Sunday, January 1, 2012

Image: Puer et Praeceptor


M0960 - M0961 - M0962

961. Puer et Praeceptor. Puer, osor litterarum, in ludum litterarium a patre deductus, nullis magistri blanditiis induci poterat ut primam alphabeti proferret litteram. Tum praceptor “Aperi os,” inquit, “quod huius litterae exigit enuntiatio.” Ille vero hiabat, sed absque voce. Praeceptor, videns laborem suum irritum (neque enim puerulum ac novitium verberandum censebat) iubet eum inter condiscipulos sedere, eos monens ut illi persuadeant hanc vel saltem litteram efferre. Tum condiscipuli pro virili quisque eum hortabantur, dicentes, “Estne tantus labor A dicere?” At puer versutus “Non est,” inquit, “arduum dicere A, sed si A dicerem, vellet ut B dicerem, et C. Non erit ea vis praeceptori patrique ut discam.” Fabula indicat nolentes discere, a nemine posse compelli.



M0961 (not in Perry). Source: Abstemius 175. This fable is not in Perry’s catalog; Perry omitted most of Abstemius’s fables. For another story about a boy who does not want to study, see #666. For a wolf learning his letters, see #101.

Image: Servus et Dominus Eius Incensus


M0958 - M0959 - M0960

959. Servus et Dominus Eius Incensus. Homo quidam, ira contra servum incensus, “Non,” inquit, “in pistrinum ego te detrudam, sed Olympiam ducam.” Putabat enim ille, ut par est, multo durius esse supplicium si Olympia spectans a radiis solaribus conqueretur quam si in molam ad molendum dederetur.



M0959 (not in Perry). Source: Aelian, Historia 14.18. This fable is not in Perry’s catalog; Perry did not use Aelian as a source. The word Olympia refers to the certamina Olympia, the Olympic games. For another fable about the Olympics, see #251.

Image: Pueri Duo


M0965 - M0966 - English - M0967

966. Pueri Duo. Pueri duo, alter stultus, alter autem callidus, in commune aliquot nuces invenerant. Quas cum callidus fregisset, putamina cassa stulto dedit et nucleos sibi sumpsit. Frustra ille experitur quid hoc quod tenet prodesse queat, et intellegit sese deceptum. At dixit, “Me non decipiet ultra! Fraudem eius probe ulciscar, si qua fors ferat.” Postmodum cum hi ambo die quodam oleas similiter reperissent, puer qui pari dolo fallaciam nuper sibi factam corrigere cupiebat inquit, “Id quod intra est, da mihi; tibi tolle quod est extra.” Socius in sinu gaudet et, illico iubenti morem gerens, carnem oleaginam, dulcem cibum, sibi capit et misello ultro tradit nucleos duros. Nil usus adiuvat, ubi deest prudentia.



M0966 (not in Perry). Source: Desbillons 6.21 (adapted into prose). This fable is not in Perry’s catalog; it appears original to Desbillons, as he cites no source. For another fable about nuts and their shells, see the traveler who tricked Mercury, #788. For other examples of the wrong lesson learned, see the story of the timid starling, #421, or the story of the seagull and the stars, #481.

Image: Servus Fugitivus et Pistrinum


M0957 - M0958 - M0959

958. Servus Fugitivus et Pistrinum. Fugitivum servum aliquantisper quaesitum conspexit quodam tempore dominus. Quem dum sequitur ut retraherent ad se, ille, poenae metu et conscientia delicti territus, fugiebat atque in pistrinum quod proximum esset sese abdebat. Ibi dominus, ipso invento, “Quonam,” inquit, “in loco deprehendi magis idoneo potueras?”



M0958 = Perry440. Source: Camerarius 367. This is Perry 440. For the story of an old horse sent to work in the flour mill, see #276.