A heavy wagon was being dragged along a country lane by a team of Bulls. The Axle-trees (the wood that goes between the wheels of the wagon) groaned and creaked terribly.

After an hour of listening to the Axle-trees groaning, one of the Bulls turned around and addressed the Axle-trees: “Be Quiet! why do you make so much noise? We are doing all the work, and we, not you, should be the ones to cry out.”

Moral: Those who suffer most cry out the least.

Two men were traveling together, when a Bear suddenly met them on their path.

One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and concealed himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he would be attacked, fell flat on the ground. When the Bear came up and felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, the Traveler held his breath, and pretended to be dead.

The Bear soon left the “dead” Traveler, for it is said a bear will not touch a dead body.

When the Bear was gone, the other Traveler descended from the tree, and asked his friend what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear.

“He gave me this advice,” his companion replied. “Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger.”

Moral: Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends.

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 happy face, the Fox gave lavish praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraging the Goat to come down.

The Goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down. As the Goat started to drink, the Fox told him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for their common escape.

“If,” said the Fox, “you place your front feet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards.”

The Goat readily agreed 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 told him off for breaking his promise, the Fox 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 worked out the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape.”

Moral: Look before you leap.

Some Cranes made their feeding grounds on a field which had been newly sown with wheat.

For a long time the Farmer, brandishing an empty sling, chased the Cranes away by scaring them. When the birds found that the sling was only swung in the air, they stopped taking any notice of it and would not move.

The Farmer, on seeing this, filled his sling with stones, and killed a great number of Cranes. The remaining birds at once forsook his fields, crying to each other,

“It is time for us to be off: for this man is no longer content to scare us, but begins to show us in earnest what he can do.”

Moral: If words suffice not, blows must follow.

A Man and a Lion traveled together through the forest. They soon began to boast of their respective superiority to each other in strength and prowess.

As they were disputing, they passed a statue carved in stone, which represented “a Lion strangled by a Man.”

The traveler pointed to it and said: “See there! How strong we are, and how we are stronger even the king of beasts.”

The Lion replied: “This statue was made by one of you men. If we Lions knew how to erect statues, you would see the Man placed under the paw of the Lion.”

Moral: One story is good, until another is told.