THE ASS AND HIS BURDENS

A Pedlar who owned an Ass one day bought a quantity of salt, and loaded up his beast with as much as he could bear.  On the way home the Ass stumbled as he was crossing a stream and fell into the water.  The salt got thoroughly wetted and much of it melted and drained away, so that, when he got on his legs again, the Ass found his load had become much less heavy.  His master, however, drove him back to town and bought more salt, which he added to what remained in the panniers, and started out again.  No sooner had they reached a stream than the Ass lay down in it, and rose, as before, with a much lighter load.  But his master detected the trick, and turning back once more, bought a large number of sponges, and piled them on the back of the Ass.  When they came to the stream the Ass again lay down:  but this time, as the sponges soaked up large quantities of water, he found, when he got up on his legs, that he had a bigger burden to carry than ever.

    You may play a good card once too often.

THE SHEPHERD’S BOY AND THE WOLF

A Shepherd’s Boy was tending his flock near a village, and thought it would be great fun to hoax the villagers by pretending that a Wolf was attacking the sheep:  so he shouted out, “Wolf! wolf!” and when the people came running up he laughed at them for their pains.  He did this more than once, and every time the villagers found they had been hoaxed, for there was no Wolf at all.  At last a Wolf really did come, and the Boy cried, “Wolf! wolf!” as loud as he could:  but the people were so used to hearing him call that they took no notice of his cries for help.  And so the Wolf had it all his own way, and killed off sheep after sheep at his leisure.

    You cannot believe a liar even when he tells the truth.

THE FOX AND THE GOAT

A Fox fell into a well and was unable to get out again.  By and by a thirsty Goat came by, and seeing the Fox in the well asked him if the water was good.  “Good?” said the Fox, “it’s the best water I ever tasted in all my life.  Come down and try it yourself.”  The Goat thought of nothing but the prospect of quenching his thirst, and jumped in at once.  When he had had enough to drink, he looked about, like the Fox, for some way of getting out, but could find none.  Presently the Fox said, “I have an idea.  You stand on your hind legs, and plant your forelegs firmly against the side of the well, and then I’ll climb on to your back, and, from there, by stepping on your horns, I can get out.  And when I’m out, I’ll help you out too.”  The Goat did as he was requested, and the Fox climbed on to his back and so out of the well; and then he coolly walked away.  The Goat called loudly after him and reminded him of his promise to help him out:  but the Fox merely turned and said, “If you had as much sense in your head as you have hair in your beard you wouldn’t have got into the well without making certain that you could get out again.”