Aesop's Fabels
Onderstaande fabels zijn genomen uit 'n verzameling fabels van Aesop uit de eerste eeuw v.c., welke via Project Gutenberg beschikbaar zijn gesteld.
The
Vain Jackdaw
JUPITER DETERMINED, it is said, to create a
sovereign over the birds, and made proclamation that on a certain day
they should all present themselves before him, when he would himself
choose the most beautiful among them to be king. The Jackdaw, knowing
his own ugliness, searched through the woods and fields, and
collected the feathers which had fallen from the wings of his
companions, and stuck them in all parts of his body, hoping thereby
to make himself the most beautiful of all. When the appointed day
arrived, and the birds had assembled before Jupiter, the Jackdaw also
made his appearance in his many feathered finery. But when Jupiter
proposed to make him king because of the beauty of his plumage, the
birds indignantly protested, and each plucked from him his own
feathers, leaving the Jackdaw nothing but a Jackdaw.
The
Jackdaw and the Doves
A JACKDAW, seeing some Doves in a
cote abundantly provided with food, painted himself white and joined
them in order to share their plentiful maintenance. The Doves, as
long as he was silent, supposed him to be one of themselves and
admitted him to their cote. But when one day he forgot himself and
began to chatter, they discovered his true character and drove him
forth, pecking him with their beaks. Failing to obtain food among the
Doves, he returned to the Jackdaws. They too, not recognizing him on
account of his color. expelled him from living with them.
So desiring two ends, he obtained neither.
The
Eagle and the Jackdaw
AN
EAGLE, flying down from his perch on a lofty rock, seized upon a lamb
and carried him aloft in his talons. A Jackdaw, who witnessed the
capture of the lamb, was stirred with envy and determined to emulate
the strength and flight of the Eagle. He flew around with a great
whir of his wings and settled upon a large ram, with the intention of
carrying him off, but his claws became entangled in the ram's fleece
and he was not able to release himself, although he fluttered with
his feathers as much as he could. The shepherd, seeing what had
happened, ran up and caught him. He at once clipped the Jackdaw's
wings, and taking him home at night, gave him to his children. On
their saying, "Father, what kind of bird is it?' he replied, "To
my certain knowledge he is a Daw; but he would like you to think an
Eagle."
The
Jackdaw and the Fox
A
HALF-FAMISHED JACKDAW seated himself on a fig-tree, which had
produced some fruit entirely out of season, and waited in the hope
that the figs would ripen. A Fox seeing him sitting so long and
learning the reason of his doing so, said to him, "You are
indeed, sir, sadly deceiving yourself; you are indulging a hope
strong enough to cheat you, but which will never reward you with
enjoyment."
©
2004 DRO-MIKE, laatste wijziging: