NEW LAMPS FOR OLD Story-Lessons from Æsop BY SAMUEL BIRD, B.A. (la t e assistant m aster AT AYMESTREY COURT, WORCESTER an d st. p e t e r ’s, c h ile ASSISTANT CURATE AT ST. STEPHEN, AUDENSHAW) JAMES CLARKE & CO. LTD. 5 WARDROBE PLACE, LONDON, E.C.4 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY HEADLEY BROTHERS I09 KINGSWAY, LONDON, W.C.2 J AND ASHFORD, KENT TO All those who, according to their oppor­ tunity, suffer little children to come unto Christ Jesus, this little book is respectfully dedicated. FOREWORD F or this selection of fables, at least as old as Æsop, no claim to originality is made. The editor has merely ventured to bring them forth in a new light in the hope that it may help to illumine the modern Children’s Corner, Sunday School, or Home. This is, after all, only the method the Master used to instruct His disciples unto the kingdom of heaven, leading them from their own interests to the things concerning the king­ dom. Perhaps it is not too much to hope that this little book will not only prove attractive to the children themselves, but may be found helpful to every householder who is attempting to lead them from their own interests—of which surely the greatest is Fairy Tales and Fables—to that Kingdom where the childlike are the greatest. Epiphany, iggy. S.W.H.B. CONTENTS Page PARABLE 7 FOREWORD 9 NOTE ON THE NEW MEANINGS OF OLD STORIES I I MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN 17 THE APE AND THE DOLPHIN 19 THE MAN AND HIS TWO WIVES 2 0 THE BEES, THE DRONES, AND THE WASP 2 2 THE GOAT-HERD AND THE SHE-GOAT 24 THE LION IN LOVE 25 THE ASS AND THE LITTLE DOG 26 CÆSAR AND THE SLAVE 28 THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE 30 THE FOX AND THE ASS 3 1 THE FOX AND THE APE 32 A BOAR CHALLENGES AN ASS 3 3 THE BOASTING TRAVELLER 3 4 THE DOG AND THE REFLECTION 3 5 THE DRUNKEN HUSBAND 36 THE FOX IN THE WELL 38 THE FOWLER AND THE DOVE 3 9 THE FROG AND THE FOX 40 THE GEESE AND THE CRANES 4 1 13 14 CONTENTS Page THE HART AND THE VINE 4 2 THE HAWK AND THE FARMER 4.3 THE HEN AND THE SWALLOW 44 THE HORSE AND THE LOADED ASS 4.5 THE HUNTED BEAVER 4.6 JUPITER AND PALLAS 47 THE LION AND THE MOUSE 4.8 THE OLD MAN, HIS SON, AND THE ASS 50 THE BIRDS, THE BEASTS, AND THE BAT 52 THE SATYR AND THE TRAVELLER 54. THE PARROT AND HIS CAGE 55 THE CAT AND THE FOX 58 THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE CITY MOUSE 59 THE COVETOUS MAN 62 THE ENVIOUS MAN AND THE COVETOUS 64 THE FOX AND THE CROW ~ 65 THE FOX AND THE SICK LION 66 THE FOX AND THE STORK 68 THE HORSE AND THE LION 69 THE HUSBANDMAN AND HIS SONS 70 JUPITER AND THE CAMEL 72 THE LION AND THE FOUR BULLS 73 THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX 74. THE OLD MAN AND HIS SONS 75 CO N TEN TS 15 Page THE MASTER AND HIS SCHOLAR 77 THE MICE IN COUNCIL 78 THE MULE 80 THE OLD MAN AND DEATH 8 l THE PEACOCK’S COMPLAINT 82 THE PROUD FROG 84 THE RIVER-FISH AND THE SEA-FISH 85 THE SHEEP-BITER 86 THE STAG IN THE OX-STALL 88 THE SHEPHERD TURNED MERCHANT 9 0 th e sh eph erd ’s b o y 93 THE STAG LOOKING INTO THE WATER 9 3 THE THIEVES AND THE COCK 9 5 THE TRAVELLERS AND THE BEAR 96 THE TRAVELLERS AND THE CROW 9 7 THE TUNNY AND THE DOLPHIN 98 THE TWO CRABS 99 THE VAIN JACKDAW IOO THE WANTON CALF 1 0 1 THE YOUNG MAN AND THE LION IO3 THE YOUNG MAN AND THE SWALLOW IO5 THE JUDICIOUS LION IO7 THE ASS AND THE LION HUNTING I08 THE KITE AND THE PIGEONS 1 10 16 CO N TEN TS Page THE MAN AND HIS GOOSE I I I THE BROTHER AND SISTER I 12 THE BLACKAMOOR 1 14 THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG 115 THE LION AND THE FROG I l6 THE WOLVES AND THE SHEEP 1 1 7 THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES I 18 THE WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING 1 2 0 THE WOLF AND THE LAMB 1 2 1 THE OLD LION 12 3 THE TWO FROGS 124 THE DOG IN THE MANGER 125 THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE SNAKE 126 THE ASS EATING THISTLES 12 7 THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER 127 THE BOY AND HIS MOTHER 129 THE EAGLE AND THE FOX 131 MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN A M a n was felling a tree on the bank of a river, and by chance letting his hatchet slip out of his hand, it dropped into the water and immediately sank to the bottom. Being therefore in great distress for the loss of his tool, he sat down and bemoaned himself most lamentably. Upon this Mercury appeared to him, and being informed of the cause of his complaint, dived to the bottom of the river, and, coming up again, showed the Man a golden hatchet, demanding if that were his. He denied that it was. Upon which Mercury dived a second time, and brought up a silver one. The Man refused it, alleging likewise that this was not his. He dived a third time, and fetched up the actual hatchet the Man had lost ; upon sight of which the poor wretch was over­ joyed, and took it with all humility and thankfulness. Mercury was so pleased with the fellow’s honesty that he gave him the other two into the bargain, as a reward for 17 2 18 NEW LAMPS FOR OLD his just dealing. The Man went to his companions, and, giving them an account of what had happened, one of them went presently to the river’s side, and let his hatchet fall designedly into the stream. Then, sitting down upon the bank, he fell a-weeping and lamenting, as if he had been really and sorely afflicted. Mercury appeared as before, and, diving, brought him up a golden hatchet, asking if that was the hatchet he had lost. Transported at the sight of the precious metal, he answered yes, and went to snatch at it greedily. But the god, detesting his abom­ inable impudence, not only refused to give him that, but would not so much as let him have his own hatchet again. “ . whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just . think on these things.” (Philippians iv. 8.) In making a decision always ask yourself, “ Is it true ? Is it honest ? Is it just ? ”.