A man from the state of Chu wanted to sell a precious pearl in the state of Zheng．He made a casket for the pearl out of the wood from a magnolia tree，which he fumigated with fragrant osmanthus and spices．He studded the casket with pearls and ja...
As Confucius was passing Mountain Tai，he saw a woman weeping bitterly in front of a grave．He leaned forward to listen，resting his hand on the wooden bar of his carriage．Zilu，his pupil，was sent to ask the woman what the matter was．From y...
A huntsman set a snare by a lake．Many birds were caught in it．The birds were large；they seized the snare，and flew off with it．The huntsman began to run after the birds．A peasant saw himrunning after them，and he said：Where are you goin...
A cook was preparing dinner；some dogs were lying at the kitchen door．The cook killed a calf，and threw the insides into the yard．The dogs seized them，ate them up，and said：The cook is good；he knows how to cook well． After a little whi...
A monkey was carrying two handfuls of peas．One little pea dropped out．He tried to pick it up，and spilt twenty．He tried to pickup the twenty，and spilt them all．Then he lost his temper，scattered the peas in all directions，and ran away．...
A man went into the woods．He felled a tree，and began to cut it into pieces．He lifted one end of the tree on the stump，sat astride up-on it，and began to saw．Then he drove a wedge into the cleft，and began to saw farther along；then he re...
Once upon a time two peasants attempted to pass each other，and their sledges became entangled One cried，Get out of my way；I must get to the town as quickly as possible；and the other said，You get out of my way；I must get home as quickly as...
After the French had left Moscow，two peasants went out to search for treasures．One was wise，the other stupid．They went together to the burnt part of the city，and found some scorched wool．They said：That will be useful at home． They gat...
Many ages had passed since the phoenix had been seen in the World．At last he again appeared lmmediately all the different kinds of animals，both birds and beasts，flocked around him．Astonished at his beauty，they stared and admired，and broke...
As Aesop's lion was going to the forest in company with an ass，who was to assist him with his terrible voice，an impertinent crow called to him from a tree：A pretty companion！Are you not ashamed of yourself to be walking with an ass？Whomsoev...
As Aesop's lion was going to the forest in company with an ass，who was to assist him with his terrible voice，an impertinent crow called to him from a tree：A pretty companion！Are you not ashamed of yourself to be walking with an ass？Whomsoev...
Sing to me，my dearest nightingale，said a shepherd to the silent songs tress one beautiful spring evening．Alas！said the nightingale，the frogs make so much noise，that I have no inclination to sing．Do you not hear them？ Undoubtedly I hea...
If only I possessed thy speed and strength！said a fox to a tiger．Isn't there anything else about me which would suit you？enquired the latter．None as far as I perceive． Not even my beautiful skin？said the tiger．Its colours are asmanifold...
A young mouse had just arrived from Athens where he had ac-quired a smattering of learning．He was very proud of this little wisdom that he had learnt from the books he had studied．Puffed up with pride and conceit and anxious to display his wit he...
A raven observed that an eagle brooded thirty days over her eggs．Doubtless，said she，that is the reason why the eaglets are so sharp-sighted and strong．Good！I'll try the same method． Since that period she has always brooded thirty days ove...
