Publications in the Literature section

From Aesop to Krylov

We remember what plots and motifs unite the fables of Aesop, La Fontaine and Ivan Krylov and how they are transformed on the way from Ancient Greece through France to Russia.

How many times have they told the world...

Illustration for Aesop's fable “The Fox and the Grapes”

Illustration for Krylov’s fable “The Fox and the Grapes”

As Herodotus wrote, Aesop was a slave who received freedom. Exposing the vices of his masters, he could not directly name them in fables, so he endowed them with the traits of animals. Possessing imaginative thinking, a sharp eye and an equally sharp tongue, Aesop created an artistic world in which wolves reason, foxes provide philosophical explanations for their failures, and ants voice morality. Aesop's authorship preserved a collection of 426 fables in prose, which was studied in ancient schools, and the plots of his stories, relevant at all times, were retold by many fabulists of later eras. For example, Jean de La Fontaine and Ivan Krylov.

“The hungry Fox snuck into the garden and saw a juicy bunch of grapes on a high branch.
“This is exactly what I need!” - she exclaimed, ran and jumped once, twice, three times... but it was all useless - there was no way to get to the grapes.
“Oh, I knew it, it’s still green!” - Lisa snorted in self-justification and hurried away.

Aesop, "The Fox and the Grapes"

The Gascon fox, or perhaps the Norman fox
(They say different things)
Dying of hunger, I suddenly saw above the gazebo
Grapes, so visibly ripe,
In ruddy skin!
Our darling would be glad to feast on them,
I couldn't reach him
And he said: “He is green -
Let all the rabble feed on it!”
Well, isn't this better than idly complaining?

Jean de La Fontaine, "The Fox and the Grapes"

The hungry godfather Fox climbed into the garden;
The bunches of grapes in it were red.
The gossip's eyes and teeth flared up;
And the brushes are juicy, like yachts, burning;
The only problem is, they hang high:
Whenever and however she comes to them,
At least the eye sees
Yes, it hurts.
Having wasted a whole hour,
She went and said with annoyance: “Well, well!
He looks good,
Yes it is green - no ripe berries:
You’ll set your teeth on edge right away.”

Ivan Krylov, “The Fox and the Grapes”

If you believe what Aesop said...

Jean de La Fontaine identified a new literary genre - the fable - whose plot he borrowed from ancient authors, including Aesop. In 1668 he published Aesop's Fables, Transposed into Verses by M. de La Fontaine. There was no sublime morality in La Fontaine's fables: witty stories asserted the need for a wise and equanimous attitude towards life. A favorite of the courtiers, who fell out of favor with Louis XIV, he wrote fables to please his patron, the Duchess of Bouillon, and called his works “a lengthy hundred-act comedy staged on the world stage.”

The ant carried the grain beyond its threshold to dry,
Which he has been storing for the winter since the summer.
A hungry cicada came close
And she asked, so as not to die, for food.
“But tell me, what did you do in the summer?”
“Without being lazy, I sang all summer long.”
The ant laughed and hid the bread:
“You sang in the summer, so in the winter you dance in the cold.”
(It is more important to take care of your own benefit,
How to delight the soul with bliss and feasts.)

Aesop, "The Ant and the Cicada"

The cicada sang in the summer,
But the summer flew by.
Podul Borey - poor thing
It was very difficult here.
Left without a piece:
No flies, no worm.
She went to her neighbor in need.
The neighbor's name, by the way, was Mother Ant.
And plaintively Cicada asked to borrow
At least a little food, even a crumb, to survive
Until the sunny and warm days when she,
Of course, he will pay his neighbor in full.
Until August, she swore, she would return the interest to her.
But Mother Ant doesn’t like to lend.
And this deficiency, which is not uncommon among people,
Dear mother Ant had more than one.
The poor petitioner was interrogated:
- What did you do in the summer? Answer the question.
“I sang day and night and didn’t want to sleep.”
- Did you sing? Very nice. Now learn to dance.

Jean de La Fontaine, "The Cicada and the Ant"

Jumping Dragonfly
The red summer sang;
I didn’t have time to look back,
How winter rolls into your eyes.
The pure field has died;
There are no more bright days,
Like under every leaf
Both the table and the house were ready.
It's all gone: with the cold winter
Need, hunger comes;
The dragonfly no longer sings:
And who cares?
Sing on a hungry stomach!
Angry melancholy,
She crawls towards the Ant:
“Don’t leave me, dear godfather!
Let me gather my strength
And only until spring days
Feed and warm! -
“Gossip, this is strange to me:
Did you work during the summer?”
Ant tells her.
“Was it before that, my dear?
In our soft ants
Songs, playfulness every hour,
So much so that my head was turned.” -
“Oh, so you...” - “I’m without a soul
I sang all summer long.” -
“Have you been singing everything? this business:
So come and dance!

Ivan Krylov, “Dragonfly and Ant”

To conclude in a few words to me...

Jean-Baptiste Oudry. Wolf and lamb. 1740s.

Alphonse Toad. Illustration for the fable “The Wolf and the Lamb”

Illustration for the fable “The Wolf and the Lamb”

"This is your true race, you have finally found it", - the famous fabulist of his time Ivan Dmitriev said to Ivan Krylov, after reading the first two translations of La Fontaine, completed by the poet. Krylov was a master of simple and precise language, and was prone to pessimism and irony - which was always reflected in his works. He carefully worked on the texts of the fables, striving for brevity and sharpness of the narrative, and many of Krylov’s “witties” still remain catchphrases.

Ivan Krylov became a classic of Russian literature during his lifetime, becoming famous not only for La Fontaine’s adaptations, but also for his own original topical fables, with which the poet responded to a variety of events in the country.

The lamb and the wolf met by the stream,
Driven by thirst. Upstream is a wolf,
Lamb below. We are tormented by low greed,
The robber is looking for a reason to clash.
“Why,” he says, “with muddy water
Are you spoiling my drink? Curly-haired in trepidation:
“Can I make such a complaint?
After all, the water in the river flows from you to me.”
The wolf says, powerless before the truth:
“But you scolded me, that’s six months ago.”
And he: “I wasn’t even in the world yet.” -
“So, it was your father who scolded me,”
And having decided so, he will execute him unjustly.
We are talking about people here who
They oppress innocence by inventing reasons.

Aesop, "The Wolf and the Lamb"

The argument of the strongest is always the best:
We will show this immediately:
Lamb quenched my thirst
In a stream of pure waves;
The Wolf is walking on an empty stomach, looking for adventure,
Hunger drew him to these places.
“How are you so brave to muddy the waters?
- Says this beast, full of rage
- “You will be punished for your bravery.
“Sire,” answers the Lamb, let Your Majesty not be angry;
But let him look
But let him look
That I'm quenching my thirst
In the flow
Twenty steps lower than Your Majesty;
And therefore in no way
I can't muddy your waters.
“You’re making her sick,” said the cruel beast,
“And I know you slandered me last year.”
- How could I, because I wasn’t born yet then?
- Said the Lamb, - I still drink my mother’s milk.
- If not you, then your brother.
- I do not have a brother.
- So, one of yours.
You don't spare me at all
You, your shepherds and your dogs.
This is what they told me: I need to take revenge.

After that, deep into the forests
The wolf carries him away and then eats him,
Without any ceremony.

Jean de La Fontaine, "The Wolf and the Lamb"

The powerful are always to blame for the powerless:
We hear countless examples of this in History,
But we don’t write History;
But this is how they talk about it in Fables.
___
On a hot day, a lamb went to a stream to drink;
And something must happen,
That a hungry Wolf was prowling around those places.
He sees a lamb and strives for the prey;
But, to give the matter at least a legal look and feel,
Shouts: “How dare you, insolent, with an unclean snout
Here's a clean drink
My
With sand and silt?
For such insolence
I'll rip your head off." -
“When the brightest Wolf allows,
I dare say that down the stream
From the Lordship of his steps I drink a hundred;
And he deigns to be angry in vain:
There’s no way I can make him drink worse.” -
“That's why I'm lying!

Waste! Such insolence has never been heard of in the world!
Yes, I remember that you were still last summer
Here he was somehow rude to me:
I haven’t forgotten this, buddy!” -
“For mercy, I’m not even a year old yet,” -
The lamb speaks. "So it was your brother." -
"I have no brothers." - “So this is godfather or matchmaker
And, in a word, someone from your own family.
You yourself, your dogs and your shepherds,
You all want me harm
And if you can, then you always harm me,
But I will clear out their sins with you.” -
“Oh, what is my fault?” - “Be quiet! I'm tired of listening
It’s time for me to sort through your faults, puppy!
It’s your fault that I want to eat.” -
He said and dragged the Lamb into the dark forest.

Ivan Krylov, "The Wolf and the Lamb"

Children should live in a world of beauty, games, fairy tales, music, drawing, fantasy, and creativity.

V.A. Sukhomlinsky

Let's talk about the word, about speech, about the culture of communication.

Have you ever thought about what “language” is?

While speaking and talking about language, a fable comes to mind...

Aesop's fable about language.

“The famous fabulist of ancient Greece Aesop was a slave of the philosopher Xanthus. One day Xanthus invited guests and ordered Aesop to prepare the best treat. Aesop bought tongues and prepared three dishes from them. Xanth asked why Aesop only taught languages. Aesop replied: “You ordered to buy the best. What could be better in the world than language? With the help of language, cities are built, the culture of peoples develops. With the help of language, people can communicate with each other and resolve various issues, ask and greet, make peace and give, receive and fulfill requests, inspire deeds and express affection, joy, and declare their love. Therefore, you need to think that there is nothing better than language.”

This reasoning pleased Xanthus and his guests.

Another time, Xanthus ordered Aesop to acquire the worst for dinner. Aesop went to buy tongues again. Everyone was surprised by this. Then Aesop began to explain to Xanth: “You told me to find the worst. What's worse than language? Through language people upset and disappoint each other; through language one can be hypocritical, lie, deceive, be cunning, and quarrel. Language can make people enemies, it can cause war, it orders the destruction of cities and even entire states, it can bring grief and evil into our lives, betray, insult. Can there be anything worse than language?

Language is, first of all, a tool; you need to be proficient in it. Mastery of one's native language begins in the womb. The child, while still in his mother’s belly, has the ability to perceive and distinguish the melody, tempo and volume of not only music, but also speech. Therefore, a huge role in the development of children’s speech is given to their parents. The speech of parents and loved ones is a model for the child. This is what first forms the child’s general impression of the language and its tempo-rhythmic features.

Also, speaking about the culture of communication as a whole, we must not forget about its components - accuracy of speech, logic, appropriateness, norms and rules of communication.

Thus, I would like to note that a person who speaks correctly and beautifully is not only pleasant to others, but also successful in life. Thanks to well-developed speech, a person can think creatively, find unusual ways to achieve their goals, and realize their potential.

About Me

In 2011 she graduated from the Chuvash State Pedagogical University named after I.Ya. Yakovlev, Faculty of Preschool and Correctional Pedagogy and Psychology. Specialty: special preschool pedagogy and psychology, speech therapy. Qualification: teacher-defectologist, teacher-speech therapist. I have a diploma with honors, many diplomas, certificates, publications, diplomas and thanks for the study period.

Also in 2008, she received additional education in the educational program “Therapeutic and Wellness Massage” (certificate).

From September 2011 to the present, I have been working as a teacher-speech therapist at the State Budgetary Educational Institution for the Combined Type No. 1524, Moscow.

Books that shaped my inner world

Those books, whichmake us think, empathize, laugh, suffer and cry! Favorite writers - L.N. Tolsoy, F.M. Dostoevsky.

My view of the world

An interesting parable about looking at the world

There was an old dried tree on the road.
One night a thief walked past him and got scared -
it seemed to him that it was a guard standing waiting for him.
A young man in love passed
and his heart beat joyfully.
He mistook the tree for his beloved.
A child frightened by scary fairy tales

I saw the tree and burst into tears,
I decided it was a ghost
but the tree was only a tree.

We see the world as we ourselves are.

My achievements

My achievements are the successes, victories and good results of my students.

My portfolio

I have only been working in education for four years. I already have quite a wide range of experience working with children. The work of a teacher is very complex, creative, unusual, and this makes it even more attractive. I hope that I have made a good start on my long journey and that I can bring my piece of kindness and sincerity into the hearts of my students.

Class: 2

Goal: to develop interest in language as an academic subject; to develop in students a love for the great Russian language; reveal the concept that language is the most important means of communication; show the richness and beauty of the Russian language.

Visualization: supporting words, tables, pictures.

I. Introduction.

Today we will take an unusual and exciting journey to a country with a beautiful and melodic name, Yazykaria, which will be long, continuous and will not end today. Let it bring pleasure to everyone and create a joyful, festive mood.

Little travelers, how are you feeling?

Are you ready for the next journey?

Then we take our seats on this fabulous train and hit the road to the country of Yazykaria (music sounds).

II. The meaning of the word language.

1. Let us remember what meanings the word language has?

The tongue is an organ in the oral cavity (it is mobile, with the help of it we determine the taste of food).

Language is a means of communication.

What other meanings does the word language have? We will answer this question by completing the task.

2.Write these sentences in your notebooks:

The baby bit his tongue painfully.

The Russian language is rich and beautiful.

The scouts took the language.

The tongue hit the walls of the bell hard.

Explain the meaning of the word language in each sentence. In which sentence is the word tongue used in its literal meaning?

In the third sentence you said that the word tongue is used to mean captive.

3. Reading and discussion of the text “Language”.

Listen to the text.

It is no longer invented to call a prisoner a “language,” from whom one can obtain important information about the enemy. The valiant warriors of the ancient Russian squads went to the enemy’s camp for the “language.”

It’s not for nothing that they say: “A tongue without bones”, “Loose your tongue”. The enemy, captured by our soldiers, more than once blurted out many military secrets about his army: the timing of the preparing offensive, information about the number of troops, plans for the future, the number of tanks and aircraft:.

What secrets did the prisoner blurt out?

III. Reading and analysis of Aesop's reasoning.

Do you want to know how language was treated in ancient times? Let's take a moment to travel to Ancient Greece.

The famous fabulist of Ancient Greece Aesop was a slave of the philosopher Xanthus. One day Xanth wanted to invite guests and ordered Aesop to prepare the best for them. Aesop bought tongues and prepared three dishes from them. Xanth asked why Aesop only taught languages. Aesop replied: “You ordered to buy the best. And what could be better in the world than language! With the help of language, cities are built, the culture of peoples develops. With the help of language, we study science and gain knowledge, with the help of language, people can declare their love. Therefore, it is necessary to think that there is nothing better than language."

This reasoning pleased Xanthus and his guests.

Another time, Xanthus ordered Aesop to buy the worst for dinner.

Aesop went to buy tongues again. Everyone was surprised by this.

Then Aesop began to explain to Xanthus: “You told me to find the worst. And what in the world is worse than language? Through language people upset and disappoint each other, through language one can be hypocritical, lie, deceive, be cunning, quarrel. Language can make people enemies, it can cause war, it orders the destruction of cities and even entire states, it can bring grief and evil into our lives, betray and insult. Can there be anything worse than language?

Why does the fabulist Aesop in one case say that there is nothing better than language in the world, in another case he claims that language is the worst thing in the world?

IV. Language is a friend, language is an enemy.

Language can be a friend and an enemy for a person. Let's try to think about in what life situations language can be useful.

Language is a friend

1. Scene.

A flea met a centipede on the path and screamed in fear:

Stop! Stop right now!

What's happened? - the centipede was scared.

Yes, the lace on your shoe 39 came undone.

What did the Flea do? (warned, helped)

This means that when you help someone, the tongue is a friend.

2. A. Barto "Our Tanya".

Our Tanya is crying loudly,
She dropped a ball into the river.
Hush, Tanechka, don't cry,
The ball will not drown in the river.

Will Tanya stop crying?

What kind words of consolation did you turn to Tanya?

This means that when we console, sympathize, language is a friend.

Remember, did you ever console someone? How it was?

3. Imagine, I will now tell you this announcement: “Tomorrow we will go to the circus.”

How will this announcement make you feel? (feeling of joy)

What words will you use to express this joy?

This means that when we rejoice, language is a friend.

4. And when is language our friend? (thank you, praise you, recommend)

Language is the enemy

1. But the tongue can also bring harm to its owner, be an enemy.

An excerpt from A. Pushkin’s fairy tale “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish.”

The old man returned to the old woman,
The old woman has a new trough.
The old woman scolds even more
"You fool, you simpleton!
You begged for a trough, you fool!
Is there a lot of self-interest in the trough?
Turn back, fool, you are going to the fish;
Bow to her, beg for a hut.

What is the old woman doing? (swears)

If you swear, curse, insult your language, you are an enemy.

2. Poem by B. Zakhoder “Forest Gossip”.

What can we call a tit, a magpie, a jackdaw, a cuckoo? (gossip girls)

Hearing all this gossip, the finch was very surprised.

When you gossip, your tongue is your enemy.

3. Who do we call a traitor? (A person who betrayed, betrays someone or something, a traitor)

In which work did you encounter a traitor?

“A tale about a military secret, about Malchish - Kibalchish and his firm word” (viewing an excerpt from the cartoon).

4. Let us summarize once again when language is a friend and when it is an enemy.

V. Analysis of Russian proverbs and sayings.

1. Read Russian proverbs and sayings about the meaning of a word, speech in a person’s life, how it can influence others, etc. Think, speculate about the meaning of folk wisdom.

It’s bad to live without worries, it’s bad to live without a kind word.

A good word for a good deed.

The word moves mountains.

A good word will build a house, but an evil word will destroy a house.

My tongue is my friend.

A bad word will lead to evil deeds.

A bad word will lead to a quarrel forever.

Our tongue is our enemy.

2. Copying proverbs and sayings.

VI. Summarizing.

Our journey is coming to an end. It's time to go back. Everyone took their seats on the fairytale train (music sounds).

What country did we visit?

Why is there nothing in the world better than language? And worse than the language?

LANGUAGE (parable)

The famous fabulist of ancient Greece, Aesop, was a slave of the philosopher Xanthus.

One day Xanth wanted to invite guests and ordered Aesop to prepare the best.

Aesop bought tongues and prepared three dishes from them. Xanthus asked why Aesop bought and serves only tongues. Aesop replied:

You ordered to buy the best. What could be better in the world than language?! With the help of language, cities are built, the culture of peoples develops. With the help of language, people can explore the world, calling things by their proper names, explain themselves to each other, solve various issues, ask, greet, make peace, give, receive, fulfill requests, inspire deeds, express joy, affection, and declare their love. Therefore, you need to think that there is nothing better than language.

This reasoning pleased Xanthus and his guests.

Another time, Xanthus ordered Aesop to buy the worst for dinner.

Aesop went to buy languages ​​again. Xanth was surprised by this.

Then Aesop began to explain to Xanthus:

You told me to find the worst. What in the world is worse than language?! ...Through language people upset and disappoint each other; through language one can be hypocritical, lie, deceive, be cunning, and quarrel. Language can make people enemies, it can cause war, it orders the destruction of cities and even entire states, it can bring grief and evil into our lives, betray, insult. It may not allow one to know the truth if words are given a meaning that is not inherent to them... Could there be anything worse than language?!

It is impossible to say whether Aesop was a historical figure. There was no scientific tradition about the life of Aesop. Herodotus (II, 134) writes that Aesop was a slave of a certain Iadmon from the island of Samos, then was set free, lived during the time of the Egyptian king Amasis (570 - 526 BC) and was killed by the Delphians; for his death, Delphi paid a ransom to the descendants of Iadmon. Heraclides of Pontus writes more than a hundred years later that Aesop came from Thrace, was a contemporary of Pherecydes, and his first owner was called Xanthus, but he extracts this data from the same story of Herodotus through unreliable inferences (for example, Thrace as the homeland of Aesop is inspired by the fact that Herodotus mentions Aesop in connection with the Thracian heteroa Rhodopis, who was also a slave to Iadmon). Aristophanes ("Wasps", 1446 - 1448) already reports details about Aesop's death - the wandering motif of the thrown cup, which served as the reason for his accusation, and the fable of the eagle and the beetle, told by him before his death. A century later, this statement of Aristophanes’ heroes is repeated as a historical fact. The comedian Plato (late 5th century) already mentions the posthumous reincarnations of Aesop’s soul. The comedian Alexis (late 4th century), who wrote the comedy “Aesop,” pits his hero against Solon, that is, he already interweaves the legend of Aesop into the cycle of legends about the seven wise men and King Croesus. His contemporary Lysippos also knew this version, depicting Aesop at the head of the seven wise men.

Slavery at Xanthus, connection with the seven sages, death from the treachery of the Delphic priests - all these motives became links in the subsequent Aesopian legend, the core of which was formed by the end of the 4th century. BC. The most important monument of this tradition was the “Biography of Aesop,” compiled in the vernacular language, which survived in several editions. In this version, Aesop’s deformity (not mentioned by ancient authors) plays an important role; Phrygia (a stereotypical place associated with slaves) becomes his homeland instead of Thrace; Aesop appears as a sage and joker, fooling kings and his master, a stupid philosopher. In this plot, surprisingly, Aesop’s fables themselves play almost no role; the anecdotes and jokes told by Aesop in his “Biography” are not included in the collection of “Aesop’s fables” that has come down to us from antiquity and are quite far from it in terms of genre. The image of the ugly, wise and cunning “Phrygian slave” in finished form goes to the new European tradition. Antiquity did not doubt the historicity of Aesop, the Renaissance first questioned this question (Luther), the philology of the 18th century substantiated this doubt (Richard Bentley), the philology of the 19th century took it to the limit (Otto Crusius and after him Rutherford asserted the mythicality of Aesop with the decisiveness characteristic of for the hypercriticism of their era), the 20th century began to again lean towards the assumption of a historical prototype of the image of Aesop.

Closer to the 20th century, the image of Aesop dissipates and it becomes clear that if this man really existed, then he rather collected fables from the known wisdom of the people, just as the Brothers Grimm collected fairy tales in their time. Aesop's fables have been preserved, collected in a collection, but they are not proof of the authenticity of the author and his expression of philosophical thoughts.

What are Aesop's fables?

Aesop's Fables is a collection of prose works containing at least 400 fables. Legends say that children in the era of Aristophanes in Athens were taught according to a wise collection of Aesop's fables.

What is special about the collection? The fact is that the presentation of the texts is boring, without literary gloss, but extremely insightful. Of course, unscrupulous writers could not help but take advantage of this fact.

It all started back in the 3rd century BC. The first to decide to rewrite Aesop's fables in a new way was Demetrius of Phalerus, an ancient Greek philosopher. However, this first revision was lost.

In the 1st century AD, Emperor Augustus Phaedrus presented Aesop's fables in his own way, in verse. He added a few of his thoughts and successful combinations. However, an important feature of the translation was the Latin language, which allowed many authors to use the works of Phaedrus in subsequent centuries.

Early 5th century AD. The famous poet and fabulist of Rome, Avian, offered 42 fables to the society. At the moment, it is not possible to find out whether he borrowed plots from the fables of Augustus. It is only known that Avian’s fables were not highly artistic, although they were very popular.

Years and centuries flew by, and Aesop's fables became “muses” for such famous writers and fabulists as Jean La Fontaine, Leo Tolstoy and even Ivan Krylov. Aesop's fables were also translated by other authors: Gasparov, Smirnov, Alekseev. However, it was Krylov’s fables, due to their consistency and high literary value, that became the standard of the modern fable genre.

RAVEN AND FOX

The Raven managed to get a piece of cheese, he flew up a tree, sat down there and caught the eye of the Fox. She decided to outwit Raven and said: “What a handsome fellow you are, Raven! And the color of your feathers is the most regal! If only you have a voice, you will be the ruler of all birds!” That's what the cheat said. Raven took the bait. He decided to prove that he had a voice, croaked at the top of his lungs and dropped the cheese. The Fox picked up her prey and said: “You have a voice, Raven, but you have no mind.” Don't trust your enemies - it won't do you any good.

FOX AND GRAPES

The hungry Fox noticed a bunch of grapes hanging from the vine and wanted to get it, but couldn’t. She left and said: “He is not yet ripe.” Others cannot do anything due to lack of strength, but blame circumstances for this.

DONKEY, ROOSTER AND LION

There was a donkey and a rooster in the barnyard. A hungry lion saw the donkey and wanted to sneak up and tear it to pieces. But at that very moment the rooster crowed, and the lions, they say, are afraid of the rooster’s crow; The lion fell to the ground and began to run. And the donkey perked up, seeing that the lion was afraid of the rooster, and rushed in pursuit; and then, when they ran away, the lion turned and devoured the donkey.

Likewise, some people, seeing the humiliation of their enemies, become filled with self-confidence and, without noticing it, go to destruction.

BEETLE AND ANANT

In the summer, the Ant, crawling through the fields, collected grains and ears of corn, accumulating food for the winter. And the Beetle, seeing him, marveled at his hard work and the fact that he worked at a time when other creatures, having got rid of work, live carefree. He remained silent then. When winter came and the rains washed away the manure, a hungry Beetle came to the Ant and asked for food. And he said to him: “Oh Beetle! If you had worked then when I was working - and you laughed at me - you wouldn’t have to need food now.”

The poor man had a wooden statue of a god. “Make me rich,” he prayed to her, but his prayers remained in vain, and he became even poorer. Evil took him. He grabbed the god by the leg and hit his head against the wall. It shattered into pieces, and a handful of ducats spilled out of it. The lucky man collected them and said: “You are low and stupid, in my opinion: I honored you - you did not help me, you slammed me into a corner - you sent great happiness.” Whoever treats a scoundrel kindly will remain at a loss, whoever treats him rudely will gain profit.

TWO POTS

The river carried two pots in its flow - clay and copper. “Stay away from me, don’t come close,” asks the copper clay pot. “As soon as you touch me, you will split me into pieces, but I myself have no desire to touch you.” There is no way for a poor man to live if a rich man settles next to him.

BULL AND TOAD

The bull went to drink and crushed the baby toad. His mother comes to that place - she was not there - and asks her children: “Where is your brother?” “He died, mother,” they say, “now a huge beast with four legs came and crushed him.” The toad pouted and asked: “Will that beast be as big as me?” “Stop it, mom,” she hears in response. “Don’t be angry, you’d sooner burst than be equal to him.” It is dangerous for the weak to compete with the strong.

THE PEASANT AND HIS SONS

In his dying hour, the peasant called his sons and, wanting to encourage them to take up farming, he said to them: “My children, I am dying. Search our vineyard, you will find everything I had hidden in it.” “There must be a treasure buried there,” the sons think, and after their father’s death they dug up the entire vineyard. True, they did not find the treasure, but the well-dug soil yielded a harvest of grapes more abundant than before. The true treasure for people is the ability to work.

EAGLE and FOX

The eagle and the fox decided to live in friendship and agreed to settle next to each other so that their friendship would be stronger from their proximity. An eagle built a nest in a high tree, and a fox gave birth to cubs under the bushes below. But then one day the fox came out to hunt, and the eagle got hungry, flew into the bushes, grabbed her cubs and devoured them with her eaglets. The fox returned, realized what had happened, and she felt bitter - not so much because the children died, but because she could not take revenge: the animal could not catch the bird. All she could do was curse the offender from afar: what else could the helpless and powerless do?

But soon the eagle had to pay for the trampled friendship. Someone was sacrificing a goat in the field; The eagle flew to the altar and carried away the burning entrails. And as soon as he brought them to the nest, a strong wind blew, and the thin old twigs burst into flames. The scorched eaglets fell to the ground - they did not yet know how to fly, and then the fox ran up and ate them in front of the eagle.

Even if those who betrayed their friendship escaped the revenge of the offended, they still could not escape the punishment of the gods.

EAGLE, JAW AND SHEPHERD

An eagle flew down from a high cliff and carried away a lamb from the herd; and the jackdaw, seeing this, became jealous and wanted to do the same. And with a loud cry she rushed at the ram. But, having gotten her claws entangled in the rune, she could no longer rise and only beat her wings until the shepherd, guessing what was the matter, ran up and grabbed her. He clipped her wings and took them to his children in the evening. The children began to ask what kind of bird this was? And he answered:

I probably know that this is a jackdaw, but it seems to her that she is an eagle.

Competing with people above you leads nowhere and failures only cause laughter.

EAGLE AND BEETLE

The eagle was chasing a hare. The hare saw that there was no help for him from anywhere, and he prayed to the only one who turned up for him - to the dung beetle. The beetle encouraged him and, seeing an eagle in front of him, began to ask the predator not to touch the one who was looking for his help. The eagle did not even pay attention to such an insignificant defender and devoured the hare. But the beetle did not forget this insult: he tirelessly watched the eagle’s nest, and every time the eagle laid eggs, he rose to the heights, rolled them out and broke them. Finally, the eagle, not finding peace anywhere, sought refuge from Zeus himself and asked to be given a quiet place to hatch his eggs. Zeus allowed the eagle to put eggs in his bosom. The beetle, seeing this, rolled up a dung ball, flew up to Zeus and dropped his ball into his bosom. Zeus stood up to shake off the dung and accidentally dropped the eagle's eggs. Since then, they say, eagles do not build nests at the time when dung beetles hatch.

No one should be despised, for no one is so powerless that he cannot take revenge for an insult.

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE HAWK

The nightingale sat on a tall oak tree and, according to his custom, sang. A hawk, which had nothing to eat, saw this, swooped down and grabbed him. The nightingale felt that the end had come for him, and asked the hawk to let him go: after all, he was too small to fill the hawk’s stomach, and if the hawk had nothing to eat, let him attack larger birds. But the hawk objected to this:

I would be completely crazy if I abandoned the prey that is in my claws and chased after prey that was nowhere in sight.

There are no more stupid people who, in the hope of more, give up what they have.

In Athens, a man fell into debt, and the lender demanded the debt from him. At first, the debtor asked for a deferment because he had no money. Unable to achieve any success, he took his only pig to the market and began selling it in the presence of the lender. A buyer came up and asked if she was a good piglet. The debtor replied:

How to piggy! You won’t even believe it: she brings pigs to the Mysteries, and wild boars to the Panathenaea.

The buyer was amazed at these words, and the lender said to him:

Why are you surprised? Wait, she will give birth to kids to Dionysius.

Many, for their own benefit, are ready to confirm any fables with a false oath.

WILD GOATS AND SHEPHERD

The shepherd drove his goats out to pasture. Seeing that they were grazing there along with the wild ones, in the evening he drove them all into his cave. The next day bad weather broke out, he could not take them out to the meadow, as usual, and looked after them in a cave; And at the same time, he gave his own goats very little food, so that they would not die of hunger, but he piled up whole heaps of strangers in order to tame them too. But when the bad weather subsided and he again drove them to pasture, the wild goats rushed to the mountains and ran away. The shepherd began to reproach them for their ingratitude: he looked after them as best he could, but they left him. The goats turned around and said:

That’s why we are so wary of you: we only came to you yesterday, and you looked after us better than your old goats; therefore, if others come to you, then you will give preference to the new ones over us.

He should not enter into friendship with those who prefer new friends to old ones: when they become old friends, he will again make new ones and prefer them to the old ones.

TWO FROGS

Two frogs, when their swamp dried up, set out to look for somewhere to settle. They came to the well, and one of them suggested, without thinking twice, to jump there. But the other one said:

And if the water dries up here too, how can we get out of there?

Don't get into it without thinking.

TWO DOGS IN SERVICE

One man had two dogs: he taught one to hunt, the other to guard the house. And every time the hunting dog brought him prey from the field, he threw a piece to the other dog. The hunter got angry and began to reproach the other: she, they say, is exhausted every time she hunts, but she does nothing and only eats off other people’s labors. But the guard dog answered:

Do not scold me, but the owner: after all, it was he who taught me not to work, but to live by the labor of others.

Likewise, there is no point in scolding idle sons if their parents themselves raised them that way.

GOOSE LAYING GOLDEN EGGS

One man especially revered Hermes, and Hermes gave him a goose that laid golden eggs. But he did not have the patience to get rich little by little: he decided that the inside of the goose was all gold, and, without thinking twice, he slaughtered it. But he was deceived in his expectations, and from then on he lost his eggs, because he found only giblets in the goose.

So often selfish people, flattering themselves for more, lose what they have.

ZEUS AND PEOPLE

Zeus created people and ordered Hermes to pour reason into them. Hermes made a measure for himself and poured an equal amount into each one. But it turned out that this measure filled small people to the brim, and they became intelligent, but tall people did not have enough drink to fill their whole body, and only enough to reach their knees, and they turned out to be stupider.

ZEUS AND TURTLE

Zeus celebrated the wedding and set out food for all the animals. Only the turtle did not come. Not understanding what was the matter, the next day Zeus asked her why she did not come to the feast alone.

“Your home is the best home,” answered the turtle.

Zeus got angry with her and forced her to carry her own house everywhere.

So many people find it more pleasant to live modestly at home than to live richly with strangers.

HUSBAND AND WIFE

A man had a wife whose temper no one could stand. He decided to check whether she would behave the same way in her father’s house, and under a plausible pretext he sent her to her father. A few days later she returned, and her husband asked how she was received there.

The shepherds and shepherds, she answered, looked at me very angrily.

Well, wife,” said the husband, “if those who are not with their herds and at home from morning to evening were angry with you, then what will others say, from whom you did not leave all day?”

So often you can recognize the important by the small things, and the hidden by the obvious.

FISHERMAN AND FISHMAN

The fisherman cast a net and pulled out a small fish. The fish began to beg that he would let her go for now, because she was so small, and would catch him later when she grew up and would be of more use to her. But the fisherman said:

I would be a fool if I let go of the prey that is already in my hands and pursue a false hope.

A small benefit in the present is better than a large one in the future.

CAT AND CHICKENS

The cat heard that the chickens in the poultry yard were sick. She dressed as a doctor, took the healing instruments, came there and, standing at the door, asked the chickens how they were feeling.

Great! - said the chickens, - but only when you are not around.

Likewise, intelligent people recognize the bad ones, even if they pretend to be good.

ART AND CASE

The fishermen went to fish, but no matter how much they suffered, they did not catch anything and sat in their boat despondent. Suddenly the tuna, swimming away with a loud splash from the chase, accidentally jumped straight into their shuttle. And they grabbed him, took him to the city and sold him.

So often chance gives us what art could not bring.

KINGFISHER

The kingfisher is a bird that loves solitude and always lives in the sea; and in order to hide from bird-catchers, she is said to build her nest in the coastal rocks. And so, when the time came for her to lay eggs, she flew to some cape, looked for a cliff above the sea and built a nest there. But one day, when she flew out to prey, the sea became raging from a strong wind, splashed all the way to the nest, flooded it, and all the chicks drowned. The bird returned, saw what had happened, and exclaimed:

Poor me, poor me! I was afraid of danger on land, I sought refuge by the sea, but it turned out to be even more insidious.

Likewise, some people, fearing enemies, unexpectedly suffer from friends who are much more dangerous.

One blind man was able to guess by touch what it was for every animal that was put in his hands. And then one day they placed a wolf cub on him; he felt it and said, thinking:

I don’t know whose cub this is - a wolf, a fox or some other similar animal, I only know one thing: it is better not to let it into the sheep herd.

Thus, the properties of bad people are often visible by their appearance.

DOG AND OWNER

One man had a Maltese dog and a donkey. He fussed with the dog all the time and every time he had lunch in the yard, he threw pieces to it, and she ran up and caressed him. The donkey became jealous, he jumped up and also began to jump and push his owner. But he got angry and ordered the donkey to be driven away with sticks and tied to a feeding trough.

By nature, not everyone is given the same destiny.

ESOP AT THE SHIPYARD

The fabulist Aesop once wandered into a shipyard in his spare time. The shipmen began to laugh at him and tease him. Then Aesop answered them: “In the beginning there was only chaos and water in the world. Then Zeus wanted another element to appear to the world - earth; and he ordered the earth to drink the sea in three sips. And the earth began: with the first sip the mountains appeared; with the second sip the plains opened up; and when she gets ready to take a sip for the third time, then no one will need your skill.”

The fable shows that when bad people mock the best, they, without noticing it themselves, only get themselves into worse trouble from them.

FOX AND GOAT

The fox fell into the well and sat there involuntarily, because she could not get out. The goat, who was thirsty, came to that well, noticed a fox in it and asked her if the water was good. The fox, delighted at the happy occasion, began to praise the water - it was so good! - and call the goat down. The goat jumped down, feeling nothing but thirst; he drank some water and began to think with the fox about how to get out. Then the fox said that she had a good idea on how to save both of them:

You lean your front legs against the wall and tilt your horns, and I will run up your back and pull you out.

And the goat readily accepted her offer; and the fox jumped on his sacrum, ran up his back, leaned on his horns, and so found himself near the very mouth of the well: he climbed out and walked away. The goat began to scold her because she had violated their agreement; and the fox turned around and said:

Oh you! If you had as much intelligence in your head as there are hairs in your beard, then before you enter, you would think about how to get out.

Likewise, an intelligent person should not take on a task without first thinking about where it will lead.

FOX AND HER GIFT

There was a gathering among the foolish animals, and the monkey distinguished himself in dancing before them; for this they chose her as king. And the fox was envious; and so, seeing a piece of meat in one trap, the fox brought a monkey to him and said that she had found this treasure, but did not take it for herself, but saved it for the king as an honorary gift: let the monkey take it. She, suspecting nothing, approached and fell into a trap. She began to reproach the fox for such meanness, and the fox said:

Eh, monkey, and with such and such a mind will you reign over the animals? Likewise, those who undertake a task carelessly fail and become a laughing stock.

FOX AND LION

The fox had never seen a lion in her life. And so, meeting him by accident and seeing him for the first time, she was so frightened that she barely remained alive; having met for the second time, she was frightened again, but not as much as the first time; and the third time, seeing him, she became so brave that she came up and spoke to him.

And you can get used to the terrible.

One fisherman was a master of playing the pipe. One day he took a pipe and a net, went to the sea, stood on a ledge of a rock and began to play the pipe, thinking that the fish themselves would come out of the water at these sweet sounds. But no matter how hard he tried, nothing worked. Then he put the pipe aside, took the nets, threw them into the water and pulled out many different fish. He threw them out of the net onto the shore and, watching them fight, said: “You worthless creatures: I played for you - you didn’t dance, you stopped dancing.”

The fable refers to those who do everything at the wrong time.

FOX AND LEOPARD

The fox and the leopard were arguing about who was more beautiful. The leopard boasted in every possible way about his speckled skin; but the fox said to him:

How much more beautiful I am than you, since I don’t have a broken body, but a sophisticated soul!

Subtlety of mind is better than beauty of body.

The fishermen were pulling the net; the net was heavy, and they rejoiced and danced, anticipating a rich catch. But when the net was pulled out, it turned out that there were very few fish in it, and it was full of stones and sand. And the fishermen began to grieve immensely: they were annoyed not so much because of the failure itself, but because they had hoped for something completely different. But there was one old man among them, and he said:

Come on, friends, I think that joy and sorrow are sisters to each other, and as much as we rejoiced, we also had to grieve.

Likewise, we must look at the variability of life and not be deluded by successes, as if they are ours forever: even after the clearest weather, bad weather comes.

FOX AND MONKEY

The fox and the monkey walked along the road together, and they began to argue about who was more noble. Each one said a lot to himself, when suddenly they saw some tombs, and the monkey, looking at them, began to sigh heavily.

What's the matter? - asked the fox.

And the monkey, pointing to the gravestones, exclaimed:

How can I not cry! After all, these are monuments over the graves of the slaves and freedmen of my ancestors!

But the fox answered:

Well, lie to yourself as much as you want: none of them will rise again to expose you.

It’s the same with people: liars boast most when there is no one to expose them.

FOX AND THORK

The fox was climbing over the fence and, in order not to stumble, grabbed a thorn bush. The thorns pricked her skin, it hurt her, and she began to reproach him, because she seemed to turn to him for help, and he made her feel even worse. But the thorn tree objected:

You were mistaken, my dear, when you decided to cling to me: after all, I myself am used to clinging to everyone.

Likewise, among people, only the foolish ask for help from those who are naturally more likely to cause harm.

FOX AND CROCODILE

The fox and the crocodile were arguing about who was more noble. The crocodile talked a lot about the glory of his ancestors and finally declared that his forefathers were gymnasiarchs.

The fox responded:

And do not say! Even your skin shows how hard you worked in the gymnasium.

This is how reality always exposes liars.

THE FOX AND THE WOODMAN

The fox, running away from the hunters, saw the woodcutter and prayed for him to shelter her. The woodcutter told her to go in and hide in his hut. A little later, the hunters appeared and asked the woodcutter if he had seen a fox running here? He answered them out loud:

I didn’t see her, but meanwhile he made signs with his hand, showing where she was hiding. But the hunters did not notice his signs, but believed his words. So the fox waited for them to gallop away, got out and, without saying a word, walked away. The woodcutter began to scold her: he saved her, but he didn’t hear a sound of gratitude from her. The fox answered:

I would thank you if only your words and the works of your hands were not so dissimilar.

There are also people who speak good speeches but do bad deeds.

FOX AND MASK

The fox climbed into the sculptor's workshop and searched through everything that was there. And then she came across a tragic mask. The fox picked her up and said:

What a head, but no brain in it!

So among people there are those who are majestic in body but foolish in soul.

COCKS AND PARTridgeS

The man had roosters. One day he came across a tame partridge at the market, he bought it and took it home to keep it with the roosters. But the roosters began to beat and chase her, and with bitterness the partridge thought that they disliked her because she was not one of their breed. But a little later she saw how the roosters fought each other until they bled, and she said to herself: “No, I no longer complain that the roosters beat me: now I see that they do not spare themselves.”

It is easier for smart people to endure insults from their neighbors if they see that they do not spare their neighbors.

FAT FOX

A hungry fox saw bread and meat in a hollow tree that the shepherds had left there. She climbed into the hollow and ate everything. But her womb was swollen, and she could not get out, but only moaned and groaned. Another fox ran past and heard her moaning; she came up and asked what was the matter. And when she found out what happened, she said:

You will have to sit here until you again become the same as when you came in; and then it won’t be difficult to get out.

Difficult circumstances become easier over time.

STATUE SELLER

One man made a wooden Hermes and took it to the market. Not a single buyer approached; then, in order to invite at least someone, he began to shout that God, the giver of blessings and the keeper of profits, was for sale. Some passerby asked him:

Why are you, my dear, selling such a god, instead of using it yourself?

The seller replied:

Now I need the benefit from it quickly, and it usually brings its profit slowly.

Against a selfish and wicked man.

BOY WHO EATED GINS

People slaughtered a bull as a sacrifice to the gods in the field and called their neighbors for a treat. Among the guests, one poor woman came, and with her her son. During a long feast, the boy ate his fill of giblets, got drunk on wine, his stomach hurt, and he cried out in pain:

Oh, mom, my guts are pouring out of me!

And the mother says:

These are not your offal, son, but the ones you ate!

This fable can be applied to a debtor who takes someone else’s property willingly, and when the time comes to pay, he suffers as if he were giving away his own.

FROGS ASKING FOR THE KING

The frogs suffered because they did not have strong power, and they sent ambassadors to Zeus asking him to give them a king. Zeus saw how unreasonable they were and threw a block of wood into the swamp. At first the frogs were frightened by the noise and hid in the very depths of the swamp; but the log was motionless, and little by little they became so bold that they jumped on it and sat on it. Considering then that it was beneath their dignity to have such a king, they again turned to Zeus and asked to change their ruler, because this one was too lazy. Zeus got angry with them and sent them a water snake, which began to grab and devour them.

A FROG'S LIFE

Two frogs lived next door: one in a deep pond away from the road, the other on the road itself, where there was little water. The one who lived in the pond persuaded the other to move in with her in order to live both more satisfyingly and more peacefully. But the other one did not agree and kept saying that she had gotten used to her place and could not part with it, until finally a accidentally passing cart crushed her.

Likewise, people with bad habits die before they acquire good ones.

DECEIVER

One poor man fell ill and, feeling completely ill, made a vow to the gods to sacrifice a hecatomb to them if they healed him. The gods wanted to test him and immediately sent him relief. He got out of bed, but since he did not have real bulls, he blinded a hundred bulls from tallow and burned them on the altar with the words: “Accept, oh gods, my vow!”

The gods decided to reward him with deceit for his deception and sent him a dream, and in the dream they told him to go to the seashore - there he would find a thousand drachmas. The man was delighted and ran to the shore, but there he immediately fell into the hands of robbers, and they took him away and sold him into slavery: that’s how he found his thousand drachmas.

DEER, ANTLERS AND LEGS

The deer, tormented by thirst, approached the source. While he was drinking, he noticed his reflection in the water and began to admire his horns, so large and so branched, but he was dissatisfied with his legs, thin and weak. While he was thinking about this, a lion appeared and chased him. The deer started to run and was far ahead of him, because the strength of deer is in their legs, and the strength of lions is in their hearts. While the places were open, the deer ran forward and remained unharmed, but when he reached the grove, his antlers got entangled in the branches, he could not run further, and the lion grabbed him. And, feeling that death had come, the deer said to himself:

Unhappy me! What I feared would be betrayal saved me, but what I most hoped for destroyed me.

So often, in times of danger, those friends whom we did not trust save us, and those we relied on destroy us.

Honey was spilled in one pantry and flies flew on it; They tasted it and, sensing how sweet it was, pounced on it. But when their legs got stuck and they could not fly away, they said, drowning:

Unhappy we are! For a short sweetness we ruined our lives.

Thus, for many, voluptuousness becomes the cause of great misfortune.

ORATOR DEMAD

The orator Demades once spoke to the people in Athens, but they listened to him inattentively. Then he asked permission to tell the people Aesop's fable. Everyone agreed, and he began:

Demeter, a swallow and an eel walked along the road. They found themselves on the river bank; a swallow flew over it, and an eel dived into it...

And with that he fell silent.

What about Demeter? - everyone began to ask him.

“And Demeter stands and is angry with you,” answered Demade, “because you listen to Aesop’s fables, but do not want to deal with state affairs.”

Thus, among people, those who neglect necessary things and prefer pleasant things are unwise.

FATHER AND DAUGHTERS

The father had two daughters. He passed one off as a gardener, the other as a potter. Time passed, the father came to the gardener’s wife and asked how she lived and how they were doing. She replied that they had everything and they prayed to the gods for only one thing: that a thunderstorm would come with rain and that the vegetables would drink. A little later he came to the potter’s wife and also asked how she lived. She replied that they had enough of everything, and they only prayed for one thing: that the weather would be good, the sun would shine, and the dishes could dry. Then her father said to her:

If you ask for good weather, and your sister for bad weather, then with whom should I pray?

So people who try two different things at once understandably fail at both.

ASTROLOGER

One astrologer used to go out every evening and look at the stars. And so, one day, walking along the outskirts and with all his thoughts rushing to heaven, he accidentally fell into a well. Then he started screaming and crying; and some man, hearing these screams, came up, guessed what had happened, and said to him:

Oh you! Do you want to see what is happening in the sky, but what is on earth you don’t see?

This fable can be applied to people who boast of miracles, but themselves are not able to do what anyone can do.

WOMAN AND CHICKEN

One widow had a hen that laid an egg every day. The widow thought that if the chicken was fed more, she would lay two eggs a day. She did so, but this made the chicken fat and stopped laying eggs altogether.

Many people, striving for more out of greed, lose what they have.

Two enemies were sailing on the same ship. To stay away from each other, one settled in the stern, the other in the bow; That's how they sat. A terrible storm arose and the ship capsized. The one sitting at the stern asked the helmsman which end of the ship was in danger of sinking first.

“Nose,” answered the helmsman.

Then he said:

Well, then I don’t mind dying, just to see how my enemy drowns before me.

So some people, out of hatred for their neighbors, are not afraid to suffer, just to see how they also suffer.

COAL MAN AND FILLER

A coal miner worked in one house; the clothier approached him, and when he saw him, the coal miner invited him to settle there: they would get used to each other, and it would be cheaper for them to live under the same roof. But the cloth objected to this:

No, this is in no way possible for me: whatever I bleach, you will immediately stain with soot.

Dissimilar things are incompatible.

THE OLD MAN AND DEATH

The old man once chopped some wood and carried it on himself; the road was long, he was tired of walking, threw off the burden and began to pray for death. Death appeared and asked why he called her.

So that you lift this burden for me,” the old man answered.

Every person loves life, no matter how unhappy he is.

SHIPWRECK VICTIM

One rich Athenian, along with others, was sailing on the sea. A terrible storm arose and the ship capsized. Everyone else set off swimming, and only the Athenian endlessly appealed to Athena, promising her countless sacrifices for his salvation. Then one of his fellow sufferers, sailing by, said to him:

Pray to Athena, and move yourself.

So we should not only pray to the gods, but also take care of ourselves.

THE MAN WITH THE GRAY AND HIS MOVIES

The man with the gray hair had two mistresses - one young, the other old. The elderly woman was ashamed to live with a man younger than her, and therefore every time he came to her, she pulled out his black hair. And the young woman wanted to hide that her lover was an old man, and pulled out his gray hair. So they plucked him, first one, then the other, and in the end he was left bald.

Thus, inequality is harmful everywhere.

PIG AND SHEEP

In one flock of sheep, a piglet was grazing. One day a shepherd grabbed him, and he began to squeal and resist. The sheep began to reproach him for such a cry:

We don’t scream when he keeps grabbing us!

The piglet answered them:

He doesn’t grab me as much as he grabs you; From you he needs wool or milk, and from me he needs meat.

It’s not for nothing that those who risk losing not their money, but their lives cry.

THE MAN PROMISING THE IMPOSSIBLE

One poor man fell ill and felt completely ill; the doctors abandoned him, and then he prayed to the gods, promising to bring them a hecatomb and donate rich gifts if he recovered. His wife, being nearby, asked:

How much money will you do this with?

“Do you really think,” he answered, “that I will begin to recover only so that the gods will demand it of me?”

People easily promise in words what they have no intention of delivering in practice.

A certain man committed a murder, and the relatives of the murdered man pursued him. He ran to the Nile River, but then encountered a wolf. In fear, he climbed a tree overhanging the river and hid on it, but saw a snake swinging there. Then he threw himself into the water; but even then a crocodile waylaid him and devoured him.

The fable shows that for a person stained by crime, neither earth, nor air, nor water will be a refuge.

Boastful Pentathlete

One pentathlete was constantly reproached by his fellow countrymen for being a coward. Then he left for a while, and when he returned, he began to boast that in other cities he had accomplished many feats and in Rhodes made such a jump as no Olympic winner had ever done; Everyone who was there could confirm this to you if they came here. But one of those present objected to him:

My dear, if you are telling the truth, why do you need confirmation? Here's Rhodes, here you jump!

If something can be proven by deeds, then there is no need to waste words on it.

A siskin in a cage hung on the window and sang in the middle of the night. A bat flew to his voice and asked why he is silent during the day and sings at night? The siskin answered that he had a reason for this: he once sang during the day and got caught in a cage, and after that he became smarter. Then the bat said:

You should have been so careful before, before you were caught, and not now, when it is already useless!

After a misfortune, no one needs repentance.

THE BEST AND THE WORST

One day, Xanthus, Aesop's owner, told him that today his friends would be having dinner with him and therefore Aesop must prepare the best dishes. Aesop bought pork tongues, fried them and served them to the guests.

And this is what you think is the best? - Xanth became angry, seeing the guests’ dissatisfaction with the cheap treat.

Yes, - answered Aesop, - this is exactly what language is, without which you cannot accomplish anything in this world: you cannot say, you cannot order, you cannot give, you cannot take, you cannot buy, you cannot sell, you cannot create a state and the laws that maintain order in it , - everything exists thanks to language, however, like your philosophy, Xanth.

Everyone had to agree with Aesop. The next day, Xanth invited his friends again. This time he ordered Aesop:

Buy the worst thing you can think of at the market!

Aesop bought tongues again and prepared them for dinner.

Yesterday you claimed that language is the most beautiful thing in the world, but today it turned out to be the worst! - Xanth exclaimed maliciously.

“Quite right, master,” answered the imperturbable Aesop. - What could be worse than language? After all, it is he who starts quarrels, sows deception, envy, insults, leads to fights and wars, and the death of people. And now, Xanth, you scold me with your tongue.

Aesop about language. Fragment of the film "Aesop"