Read Ebook: Fables in Rhyme for Little Folks From the French of La Fontaine by La Fontaine Jean De Rae John Illustrator Larned W T William Trowbridge Translator

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Ebook has 118 lines and 7407 words, and 3 pages

The Raven And The Fox.

Mr. Raven was perched upon a limb, And Reynard the Fox looked up at him; For the Raven held in his great big beak A morsel the Fox would go far to seek.

Said the Fox, in admiring tones: "My word! Sir Raven, you are a handsome bird. Such feathers! If you would only sing, The birds of these woods would call you King."

The Raven, who did not see the joke, Forgot that his voice was just a croak. He opened his beak, in his foolish pride-- And down fell the morsel the Fox had spied.

"Ha-ha!" said the Fox. "And now you see You should not listen to flattery. Vanity, Sir is a horrid vice-- I'm sure the lesson is worth the price."

The City Mouse And The Country Mouse.

A City Mouse, with ways polite, A Country Mouse invited To sup with him and spend the night. Said Country Mouse: "De--lighted!" In truth it proved a royal treat, With everything that's good to eat.

Alas! When they had just begun To gobble their dinner, A knock was heard that made them run. The City Mouse seemed thinner. And as they scampered and turned tail, He saw the Country Mouse grow pale.

The knocking ceased. A false alarm! The City Mouse grew braver. "Come back!" he cried. "No, no! The farm, Where I'll not quake or quaver, Suits me," replied the Country Mouse. "You're welcome to your city house."

The Lion And The Gnat.

The Lion once said to the Gnat: "You brat, Clear out just as quick as you can, now--s'cat! If you meddle with me I will not guarantee That you won't be slammed perfectly flat-- D'ye see?"

Said the Gnat: "Because you're called King--you thing!-- You fancy that you will make me take wing. Why, an ox weighs much more, Yet I drive him before When I get good and ready to sting. Now, roar!"

Then loudly his trumpet he blew. And--whew! How fiercely and fast at his foe he flew. From the tail to the toes He draws blood as he goes. Then he starts in to sting and to chew His nose.

Sir Lion was mad with the pain. In vain He roared and he foamed and he shook his mane. All the beasts that were nigh Fled in fear from his cry. But the Gnat only stung him again-- In the eye.

He looked and laughed as he saw--Haw, Haw!-- The Lion self-torn by his tooth and claw, So His Majesty's hide With his own blood was dyed. Said the Gnat: "Shall I serve you up raw-- Or fried?"

It's finished. The Lion's loud roar is o'er. He's bitten and beaten, he's sick and sore. But a spider's web spread Trapped the Gnat as he sped With the news...He will never fight more-- He's dead!

The Dove And The Ant.

An Ant who in a brook would drink Fell off the bank. He tried To swim, and felt his courage sink-- This ocean seemed so wide. But for a dove who flew above He would have drowned and died.

The friendly Dove within her beak A bridge of grass-stem bore: On this the Ant, though worn and weak. Contrived to reach the shore Said he: "The tact of this kind act I'll cherish evermore."

Behold! A barefoot wretch went by With slingshot in his hand. Said he: "You'll make a pigeon pie That will be kind of grand." He meant to murder the gentle bird-- Who did not understand.

The Ant then stung him on the heel . He turned his head, and missed a meal: The pigeon pie took wing. And so the Dove lived on to love-- Beloved by everything.

The Fox And The Grapes.

Rosy and ripe, and ready to box, The grapes hang high o'er the hungry Fox.-- He pricks up his ears, and his eye he cocks.

Ripe and rosy, yet so high!-- He gazes at them with a greedy eye, And knows he must eat and drink--or die.

When the jump proves to be beyond his power-- "Pooh!" says the Fox. "Let the pigs devour Fruit of that sort. Those grapes are sour!"

The Ass In The Lion's Skin.

An Ass in The Lion's skin arrayed Made everybody fear. And this was queer, Because he was himself afraid. Yet everywhere he strayed The people ran like deer.

Ah, ah! He is betrayed: No lion has that long and hairy ears.

Old Martin spied the tip; and country folk Who are not in the secret of the joke, With open mouths and eyes Stare at old Martin's prize-- A Lion led to mill, with neck in yoke.

The Fox And The Stork.

Old Father Fox, who was known to be mean, Invited Dame Stork in to dinner. There was nothing but soup that could scarcely be seen:-- Soup never was served any thinner. And the worst of it was, as I'm bound to relate, Father Fox dished it up on a flat china plate.

Dame Stork, as you know, has a very long beak: Not a crumb or drop could she gather Had she pecked at the plate every day in the week. But as for the Fox--sly old Father: With his tongue lapping soup at a scandalous rate, He licked up the last bit and polished the plate.

Pretty soon Mistress Stork spread a feast of her own; Father Fox was invited to share it. He came, and he saw, and he gave a great groan: The stork had known how to prepare it. She had meant to get even, and now was her turn: Father Fox was invited to eat from an urn.

The urn's mouth was small, and it had a long neck; The food in it smelled most delightful. Dame Stork, with her beak in, proceeded to peck; But the Fox found that fasting is frightful. Home he sneaked. On his way there he felt his ears burn When he thought of the Stork and her tall, tricky urn.

The Monkey And The Cat.

Jocko the Monkey, Mouser--his chum, the Cat, Had the same master. Both were sleek and fat, And mischievous. If anything went wrong, The neighbors where not blamed. Be sure of that.

Jocko, 'tis said was something of a thief; Mouser, if truth be told, would just as lief Much stolen cheese as chase the midnight mouse. The praise bestowed on either must be brief.

One day these rogues, stretched flat before the fire, Saw chestnuts roassting. "Ah! Could we conspire To jerk them out," said Jocko, "from the coals, We'd smash the shells and have our heart's desire.

"Come, Brother Mouser! This day 'tis your turn To do some bold and desperate thing to earn A reputation. You, who are so quick, Snatch out the nuts before they start to burn.

"Alas! That I, a Monkey, was not made To play with fire. But you are not afraid." So Mouser--pleased, like many a cat or man, With pretty words--sly Jocko's wish obeyed.

Into the fire he put a practiced paw: Out came a chestnut clinging to his claw-- Another and another. As they dropped Jocko devoured them, whether roast or raw.

A servant enters. Off the robbers run. Jocko, you may be sure, enjoyed the fun. But Mouser's paw is sadly singed--for what? Just to get nuts for Jocko. He got none.

The Hare And The Tortoise.

Said the Tortoise one day to the Hare: "I'll run you a race if you dare. I'll bet you cannot Arrive at that spot As quickly as I can get there."

Quoth the Hare: "You are surely insane. Pray, what has affected your brain? You seem pretty sick. Call a doctor in--quick, And let him prescribe for your pain."

"Never mind," said the Tortoise. "Let's run! Will you bet me?" "Why, certainly." "Done!" While the slow Tortoise creeps Mr. Hare makes four leaps, And then loafs around in the sun.

It seemed such a one-sided race, To win was almost a disgrace. So he frolicked about Then at last he set out-- As the Tortoise was as nearing the place.

Too late! Though he sped like a dart, The Tortoise was first. She was smart: "You can surely run fast," She remarked. "Yet you're last. It is better to get a good start."

The Heron Who Was Hard To Please.

The Raven Who Would Rival The Eagle.

An Eagle swooped from out the sky, And carried off a sheep. A Raven seeing him, said: "I Could do that too if I should try. His meal comes mighty cheap."

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