Hound and Huntsman
John Gay | England
A young puppy learns to listen and respect the experience of older dogs before becoming a true hunter.
A confident mule enjoying a carefree break believed he had racing horse lineage, but after a day of labor, he doubted his heritage.
A sow refuses a wolf's offer to watch her piglets, seeing through the wolf's true intentions and protecting her young.
A fowler deceives a curious Blackbird with the promise of a marvelous city but captures it in a net instead.
Clever spider Anansi tricked the turtle with soup, but the turtle's underwater house left Anansi wet and hungry.
A strong Wolf believed he was a Lion and joined real Lions, only to realize he was just a regular Wolf among them.
Anansi, a mischievous spider, tricks Brother Turtle to catch fish for him but learns the value of hard work in the end.
A clever jackal in search of an easy meal watches two fighting goats, but his greed leads to a painful lesson.
A dog falls into a well, and the gardener, while trying to save him, gets bitten due to a misunderstanding, leaving the dog behind.
Once upon a time, a group of hunting dogs were ready for an adventure. The sky was clear, and the warm wind carried the smell of animals nearby. The dogs rushed out of their shelter, excited and eager, much like children bursting out of school. They greeted their master happily, feeling proud as he called each one by name.
The dogs listened carefully to their master’s commands. When he told them to search, they scattered through the woods, sniffing the air and ground to pick up a trail.
Among them was a young puppy. He was new, energetic, and eager to show off. Without thinking, he barked loudly, as if he had found something big. The older dogs just listened; they knew he was just excited and didn’t have much experience yet. But then, the puppy’s barking got louder, as if he was leading the whole hunt.
The master noticed this and walked over to the puppy. He gave the puppy a light tap with his whip as a gentle reminder to stay calm. The puppy, surprised, whined, "Why are you stopping me? Isn’t it good that I can smell the trail?"
The master replied, "Being young means you’re still learning. You should listen to those who know more than you. Loud, impatient barking doesn’t help; it only bothers the others. If you can learn to work with the group and respect their patience, one day you’ll be part of the hunt, just like the older dogs. But for now, remember to wait and learn."
The puppy lowered his head, realizing he had much to learn from the older dogs before he could be a real hunter.
A Lion and A Bear
A lion and bear fought over a goat, exhausting themselves, and a fox took advantage, leaving them with regret.
Anansi and the Tug of War
Anansi, a clever little spider, challenges Elephant and Hippo to a tug-of-war. Can his wit win against strength in the jungle?
How the Turtle Saved His Own Life
A king's pond frightened the princes with a mistaken turtle monster, but the clever turtle escaped and swam back to safety.
Of Crows And Owls
Crows and owls feud over food and space, crows send a spy, gather information, and drive owls away, leading to peaceful coexistence.
A Bat, Thorn Bush, and Seagull started a business, but their ship sank, making the Bat hide, Seagull search, and Thorn Bush cling to fabric.
A frightened Thunny being chased by a Dolphin cleverly leads them both to the shore, where they both get stranded.
Jackdaw, a plain bird, found and adorned himself with peacock feathers, only to be exposed and ridiculed, returning to his ordinary state in shame.
An ostrich, possessing characteristics of both birds and beasts, seamlessly moved between them, surprising and eventually gaining acceptance from both sides.
A majestic Mountain with strange noises drew crowds of curious people, but their long wait revealed a humble Mouse instead.
A woman had a special Hen that laid one egg daily, so she tried feeding it more to get two eggs, but it stopped laying altogether.
A hardworking Butcher's shop is visited by a stray dog that steals a sheep's heart, prompting the Butcher to be more vigilant.
A spider named Anansi gathered all the wisdom in a large pot, but a child's simple suggestion shattered it, spreading wisdom everywhere.