A man was driving a wagon

Along a rough country lane

When the wheels sank in a rut

The driver cried out in pain

He went down on his knees

To beg and pray and plead

“Oh Hercules, please help me

Help me in my need.”

Hercules then did appear

Addressed the man as thus

“Put your shoulders to the wheel

And never again pray to us

Unless you have done your best

To help yourself and strain

Or depend upon it you

Will henceforth pray in vain.”

Once a crow, without a creak

Sat with fine cheese in his beak

On a stout branch of a tree

As happy as he could be

A clever fox was passing by

Worked his wits for he was sly

Thus he spoke, “O’ noble bird

For your charms I have no word

If only your voice was sweet

Your beauty would be complete.”

At this, the crow gave a caw

And the cheese fell in his paw

Off the fox went running by

“You have no voice nor wits to ply.”

There was once a hungry cat

Who had lost all of his fat

Several days without a mouse

So he went and found a house

Overrun with big fat mice

He didn’t have to think that twice

He went and ate them one by one

And he had a lot of fun

Then the mice took out a poll

Went and hid inside a hole

Then they didn’t come out at all

The hungry cat then took a call

A genius idea struck his head

He lied down and acted dead

Thinking it would coax the mice

To come out and steal the rice

But the mice had a clever air

They spoke to their foe lying there

“Your evil intents once kicked us

Your innocence now won’t trick us.”

There once lived a boastful hare
Who thought to brag was his affair
For in the jungle none were there
Faster than the boastful hare
Tired of his braggy face
A tortoise called him to a place
And dared the hare to a race
If he was gritty just in case
The boastful hare ever so proud
Took the dare and laughed out loud
To beat the tortoise he envowed
When all the animals came as crowd
Now the time and the place was set
The skies were clear and land unwet
To decide the winner of this bet
To decide who was the fastest yet
The hare began with his best
While the tortoise failed to keep abreast
Thinking he had won this contest
Under a tree he sat down to rest
The tortoise moved along just fine
Perseverance with steadiness he did combine
While the hare thought, ‘The race was mine’
The tortoise crossed the finish line
All the animals gave a loud cheer
And the loud cheer reached his ear
That the hare woke up with a sneer
And the lesson to him was clear
Sloth, indolence can ruin your ways
If you let idleness run your days
Race is not to the swiftest pace
Slow and steady wins the race

A xanthous cock on a sunny day
Scratched the land for food
For himself and his hens, he’d sway
Back and forth for good
He stumbled upon a precious stone
Abandoned on his land
He looked around. He was all alone
There was no claiming hand
“If your owner had found thee and not I
You’d be his first estate
Now in my coloured feathers you lie
In quite a futile state
A cherished crown you may adorn
With a sense of haughty air
I would rather have one barleycorn
Than all the jewels out there”

A fisherman skilled in heavenly tunes
Played his flute in the afternoons
When all the kids came back from school
To see them dance just like a fool
One day he took his flute to the shore
To see if the fishes will adore
The way he played his heavenly tunes
Just like the kids in the afternoons
So he sat on a rock and began to play
Hoping the fishes would swing and sway
Out of the sea straight into his net
So that he wouldn’t have to break a sweat
Now all day he piped his flute in vain
But not a fish he got for his pain
So at last he cast into the sea
His robust net lying idle and free
And caught an excellent haul of fish
More than what any man could wish
“O’ you corrupt creatures,” he said
“When I played my flute you almost acted dead
Now that I cast my net in the sea
You find your spark and dance merrily”

The busy ants were spending
A cold, cold winter day
Drying, searing, tending
Grains gathered in summer’s gay
A grasshopper there came passing
Choking with famine
“Don’t mean to be harassing
Can I have something to dine?”
The ants they all inquired
“In summer, where were you?”
“I sang as I desired”
Cried the ‘hopper feeling blue
The ants spoke in derision
“You sang the summer away
You did not stock provision
Now dance off your dismay”