The Ant and the Dove

6.11. De formica et columba
Caxton: Of the ante and of the columbe
None ought / to be slowful of the good whiche he receyueth of other / As reherceth this fable of an Ante / whiche came to a fontayne for to drynke / and as she wold haue dronke she felle within the fontayn / vpon the whiche was a columbe or douue / whiche seyng that the Ante shold haue ben drowned withoute helpe / took a braunche of a tree / &a cast it to her for to saue her self / And the Ante wente anone vpon the braunche and saued her / And anone after came a Fawkoner / whiche wold haue take the douue / And thenne the Ante whiche sawe that the Fawkoner dressyd his nettes came to his foote / and soo fast pryked hit / that she caused hym to smyte the erthe with his foote / and therwith made soo grete noyse / that the douue herd hit / wherfore she flewhe aweye or the gynne and nettes were al sette
And therfore none ought to forgete the benyfyce whiche he hath receyued of some other / for slowfulnesse is a grete synne
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The Ant and the Dove

039. THE ANT AND THE DOVE. You will find the fable in English on this page; scroll to see if there are multiple English versions. [more info]

The Dove and the Ant

133. THE DOVE AND THE ANT. The ant, compelled by thirst, went to drink in a clear, purling rivulet, but the current, with its circling eddy, snatched her away, and carried her down the stream. A dove, pitying her distressed condition, cropt a branch from a neighbouring tree, and let it fall into the water, by means of which the ant saved fièrself and got ashore.
Not long after, a fowler having a design upon the dove, planted his nets in due order, without the bird's observing what he was about, which the ant perceiving, just as he was going to put his design in execution, she bit him by the heel, and made him give so sudden a start, that the dove took the alarm, and flew away. [more info]

The Dove and the Ant

108. THE DOVE AND THE ANT. The ant, compelled by thirst, went to drink in a clear, purling rivulet, but the current, with its circling eddy, snatched her away, and carried her down the stream. A dove, pitying her distressed condition, cropt a branch from a neighbouring tree, and let it fall into the water, by means of which the ant saved fièrself and got ashore.
Not long after, a fowler having a design upon the dove, planted his nets in due order, without the bird's observing what he was about, which the ant perceiving, just as he was going to put his design in execution, she bit him by the heel, and made him give so sudden a start, that the dove took the alarm, and flew away. [more info]

The Dove and the Bee

2.63. THE DOVE AND THE BEE. The Bee, compelled by thirst, went to drink in a clear purling rivulet; but the current, with its circling eddy, snatched her away, and carried her down the stream. A dove, pitying her distressed condition, cropt a branch from a neighbouring tree, and let it fall into the water, by means of which the Bee saved herself, and got ashore.
Not long after, a Fowler, having a design upon the dove, planted his nets and all his little artillery in due order, without the Bird's observing what he was about; which the Bee perceiving, just as he was going to put his design in execution she bit him by the heel, and made him give so sudden a start, that the Dove took the alarm, and flew away.
MORAL. Charity will have its rewards one time or other; for certain in the promised recompense hereafter, perhaps in a grateful return here. [more info]

The Dove and the Ant

02.12: THE DOVE AND THE ANT.
The same instruction we may get
From another couple, smaller yet.
A dove came to a brook to drink,
When, leaning o'er its crumbling brink,
An ant fell in, and vainly tried,
In this, to her, an ocean tide,
To reach the land; whereat the dove,
With every living thing in love,
Was prompt a spire of grass to throw her,
By which the ant regain'd the shore.
A barefoot scamp, both mean and sly,
Soon after chanced this dove to spy;
And, being arm'd with bow and arrow,
The hungry codger doubted not
The bird of Venus, in his pot,
Would make a soup before the morrow.
Just as his deadly bow he drew,
Our ant just bit his heel.
Roused by the villain's squeal,
The dove took timely hint, and flew
Far from the rascal's coop;—
And with her flew his soup.
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The Dove and Pismire

108. THE DOVE AND PISMIRE. You will find the fable in English on this page; scroll down to see if there are multiple English versions. [more info]

The Dove and the Ant

037. THE DOVE AND THE ANT.
A dove came to a brook to drink,
When, leaning o'er its crumbling brink,
An ant fell in, and vainly tried,
In this, to her, an ocean tide,
To reach the land; whereat the dove,
With every living thing in love,
Was prompt a spire of grass to throw her,
By which the ant regain'd the shore.
A barefoot scamp, both mean and sly,
Soon after chanced this dove to spy;
And, being arm'd with bow and arrow,
The hungry codger doubted not
The bird of Venus, in his pot,
Would make a soup before the morrow.
Just as his deadly bow he drew,
Our ant just bit his heel.
Roused by the villain's squeal,
The dove took timely hint, and flew
Far from the rascal's coop;—
And with her flew his soup.
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The Ant and the Dove

132. THE ANT AND THE DOVE. A Dove saw an Ant fall into a brook. The Ant struggled in vain to reach the bank, and in pity, the Dove dropped a blade of straw close beside it. Clinging to the straw like a shipwrecked sailor to a broken spar, the Ant floated safely to shore.
Soon after, the Ant saw a man getting ready to kill the Dove with a stone. But just as he cast the stone, the Ant stung him in the heel, so that the pain made him miss his aim, and the startled Dove flew to safety in a distant wood.
A kindness is never wasted. [more info]