When they got to a height in the air, they happened to pass over a village, and
the inhabitants thereof having discovered them, were astonished at their
proceedings, and came out to look at the sight, and raised a shout from left and
right, "Look! how two geese are carrying a tortoise!"
And as in those days the like of it had never been witnessed by that people, their
cries and exclamations increased every moment. The Tortoise was silent for a
time, but at length the cauldron of his self-esteem began to boil, and his patience
being exhausted, he exclaimed: "You who are shouting to others to look at what
is plain enough to every one, hold your peace!" No sooner had he opened his
lips, however, than he fell from on high, and the Geese exclaimed, "It is the part
of friends to give advice and of the well-disposed to listen to it."
And the moral of this story is, that whoever listens not to the admonition of
friends, with the hearing of acceptance, will have hastened his own destruction.
The Sagacious Snake
It is related that the infirmities of age had taken effect upon a Snake and through
loss of strength he was unable to pursue his prey, and was bewildered in his
proceedings how to obtain food. Life was impossible without food, and to hunt
for it, had, through his weakness, become impracticable. Accordingly he thus
reflected:
"Alas! for the strength of my youth; and now to expect its return and to hope for
the recurrence of my animal vigour is a thing of the same complexion as to light
a fire from water." He felt that what was passed could not be recalled, and he
therefore busied himself with taking thought for the future, and said: "In lieu of
the strength of youth I have a little experience which I have acquired, and a trifle
of prudence. I must now base my proceedings on abstaining from injuring others
and must begin to consider how I may obtain, for the remainder of my life, what
may be the means of support."
He then went to the brink of a spring of water in which there were a number of
frogs who had a potent King and one who was obeyed and renowned. The Snake
cast himself down there in the dust of the road, like to a sufferer on whom
calamity has fallen. A Frog speedily made up to him, and asked him: "I see thou
art very sorrowful. What is the cause of it?" The Snake replied: "Who deserves