The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Baby's Own Aesop

This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: The Baby's Own Aesop

Author: Walter Crane

Aesop

Contributor: W. J. Linton

Engraver: Edmund Evans

Release date: May 11, 2008 [eBook #25433]

Language: English

Credits: E-text prepared by Chris Curnow, Lindy Walsh, Linda Cantoni, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BABY'S OWN AESOP ***

 

E-text prepared by Chris Curnow, Lindy Walsh, Linda Cantoni,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net)

 

Transcriber’s Note:

In the original, some titles use V for U. This has been preserved in this e-book.

Spelling errors are noted with a hover Transcriber’s Note, but obvious punctuation errors and inconsistent formatting have been corrected.

 


 

front cover

CONTENTS


endpaper


BABY'S OWN AESOP





title page

THE
BABY’S
OWN
ÆSOP

BEING THE FABLES CONDENSED IN RHYME
WITH PORTABLE MORALS
PICTORIALLY POINTED
BY

WALTER CRANE

ENGRAVED & PRINTED IN COLOURS BY
EDMUND EVANS


LONDON
FREDERICK WARNE AND CO.
AND NEW YORK


PREFACE

PREFACE

For this rhymed version of the Fables I have to thank my early friend and master W.J. LINTON, who kindly placed the MS. at my disposal. I have added a touch here and there, but the credit of this part of the book still belongs to him.

Walter Crane


dedication

To the
Possessors of
“Baby’s Opera”
&
“Baby’s Bouquet”
with
Walter Crane’s
Compliments


CONTENTS

CONTENTS


9

The Fox and the Grapes

ÆSOP’S FABLES


THE FOX & THE GRAPES

This Fox has a longing for grapes,
He jumps, but the bunch still escapes.
So he goes away sour;
And, ’tis said, to this hour
Declares that he’s no taste for grapes.

THE GRAPES OF DISAPPOINTMENT ARE ALWAYS SOUR


10

The Cock and the Pearl

THE COCK & THE PEARL

A rooster, while scratching for grain,
Found a Pearl. He just paused to explain
That a jewel’s no good
To a fowl wanting food,
And then kicked it aside with disdain.

IF HE ASK BREAD WILL YE GIVE HIM A STONE?


THE WOLF AND THE LAMB

A wolf, wanting lamb for his dinner,
Growled out—“Lamb you wronged me, you sinner.”
Bleated Lamb—“Nay, not true!”
Answered Wolf—“Then ’twas Ewe—
Ewe or lamb, you will serve for my dinner.”

FRAUD AND VIOLENCE HAVE NO SCRUPLES


11

The Wind and the Sun

THE WIND & THE SUN

The Wind and the Sun had a bet,
The wayfarers’ cloak which should get:
Blew the Wind—the cloak clung:
Shone the Sun—the cloak flung
Showed the Sun had the best of it yet.

TRUE STRENGTH IS NOT BLUSTER


12

King Log and King Stork

KING LOG & KING STORK

The Frogs prayed to Jove for a king:
“Not a log, but a livelier thing.”
Jove sent them a Stork,
Who did royal work,
For he gobbled them up, did their king.

DON’T HAVE KINGS


13

The Frightened Lion

THE FRIGHTENED LION

A Bull Frog, according to rule,
Sat a-croak in his usual pool:
And he laughed in his heart
As a Lion did start
In a fright from the brink like a fool.

IMAGINARY FEARS ARE THE WORST


14

The Mouse and the Lion

THE MOUSE & THE LION

A poor thing the Mouse was, and yet,
When the Lion got caught in a net,
All his strength was no use
’Twas the poor little Mouse
Who nibbled him out of the net.

SMALL CAUSES MAY PRODUCE GREAT RESULTS


THE MARRIED MOUSE

So the Mouse had Miss Lion for bride;
Very great was his joy and his pride:
But it chanced that she put
On her husband her foot,
And the weight was too much, so he died.

ONE MAY BE TOO AMBITIOUS


15

Hercules and the Waggoner

HERCULES & THE WAGGONER

When the God saw the Waggoner kneel,
Crying, “Hercules! Lift me my wheel
From the mud, where ’tis stuck!”
He laughed—“No such luck;
Set your shoulder yourself to the wheel.”

THE GODS HELP THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES


16

The Lazy Housemaids

THE LAZY HOUSEMAIDS

Two Maids killed the Rooster whose warning
Awoke them too soon every morning:
But small were their gains,
For their Mistress took pains
To rouse them herself without warning.

LAZINESS IS ITS OWN PUNISHMENT


17

The Snake and the File

THE SNAKE & THE FILE

A Snake, in a fix, tried a File
For a dinner. “’Tis not worth your while,”
Said the steel, “don’t mistake;
I’m accustomed to take,
To give’s not the way of a File.”

WE MAY MEET OUR MATCH


THE FOX & THE CROW

Said sly Fox to the Crow with the cheese,
“Let me hear your sweet voice, now do please!”
And this Crow, being weak,
Cawed the bit from her beak—
“Music charms,” said the Fox, “and here’s cheese!”

BEWARE OF FLATTERERS


18

The Dog in the Manger

THE DOG IN THE MANGER

A Cow sought a mouthful of hay;
But a Dog in the manger there lay,
And he snapped out “how now?”
When most mildly, the Cow
Adventured a morsel to pray.

DON’T BE SELFISH


THE FROG & THE BULL

Said the Frog, quite puffed up to the eyes,
“Was this Bull about me as to size?”
“Rather bigger, frog-brother.”
“Puff, puff,” said the other,
“A Frog is a Bull if he tries!”

BRAG IS NOT ALWAYS BELIEF


19

The Fox and the Crane

THE FOX & THE CRANE

You have heard how Sir Fox treated Crane:
With soup in a plate. When again
They dined, a long bottle
Just suited Crane’s throttle;
And Sir Fox licked the outside in vain.

THERE ARE GAMES THAT TWO CAN PLAY AT


20

Horse and Man

HORSE AND MAN

When the Horse first took Man on his back,
To help him the Stag to attack;
How little his dread,
As the enemy fled,
Man would make him his slave & his hack.

ADVANTAGES MAY BE DEARLY BOUGHT


THE ASS & THE ENEMY

“Get up! let us flee from the Foe,”
Said the Man: but the Ass said, “Why so?”
“Will they double my load,
Or my blows? Then, by goad,
And by stirrup, I’ve no cause to go.”

YOUR REASONS ARE NOT MINE


21

The Fox and the Mosquitoes

THE FOX & THE MOSQUITOES

Being plagued with Mosquitoes one day,
Said old Fox, “pray don’t send them away,
For a hungrier swarm
Would work me more harm;
I had rather the full ones should stay.”

THERE WERE POLITICIANS IN ÆSOP’S TIME


THE FOX & THE LION

The first time the Fox had a sight
Of the Lion, he ’most died of fright;
When he next met his eye,
Fox felt just a bit shy;
But the next—quite at ease, & polite.

FAMILIARITY DESTROYS FEAR


22

The Miser and His Gold

THE MISER & HIS GOLD

He buried his Gold in a hole.
One saw, and the treasure he stole.
Said another, “What matter?
Don’t raise such a clatter,
You can still go & sit by the hole.”

USE ALONE GIVES VALUE


THE GOLDEN EGGS

A golden Egg, one every day,
That simpleton’s Goose used to lay;
So he killed the poor thing,
Swifter fortune to bring,
And dined off his fortune that day.

GREED OVEREACHES ITSELF


23

The Man That Pleased None

THE MAN THAT PLEASED NONE

Through the town this good Man & his Son
Strove to ride as to please everyone:
Self, Son, or both tried,
Then the Ass had a ride;
While the world, at their efforts, poked fun.

YOU CANNOT HOPE TO PLEASE ALL—DON’T TRY


24

The Oak and the Reeds

THE OAK & THE REEDS

Giant Oak, in his strength & his scorn
Of the winds, by the roots was uptorn:
But slim Reeds at his side,
The fierce gale did outride,
Since, by bending the burden was borne.

BEND, NOT BREAK


THE FIR & THE BRAMBLE

The Fir-tree looked down on the Bramble.
“Poor thing, only able to scramble
About on the ground.”
Just then an axe’ sound
Made the Fir wish himself but a Bramble.

PRIDE OF PLACE HAS ITS DISADVANTAGES


25

The Trees and the Woodman

THE TREES & THE WOODMAN

The Trees ask of Man what he lacks;
“One bit, just to handle my axe?”
All he asks—well and good:
But he cuts down the wood,
So well does he handle his axe!

“GIVE ME AN INCH & I’LL TAKE AN ELL”


26

The Hart and the Vine

THE HART & THE VINE

A Hart by the hunters pursued,
Safely hid in a Vine, till he chewed
The sweet tender green,
And, through shaking leaves seen,
He was slain by his ingratitude.

SPARE YOUR BENEFACTORS


27

The Man and the Snake

THE MAN & THE SNAKE

In pity he brought the poor Snake
To be warmed at his fire. A mistake!
For the ungrateful thing
Wife & children would sting.
I have known some as bad as the Snake.

BEWARE HOW YOU ENTERTAIN TRAITORS


28

The Fox and the Mask

THE FOX & THE MASK

A Fox with his foot on a Mask,
Thus took the fair semblance to task;
“You’re a real handsome face;
But what part of your case
Are your brains in, good Sir! let me ask?”

MASKS ARE THE FACES OF SHAMS


29

The Ass in the Lion's Skin

THE ASS IN THE LION’S SKIN

“What pranks I shall play!” thought the Ass,
“In this skin for a Lion to pass;”
But he left one ear out,
And a hiding, no doubt,
“Lion” had—on the skin of an Ass!

IMPOSTERS GENERALLY FORGET SOMETHING


30

The Lion and the Statue

THE LION & THE STATVE

On a Statue—king Lion dethroned,
Showing conqueror Man,—Lion frowned.
“If a Lion, you know,
Had been sculptor, he’d show
Lion rampant, and Man on the ground.”

THE STORY DEPENDS ON THE TELLER


31

The Boaster

THE BOASTER

In the house, in the market, the streets,
Everywhere he was boasting his feats;
Till one said, with a sneer,
“Let us see it done here!
What’s so oft done with ease, one repeats.”

DEEDS NOT WORDS


32

The Vain Jackdaw

THE VAIN JACKDAW

“Fine feathers,” Jack thought, “make fine fowls;
I’ll be envied of bats & of owls:”
But the peacocks’ proud eyes
Saw through his disguise,
And Jack fled the assembly of fowls.

BORROWED PLUMES ARE SOON DISCOVERED


33

The Peacock's Complaint

THE PEACOCK’S COMPLAINT

The Peacock considered it wrong
That he had not the nightingale’s song;
So to Juno he went,
She replied, “Be content
With thy having, & hold thy fool’s tongue!”

DO NOT QUARREL WITH NATURE


34

The Two Jars

THE TWO JARS

“Never fear!” said The Brass to the Clay
Of two Jars that the flood bore away:
“Keep you close to my side!”
But the porcelain replied,
“I’ll be smashed if beside you I stay.”

OUR FRIEND OUR ENEMY


THE TWO CRABS

“So awkward, so shambling a gait!”
Mrs Crab did her daughter berate,
Who rejoined, “It is true
I am backward; but you
Needed lessons in walking quite late.”

LOOK AT HOME


35

Brother and Sister

BROTHER & SISTER

Twin children: the Girl, she was plain;
The Brother was handsome & vain;
“Let him brag of his looks,”
Father said; “mind your books!
The best beauty is bred in the brain.”

HANDSOME IS AS HANDSOME DOES


36

The Fox without a Tail

THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL

Said Fox, minus tail in a trap,
“My friends! here’s a lucky mishap:
Give your tails a short lease!”
But the foxes weren’t geese,
And none followed the fashion of trap.

YET SOME FASHIONS HAVE NO BETTER REASON


37

The Dog and the Shadow

THE DOG & THE SHADOW

His image the Dog did not know,
Or his bone’s, in the pond’s painted show:
“T’other dog,” so he thought
“Has got more than he ought,”
So he snapped, & his dinner saw go!

GREED IS SOMETIMES CAUGHT BY ITS OWN BAIT


38

The Crow and the Pitcher

THE CROW & THE PITCHER

How the cunning old Crow got his drink
When ’twas low in the pitcher, just think!
Don’t say that he spilled it!
With pebbles he filled it,
Till the water rose up to the brink.

USE YOUR WITS


THE EAGLE AND THE CROW

The Eagle flew off with a lamb;
Then the Crow thought to lift an old ram,
In his eaglish conceit,
The wool tangled his feet,
And the shepherd laid hold of the sham.

BEWARE OF OVERRATING YOUR OWN POWERS


39

The Blind Doe

THE BLIND DOE

A poor half-blind Doe her one eye
Kept shoreward, all danger to spy,
As she fed by the sea,
Poor innocent! she
Was shot from a boat passing by.

WATCH ON ALL SIDES


40

The Geese and the Cranes

THE GEESE & THE CRANES

The Geese joined the Cranes in some wheat;
All was well, till, disturbed at their treat,
Light-winged, the Cranes fled,
But the slow Geese, well fed,
Couldn’t rise, and were caught in retreat.

BEWARE OF ENTERPRIZES WHERE THE RISKS ARE NOT EQUAL


41

The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner

THE TRUMPETER TAKEN PRISONER

A Trumpeter, prisoner made,
Hoped his life would be spared when he said
He’d no part in the fight,
But they answered him—“Right,
But what of the music you made?”

SONGS MAY SERVE A CAUSE AS WELL AS SWORDS


42

Hot and Cold

HOT AND COLD

When to warm his cold fingers man blew,
And again, but to cool the hot stew;
Simple Satyr, unused
To man’s ways, felt confused,
When the same mouth blew hot & cold too!

ÆSOP AIMED AT DOUBLE DEALING


43

Neither Beast nor Bird

NEITHER BEAST NOR BIRD

A Beast he would be, or a bird,
As might suit, thought the Bat: but he erred.
When the battle was done,
He found that no one
Would take him for friend at his word.

BETWEEN TWO STOOLS YOU MAY COME TO THE GROUND


44

The Stag in the Ox Stall

THE STAG IN THE OX STALL

Safe enough lay the poor hunted Deer
In the ox-stall, with nothing to fear
From the careless-eyed men:
Till the Master came; then
There was no hiding-place for the Deer.

AN EYE IS KEEN IN ITS OWN INTEREST


THE DEER & THE LION

From the hounds the swift Deer sped away,
To his cave, where in past times he lay
Well concealed; unaware
Of a Lion couched there,
For a spring that soon made him his prey.

FATE CAN MEET AS WELL AS FOLLOW


45

The Lion in Love

THE LION IN LOVE

Though the Lion in love let them draw
All his teeth, and pare down every claw,
He’d no bride for his pains,
For they beat out his brains
Ere he set on his maiden a paw.

OUR VERY MEANS MAY DEFEAT OUR ENDS


46

The Cat and Venus

THE CAT AND VENUS

“Might his Cat be a woman,” he said:
Venus changed her: the couple were wed:
But a mouse in her sight
Metamorphosed her quite,
And for bride, a cat found he instead.

NATURE WILL OUT


MICE IN COUNCIL

Against Cat sat a Council of Mice.
Every Mouse came out prompt with advice;
And a bell on Cat’s throat
Would have met a round vote,
Had the bell-hanger not been so nice.

THE BEST POLICY OFTEN TURNS ON AN IF


47

The Hen and the Fox

THE HEN AND THE FOX

The Hen roosted high on her perch;
Hungry Fox down below, on the search,
Coaxed her hard to descend
She replied, “Most dear friend!
I feel more secure on my perch.”

BEWARE OF INTERESTED FRIENDSHIPS


THE CAT AND THE FOX

The Fox said “I can play, when it fits,
Many wiles that with man make me quits.”
“But my trick’s up a tree!”
Said the Cat, safe to see
Clever Fox hunted out of his wits.

TRUST TO SKILL RATHER THAN WIT


48

The Hare and the Tortoise

THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE

’Twas a race between Tortoise and Hare,
Puss was sure she’d so much time to spare,
That she lay down to sleep,
And let old Thick-shell creep
To the winning post first!—You may stare.

PERSISTENCE BEATS IMPULSE


THE HARES AND THE FROGS

Timid Hares, from the trumpeting wind,
Fled as swift as the fear in their mind;
Till in fright from their fear,
From the green sedges near,
Leaping Frogs left their terror behind.

OUR OWN ARE NOT THE ONLY TROUBLES


49

Porcupine, Snake, and Company

PORCUPINE, SNAKE, & COMPANY

Going shares with the Snakes, Porcupine
Said—“the best of the bargain is mine:”
Nor would he back down,
When the snake would disown
The agreement his quills made them sign.

HASTY PARTNERSHIPS MAY BE REPENTED OF


THE BEAR & THE BEES

“Their honey I’ll have when I please;
Who cares for such small things as Bees?”
Said the Bear; but the stings
Of these very small things
Left him not very much at his ease.

THE WEAKEST UNITED MAY BE STRONG TO AVENGE


50

The Bundle of Sticks

THE BUNDLE OF STICKS

To his sons, who fell out, father spake:
“This Bundle of Sticks you can’t break;
Take them singly, with ease,
You may break as you please,
So, dissension your strength will unmake.”

STRENGTH IS IN UNITY


51

The Farmer's Treasure

THE FARMER’S TREASURE

“Dig deeply, my Sons! through this field!
There’s a Treasure”—he died: unrevealed
The spot where ’twas laid,
They dug as he bade;
And the Treasure was found in the yield.

PRODUCTIVE LABOUR IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF WEALTH


52

The Cock, the Ass and the Lion

THE COCK, THE ASS & THE LION

The Ass gave a horrible bray,
Cock crowed; Lion scampered away;
Ass judged he was scared
By the bray, and so dared
To pursue; Lion ate him they say.

DON’T TAKE ALL THE CREDIT TO YOURSELF


THE ASS AND THE LAP DOG

“How Master that little Dog pets!”
Thinks the Ass; & with jealousy frets,
So he climbs Master’s knees,
Hoping dog-like to please,
And a drubbing is all that he gets.

ASSES MUST NOT EXPECT TO BE FONDLED


53

Fortune and the Boy

FORTVNE AND THE BOY

A Boy heedless slept by the well
By Dame Fortune awaked, truth to tell,
Said she, “Hadst been drowned,
’Twould have surely been found
This by Fortune, not Folly befel.”

FORTUNE IS NOT ANSWERABLE FOR OUR WANT OF FORESIGHT


54

The Ungrateful Wolf

THE UNGRATEFUL WOLF

To the Wolf, from whose throat Dr Crane
Drew the bone, his long bill made it plain
He expected his fee:
Snarled Wolf—“Fiddle de dee,
Be thankful your head’s out again.”

SOME CHARACTERS HAVE NO SENSE OF OBLIGATION


THE FISHERMAN & THE FISH

Prayed the Fish, as the Fisherman took
Him, a poor little mite, from his hook,
“Let me go! I’m so small.”
He replied, “Not at all!
You’re the biggest, perhaps in the brook.”

A LITTLE CERTAINTY IS BETTER THAN A GREAT CHANCE


55

The Herdsman's Vows

THE HERDSMAN’S VOWS

A Kid vowed to Jove, so might he
Find his herd, & his herd did he see
Soon, of lions the prey:
Then ’twas—“Get me away,
And a goat of the best take for fee.”

HOW OFTEN WOULD WE MEND OUR WISHES!


THE HORSE AND THE ASS

Overladen the Ass was. The Horse
Wouldn’t help; but had time for remorse
When the Ass lay dead there;
For he then had to bear
Both the load of the Ass & his corse.

GRUDGE NOT HELP!


56

The Ass and the Sick Lion

THE ASS & THE SICK LION

Crafty Lion,—perhaps with the gout,
Kept his cave; where, to solve any doubt,
Many visitors go:
But the Ass, he said “No!
They go in, but I’ve seen none come out.”

REASON FROM RESULTS


THE END


endpaper


back cover