Pets Fables
The Two Dogs
A man had two dogs: a hound, trained to assist him in his sports,
and a house dog, taught to watch the house.
When he re~ turned home in the evening after hunting,
he always gave the house dog a Large share of his spoil.
The hound, feeling dejected, reproached his companion, saying, "It is very hard to have [to] labor while you, who do not assist in the chase, luxuriate on the fruits of my exertions," The house dog replied, "Do not blame me, my friend, but find fault with the master, who has not taught me to Labor, but to depend for sub�sistence on the labor of others:' Children cannot be blamed for the faults of their parents.
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The Master and His Dogs
A man detained by a storm in his country house first kills his sheep,
and then his goats, for the maintenance of his house�hold.
The storm still continuing,
he is obliged to slaughter his yoke oxen for food.
On seeing this, his dogs decide: "It is time for us to be off, for if the master spares not his oxen, who work for his gain, how can we expect him to spare us?" He who mistreats his own family is not to be trusted as a friend.
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The Dogs and the Fox
A group of wild dogs, finding the skin of a lion, begin to tear it to pieces with their teeth.
A fox, seeing them, says, "If this lion were alive, you would soon find out that his claws were stronger than your teeth."' It is easy to kick a man that is down.
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The Dog and the Shadow
It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace.
Now on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook.
As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath.
Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also.
So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out,
dropped into the water and was never seen more.
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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."
They who act without sufficient thought, will often fall into unsuspected danger.
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The Dog and the Hare
A hound pursues a hare on a hillside for some distance,
at one time biting her with his teeth as if he would take her life,
and at another fawning on her, as if in play with another dog.
The hare says to him, "I wish you would act sincerely by me, and show yourself in your true colors.
If you are a friend, why do you bite me so hard? If an enemy, why do you fawn on me?'" No one can be a friend if you know not whether to trust or distrust him.
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The Dog and the Cook
A rich man gave a great feast, to which he invited many friends and acquaintances.
His Dog availed himself of the occasion to invite a stranger Dog, a friend of his, saying, "My master gives a feast,
and there is always much food remaining; come and sup with me tonight."
The Dog thus invited went at the hour appointed, and seeing the preparations for so grand an entertainment,
said in the joy of his heart, "How glad I am that I came! I do not often get such a chance as this.
I will take care and eat enough to last me both today and tomorrow."
While he was congratulating himself and wagging his tail to convey his pleasure to his friend,
the Cook saw him moving about among his dishes and, seizing him by his fore and hind paws,
bundled him without ceremony out of the window.
He fell with force upon the ground and limped away, howling dreadfully.
His yelling soon attracted other street dogs, who came up to him and inquired how he had enjoyed his supper.
He replied, "Why, to tell you the truth, I drank so much wine that I remember nothing. I do not know how I got out of the house."
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The Cat and the Birds
The cat pretended that it was his birthday and invited the birds to a party.
When the birds had come in, the cat seized the opportunity: he shut the doors of his house and proceeded to devour the birds one after another.
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