Better poverty without a care than wealth with its many
    obligations.

THE FROGS’ COMPLAINT AGAINST THE SUN

Once upon a time the Sun was about to take to himself a wife.  The Frogs in terror all raised their voices to the skies, and Jupiter, disturbed by the noise, asked them what they were croaking about.  They replied, “The Sun is bad enough even while he is single, drying up our marshes with his heat as he does.  But what will become of us if he marries and begets other Suns?”

THE DOG, THE COCK, AND THE FOX

A Dog and a Cock became great friends, and agreed to travel together.  At nightfall the Cock flew up into the branches of a tree to roost, while the Dog curled himself up inside the trunk, which was hollow.  At break of day the Cock woke up and crew, as usual.  A Fox heard, and, wishing to make a breakfast of him, came and stood under the tree and begged him to come down.  “I should so like,” said he, “to make the acquaintance of one who has such a beautiful voice.”  The Cock replied, “Would you just wake my porter who sleeps at the foot of the tree?  He’ll open the door and let you in.”  The Fox accordingly rapped on the trunk, when out rushed the Dog and tore him in pieces.

THE GNAT AND THE BULL

A Gnat alighted on one of the horns of a Bull, and remained sitting there for a considerable time.  When it had rested sufficiently and was about to fly away, it said to the Bull, “Do you mind if I go now?” The Bull merely raised his eyes and remarked, without interest, “It’s all one to me; I didn’t notice when you came, and I shan’t know when you go away.”

    We may often be of more consequence in our own eyes than in the
    eyes of our neighbours.

THE BEAR AND THE TRAVELLERS

Two Travellers were on the road together, when a Bear suddenly appeared on the scene.  Before he observed them, one made for a tree at the side of the road, and climbed up into the branches and hid there.  The other was not so nimble as his companion; and, as he could not escape, he threw himself on the ground and pretended to be dead.  The Bear came up and sniffed all round him, but he kept perfectly still and held his breath:  for they say that a bear will not touch a dead body.  The Bear took him for a corpse, and went away.  When the coast was clear, the Traveller in the tree came down, and asked the other what it was the Bear had whispered to him when he put his mouth to his ear.  The other replied, “He told me never again to travel with a friend who deserts you at the first sign of danger.”

    Misfortune tests the sincerity of friendship.

THE SLAVE AND THE LION