The Baby's Own Aesop

The Baby's Own Aesop, versified by W. J. Linton and illustrated by Walter Crane. This book was published in 1887. You can use this link to browse posts from this book, and you will find the table of contents below; each fable in the book has its own post at this blog.

Online source: Project Gutenberg

Online source: Internet Archive

Online source: Hathi Trust

Online source: ICDL

Online source: LibriVox (audiobook)

Here's a random image from the book:

Table of Contents:

01. THE FOX AND THE GRAPES.
02. THE COCK AND THE PEARL.
03. THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.
04. THE WIND AND THE SUN.
05. KING LOG AND KING'S STORK.
06. THE FRIGHTENED LION.
07. THE MOUSE AND THE LION.
08. THE MARRIED MOUSE.
09. HERCULES AND THE WAGGONER.
10. THE LAZY HOUSEMAIDS.
11. THE SNAKE AND THE FILE.
12. THE FOX AND THE CROW.
13. THE DOG IN THE MANGER.
14. THE FROG AND THE BULL.
15. THE FOX AND THE CRANE.
16. HORSE AND MAN.
17. THE ASS AND THE ENEMY.
18. THE FOX AND THE MOSQUITOES.
19. THE FOX AND THE LION.
20. THE MISER AND HIS GOLD.
21. THE GOLDEN EGGS.
22. THE MAN THAT PLEASED NONE.
23. THE OAK AND THE REED.
24. THE FIR AND THE BRAMBLE.
25. THE TREES AND THE WOODMAN.
26. THE HART AND THE VINE.
27. THE MAN AND THE SNAKE.
28. THE FOX AND THE MASK.
29. THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN.
30. THE LION AND THE STATUE.
31. THE BOASTER.
32. THE VAIN JACKDAW.
33. THE PEACOCK'S COMPLAINT.
34. THE TWO JARS.
35. THE TWO CRABS.
36. BROTHER AND SISTER.
37. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.
38. THE DOG AND THE SHADOW.
39. THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.
40. THE EAGLE AND THE CROW.
41. THE BLIND DOE.
42. THE GEESE AND THE CRANES.
43. THE TRUMPETER TAKEN PRISONER.
44. HOT AND COLD.
45. NEITHER BEAST NOR BIRD.
46. THE STAG IN THE OX STALL.
47. THE DEER AND THE LION.
48. THE LION IN LOVE.
49. THE CAT AND VENUS.
50. MICE IN COUNCIL.
51. THE HEN AND THE FOX.
52. THE CAT AND THE FOX.
53. THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE.
54. THE HARES AND THE FROGS.
55. PORCUPINE, SNAKE AND COMPANY.
56. THE BEAR AND THE BEES.
57. THE BUNDLE OF STICKS.
58. THE FARMER'S TREASURE.
59. THE COCK, THE ASS AND THE LION.
60. THE ASS AND THE LAP DOG.
61. FORTUNE AND THE BOY.
62. THE UNGRATEFUL WOLF.
63. THE FISHERMAN AND THE FISH.
64. THE HERDSMAN'S VOWS.
65. THE HORSE AND THE ASS.
66. THE ASS AND THE SICK LION.

Here's a random fable from the book:

The Ass and the Sick Lion

66. THE ASS AND THE SICK LION.
Crafty Lion, perhaps with the gout,
Kept his cave; where, to solve any doubt,
Many visitors go:
But the Ass, he said "No!"
They go in, but I've seen none come out."
REASON FROM RESULTS
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The Horse and the Ass

65. THE HORSE AND THE ASS.
Overladen the Ass was. The Horse
Wouldn't help, but had time for remorse
When the Ass lay dead there;
For he then had to bear
Both the load of the Ass and his corpse.
GRUDGE NOT HELP
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The Herdsman's Vows

64. THE HERDSMAN'S VOWS.
A kid vowed to Jove, so might he
Find his herd, and his herd he did see
Soon, of lions the prey:
Then 'twas — "Get me away,
And a goat of the best take for free."
HOW OFTEN WOULD WE MEND OUR WISHES
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The Fisherman and the Fish

63. THE FISHERMAN AND THE FISH.
Prayed the Fish, as the Fisherman took
Him, a poor little mite, from his hook,
"Let me go! I'm so small."
He replied, "Not at all!
You're the biggest, perhaps, in the brook."
A LITTLE CERTAINTY IS BETTER THAN A GREAT CHANCE
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The Ungrateful Wolf

62. THE UNGRATEFUL WOLF.
To the Wolf, from whose throat the Crane
Drew the bone, his long bill made it plain
He expected his fee:
Snarled Wolf — "Fiddle de dee,
Be thankful your head's out again."
SOME CHARACTERS HAVE NO SENSE OF OBLIGATION
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Fortune and the Boy

61. FORTUNE AND THE BOY.
A Boy heedless slept by the well
By Dame Fortune awaked, truth to tell;
Said she, "Hadst been drowned,
'Twould have surely been found
This by Fortune, not Folly befell."
FORTUNE IS NOT ANSWERABLE FOR OUR WANT OF FORESIGHT
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The Ass and the Lap Dog

60. THE ASS AND THE LAP DOG.
"How Master that little Dog pets!"
Thinks the Ass, and with jealousy frets,
So he climbs Master's knees,
Hoping dog-like to please,
And a drubbing is all that he gets.
ASSES MUST NOT EXPECT TO BE FONDLED
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The Cock, The Ass, and the Lion

59. THE COCK, THE ASS AND THE LION.
The Ass gave a horrible bray,
Cock crowed; Lion scampered away;
Ass judged he was scared
By the bray, and so dared
To pursue; Lion ate him they say.
DON'T TAKE ALL THE CREDIT TO YOURSELF
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The Farmer's Treasure

58. THE FARMER'S TREASURE.
"Dig deeply, my Sons, through this field!
There's a Treasure" — he died: unrevealed
The spot where 'twas laid,
They dug as he bade;
And the Treasure was found in the yield.
PRODUCTIVE LABOUR IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF WEALTH
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The Bundle of Sticks

57. THE BUNDLE OF STICKS.
To his sons, who fell out, father spake:
"This Bundle of Sticks you can't break;
Take them singly, with ease,
You may break as you please;
So, dissension your strength will unmake."
STRENGTH IS IN UNITY
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The Bear and the Bees

56. THE BEAR AND THE BEES.
Their honey I'll have when I please;
Who cares for such small things as Bees?
Said the Bear; but the stings
Of these very small things
Left him not very much at his ease.
THE WEAKEST UNITED MAY BE STRONG TO AVENGE
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Porcupine, Snake and Company

55. PORCUPINE, SNAKE AND COMPANY.
Going shares with the Snakes, Porcupine
Said — "The best of the bargain is mine;"
Nor would he back down,
When the snakes would disown
The agreement his quills made them sign.
HASTY PARTNERSHIPS MAY BE REPENTED OF
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The Hares and the Frogs

54. THE HARES AND THE FROGS.
Timid Hares, from the trumpeting wind,
Fled as swift as the fear in their mind;
Till in fright from their fear,
From the green sedges near,
Leaping Frogs left their terror behind.
OUR OWN ARE NOT THE ONLY TROUBLES
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The Hare and the Tortoise

53. THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE.
'Twas a race between Tortoise and Hare;
Puss was sure she's so much time to spare,
That she lay down to sleep,
And let old Thick-shell creep
To the winning post first! You may stare.
PERSISTENCE BEATS IMPULSE
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The Cat and the Fox

52. THE CAT AND THE FOX.
The Fox said "I can play when it fits
Many wiles that with man make me quits."
"But my trick's up a tree!"
Said the Cat, safe to see
Clever Fox hunted out of his wits.
TRUST TO SKILL RATHER THAN WIT
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The Hen and the Fox

51. THE HEN AND THE FOX.
The Hen roosted high on her perch;
Hungry Fox down below, on the search,
Coaxed her hard to descend.
She replied, "Most dear friend!
I feel more secure on my perch."
BEWARE OF INTERESTED FRIENDSHIPS
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Mice in Council

(Perry 613)

50. MICE IN COUNCIL.
Against Cat sat a Council of Mice.
Every Mouse came out prompt with advice,
And a bell on Cat's throat
Would have met a round vote,
Had the bell-hanger not been so nice.
THE BEST POLICY OFTEN TURNS ON AN IF
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The Cat and Venus

49. THE CAT AND VENUS.
Might his Cat be a woman, he said:
Venus changed her. The couple were wed,
But a mouse in her sight
Metamorphosed her quite,
And, for bride, a cat found he instead.
NATURE WILL OUT
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The Lion in Love

48. THE LION IN LOVE.
Though the Lion in love let them draw
All his teeth, and pare down every claw,
He'd no bride for his pains,
For they beat out his brains
Ere he set on his maiden a paw.
OUR VERY MEANS MAY DEFEAT OUR ENDS
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