FablesFablesA Short A Short

AnthologyAnthology

What are fables?What are fables?

Fables are simple, traditional Fables are simple, traditional tales with a moral or lesson. tales with a moral or lesson. They were told thousands of They were told thousands of years ago by storytellers in years ago by storytellers in countries like Greece and Persia. countries like Greece and Persia. Characters are usually animals Characters are usually animals who behaved as humans. They who behaved as humans. They often have special qualities. The often have special qualities. The fox is usually cunning, the mouse fox is usually cunning, the mouse frail and the lion, powerful.frail and the lion, powerful.

The Stag at the PoolThe Stag at the Pool A stag, gazing at his reflection A stag, gazing at his reflection

in a pool, remarked, “What in a pool, remarked, “What glorious antlers I have. But glorious antlers I have. But my legs are so skinny!” At my legs are so skinny!” At that moment the stag heard a that moment the stag heard a pack of hunters and hounds pack of hunters and hounds approaching. His long legs approaching. His long legs helped him flee into a thick helped him flee into a thick wood, but his antlers became wood, but his antlers became entangled in the branches. entangled in the branches. Struggle as he might, he was Struggle as he might, he was trapped – and the hounds and trapped – and the hounds and hunters closed in.hunters closed in.

The Young Crab and her The Young Crab and her MotherMother

A mother crab was A mother crab was annoyed at her daughter’s annoyed at her daughter’s clumsy way of walking clumsy way of walking sideways and told her to sideways and told her to walk forwards.walk forwards.

Obediently the daughter Obediently the daughter agreed but asked that her agreed but asked that her mother show her how. The mother show her how. The mother began to walk, mother began to walk, then realised that she too, then realised that she too, was walking sideways.was walking sideways.

The Wolf and the CraneThe Wolf and the Crane

A wolf had a bone stuck A wolf had a bone stuck painfully in his throat. He painfully in his throat. He begged other animals to help begged other animals to help him and promised a reward. him and promised a reward. A crane lowered her long, A crane lowered her long, narrow beak down the wolf’s narrow beak down the wolf’s throat and drew out the bone. throat and drew out the bone. She then reminded him of the She then reminded him of the reward. The wolf replied that reward. The wolf replied that she had taken her head out of she had taken her head out of the wolf’s jaws without being the wolf’s jaws without being eaten. “That’s your reward!” eaten. “That’s your reward!” he scoffed.he scoffed.

The Wolf in Sheep’s The Wolf in Sheep’s ClothingClothing

A wolf had a clever plan to A wolf had a clever plan to steal a sheep for his supper. steal a sheep for his supper. Disguised in a sheepskin, he Disguised in a sheepskin, he crept quietly amongst a crept quietly amongst a flock. The sheep suspected flock. The sheep suspected nothing. But that night in the nothing. But that night in the farmhouse, the family farmhouse, the family wanted roast lamb for wanted roast lamb for dinner. In the darkness the dinner. In the darkness the farmer mistook the wolf for a farmer mistook the wolf for a plump sheep and took him plump sheep and took him for their supper.for their supper.

The Ant and the The Ant and the GrasshopperGrasshopper

One autumn day as some ants One autumn day as some ants were busily storing grain for were busily storing grain for the winter, a hungry the winter, a hungry grasshopper begged for food. grasshopper begged for food. One ant asked what the One ant asked what the grasshopper had been doing grasshopper had been doing during the summer while they during the summer while they had been gathering food. “Ah!” had been gathering food. “Ah!” he sighed. “I sang all summer he sighed. “I sang all summer long.” At this the ant said that long.” At this the ant said that he could dance all winter too – he could dance all winter too – and carried on working.and carried on working.

The MilkmaidThe Milkmaid

As a milkmaid walked to As a milkmaid walked to market, she dreamt of selling market, she dreamt of selling the milk she was carrying, and the milk she was carrying, and buying eggs. She planned, buying eggs. She planned, when the eggs hatched, to sell when the eggs hatched, to sell the chickens. With that money the chickens. With that money she would buy beautiful clothes she would buy beautiful clothes and be admired by all. Just and be admired by all. Just then she tossed her head then she tossed her head proudly, and all the milk and all proudly, and all the milk and all her dreams spilt on the ground.her dreams spilt on the ground.

The Monkey and the The Monkey and the DolphinDolphin

A monkey fell from a ship and was A monkey fell from a ship and was rescued by a dolphin. The dolphin rescued by a dolphin. The dolphin asked if he lived nearby. The asked if he lived nearby. The monkey lied and said that he did. monkey lied and said that he did. “Do you know Seriphos?” asked “Do you know Seriphos?” asked the dolphin. The monkey, thinking the dolphin. The monkey, thinking Seriphos was a person’s name, Seriphos was a person’s name, boasted it was his best friend. As boasted it was his best friend. As Seriphos was a town, the dolphin Seriphos was a town, the dolphin knew the monkey was lying, so he knew the monkey was lying, so he dived, leaving him to swim to dived, leaving him to swim to shore.shore.

The Mouse and the LionThe Mouse and the Lion

Once a lion trapped a mouse Once a lion trapped a mouse under its large paw. The under its large paw. The mouse pleaded for its life, so mouse pleaded for its life, so the lion let it go. Later the lion the lion let it go. Later the lion became tangled in a hunter’s became tangled in a hunter’s net and roared in distress. The net and roared in distress. The mouse rushed to help. “You’re mouse rushed to help. “You’re too small to help,” said the too small to help,” said the lion. But the mouse nibbled at lion. But the mouse nibbled at the net until the lion was free.the net until the lion was free.

The Fox and the Old LionThe Fox and the Old LionAn old lion sent out word that he was ill and that he would like the animals and birds to visit him. Most went but the fox did not. Finally the lion sent for him, asking why he had not come to see him. The wily fox replied, “ I had planned to, but I noticed that although many tracks led into your cave, none led out.”

The Wind and the SunThe Wind and the Sun

The wind and the sun The wind and the sun argued over who was argued over who was stronger. They saw a stronger. They saw a traveller and agreed traveller and agreed that whoever could get that whoever could get the travellers coat off the travellers coat off his body must be his body must be stronger. The wind blew stronger. The wind blew fiercely, but the harder fiercely, but the harder it blew, the tighter the it blew, the tighter the man clutched his coat. man clutched his coat. Then the sun beamed Then the sun beamed its warm rays until the its warm rays until the man was so hot he took man was so hot he took off his coat.off his coat.

Can you match the morals Can you match the morals with the fables?with the fables?