A fox, though young, by no means raw, Had seen a horse, the first he ever saw: 'Ho! neighbour wolf,' said he to one quite green, 'A creature in our meadow I have seen, -...
A cunning old fox, of plundering habits, Great crauncher of fowls, great catcher of rabbits, Whom none of his sort had caught in a nap, Was finally caught in somebody's trap....
They to bamboozle are inclined, Saith Merlin,[2] who bamboozled are. The word, though rather unrefined, Has yet an energy we ill can spare; So by its aid I introduce my tale....
A certain commonwealth aquatic, Grown tired of order democratic, By clamouring in the ears of Jove, effected Its being to a monarch's power subjected....
The tenant of a bog, An envious little frog, Not bigger than an egg, A stately bullock spies, And, smitten with his size, Attempts to be as big. With earnestness and pains,...
There was a little Fog Whose home was in a bog, And he worried 'cause he wasn't big enough. He sees an ox and cries: "That's just about my size, If I stretch myself - Say Sister, see me puff!" ...
The lion's consort died: Crowds, gather'd at his side, Must needs console the prince, And thus their loyalty evince By compliments of course; Which make affliction worse....
A man who had a great fondness for gardening, being half a countryman and half town-bred, possessed in a certain village a fair-sized plot with a field attached, and all enclosed by a quickset hedge. Here sorrel and lettuce gre...
A lover of gardens, half cit and half clown, Possess'd a nice garden beside a small town; And with it a field by a live hedge inclosed, Where sorrel and lettuce, at random disposed,...
A GASCON (being heard one day to swear, That he'd possess'd a certain lovely fair,) Was played a wily trick, and nicely served; 'Twas clear, from truth he shamefully had swerved:...
A STURGEON, once, a glutton famed was led To have for supper - all, except the head. With wond'rous glee he feasted on the fish; And quickly swallowed down the royal dish....
Jupiter had a son, who, sensible of his lofty origin, showed always a god-like spirit. Childhood is not much concerned with loving; yet to the childhood of this young god, loving and wishing to be loved was the chief concern. I...
A father once, whose sons were two, For each a gift had much ado. At last upon this course he fell: 'My sons,' said he, 'within our well Two treasures lodge, as I am told;...
When Nature angrily turn'd out Those plagues, the spider and the gout, - 'See you,' said she, 'those huts so meanly built, These palaces so grand and richly gilt? By mutual agreement fix...
The Grasshopper, singing All summer long, Now found winter stinging, And ceased in his song. Not a morsel or crumb in his cupboard - So he shivered, and ceased in his song. ...
Once in his bed deep mused the hare, (What else but muse could he do there?) And soon by gloom was much afflicted; - To gloom the creature's much addicted. 'Alas! these constitutions nervous,'...
Beware how you deride The exiles from life's sunny side: To you is little known How soon their case may be your own. On this, sage Aesop gives a tale or two, As in my verses I propose to do....
Never mock at other people's misfortune; for you cannot tell how soon you yourself may be unhappy. 'sop the sage has given us one or two examples of this truth, and I am going to tell you of a similar one now. ...