But They Sure Are Worth It
An Old Woman found an empty cask that had once contained a fine old wine and that still retained the fragrant smell of it’s former contents. She greedily placed it several times under her nose and, drawing it backwards and forwards, said, “Delicious! How nice the Wine must have been when it leaves behind so sweet a perfume?”
The memory of a good deed lives on.
Photo by Pixabay
How have you used this fable to teach your children?
A Lion demanded the daughter of a Wood Cutter in marriage. The father, unwilling to grant the request but afraid to refuse, decided on a plan. He expressed his willingness to accept the Lion as the suitor of his daughter if the beast would allow the man to extract his teeth and cut off his claws, as the daughter was afraid of both. The Lion cheerfully assented to the proposal and, returning with teeth and claws gone, he called upon the father to accept him as a son-in-law. The Wood Cutter, no longer afraid, set upon the Lion with a club and drove him away into the forest.
Love can tame the wildest.
How would you use this fable to teach your children?
The Frogs petitioned Jupiter to appoint them a King to keep them organized and make them lead more honest lives. Jupiter, who felt they needed no King, tried to appease them by casting down a huge log into the lake and declaring it their King. The frogs, terrified by the splash the log made, hid themselves in the depths of the pool. After a while, however, they noticed that their new ruler remained motionless, and they soon became brave enough to climb up and squat upon it. After some time they began to think themselves ill served by the appointment of so tame a King, and they sent a second delegation to Jupiter, asking him to send another sovereign. He then appointed an eel to govern them. When the frogs discovered their second King’s easy good nature, they went a third time to Jupiter to beg that he choose a more suitable leader. Jupiter displeased by their complaints, sent a heron, who devoured the frogs one by one. The few who escaped asked Mercury to take a note to Jupiter asking for help; but Jupiter replied that they were being punished for their folly and that they should learn to leave well enough alone.
When you seek to change your condition, be sure you can better it!
Image from DiviantArt
How would you use this fable to teach your children?
A Tortoise, basking lazily in the sun, complained to the sea-birds how hard her life was because she could not fly. An Eagle hovering nearby heard her grumbling and asked what reward she would give if he would take her aloft and float her in the air. “I will give you,” the Tortoise said, ” all the riches of the Red Sea.” “Then I will teach you to fly,” said the Eagle; and, taking the Tortoise up in his claws he carried her almost to the clouds. Suddenly he cried, “Now, then,” and ler her go, and the Tortoise fell onto a rock, smashing her shell to pieces.
Pride shall have a fall.
How would you use this fable to teach your children?
A Farmer who was close to death wanted to share his knowledge with his sons on the best way to keep up the farm. He called them to his bedside and said, “My children, all that I have to leave you can be found in the vineyards.” The sons, thinking their father was referring to a hidden treasure, set to work with their spades and ploughs and overturned the soil again and again. They found no treasure, but the vines, strengthened by the thorough tillage, repaid their labor with an extraordinarily abundant crop.
Industry in itself is a treasure.
Image from Photopedia
How would you use this fable to teach your children?
After a jar of honey was upset in a housekeeper’s room, a number of Flies were attracted by its sweetness and ate greedily. Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that they could not release themselves and were suffocated. Just as they were dying, they exclaimed, “Oh, we are foolish creatures – for the sake of a little pleasure we have thrown away our lives!”
Pleasure sometimes brings pain.
This fable really hit home with me. If you have been following my posts over the last couple of weeks you might now that I have been working very hard to lose weight and get into better shape. I really enjoy good food and good craft beer but eating and drinking whatever you want comes at a cost.
How would you use this this fable to teach your children?
A Hound who had been excellent in his youth became worn out with the weight of years and injuries. One day, while hunting a Wild Boar, he seized the creature’s ear but could not hold on because of the decline of his teeth. The Boar escaped and the Hound’s master was very disappointed. As the man was berating the Hound, the dog looked up and said, “Spare me. It was my power, not my will, that failed. Remember what I was, rather than abuse me for what I am.”
No one should be blamed for their infirmities.
Image on DeviantArt
How would you use this fable to teach your children?
Some Pigeons, terrified by the appearance of a Kite, called upon the Hawk to defend them. He agreed at once. When they had admitted the Hawk into their coop, they found that he killed a larger number of them in one day then the Kite could injure in a whole year.
Avoid solutions that are worse than the problem.
Image on Fotopedia
How would you use this fable to teach your children?
A very skillful Bowman went up into the mountains to hunt. All the animals of the forest ran at his approach; only the Lion challenged him to fight. “Stop,” said the Bowman to the Lion. “Here is my messenger, who has something to say to you,” and then he let fly an arrow. The Lion, wounded in the side, rushed away in terror. When he met a Fox who chided him for lack of courage, the Lion replied, “If the man sends so fearful a messenger , what will be the power of the man himself?”
Be on guard from those who can strike at you from far away, whether that strike is physical or something else entirely.
Image from Briarpress.org
How would you use this fable to teach your children?
A Wolf, sorely wounded by dogs, lay recovering in his lair. Being in want of food, he asked a Sheep who was passing by to fetch some water from a nearby stream. “If you will bring me drink,” he said, “I will find meat myself.” “No doubt,” said the Sheep, “If I should bring you the drink, you would make mince-meat out of me.”
The moral of the story? Hypocritical speeches are easily seen through.
How would you use this fable to teach your children?
