Ancient Wisdom

It is told that Kites of old times had the privilege of song equally with the Swans. But having heard the neigh of the horse, they were so enchanted with the sound that they tried to imitate it, and in trying to neigh they also forget how to sing. 

Once upon a time a Dove shut up in a cage and started to boast of the large number of the young ones which she had hatched recently. A Crow was hearing her boasting about a family. He said, "my good friend, stop boasting about this unseasonable boasting. The larger the number of your family, the greater your cause of sorrow, in seeing them shut up in this prison house. 

Once a sailor on a long voyage took with him a monkey to amuse him while on shipboard. As he sailed of Greece, a violent tempest arose, in which the ship was wrecked, and he, his monkey, and all the crew were obliged to swim for their lives.  Dolphin saw the monkey contending with the waves, and supposing him to be a man (whom he is always said to be friend), came and placed himself under him, to convey him on his back in safety to the shore. When the Dolphin arrived with his burden in sight of land not from Athens, he demanded of the monkey if he were an Athenian, who replied that he was, and that he was ascended from one of the most noble families in that city. He then inquired if he knew the Piraeus (the famous harbour of Athens). The Monkey, supposing that a man was meant, answered that he knew him very well, and that he was an intimate friend. The Dolphin, indignant at these falsehoods, dipped the Monkey under the water, and drowned hi.  

  Once upon a time there was a crow who caught in a snare. He prayed to Apollo to release him. He also made a vow to offer some frankincense at his shrine after releasing. Being rescued from his danger, he forgot his promise. Shortly afterwords, on being again caught in a second snare, passing by Apollo he made the same promise to offer frankincense to Mercury. When he appeared, and said to him, " O thou most base fellow how can I believe thee, who hast disowned and wronged by former patron?"