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EASOP'S FABLES

THE HARE（野うさぎ） AND THE TORTOISE（陸がめ）
A Hare was one day making fun of a Tortoise for being so slow upon his feet. "Wait a bit," 
said the Tortoise; "I'll run a race with you, and I'll wager that I win." "Oh, well," replied 
the Hare, who was much amused at the idea, "let's try and see"; and it was soon agreed that 
the fox should set a course for them, and be the judge. When the time came both started off 
together, but the Hare was soon so far ahead that he thought he might as well have a rest: 
so down he lay and fell fast asleep. Meanwhile the Tortoise kept plodding on, and in time 
reached the goal. At last the Hare woke up with a start, and dashed on at his fastest, but 
only to find that the Tortoise had already won the race.
    Slow and steady wins the race.　

THE FOX AND THE STORK
A Fox invited a Stork to dinner, at which the only fare provided was a large flat dish of
soup. The Fox lapped it up with great relish, but the Stork with her long bill tried in 
vain to partake of the savoury broth. Her evident distress caused the sly Fox much amusement. 
But not long after the Stork invited him in turn, and set before him a pitcher with a long 
and narrow neck, into which she could get her bill with ease. Thus, while she enjoyed her 
dinner, the Fox sat by hungry and helpless, for it was impossible for him to reach the 
tempting contents of the vessel.

THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN
A dispute arose between the North Wind and the Sun, each claiming that he was stronger than 
the other. At last they agreed to try their powers upon a traveller, to see which could soonest 
strip him of his cloak. The North Wind had the first try; and, gathering up all his force 
for the attack, he came whirling furiously down upon the man, and caught up his cloak as 
though he would wrest it from him by one single effort: but the harder he blew, the more 
closely the man wrapped it round himself. Then came the turn of the Sun. At first he beamed 
gently upon the traveller, who soon unclasped his cloak and walked on with it hanging loosely 
about his shoulders: then he shone forth in his full strength, and the man, before he had 
gone many steps, was glad to throw his cloak right off and complete his journey more lightly clad.
    Persuasion is better than force

THE FOX AND THE GRAPES
A hungry Fox saw some fine bunches of Grapes hanging from a vine that was trained along a high 
trellis, and did his best to reach them by jumping as high as he could into the air. But it 
was all in vain, for they were just out of reach: so he gave up trying, and walked away with 
an air of dignity and unconcern, remarking, "I thought those Grapes were ripe, but I see now 
they are quite sour."
  
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER
A thirsty Crow found a Pitcher with some water in it, but so little was there that, try as she 
might, she could not reach it with her beak, and it seemed as though she would die of thirst 
within sight of the remedy. At last she hit upon a clever plan. She began dropping pebbles 
into the Pitcher, and with each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it reached 
the brim, and the knowing bird was enabled to quench her thirst.
    Necessity is the mother of invention.

THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGGS
A Man and his Wife had the good fortune to possess a Goose which laid a Golden Egg every day. 
Lucky though they were, they soon began to think they were not getting rich fast enough, and, 
imagining the bird must be made of gold inside, they decided to kill it in order to secure 
the whole store of precious metal at once. But when they cut it open they found it was just 
like any other goose. Thus, they neither got rich all at once, as they had hoped, nor enjoyed 
any longer the daily addition to their wealth.
    Much wants more and loses all.

THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG
There was once a Dog who used to snap at people and bite them without any provocation, and 
who was a great nuisance to every one who came to his master's house. So his master fastened 
a bell round his neck to warn people of his presence. The Dog was very proud of the bell, and 
strutted about tinkling it with immense satisfaction. But an old dog came up to him and said, 
"The fewer airs you give yourself the better, my friend. You don't think, do you, that your 
bell was given you as a reward of merit? On the contrary, it is a badge of disgrace."
    Notoriety is often mistaken for fame.