get an
ill name among mortals; for I find that men are sure to impute their
calamities to me, however much by their own folly they have really
brought them on themselves."

Everyone is more or less master of his own fate.

The Bald Knight

A BALD KNIGHT, who wore a wig, went out to hunt. A sudden puff of wind
blew off his hat and wig, at which a loud laugh rang forth from his
companions. He pulled up his horse, and with great glee joined in the
joke by saying, "What a marvel it is that hairs which are not mine
should fly from me, when they have forsaken even the man on whose head
they grew."

The Shepherd and the Dog

A SHEPHERD penning his sheep in the fold for the night was about to shut
up a wolf with them, when his Dog perceiving the wolf said, "Master, how
can you expect the sheep to be safe if you admit a wolf into the fold?"

The Lamp

A LAMP, soaked with too much oil and flaring brightly, boasted that it
gave more light than the sun. Then a sudden puff of wind arose, and the
Lamp was immediately extinguished. Its owner lit it again, and said:
"Boast no more, but henceforth be content to give thy light in silence.
Know that not even the stars need to be relit."

The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass

THE LION, the Fox and the Ass entered into an agreement to assist each
other in the chase. Having secured a large booty, the Lion on their
return from the forest asked the Ass to allot his due portion to each
of the three partners in the treaty. The Ass carefully divided the spoil
into three equal shares and modestly requested the two others to make
the first choice. The Lion, bursting out into a great rage, devoured the
Ass. Then he requested the Fox to do him the favor to make a division.
The Fox accumulated all that they had killed into one large heap and
left to himself the smallest possible morsel. The Lion said, "Who has
taught you, my very excellent fellow, the art of division? You are
perfect to a fraction." He replied, "I learned it from the Ass, by
witnessing his fate."

Happy is the man who learns from the misfortunes of others.

The Bull, the Lioness, and the Wild-Boar Hunter

A BULL finding a lion's cub asleep gored him to death with his horns.
The Lioness came up, and bitterly lamented the death of her whelp. A
wild-boar Hunter, seeing her distress, stood at a distance and said to
her, "Think how many men there are who have reason to lament the loss of
their child