness someday. The Lion laughed and let him go. Shortly after this, the Lion was caught in a trap. The Mouse recognized his roar and came to help him. He gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set the lion free. The lion was so happy. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse. |
| The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf A sheepherd-boy was watching a flock of sheep near a village. He was bored and wanted to have some fun. He cried out, "Wolf! Wolf!". The villagers came to help him quickly. But he laughed at them and said that he just played a joke on them. After a short time, he did the same thing again. He cried out, “Wolf! Wolf!” This time the villagers were angry. They told him not to do it again because no one would believe a liar the third time. And they went back to their work. The Wolf, however, truly came at last. The Shepherd-boy was alarmed and shouted in terror: "Wolf! Wolf! Come and help me; the Wolf is killing my sheep"; but no one paid any attention to his cries. The Sheepher-boy was helpless. The Wolf destroyed the whole flock. |
| The Ant and the Grasshooper In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about. He was chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by. He was bearing along an ear of corn with great toil. He was taking it to his nest. "Why not come and play with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same." "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came, the Grasshopper had no food. He was dying of hunger while the ant was eating corn and grain from his store every day. |
| The Hare and the Tortoise The Hare was once boasting of his speed before the other animals. "No one has been able to beat me so far," said he, "I challenge any one here to race with me." The Tortoise said quietly, "I accept your challenge." "That is a good joke," said the Hare; "I could dance round you all the way." "Keep your boasting till you've beaten," answered the Tortoise. "Shall we race?" So a course was fixed and a start was made. The Hare darted almost out of sight at once, but soon stopped and, to show his contempt for the Tortoise, lay down to have a nap. The Tortoise plodded on and plodded on, and when the Hare awoke from his nap, he saw the Tortoise just near the winning-post and could not run up in time to save the race. |
| QUESTIONS Where were they sitting? What did the little frog see? What did the monster look like? Was it really a monster? Why did the father frog blow himself out? Could he make himself as big as the cow? |
| QUESTIONS Why did the little mouse walk on the lion? Why was the lion so angry? Why did the lion laugh at the mouse’s words? How did the mouse set the lion free? |
| QUESTIONS What did the sheepherd-boy do to entertain himself? Was it funny for the villagers? Did they laugh at his joke? What did the villagers tell the sheepherd-boy when he played his joke on them the second time? |
| QUESTIONS What was the grasshooper’s offer to the ant? Why did the ant refuse it? What was the ant’s advice to the grasshooper? Did the grassgooper like the idea to work? |
| QUESTIONS Why do you think the tortoise accepted the hare’s challenge? What did the hare do to show his contempt for the tortoise? |