The Bald Man and the Fly

2.12. De calvo et musca
Caxton: Of the balled man / and of the flye /
Of a lytel euylle may wel come a gretter / Wherof Esope recyteth suche a fable / Of a flye / whiche pryked a man vpon his bald hede / And whanne he wold haue smyte her / she flewgh awey / and thus he smote hym self / wherof the flye beganne to lawhe / And the bald man sayd to her / Ha a euylle beest thow demaundest wel thy dethe / yf I smote my self wherof thow lawhest and mocquest me / but yf I had hytte the / thow haddest be thefor slayne /
And therfore men sayen comynly that of the euylle of other / men ought not to lawhe ne scorne / But the Iniuryous mocquen and scornen the world / and geteth many enemyes / For the whiche cause oftyme it happeth that of a fewe wordes euyll sette / cometh a grete noyse and daunger
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The Fly and the Bald Man

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

The Bald Man and the Fly

5.03. THE BALD MAN AND THE FLY. A Fly bit the bare pate of a Bald Man; who, endeavouring to crush it, gave himself a heavy blow. Then said the Fly jeeringly: “You wanted to revenge the sting of a tiny insect with death; what will you do to yourself, who have added insult to injury?” The Man made answer: “I am easily reconciled to myself, because I know that there was no intention of doing harm. But you, worthless insect, and one of a contemptible race, who take a delight in drinking human blood, I could wish to destroy you, even at a heavier penalty.”
This Fable teaches that pardon is to be granted to him who errs through mistake. But him who is designedly mischievous, I deem to be deserving of any punishment. [more info]

The Bald Man and the Fly

5.03. THE BALD MAN AND THE FLY.
As on his head she chanced to sit,
A Man’s bald pate a Gadfly bit;
He, prompt to crush the little foe,
Dealt on himself a grievous blow:
At which the Fly, deriding said,
“You that would strike an insect dead
For one slight sting, in wrath so strict,
What punishment will you inflict
Upon yourself, who was so blunt
To do yourself this gross affront?”—
“O,” says the party, “as for me,
I with myself can soon agree.
The spirit of th’ intention’s all;
But thou, detested cannibal!
Blood-sucker! to have thee secured
More would I gladly have endured.”
What by this moral tale is meant
Is—those who wrong not with intent
Are venial; but to those that do
Severity, I think, is due. [more info]

The Bald Man and the Fly

18. THE BALD MAN AND THE FLY. There was once a Bald Man who sat down after work on a hot summer's day. A Fly came up and kept buzzing about his bald pate, and stinging him from time to time. The Man aimed a blow at his little enemy, but - whack! - his palm came on his head instead; again the Fly tormented him, but this time the Man was wiser and said: "You will only injure yourself if you take notice of despicable enemies." [more info]

The Bald Man and the Fly

162. THE BALD MAN AND THE FLY. A Fly settled on the head of a Bald Man and bit him. In his eagerness to kill it, he hit himself a smart slap. But the Fly escaped, and said to him in derision, "You tried to kill me for just one little bite; what will you do to yourself now, for the heavy smack you have just given yourself?" "Oh, for that blow I bear no grudge," he replied, "for I never intended myself any harm; but as for you, you contemptible insect, who live by sucking human blood, I'd have borne a good deal more than that for the satisfaction of dashing the life out of you!" [more info]