Shortest of stories

One of the community projects that we run as part of our ministry is a toddler group called Paintbox. As part of the morning I do some storytelling, usually along with whatever the theme was for the day. So, to help me prepare for telling the fable of the Wind and the Sun I took along a copy of Aesops Complete Fables to the coffehouse to read some of the other 357 fables.

They are quite nice to read because they are so short, but leave you with something to think about at the end. So here's a few for you:

The Traveller and Chance

A man was worn out after a long journey, so he threw himself down beside a well and went to sleep. He would have certainly fallen in, but Chance [Tyche] appeared and woke him up, saying:
'Hey friend! If you had fallen down the well you wouldn't have blamed your own foolishness - you would have blamed me.'

Thus, plenty of people who meet with misfortune through their own fault blame it on the gods.


The Flies

Some flies had found some spilled honey in a cellar and started to eat it. It was such a sweet feast that they couldn't stop. But their feet became stuck to the spot so that they couldn't take flight. And, as they began to suffocate, they said:
'How wretched we are! We are dying for a moments pleasure.'

Gluttony is often the cause of much harm.


The Man Bitten by a Dog

A man who had been bitten by a dog roamed far and wide, looking for someone to heal his wound. Someone told him that all he had to do was wipe the blood from his wound with some bread and throw the bread to the dog which had bitten him. To this the injured man replied:
'But if I did that, every dog in the city would bite me.'

Similarly, if you indulge someone's wickedness, you provoke him to do even more harm.


The Horse and the Groom

A groom used to steal his horse's barley and sell it. To make up for it he spent the whole day grooming and currying the horse, who said to him:
'If you really want to see me look good, don't sell the barley that is intended to feed me.'

Thus, greedy people trick poor people with their seductive talk and with flattery, while depriving them of their bare necessities.