This is the story of an old tortoise who, in his discontent, complains to the hovering sea birds about his inability to fly and curses the fact that nobody wishes to teach him. An eagle flying overhead hears this and asks the tortoise what he will gain by taking him in his talons and carrying him through the air. The tortoise tells him that he is sure to receive all the riches of the Red Sea. Hearing this, the eagle eagerly and effortlessly takes him by the shell and carries him past the clouds before dropping him, midair. Falling to the ground, the tortoise shatters his shell and before dying asks himself, "I have deserved my present fate, for what had I to do with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on earth?"
The moral lesson is that only harm comes from wishing for more you than you can have and of being dissatisfied with what you already possess.
This popular moral tale revolves around a hungry wolf who decides to disguise his threatening appearance to help secure his prey. Dressed in the skin of a sheep, he mingles with the oblivious flock, misleading the shepherd. Evening comes and he is accidentally shut in with the sheep. At night, the shepherd enters the fold in search of some mutton for lunch the next day, mistakes the wolf for a sheep and kills him instantly.
The moral of this tale concludes that if you make an effort to harm somebody, you will only suffer as a result of your bad intentions.
Here we are told the story of an old lion who, coming to terms with his age, accepts that his hunting days are over. In an attempt to remain well fed, he pretends to be sick, tricking the other animals into approaching his den to express their sorrow. As they visit one by one, the lion devours each of them. After noticing the disappearance of many of his friends, the crafty fox figures it out. He decides to present himself to the lion, minding his distance and not entering the den. The lion questions his reserve. The fox answers, "No, I notice that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but no trace of any returning."
The moral of this story is that you are wise to be warned by the misfortune of other people.
This fun and simple fable involves a dog who found an oyster. Used to devouring eggs without thinking, he mistakes the oyster for an egg and gulps it down. That night, suffering a great and unbearable pain in his stomach, he states: "I deserve this torment for being so foolish as to think everything round must be an egg!"
The moral here is that it is easy to fall into sudden and unexpected danger if you act hastily and without a second thought.