THE DOG AND THE OYSTER

A dog, used to eating eggs, saw an oyster and, opening his mouth to its widest extent,

swallowed it down with the utmost relish, supposing it to be an egg. Soon afterwards, suffering

great pain in his stomach, he said, "I deserve all this torment, for my folly in thinking that

everything round must be an egg."

Moral: They who act without sufficient thought, will often fall into insufficient danger.

Reflection: The dog, thinking that everything round is an egg, suffered for his mistakes. If we would think that everything around us is good, would be in the same situation as the dog. It is important that we will be aware of the things around us. What is good and bad. Not only that, we must also do our best to avoid doing the incorrect decision.

THE ASS AND THE MULE

A muleteer st forth on a journey, driving before him an ass and a mule, both well laden. The

ass, as long as he traveled along the plain, carried his load with ease, but when he began to

ascend the steep path of the mountain, felt his load to be more than he could bear. He

entreated his companion to relieve him of a small portion, that he might carry home the rest;

but the mule paid no attention to the request. The ass shortly afterwards fell down dead under

his burden. Not knowing what to do in so wild a region, the muleteer placed upon the mule the

load carried by the ass in addition to his own, and at the top of all placed the hide of the ass,

after he had skinned him. The mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself: "I am

treated according to my deserts. If I had only been willing to assist the ass a little in his need,

I should not now be bearing, together with his burden, himself as well."

Moral: Never hesitate to help those who ask you assistance.

Reflection: When someone asks your help, never refuse. They are in need. Never reason that it's unfair, because they know you also have your own needs, and thus asks only little. If ever we refuse to give assistance when someones asks your help, you might lose their trust, along with other possibilities.

THE LIONESS

A controversy prevailed among the beasts of the field as to which of the animals deserved the most credit for producing the greatest number of whelps at a birth. They rushed clamorously into the presence of the Lioness and demanded of her the settlement of the dispute. "And you," they said, "how many sons have you at a birth?' The Lioness laughed at them, and said: "Why! I have only one; but that one is altogether a thoroughbred Lion."

Moral: The value is in the worth, not in the number.

Reflection: The lioness only had one cub, but this cub is at good health. This tells us that quality is more important than quantity.

THE ANT AND THE DOVE

AN ANT went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on the point of drowning. A Dove sitting on a tree overhanging the water plucked a leaf and let it fall into the stream close to her. The Ant climbed onto it and floated in safety to the bank. Shortly afterwards a birdcatcher came and stood under the tree, and laid his lime-twigs for the Dove, which sat in the branches. The Ant, perceiving his design, stung him in the foot. In pain the birdcatcher threw down the twigs, and the noise made the Dove take wing.

Moral: A person can help you, in one way or another, no matter how he is incapable.

Reflection: The ant was able to help the dove, even though he was very small. As for us, we must not think that we can't help because of our incapability. We can still help, without being hindered by these negative things.

THE HARES AND THE FROGS

THE HARES, oppressed by their own exceeding timidity and weary of the perpetual alarm to which they were exposed, with one accord determined to put an end to themselves and their troubles by jumping from a lofty precipice into a deep lake below. As they scampered off in large numbers to carry out their resolve, the Frogs lying on the banks of the lake heard the noise of their feet and rushed helter-skelter to the deep water for safety. On seeing the rapid disappearance of the Frogs, one of the Hares cried out to his companions: "Stay, my friends, do not do as you intended; for you now see that there are creatures who are still more timid than ourselves."

Moral: Never think that just because you can't change your negative qualities, you are a failure and will never have a chance of succeeding.

Reflection: In the story, the hares have given up. One of them tries to kill himself by jumping off the precipice towards a deep lake. The others were about to do the same, when the frogs in the banks of the lake jumped into the water. Seeing this, they halted and thought that these frogs gave up and killed themselves.

Whenever we feel like stuck to a problem and cannot escape, we think that it's the end. We think that there's no hope, and the only thing left is to give up. Actually, we can put an end to our sufferings, as long as we have the determination.

THE FOX AND THE GOAT

A fox one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape. A goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and seeing the fox, inquired if the water was good. Concealing his sad plight under a merry guise, the fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraging him to descend. The goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for their common escape. "If," said he, "you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards." The goat readily assented and the fox leaped upon his back. Steadying himself with the goat's horns, he safely reached the mouth of the well and made off as fast as he could. When the goat upbraided him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out, "You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape.

Moral: Look before you leap.

Reflection: In many situations in life, we must not make decisions too rapidly. Instead, we must first analyze the situation carefully before we make a decision. The goat, who was fooled by the fox, never thought of what might happen if he followed what the fox proposed. In the end, he was trapped in the well.

THE DOG AND HIS REFLECTION

A dog, crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of flesh in his mouth, saw his own reflection in the water and took it for that of another dog, with a piece of meat double his own in size. He immediately let go of his own, and fiercely attacked the other Dog to get his larger piece from him. He thus lost both: that which he grasped at in the water, because it was a reflection; and his own, because the stream swept it away.

Moral: Be satisfied with what you have.

Reflection: The dog saw the reflection and thought that it was another dog with a larger piece of meat. He attacked the reflection, and lost his piece of meat. We should learn and accept it to ourselves that we cannot get all that we want, and that we should be thankful of what we have.