One winter a Farmer found a Snake stiff and frozen with cold. He had compassion on it, and taking it up, placed it in his bosom. The Snake was quickly revived by the warmth, and resuming its natural instincts, bit its benefactor, inflicting on him a mortal wound. “Oh,” cried the Farmer with his last breath, “I am rightly served for pitying a scoundrel.”

 

Moral of the story: The greatest kindness will not bind the ungrateful.[1]

[1] “Creeps gonna creep” could also work here.

A Farmer placed nets on his newly-sown plowlands and caught a number of Cranes, which came to pick up his seed. With them he trapped a Stork that had fractured his leg in the net and was earnestly beseeching the Farmer to spare his life. “Pray save me, Master,” he said, “and let me go free this once. My broken limb should excite your pity. Besides, I am no Crane, I am a Stork, a bird of excellent character;[1] and see how I love and slave for my father and mother. Look too, at my feathers– they are not the least like those of a Crane.” The Farmer laughed aloud and said, “It may be all as you say, I only know this: I have taken you with these robbers, the Cranes, and you must die in their company.”

[1] Nice job throwing the doomed cranes under the bus, jerk Stork.

Moral of the story: Birds of a feather flock together.

The Pomegranate and Apple-Tree disputed as to which was the most beautiful.[1] When their argument was at its height, a Bramble from the neighboring hedge lifted up its voice, and said in a boastful tone: “Pray, my dear friends, in my presence at least cease from such vain disputings.”

[1] But, wait a minute—how would they even know? Trees don’t have eyes.

Moral of the story: Please don’t talk about how pretty you are. It’s gross.

A Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing: “Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race.” The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep.[1] At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her fatigue.

[1] Narcoleptic rabbits just can’t win.

Moral of the story: Slow but steady wins the race.

A Mole, a creature blind from birth, once said to his Mother: “I am sure than I can see, Mother!” In the desire to prove to him his mistake, his Mother placed before him a few grains of frankincense, and asked, “What is it?’ The young Mole said, “It is a pebble.” His Mother exclaimed: “My son, I am afraid that you are not only blind, but that you have lost your sense of smell.”[1]

[1] No Mother’s Day card for you, mean mole mother.

Moral of the story: An answer that’s only half right will be judged as entirely wrong.  

A Dog, crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of flesh in his mouth, saw his own shadow in the water and took it for that of another Dog, with a piece of meat double his own in size. He immediately let go of his own, and fiercely attacked the other Dog to get his larger piece from him. He thus lost both: that which he grasped at in the water, because it was a shadow; and his own, because the stream swept it away.[1]

[1] I hope the poor dog at least knew how to swim.

Moral of the story: Don’t let your greed destroy what you already have.

A traveler about to set out on a journey saw his Dog stand at the door stretching himself. He asked him sharply: “Why do you stand there gaping? Everything is ready but you, so come with me instantly.” The Dog, wagging his tail, replied: “O, master! I am quite ready; it is you for whom I am waiting.”[1]

[1] Quibble: Dogs are always ready to go out, especially if they’re already sitting at the door. The dog even said as much. Sheesh.

Moral of the story: The loiterer often blames delay on his more active friend.

The ants were spending a fine winter’s day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, “Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?’[1] He replied, “I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in singing.” They then said in derision: “If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter.”

[1] Ants are the condescending killjoys of the Aesop Universe.

Moral of the story: Your savings will save you.

A carter was driving a wagon along a country lane, when the wheels sank down deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied and aghast, stood looking at the wagon, and did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules to come and help him. Hercules, it is said, appeared and thus addressed him: “Put your shoulders to the wheels, my man. Goad on your bullocks, and never more pray to me for help, until you have done your best to help yourself, or depend upon it you will henceforth pray in vain.”[1]

[1]
The entire history of humanity in one conversation:
“Are you there, God?”
“I’m, uh, everywhere.”
“Can you help me?”
“I can, but I won’t.”
“Okay. Maybe next time.”
“Sure. Sure. Keep tithing.”  

Moral of the story: Self-help is the best help.