Strona 19 z 274

AeSOP'S FABLES

THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

A hungry Fox saw some fine bunches of Grapes hanging from a vine

that was trained along a high trellis, and did his best to reach

them by jumping as high as he could into the air. But it was all

in vain, for they were just out of reach: so he gave up trying,

and walked away with an air of dignity and unconcern, remarking,

"I thought those Grapes were ripe, but I see now they are quite

sour."

THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGGS

A Man and his Wife had the good fortune to possess a Goose which

laid a Golden Egg every day. Lucky though they were, they soon

began to think they were not getting rich fast enough, and,

imagining the bird must be made of gold inside, they decided to

kill it in order to secure the whole store of precious metal at

once. But when they cut it open they found it was just like any

other goose. Thus, they neither got rich all at once, as they had

hoped, nor enjoyed any longer the daily addition to their wealth.