SHORT FABLES
TheWeightofGoodness
“Somethingmustbe done,” thewolfsaid. “Thesparrows are starting to warbletoo
much. Wouldsomeonecare to remindthemhowtheswans do theirswansong?”
“Nonsense!” saidthefox. “Weonlyfeedthesparrowsthesweetestgrain.”
“What!?” thebearblustered. “Allthatwarblingandtheygetgraintoo?”
“Ofcourse,” thefoxgiggled. “Theycan’t warbleiftheirmouths are full!”
BadCompany
“I feelawfulwhenever I getsqueezedintothisold
shoe,” thesockcomplained.
“I mightsaysomethingsimilaraboutyou,” theshoe
retorted, “butevery time youclimbinsideof me, my
tongue is tied.”
GoodExcuses
Themonkey sat high up on a brancheatingbananas. A lionwentby.
“Comedown,” thelioncalled. “I’d like to whispersomething in yourear.”
“Youcanroarand I’llhearyoufrom up here,” answeredthemonkey.
“I have a sorethroatandcan’t roar,” saidthelion. “It wouldbebetterifyou
comedownfromthetree.”
“I’d really like to comedown,” themonkeysmirked, “but I have a sorefoot!”
ColdExplanation
“Haveyou no shame!” theflycried.
“Youdrinkthebloodofgoodpeople!”
“Exactly,” themosquitonodded. “The
badonesdrinkeachother’s blood.”
A SenseofProperMeasure
“Tell me,” said one mosquitothathadflown on a visit to hiskinsman. “Is
it truethatfishermenonlyfishforlittlefish in your pond?”
“Ofcourse,” theothermosquitoanswered, swinging on a reed. “Largefish
are dangerousbecausetheymightpullthefishermendown to thebottom.”
Cruel Fate
“I wouldneverwant to be a Christmas
ornament,” saidthelollypop. “Everyone
admiresthemwhenthey’re in theshop
window, butthentheypickthenicest
onesandpubliclyhangthem.”
SomethingSpecial
“Who are thosetallslenderladies?” thecandleaskedthe
candlestick.
“They are matches,” thecandlestickreplied. “They are
unbelievablysmart.”
“Oh?” askedthecandle. “Andwhy is that?”
“Becausetheyonlyworkwiththeirheads.”
Fortune in Misfortune
“We are twounfortunatecreatures,” thetoiletgurgled.
“Thinkofallthethingswehave to swallow in thislife.”
“Youreallycan’t complain,” squeakedthetrashbin
unhappily. “Youcan at leastflushaftereverymeal.”
TwoPossibilities
“I helpeveryone to havebeautiful
dreams,” thesilkpillowboasted.
“And I bringthemalldown to earth
again,” the banana peelretorted