The Goatherd and the She Goat (Greek)
A goatherd wish’d to gather home his flock;
Some came; some tarried; on a cleft of rock
The fragrant shoots of mastich and goatsrue
One she-goat into disobedience drew.
Quickly the hireling lifted up a stone,
Which brake her horn, tho’ from a distance thrown.
And now he sued her, “Goat and fellow-slave,
“By Pan, the patron of these glens, I crave,
“Do not thou to my lord this act proclaim,
“I meant not that the stone should take good aim."
“Nay, how,” said she, “ a plain fact can I hide?
“My horn is telltale, tho’ my tongue be tied."
The Fisherman and the Fish (Greek)
His late-cast net ashore a fisher drew,
Enclosing fish, not all alike nor few;
The smaller, taking flight, contrived to get
Safe through the bottom of the meshy net,
Whilst in the ship the greater emptied lay.
’Tis surely safe, and farthest from harm's way,
To be but small: for you shall seldom see
The high in rank escape calamity.

The Young Cocks (Greek)
Two Tanagraean cocks a fight began;
Their spirit is, ’tis said, as that of man;
Of these the beaten bird, a mass of blows,
For shame into a corner creeping goes;
The other to the housetop quickly flew,
And there in triumph flapp’d his wings, and crew.
But him an eagle lifted from the roof,
And bore away. His fellow gain’d a proof
That oft the wages of defeat are best,
None else remain’d the hens to interest.
Wherefore, O man, beware of boastfulness,
Should fortune lift thee, others to depress,
Many are saved by lack of her caress.

The Fisherman and the Little Fish (Greek)
A fisherman, who all the seashore drain’d,
While he with slender rod sweet life maintain’d,
Once caught with horsehair line a tiny fish,
Ill-suited for the frying-pan or dish.
The gasping fish its captor thus besought:
“What am I worth ? For what shall I be bought?
“I’m not half-grown, whom on yon rocky shore
“My mother in the sea-weed lately bore.
“Now let me go; oh, kill me not in vain,
“And you shall catch me when you come again,
“On sea-weed food ere then grown large and fine,
“And meet to grace a board, where rich men dine.”
As thus she prayed, she raised a piteous moan
And panted much; but the old man was stone.
Vain was her hope with winning words to plead;
He said, while piercing her with ruthless reed,
“Who holds not fast a small but certain prize,
“Is but a fool, to seek uncertainties.”

The Horse and the Ass (Greek)
A man, who kept a horse, along the way
Unladen used to lead him, and to lay
His burden on an aged ass, who groaned,
And coming to the horse his fate bemoaned.
“Wouldst thou but share my load, I might survive,
Said he, “but else I sha’n’t be long alive!”
“Move on,” the other cried; “don’t worry me!”
The ass crept on reproved; and presently
Sank under toil, and died as he had said;
His master therefore set the horse instead
Beside him, shifted all the weight, and laid
This and the ass’s skin, when it was flay’d,
With all its trappings, on the horse’s back:
He cried, “Ah, ill advised! alack, alack!
“I would not bear a part, however small!
“And now constraint hath laid upon me all!’

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