122. Simius et Fabri. Simiolus contemplabatur de arbore fabri artificium; ille forte cuneis arborem findebat. Erat autem prandii tempus, ad quod faber discedens relinquit impactum in trunco ferrum. Simiolus, ut viderat fabrum facere, supra arborem insilit et cruribus divaricatis arripit securim, sed pedes terram non attingebant. Itaque illius super arbore insidentis pudendula in fissura, quam cuneus efficiebat, dependebant. Ipse, nihil cogitans quid accidere posset, cuneum excutebat, iterum impacturus quemadmodum fecerat faber. Sed cum robur, ut natura ferebat, coiret, pudendaque simioli arrepta angerentur. Clamans ille et eiulans haerebat captus, at fabri excitati cum risu, re cognita, male illum verberibus insuper mulctatum dimittunt. Quam quisque novit artem, in ea se exerceat.
Click here for a
SLIDESHOW of all the Kalila-wa-Dimna images from this manuscript. Even though the manuscript is damaged, it is very beautiful, I think!
M0122 = (not in Perry). Source: Camerarius 376. This fable is not in Perry’s catalog; the story comes from the Panchatantra tradition. For other fables about the monkey as a mimic, see #121 or #123.
