Jupiter announced that he intended to appoint a king over the birds, and named a day on which they were to appear before his throne, when he would select the most beautiful of them all to be their ruler.  Wishing to look their best on the occasion they repaired to the banks of a stream, where they busied themselves in washing and preening their feathers.  The Jackdaw was there along with the rest, and realised that, with his ugly plumage, he would have no chance of being chosen as he was:  so he waited till they were all gone, and then picked up the most gaudy of the feathers they had dropped, and fastened them about his own body, with the result that he looked gayer than any of them.  When the appointed day came, the birds assembled before Jupiter’s throne; and, after passing them in review, he was about to make the Jackdaw king, when all the rest set upon the king-elect, stripped him of his borrowed plumes, and exposed him for the Jackdaw that he was.

THE TRAVELLER AND HIS DOG

A Traveller was about to start on a journey, and said to his Dog, who was stretching himself by the door, “Come, what are you yawning for?  Hurry up and get ready:  I mean you to go with me.”  But the Dog merely wagged his tail and said quietly, “I’m ready, master:  it’s you I’m waiting for.”

THE SHIPWRECKED MAN AND THE SEA

A Shipwrecked Man cast up on the beach fell asleep after his struggle with the waves.  When he woke up, he bitterly reproached the Sea for its treachery in enticing men with its smooth and smiling surface, and then, when they were well embarked, turning in fury upon them and sending both ship and sailors to destruction.  The Sea arose in the form of a woman, and replied, “Lay not the blame on me, O sailor, but on the Winds.  By nature I am as calm and safe as the land itself:  but the Winds fall upon me with their gusts and gales, and lash me into a fury that is not natural to me.”

THE WILD BOAR AND THE FOX

A Wild Boar was engaged in whetting his tusks upon the trunk of a tree in the forest when a Fox came by and, seeing what he was at, said to him, “Why are you doing that, pray?  The huntsmen are not out to-day, and there are no other dangers at hand that I can see.”  “True, my friend,” replied the Boar, “but the instant my life is in danger I shall need to use my tusks.  There’ll be no time to sharpen them then.”

MERCURY AND THE SCULPTOR

Mercury was very anxious to know in what estimation he was held by mankind; so he disguised himself as a man and walked into a Sculptor’s studio, where there were a number of statues finished and ready for sale.  Seeing a statue of Jupiter among the rest, he inquired the price of it.  “A crown,” said the Sculptor.  “Is that all?” said he, laughing; “and” (pointing to one of Juno) “how much is that one?” “That,” was the reply, “is half a crown.”  “And how much might you be wanting for that one over there, now?” he continued, pointing to a statue of himself.  “That one?” said the Sculptor; “Oh, I’ll throw him in for nothing if you’ll buy the other two.”