The Fox and the Grapes
A hungry fox fails to reach ripe grapes and calls them sour rather than admit his disappointment.
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Gutenberg Fables
Public-domain fables and short tales from Project Gutenberg.
The Ant and the Grasshopper
A grasshopper sings and plays all summer while an ant quietly stores food, and when the snow falls, the grasshopper learns that joy needs a little preparation too.
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The Lion and the Mouse
A mighty lion spares a little mouse who tumbles onto his nose, and later, caught fast in a hunter's net, learns just how much a small friend can help.
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The Wolf and the Lamb
A hungry wolf invents accusations against a lamb, showing how injustice often seeks excuses after it has chosen its victim.
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The Ass and the Grasshopper
An ass envies the grasshoppers' sweet song and tries living on dew alone to learn it, only to collapse from hunger and discover that every creature needs its own true food.
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The Wolf and the Crane
A crane risks her neck to help a choking wolf, only to learn how little a wicked promise may be worth.
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The Father and His Sons
An old father uses a bundle of sticks to show his quarrelsome sons that unity gives strength.
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The Bat and the Weasels
A bat escapes two weasels by noticing what each one truly cared about, and answering with quick wit.
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The Cock and the Jewel
A cock uncovers a sparkling jewel while scratching for food, and shows that what glitters is not always what we truly need.
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The Swallow and the Crow
A swallow teases a crow for his plain feathers, boasting of her own glossy looks — until a hard winter shows which one's feathers truly served her well.
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The Kingdom of the Lion
A lion proclaims peace among all the creatures of the forest, yet the hare, after hearing the wonderful promise, still runs for his life.
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The Traveler and His Dog
A traveler blames his dog for delaying the journey, but the dog is already waiting for him.
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The Ants and the Grasshopper
A whole colony of ants shares the work of a summer, each doing a small part, and when winter comes the grasshopper learns that it takes many working together, not just one, to see a colony safely through the cold.
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The Hare and the Tortoise
A swift hare mocks a slow tortoise, but grows careless and falls asleep, letting the tortoise's steady, unstopping steps win the race.
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The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller
A charcoal-burner asks a fuller to live with him, but the fuller sees that their trades would spoil each other.
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The Boy Hunting Locusts
A boy hunting locusts nearly grasps a scorpion and learns that quick hands need careful eyes.
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The Fisherman Piping
A fisherman tries to charm fish into his net with music, then learns that action succeeds where wishing fails.
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The Dog and the Shadow
A dog carrying meat mistakes his own reflection for another dog holding a bigger piece, and by barking at the shadow he loses the real meat he already had.
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Hercules and the Wagoner
A wagoner calls upon Hercules when his cart is stuck, but the hero teaches him to put his own shoulder to the wheel first.
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The Mole and His Mother
A young mole insists that he can see, until his mother's simple test shows the danger of boastful certainty.
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The Herdsman and the Lost Bull
A herdsman vows to learn who stole his calf, then discovers the truth is far more frightening than not knowing.
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The Fawn and His Mother
A young fawn wonders why his strong mother fears hounds, and she admits that reason alone does not always create courage.
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The Crow and the Pitcher
A thirsty crow cannot find a drop of water anywhere, until patient work with small stones brings the water up to him.
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The Milkmaid and Her Pail
A girl carries fresh milk to market, dreaming of everything the money will buy, until one proud little toss of her head spills it all away.
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The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
A country mouse visits his friend's grand city table, but learns that a feast is hard to enjoy when fear comes with every bite.
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The North Wind and the Sun
The North Wind blows with all its might but cannot move a traveler's cloak, while the Sun's gentle warmth makes him take it off on his own.
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The Fox and the Crane
A fox tricks a crane with soup served in a shallow dish, and the crane's gentle reply helps him feel what it is like to be forgotten as a guest.
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The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs
A farmer and his wife own a goose that lays a golden egg each day, but their greed to have all the gold at once costs them the steady good fortune they already had.
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The Boy Who Cried Wolf
A bored shepherd boy tricks the village again and again by shouting "Wolf!" for fun, until a real wolf comes — and no one believes him anymore.
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The Fox and the Goat
A thirsty fox tricks a goat into jumping down a dry well with him, then climbs out on the goat's back and abandons him — a story about looking closely before you leap, not just after someone says something sounds good.
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The Two Travelers and the Bear
Two old friends set out together on a journey, but when a bear appears on the path, one abandons the other — and later hears a piercing piece of advice.
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The Oak and the Reeds
A tall oak mocks the reeds for being weak, but when a storm comes, the oak's refusal to bend gets it uprooted, while the bending reeds come through unharmed.
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The Ant and the Dove
A little ant is swept away by the current and saved by a dove's falling leaf — and soon repays that small kindness with an even smaller, braver one.
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The Peacock and the Crane
A vain peacock mocks a crane's plain feathers, until winter comes and shows which of them truly has something worth having.
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The Dog and the Wolf
A thin, hungry wolf envies a well-fed dog's easy life — until he spots a worn mark on the dog's neck and chooses to go hungry rather than give up his freedom.
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