Tiny Tales: Traditional Stories in 100 Words: Book: Aesop

Showing posts with label Book: Aesop. Show all posts

Tiny Tales from Aesop

Welcome to Tiny Tales from Aesop. This is a collection of two hundred fables from Aesop, and each fable is just 100 words long.

PDF - EPUB - MOBI - HTML - TXT - Audio - Kindle - Print - Random

Creative Commons. This work is released with a Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. That means you can remix and reuse individual stories or the contents of the whole book with attribution for non-commercial purposes, provided that you release your work with the same license. Find out more.
Attribution: Tiny Tales from Aesop by Laura Gibbs.
Version: July 15 2020.

You can access the book in a variety of formats, along with individual stories here at the blog (see story title list and links below).

Pressbooks. This is a web-based presentation of the book with all the stories on one page. Even better: you can highlight the stories using Hypothesis; just click on the upper right-hand corner for the Hypothesis toolbar.

Audiobook. There is a free audiobook you can listen to via SoundCloud. I've also made the mp3 files available for download if you prefer not to use SoundCloud and/or if you want to repurpose the audio (which is also released with the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license).

EPUB. You can use this EPUB file for ebook readers like Nook, etc.

MOBI. You can download this MOBI file to load onto your Kindle, and this Kindle MOBI file is free! Here's how to add a free MOBI file to your Kindle.

Kindle Store. The Kindle book is available at Amazon for 99 cents (which is the lowest price you can set for a Kindle book; see the MOBI option above for a free Kindle-compatible version).

Print. There is a paperback version available at Amazon for $5.99, with free Prime shipping (although it's print-on-demand, so it takes about 10 days total).

Randomizer. You can see a story from the book at random, and you can also get the javascript code to add the randomizer to your own blog or website if you want.

Text file. This is a plain text file, no special characters. This option might be useful if you want to repurpose the entire book with your own formatting; see Creative Commons licensing CC BY-NC-SA above.

HTML. If you want to read a web-based presentation without the Hypothesis toolbar, here is a very simple HTML version.

PDF. You can download a PDF copy of the book.

Diigo. If you are interested in searching the contents of the book, then the Diigo bookmark collection might be useful! You can use keyword searches of the #aesop:book items, Boolean searches, etc. For example: fox AND wolf.

~ ~ ~

TINY TALES FROM AESOP

A Book of Two Hundred 100-Word Stories

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Aesop was a legendary storyteller of ancient Greece, and the stories called "Aesop's fables" have been going strong for three thousand years. This book contains a selection of classical, medieval, Renaissance, and modern Aesop's fables, ranging from the ancient Roman poet Phaedrus to the 18th-century neo-Latin poet Desbillons. You will find famous fables here such as "The Lion's Share" and "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," plus many not-so-famous fables about animals, about people, and about the gods and goddesses too. The fables included here represent only a small fraction of the Aesopic fable tradition. For more Aesop's fables, visit:
Aesop.LauraGibbs.net

he paragraph you just read about this book is 100 words long, as is this paragraph, and that's also the length of each story in the book. These stories go fast, but you can slow down when you find one you like. Read it again. Let it sink in. Maybe even write your own version of the story, using your imagination to add more details. Meanwhile, if you don't like a story, don't get bogged down; just move on to the next one. There are more 100-word stories from Aesop, plus lots of stories from other cultural traditions, at:
100Words.LauraGibbs.net

THE STORIES

1. The Lion's Share
2. The Angry Lion
3. The Lion and the Rabbit
4. The Lion and the Bulls
5. The Lion and the Mouse
6. The Lion's Army
7. The Lion Cub and Man
8. The Lion in Love
9. The Lion and the Man Debating
10. The Lion and the Boar
11. The Old Lion and the Horse
12. The Lion and the Unicorn
13. The Old Lion's Last Breath
14. The Lion and the Donkey Go Hunting
15. Wild Donkey, Tame Donkey
16. The Wild Donkey
17. The Donkey and the Horse's Barley
18. The Cruel Horse and the Donkey
19. The Horse and the Donkey's Load
20. Death and the Donkey
21. The Donkey in Winter
22. The Two Donkeys
23. The Donkey and the Icon
24. The Fox and the Leopard
25. The Fox and the Dragon
26. The Farmer and the Dragon
27. The Fox in the Hut
28. The Fox Meets the Lion
29. The Lion and the Bear
30. The Fox Visits the Lion
31. The Fox in the Lion-King's Palace
32. The Fox and the Wolf, Courtiers
33. The Fox and the Ape
34. The Fox with a Short Tail
35. The Fox and the Old Women
36. The Fox and the Grapes
37. The Fox and the Moon
38. The Fox and the Boar
39. The Fox and the Rooster
40. The Fox Seeks an Eye Doctor
41. The Fox and the Stork
42. The Fox and the Mule
43. The Wolf and the Fox in the Well
44. The Fox and the Wolf in the Pit
45. The Fox Teaches the Wolf to Fish
46. The Fox and the Wolf and the Well-Buckets
47. The Fox and the Wolf in the Shed
48. The Wolf Becomes a Monk
49. The Wolf and the Porcupine
50. The Wolf and the Crane
51. The Wolf and the Goat on a Rock
52. The Wolf and the Goats in a Tub
53. The Wolf and the Cow
54. The Wolf and the Lamb at the Stream
55. The Wolf and the Lamb in the Temple
56. The Friendly Wolf
57. The Wolves and their Allies
58. The Treacherous Sheepdog
59. The Lamb and the Nanny-Goat
60. The Dogs and the River
61. The Dog without a House
62. The Hunting Dog and the Rabbit
63. The Rabbit and the Wolf
64. The War of the Rabbits and the Eagles
65. The Rabbit and the Sparrow
66. The Rabbit and the Weasel
67. The Rabbit's Resolution
68. The Funeral of the Lion-Queen
69. The Deer in the Cave
70. The Deer in the Stable
71. The Deer and his Reflection
72. The Deer and the Vine
73. The Deer and her Friends
74. The Monkey's Twin Children
75. The Monkey and the Fishermen
76. The King's Dancing Monkeys
77. The Monkey and the Camel
78. The Kingdom of the Monkeys
79. The Cat and the Rooster
80. The Cat and the Chickens
81. The Cat and her Neighbors
82. The Cat and the Stork
83. The Cat and the Sparrows
84. Cat and Fox, Philosophers
85. Brother Cat and Brother Rat
86. The Miller's Cat and the Mice
87. The Mouse and the Cat on the Shelf
88. The Cat and the Mouse in the Beer
89. The War of the Cats and the Mice
90. Belling the Cat
91. The Mouse and the Cat in the Flour
92. Country Mouse and City Mouse
93. The Mouse in the Soup
94. The Mouse in the Chest
95. The Mouse and the Bull
96. The Mouse Observes the World
97. The Hawk and the Mouse
98. The Hawk and the Nightingale
99. The Hawk and the Nightingale's Chicks
100. The War of the Hawks
101. The Two Doves
102. The Stork and the Crow
103. The Chicken and the Crow
104. The Noisy Crow
105. The Crow and the Fox
106. The Fox who Played Dead
107. The Eagle and the Crow
108. The Eagle and the Peacock
109. The Crow's Warning
110. The Ambitious Crow
111. The Crane and the Eagle
112. The Crane Goes Fishing
113. The Halcyon and her Nest
114. The Swallow and the Nightingale
115. The Nightingale's Advice
116. The Nightingale and the Glow-Worm
117. The Beetle and the Eagle
118. The Bees Go to Court
119. The Bear and the Bees
120. The Fly and the Mule
121. The Gnat and the Bull
122. The Frogs and the Bulls
123. The Frogs and the Sun
124. The Mouse and the Frog
125. The Cunning Stork
126. The Boys and the Frogs
127. The Porcupine and the Snake
128. The Dragon and the Eagle
129. Zeus and the Wedding Gifts
130. Zeus and the Dogs
131. The Prayer of the Fox and the Wolf
132. Zeus and the Camel
133. Zeus and the Rabbit
134. Aphrodite and the Cat
135. Zeus and the Donkey
136. Zeus and the Lost Calf
137. Zeus and the Two Sacks
138. Zeus and the Jar of Good Things
139. Athena and the Shipwreck
140. Hercules and the Farmer
141. Fortuna and the Boy
142. Fortuna and the Farmer
143. The Farmer and the Wheat
144. The Farmer and his Weather Wishes
145. Prometheus and the Satyr
146. The Satyr and the Traveler
147. Hermes and the Traveler
148. Hermes and the Woodcutter
149. The Justice of the Gods
150. Death's Warnings
151. Death and the Old Man
152. Death and Cupid
153. The Father and his Lazy Sons
154. The Father and his Quarrelsome Sons
155. The Man's Loyal Dog
156. The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs
157. The Woman and her Cat
158. The Woman and her Hen
159. The Milkmaid's Bucket of Milk
160. The Farmer and the Lion
161. The Farmer and the Apple Trees
162. Bushes and Hedges
163. The Foolish Farmers and the Rabbit
164. The Farmer's Revenge
165. The Farmer and the Frozen Snake
166. The Widow and her Sheep
167. The Shepherd and his Cloak
168. The Shepherd and the Ram
169. The Shepherd's Big Sheepdog
170. The Shepherd and the Wolf Cubs
171. The Wolf Who Herded Sheep
172. The Shepherd and the Friendly Wolf
173. The Shepherd and the Lion
174. The Boy Who Cried Wolf
175. The Shepherd and the Rabbit
176. The Three Travelers
177. The Three Wise Men
178. The Two Friends and the Bear
179. The Two Travelers and the Ax
180. The Two Men and the Donkey
181. The Two Men and the Oyster
182. The Merchant and the Copper
183. The Man and his Mistresses
184. Three Generations
185. Father and Son and Donkey
186. The Philosopher and the Pumpkin
187. The Monks and their Abbots
188. The Abbot and the Bones
189. The Hermit and his Disciple
190. The Priest and the Weeping Woman
191. Hiring a Donkey
192. Seeing a Camel
193. The Sailor and the Merchant
194. The Introverted Philosopher
195. The Miser and his Gold
196. The Boy and the Thief
197. The Boy and his Teacher
198. The Trumpeter Captured
199. The Star-Gazing Astrologer
200. The Man in the Tree

STORY SOURCES

All the stories in this book are adapted from Mille Fabulae et Una [1001 Fables] by Laura Gibbs, a compendium of Aesop's fables in Latin. Sources range from the Latin fabulist Phaedrus, to medieval fabulists such as Odo of Cheriton and Renaissance fabulists such as Abstemius, as well as the modern Latin fabulist François-Joseph Desbillons. See the blog post links above to access notes and specific bibliography for each story.

~ 1. The Lion's Share ~

Laura Gibbs · 1. The Lion's Share

A lion, a cow, a goat, and a sheep were working together as partners.
They managed to kill a stag, and the lion divided their prize into four equal parts.
"The first part is mine," he said, "because I am the lion. The second part goes to me because I am the strongest. Next, I will take the third part for myself on account of my exceedingly hard work. Finally, if anyone so much as touches the fourth part, they will know my wrath!"
That is the lion's share: he pretends to share, but he takes it all for himself.

(Billinghurst)

~ 2. The Angry Lion ~

Laura Gibbs · 2. The Angry Lion

There was once an enraged lion, filled with anger and hatred, hoping to find another lion he could fight with and kill.
Then, as he was looking down into a well, there it was: a lion had fallen in there.
It was just his own reflection in the water, of course, but he saw what he wanted to see.
The angry lion, convinced he had found the enemy he was hoping to find, sprang and jumped into the well, and he drowned.
So it is that those who are angry often do more harm to themselves than to anyone else.

Inspired by: Mille Fabulae et Una, a collection of Latin fables that I've edited, free to read online. I am not translating the Latin here; instead, I am just telling a 100-word version of the fable.
Notes: This is fable 2 in the book, and it is comes from a poem by Desbillions. Compare the more elaborate story of the rabbit and the lion: The Rabbit and the Angry Lion.

~ 3. The Lion and the Rabbit ~

Laura Gibbs · 3. The Lion and the Rabbit

A lion found a sleeping rabbit and was about to gobble him up, but all of a sudden the lion then saw a deer passing by. The lion abandoned the rabbit, and he started to chase the deer.
Awakened by the ruckus, the rabbit ran off.
The lion, meanwhile, chased the deer a long time but didn't catch her, so he returned to the rabbit.
When he discovered the rabbit had also escaped, the lion said, "By Hercules, I got what I deserved: I cast aside food I already had in my paws, preferring to chase an uncertain hope instead."

~ 4. The Lion and the Bulls ~

Laura Gibbs · 4. The Lion and the Bulls

A lion wanted to attack two bulls, thinking they would make a very fine feast.
The two bulls joined forces, however, and turned their horns towards the lion, so he could not get between them. Combining forces, those bulls were stronger than the lion.
Since the lion couldn't fight both bulls at once, he resorted to subterfuge instead.
"If you betray your partner to me, I promise not to touch you!" he said to each one, separately. "I'll kill the other one; I won't kill you."
Using this trick, the lion managed to kill both bulls easily, one by one.

Inspired by: Mille Fabulae et Una, a collection of Latin fables that I've edited, free to read online. I am not translating the Latin here; instead, I am just telling a 100-word version of the fable.
Notes: This is fable 4 in the book, which is Perry 372. Sometimes this fable is told about a lion and four bulls, one in each corner of a field.

(Osius Aesop)

~ 5. The Lion and the Mouse ~

Laura Gibbs · 5. The Lion and the Mouse

As a mouse ran over a sleeping lion, the lion awoke and grabbed her.
"Let me go, please!" squeaked the mouse. "I'll repay your kindness, I promise!"
"What could you ever do for me?" scoffed the lion. "I'm letting you go only because it's not worth my time to kill you."
A few days later, the lion was caught in a hunter's snare. He roared in terror, and the little mouse ran to the rescue, gnawing through the ropes and freeing the lion.
"I was wrong about you," said the grateful lion. "You're a good friend to have after all."

(illustration from Scudder's Aesop)

~ 6. The Lion's Army ~

Laura Gibbs · 6. The Lion's Army

There was a fierce war between the beasts and the birds, and the lion had taken command of the army of beasts, with tigers and bears, leopards and wolves, and all sorts of mighty warriors in his ranks.
The donkeys and rabbits wanted to enlist too.
The tigers and bears and other warriors scoffed, but the lion accepted the volunteers gladly. "The donkeys will be my trumpeters," the lion said, "and the rabbits will be my couriers."
The greatest commanders know how to make the best use of all their soldiers, based on the strengths of each and every one.

Inspired by: Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists by Roger L'Estrange, 346.
Notes: This fable is not part of the classical Aesop tradition; find out more here.

Here is an illustration by Billinghurst:

~ 7. The Lion Cub and Man ~

Laura Gibbs · 7. The Lion Cub and Man

"Don't fight Man," said the Lion to his Cub, but the Cub didn't listen. The Cub went looking for Man.
He saw a Bull. "Are you Man?"
"No, I bear Man's yoke."
Next he saw a Horse. "Are you Man?"
"No, Man rides me."
Then he saw someone splitting logs with wedges: a Man!
"Fight me, Man!" said the Cub.
"I will! But first, help me split this log."
When the Cub put his paws in the crack, Man knocked out the wedge, trapping the Cub's paws.
The Cub finally pulled loose and went home with bloody paws, lesson learned.

(illustration by Bewick)

~ 8. The Lion in Love ~

Laura Gibbs · 8. The Lion in Love

A lion had fallen madly in love with the daughter of a woodcutter.
"Please let me marry your daughter," the lion said to the woodcutter. "I will love and cherish her always."
"My daughter is a tender and delicate girl," the man replied, "and she cannot endure a lion's claws and teeth."
"Do not fear," said the lion. "I will have my teeth and claws removed, and then I will marry your daughter."
The lion did as he promised, but when he returned to the woodcutter to arrange the marriage, the man beat the defenseless lion and drove him away.

(Walter Crane illustration)

~ 9. The Lion and the Man Debating ~

Laura Gibbs · 9. The Lion and the Man Debating

"I'm stronger than you!" roared the lion.
"No, you're not!" shouted the man. "I'm stronger than you, and I'll prove it."
The man took the lion to see a painting of a man killing a lion. "Just look at that!" he declared triumphantly.
"A man painted that painting," the lion scoffed. "If a lion could paint, he would paint a lion killing a man. Come on, and I'll show you some real proof."
The lion then took the man to the circus where a lion really was killing a man.
"This isn't pretend," the lion told him. "This is real."

(Steinhowel's Aesop)

~ 10. The Lion and the Boar ~

Laura Gibbs · 10. The Lion and the Boar

A lion and a boar were fighting fiercely.
"I'll kill you!" roared the lion.
The boar growled back, "Not before I kill you!"
The vultures were delighted to hear these words, and they settled comfortably in a tree, watching the fight and waiting to see who would kill and who would be killed.
"I'd like lion for dinner," said one of the vultures.
"I'd prefer boar," said another.
But the boar and lion finally tired of fighting and left the scene, while the vultures cursed them both. "The lion has betrayed our hopes," they squawked, "and so has the boar."

Inspired by: Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists by Roger L'Estrange, 456.
Notes: This is Perry 338.

Here is an illustration by Harrison Weir:

~ 11. The Old Lion and the Horse ~

Laura Gibbs · 11. The Old Lion and the Horse

An old lion was stalking a horse, but he was no longer strong, so he decided to play a trick instead.
"I'm a doctor," he shouted to the horse, "and I see that you're limping."
The horse, however, was also a trickster. "What good luck!" he said. "I've got a thorn in my hoof. Please remove it if you can."
Then, when the lion bent down to inspect the hoof, the horse kicked him in the head and ran off.
"That horse tricked this old trickster, fair and square," said the stunned lion, "and I've got only myself to blame."

(image source)

~ 12. The Lion and the Unicorn ~

Laura Gibbs · 12. The Lion and the Unicorn

The lion and the unicorn were fierce enemies.
The lion, pretending weakness, limped up to the unicorn. "Set aside our quarrels and help me, please. I want to go see my wife before I die, but I need your horn to lean on. I will return it to you as soon as I have said my last goodbyes to my wife; I give you my word."
The unicorn felt sorry for the lion and offered him his horn, which left the unicorn defenseless.
The lion took the horn and then used it to attack the unicorn, defeating him at last.

~ 13. The Old Lion's Last Breath ~

Laura Gibbs · 13. The Old Lion's Last Breath

The lion was worn out with sickness and old age. Now he was stretched out on the ground, about to draw his last breath.
The boar approached and stabbed the lion with his tusks. "That's for every time you did me wrong!"
Then the bull did the same with his horns. "It's payback time!" he bellowed.
Next came the donkey, who kicked the lion with his hooves. "I never thought I'd see this day!" he brayed.
"When I was strong," groaned the lion, "all the animals respected and feared me, but now even that wretched donkey treats me with contempt."

(from a 17th-century edition of Phaedrus)

~ 14. The Lion and the Donkey Go Hunting ~

Laura Gibbs · 14. The Lion and the Donkey Go Hunting

A lion and a donkey agreed to go hunting in partnership together.
One day they happened upon a pack of wolves. The donkey brayed loudly and raced at the wolves as if he were going to swallow them whole.
"Hee-haw!" he shouted. "Hee-haw!"
The wolves laughed, but when they glimpsed the lion running up behind the donkey, they turned tail and ran away.
"Behold!" said the donkey. "The tremendous sound of my voice has made the wolves run away!"
"I suspect it was the sight of me that did it," replied the lion, "rather than the sound of your voice.

Inspired by: Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists by Roger L'Estrange, 396.
Notes: This is Perry 151. In other versions of the story, the donkey sets all kinds of animals to flight with the sound of his voice, not just wolves.

Here is an illustration by Billinghurst:

~ 15. Wild Donkey, Tame Donkey ~

Laura Gibbs · 15. Wild Donkey, Tame Donkey

There was an onager who watched a tame donkey walking along the road, weighed down by a heavy load, while the whip-wielding donkey-driver walked beside him.
"How happy I am to live wild and free!" thought the wild donkey. "I do what I please, and I go where I want."
Meanwhile, a lion crept up quietly. Fearing the donkey-driver, he avoided the tame donkey and instead attacked the unprotected onager, who did not stand a chance against the lion's sharp teeth and claws.
"How happy I am not to be food for a lion!" the tame donkey thought to himself.

Inspired by: Mille Fabulae et Una, a collection of Latin fables that I've edited, free to read online. I am not translating the Latin here; instead, I am just telling a 100-word version of the fable.
Notes: This is fable 148 in the book, which is Perry 411. For more about onagers, see this story: The Wild Donkey's Good Luck.

(Persian onager)

~ 16. The Wild Donkey ~

Laura Gibbs · 16. The Wild Donkey

An onager who had strayed from his herd in search of grass saw a donkey eating a bundle of barley straw.
"That barley straw looks tasty," thought the wild donkey, "and how fat he looks. He must be a lucky donkey indeed!"
Then the wild donkey watched as a man put heavy bundles on the donkey's back. The man shouted at the donkey, and then he threatened the donkey with a whip.
At that, the onager turned and ran. "I was wrong; that donkey is not lucky after all. I would never sell my freedom in exchange for barley straw."

Inspired by: Mille Fabulae et Una, a collection of Latin fables that I've edited, free to read online. I am not translating the Latin here; instead, I am just telling a 100-word version of the fable.
Notes: This is fable 147 in the book, which is Perry 183. Onagers are wild donkeys who used to range throughout the Middle East, although today they live mostly in the deserts of Iran, Pakistan, and India. More information at Wikipedia.

(Medici Aesop)

~ 17. The Donkey and the Horse's Barley ~

Laura Gibbs · 17. The Donkey and the Horse's Barley

A donkey once asked a horse to share a little bit of his barley.
"I would do so gladly," replied the horse. "I'm a very noble creature after all! But I simply can't give you any barley at the moment. When we get to the manger this evening, though, I'll give you a full sack of wheat."
"Since you won't give me even a little bit of barley now," said the donkey, "why should I believe you'll give me a lot of wheat later?"
Beware of people who make big promises but don't really want to give you anything at all.

~ 18. The Cruel Horse and the Donkey ~

Laura Gibbs · 18. The Cruel Horse and the Donkey

"Get out of my way, stupid donkey!" shouted a horse, and when the donkey did not get out of the way fast enough, the horse kicked the donkey and wounded him badly.
As he did so, though, the horse brought about his own punishment: he dislocated his leg and, overcome by pain, he had to lie down on the ground, groaning in agony.
The donkey then stood over the horse and said, "Look at you there on the ground! I'm still in pain, it's true, but I feel better already, seeing you lying there, the victim of your own wickedness."

Inspired by: Mille Fabulae et Una, a collection of Latin fables that I've edited, free to read online. I am not translating the Latin here; instead, I am just telling a 100-word version of the fable.
Notes: This is fable 259 in the book, which is not in Perry's catalog; it is a fable from Desbillons. This is an illustration from a different Aesop's fable about a horse and a donkey:

(illustration by Tenniel)

~ 19. The Horse and the Donkey's Load ~

Laura Gibbs · 19. The Horse and the Donkey's Load

A tanner was driving his donkey and his horse to market, and the donkey staggered under the weight of his load.
"Help me, horse!" said the donkey. "I need you to take just a little bit of the load. Have mercy!"
"Bearing the load is your job!" replied the horse. "I'm no donkey."
Soon afterwards, the donkey collapsed and died.
The tanner skinned the donkey, and then he put the donkey's load on the horse, along with the donkey's skin.
"Woe is me!" groaned the horse. "I refused to help the donkey, and now I'm bearing the whole load myself."

(Barlow's Aesop)