Based on the translation of George Fyler Townsend
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Based on the translation of George Fyler Townsend INTRODUCED BY Isaac Bashevis Singer
Transcript of Based on the translation of George Fyler Townsend
Based on the translation of George Fyler Townsend
I N T R O D U C E D BY
Isaac Bashevis Singer
^E sop’s FablesBASED ON THE TRANSLATION OF
George Fyler Townsend
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
Isaac Bashevis Singer
Illustrated by MURRAY TINKELMAN
DOUBLEDAY & COMPANY, Inc. Garden City, New York
INTRODUCTION AND ILLUSTRATIONS
COPYRIGHT © 1968 BY NELSON DOUBLEDAY, INC.
All Rights Reserved,
Printed in the United States of America
C O N T E N T S
Table of Illustrations, 19 The Fable as Literary Form
ISAAC BASHEVIS SINGER, 2 1
PrefaceGEORGE FYLER TOWNSEND, 2$
The Wolf and the Lamb, 41
The Bat and the Weasels, 42
The Ass and the Grasshopper, 42
The Lion and the Mouse, 42
The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller, 43
The Father and His Sons, 44
The Boy Hunting Locusts, 45
The Cock and the Jewel, 45
The Kingdom of the Lion, 45
The Wolf and the Crane, 46
The Fisherman Piping, 47
Hercules and the Wagoner, 47
The Ants and the Grasshopper, 48
The Traveler and His Dog, 48
The Dog and the Shadow, 49
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Æ S OP’S FABLESThe Mole and His Mother, 49
The Herdsman and the Lost Bull, 49
The Hare and the Tortoise, 50
The Pomegranate, Apple-Tree, and Bramble,The Farmer and the Stork, 51
The Farmer and the Snake, 53
The Fawn and His Mother, 53
The Bear and the Fox, 53
The Swallow and the Crow, 54
The Mountain in Labor, 54
The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion, 54
The Tortoise and the Eagle, 55
The Flies and the Honey-Pot, 56The Man and the Lion, 56
The Farmer and the Cranes, 57
The Dog in the Manger, 57
The Fox and the Goat, 58
The Bear and the Two Travelers, 59
The Oxen and the Axle-Trees, 59The Thirsty Pigeon, 60
The Raven and the Swan, 60
The Goat and the Goatherd, 61The Miser, 61
The Sick Lion, 62The Horse and Groom, 63
The Ass and the Lapdog, 63The Lioness, 65
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Æ S O P ’ S F A B L E S 7The Boasting Traveler, 65
The Cat and the Cock, 65
The Lion in Love, 66
The Piglet, the Sheep, and the Goat, 67
The Boy and the Filberts, 67
The Laborer and the Snake, 67
The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, 68
The Ass and the Mule, 69
The Frogs Asking for a King, 69
The Boys and the Frogs, 71The Sick Stag, 71
The Salt Merchant and His Ass, 71
The Oxen and the Butchers, 72
The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox, 72
The Vain Jackdaw, 73
The Goatherd and the Wild Goats, 74
The Mischievous Dog, 74
The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail, 75
The Boy and the Nettles, 76The Man and His Two Sweethearts, 76
The Astronomer, 76
The Wolves and the Sheep, 77The Old Woman and the Physician, 77
The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle, 78The Charger and the Miller, 78
The Fox and the Monkey, 79The Horse and His Rider, 79
8 Æ S O P ’S F A B L E SThe Belly and the Members, 81
The Vine and the Goat, 81
Jupiter and the Monkey, 81
The Widow and Her Little Maidens, 82
The Shepherds Boy and the Wolf, 82
The Cat and the Birds, 84
The Kid and the Wolf, 84
The Ox and the Frog, 84
The Shepherd and the Wolf, 85
The Father and His Two Daughters, 85
The Farmer and His Sons, 86
The Crab and Its Mother, 86
The Heifer and the Ox, 87
The Swallow, the Serpent, and the Court of Justice, 87The Thief and His Mother, 87
The Old Man and Death, 88
The Fir-Tree and the Bramble, 88
The Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk, 89
The Man Bitten by a Dog, 89The Two Pots, 90
The Wolf and the Sheep, 90The JEthiop, 91
The Fisherman and His Nets, 91
The Huntsman and the Fisherman, 91
The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar, 92The Fox and the Crow, 92The Two Dogs, 94
Æ S O P ’S F A B L E S 9The Stag in the Ox-Stall, 94
The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons, 95
The Widow and the Sheep, 95
The Wild Ass and the Lion, 96
The Eagle and the Arrow, 97
The Sick Kite, 97
The Lion and the Dolphin, 97
The Lion and the Boar, 98
The One-Eyed Doe, 98
The Shepherd and the Sea, 99
The Ass, the Cock, and the Lion, 99
The Mice and the Weasels, 100
The Mice in Council, 101
The Wolf and the Housedog, 101
The Rivers and the Sea, 101
The Playful Ass, 102The Three Tradesmen, 103
The Master and His Dogs, 103
The Wolf and the Shepherds, 103
The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat, 105
The Ass Carrying the Image, 105
The Two Travelers and the Axe, 105
The Old Lion, 106
The Old Hound, 106
The Bee and Jupiter, 107The Milk-Woman and Her Pail, 107The Seaside Travelers, 108
10 Æ S O P ’S F A B L E SThe Brazier and His Dog, 109
The Ass and His Shadow, 109
The Ass and His Masters, 110
The Oak and the Reeds, 110
The Fisherman and the Little Fish, 111
The Hunter and the Woodman, 111The Wild Boar and the Fox, 113
The Lion in a Farmyard, 113
Mercury and the Sculptor, 113
The Swan and the Goose, 114
The Swollen Fox, 114
The Fox and the Woodcutter, 115
The Birdcatcher, the Partridge, and the Cock,
The Monkey and the Fishermen, 116The Flea and the Wrestler, 117
The Two Frogs, 117
The Cat and the Mice, 117
The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox, 118
The Doe and the Lion, 118The Farmer and the Fox, 119
The Seagull and the Kite, 119
The Philosopher, the Ants, and Mercury, 119The Mouse and the Bull, 120The Lion and the Hare, 121The Feasant and the Eagle, 121The Image of Mercury and the Carpenter, 121The Bull and the Goat, 122
Æ S O P ’S F A B L E S il
The Dancing Monkeys, 122 The Fox and the Leopard, 123
The Monkeys and Their Mother, 124
The Oaks and Jupiter, 124
The Hare and the Hound, 124
The Traveler and Fortune, 125
The Bald Knight, 125
The Shepherd and the Dog, 125
The Lamp, 126
The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass, 126The Bull, the Lioness, and the Wild-Boar Hunter, 127
The Oak and the Woodcutters, 127
The Hen and the Golden Eggs, 128
The Ass and the Frogs, 128
The Crow and the Raven, 129
The Trees and the Axe, 129The Crab and the Fox, 130
The Woman and Her Hen, 130
The Ass and the Old Shepherd, 130
The Kites and the Swans, 131
The Wolves and the Sheepdogs, 131
The Hares and the Foxes, 132The Bowman and Lion, 132
The Camel, 132The Wasp and the Snake, 133
The Dog and the Hare, 134The Bull and the Calf, 134
12 AESOP’S FAB LES
The Stag, the Wolf, and the Sheep, 134
The Peacock and the Crane, 135
The Fox and the Hedgehog, 136
The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow, 136
The Thief and the Innkeeper, 138 The Mule, 139
The Hart and the Vine, 139
The Serpent and the Eagle, 140
The Crow and the Pitcher, 140 The Two Frogs, 141
The Wolf and the Fox, 141
The Walnut-Tree, 142
The Gnat and the Lion, 142
The Monkey and the Dolphin, 143
The Jackdaw and the Doves, 144 The Horse and the Stag, 144
The Kid and the Wolf, 145
The Prophet, 145
The Fox and the Monkey, 146
The Thief and the Housedog, 146
The Man, the Horse, the Ox, and the Dog, 146
The Apes and the Two Travelers, 147
The Wolf and the Shepherd, 148
The Hares and the Lions, 148 The Lark and Her Young Ones, 149
The Fox and the Lion, 150 The Weasel and the Mice, 150
Æ S O P ’S F A B L E S 13The Boy Bathing, 150
The Ass and the Wolf, 151
The Seller of Images, 151
The Fox and the Grapes, 153
The Man and His Wife, 153
The Peacock and Juno, 153
The Hawk and the Nightingale, 154
The Dog, the Cock, and the Fox, 154
The Wolf and the Goat, 155
The Lion and the Bull, 155
The Goat and the Ass, 156
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, 156
The Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape, 157
The Fly and the Draught-Mule, 158
The Fishermen, 158
The Lion and the Three Bulls, 159
The Fowler and the Viper, 159
The Horse and the Ass, 159
The Fox and the Mask, 160
The Geese and the Cranes, 160
The Blind Man and the Whelp, 161
The Dogs and the Fox, 161
The Cobbler Turned Doctor, 161
The Wolf and the Horse, 162The Brother and the Sister, 162
The Wasps, the Partridges, and the Farmer, 163
Æ S O P ’S F A B L E SThe Crow and Mercury, 163
The North Wind and the Sun, 164
The Two Men Who Were Enemies, 165
The Gamecocks and the Partridge, 165
The Quack Frog, 165
The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox, 166
The Dog’s House, 166
The Wolf and the Lion, 167
The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat, 167
The Spendthrift and the Swallow, 167
The Fox and the Lion, 168
The Owl and the Birds, 168
The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner, 169
The Ass in the Lions Skin, 169
The Sparrow and the Hare, 169
The Flea and the Ox, 170
The Goods and the Ills, 170
The Dove and the Crow, 171
Mercury and the Workmen, 171
The Eagle and the Jackdaw, 172
The Fox and the Crane, 173 .
Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus,
The Eagle and the Fox, 174
The Man and the Satyr, 175
The Ass and His Purchaser, 175
The Two Bags, 176
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Æ S O P ’S F A B L E S 15
The Stag at the Pool, 176
The Jackdaw and the Fox, 177The Lark Burying Her Father, 177
The Gnat and the Bull, 177The Bitch and Her Whelps, 178
The Dogs and the Hides, 178The Shepherd and the Sheep, 178
The Grasshopper and the Owl, 179
The Monkey and the Camel, 180
The Peasant and the Apple-Tree, 180The Two Soldiers and the Robber, 181
The Trees Under the Protection of the Gods, 181
The Mother and the Wolf, 182
The Ass and the Horse, 182
Truth and the Traveler, 183
The Manslayer, 183
The Lion and the Fox, 183
The Lion and the Eagle, 184
The Hen and the Swallow, 184The Buffoon and the Countryman, 184
The Crow and the Serpent, 186
The Hunter and the Horseman, 187
The King's Son and the Painted Lion, 187
The Cat and Venus, 188The She-Goats and Their Beards, 188The Camel and the Arab, 189The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass, 189
Æ S O P ’S F A B L E S16
The Crow and the Sheep, 190
The Fox and the Bramble, 191The Wolf and the Lion, 191
The Dog and the Oyster, 191
The Ant and the Dove, 192
The Partridge and the Fowler, 192
The Flea and the Man, 192
The Thieves and the Cock, 193
The Dog and the Cook, 193
The Travelers and the Plane-Tree, 194
The Hares and the Frogs, 194
The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant, 195
The Lamb and the Wolf, 196
The Rich Man and the Tanner, 196
The Shipwrecked Man and the Sea, 196
The Mules and the Robbers, 197
The Viper and the File, 197
The Lion and the Shepherd, 197
The Camel and Jupiter, 198
The Panther and the Shepherds, 198
The Ass and the Charger, 199
The Eagle and His Captor, 199
The Bald Man and the Fly, 200
The Olive-Tree and the Fig-Tree, 201The Eagle and the Kite, 201
The Ass and His Driver, 202The Thrush and the Fowler, 202
Æ S O P ’S F A B L E S 17
The Rose and the Amaranth, 202
The Frogs Complaint Against the Sun, 203
AppendixLife of JEsop, 207 Index of Titles, 211
The W olf a n d th e Lam b
a w o l f , meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolfs right to eat him. He thus addressed him: “Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.” “Indeed,” bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, “I was not then bom.” Then said the Wolf, “You feed in my pasture.” “No, good sir,” replied the Lamb, “I have not yet tasted grass.” Again said the Wolf, “You drink of my well.” “No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.” Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations.”
The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.
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