Where did you get this?

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Nm, I just re-read it ... Aesop....

The Man and the Serpent ~ Aesop Fable

A countryman's son by accident trod upon a serpent's tail, which turned and bit him so that he died. The father in a rage got his ax, and pursuing the serpent, cut off part of its tail. So the serpent in revenge began stinging several of the farmer's cattle and caused him severe loss. Well, the farmer thought it best to make it up with the serpent, and brought food and honey to the mouth of its lair, and said to it, "Let's forget and forgive. Perhaps you were right to punish my son, and take vengeance on my cattle, but surely I was right in trying to revenge him. Now that we are both satisfied, why should not we be friends again?"
"No, no," said the serpent. "Take away your gifts. You can never forget the death of your son, nor I the loss of my tail."

That's a good one Mum..thanks for sharing!

Great one!

Nice one

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse ~ Aesop Fable


Now you must know that a town mouse once upon a time went on a visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them freely. The town mouse rather turned up his long nose at this country fare, and said, "I cannot understand, cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever have stood a country life." No sooner said than done: The two mice set off for the town and arrived at the town mouse's residence late at night.

"You will want some refreshment after our long journey," said the polite town mouse, and took his friend into the grand dining room.

There they found the remains of a fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking.

"What is that?" said the country mouse.

"It is only the dogs of the house," answered the other.

"Only," said the country mouse, "I do not like that music at my dinner!" Just at that moment the door flew open; in came two huge mastiffs; and the two mice had to scamper down and run off.

"Good-bye, cousin," said the country mouse.


Moral:
The grass is not usually greener on the other side.

A raja was told that a man who had made a career of flattery was coming to the palace.

“Be on your guard, Your Majesty,” warned his advisers. “This fellow wins the favour of the high and mighty through flattery, and then gets them to part with costly gifts or grants of land.”

“I’m too hard-headed to fall for such tricks,” said the raja. “ Let him come.”

When the man came he recited a verse in the ruler’s honour and fell at his feet.

“How honoured I am to be in the same room as the mightiest of monarchs,” he intoned. “I find myself blinded by the radiance of your beauty, the glory of your presence, your divine charm, your grace, your elegance…”

He went on in this fashion for about twenty minutes. When he paused for breath, one of the advisers seized the opportunity to have a quick word with his royal master.

“Didn’t we warn you, Your Majesty,” he said. “ He is a glib talker.”

“Have no fear,” replied the raja. “ As I told you it’s not easy to trick me. The moment he starts to flatter me I’ll have him thrown out. But so far he has spoken nothing but the truth.”

— A folktale from Myanmar

The Dog and the Hare ~ Aesop Fable

A Hound having started a Hare on the hillside pursued her for some distance, at one time biting her with his teeth as if he would take her life, and at another fawning upon her, as if in play with another dog.

The Hare said to him, "I wish you would act sincerely by me, and show yourself in your true colors. If you are a friend, why do you bite me so hard? If an enemy, why do you fawn on me?'

Moral: No one can be a friend if you know not whether to trust or distrust him.

That's Good!

The Raven and the Swan ~ Aesop Fable

A Raven saw a Swan and desired to secure for himself the same beautiful plumage. Supposing that the Swan's splendid white color arose from his washing in the water in which he swam, the Raven left the altars in the neighborhood where he picked up his living, and took up residence in the lakes and pools. But cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he could not change their color, while through want of food he perished.

Moral: Change of habit cannot alter Nature.