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The  Fables 


op  Aesop 


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JBiblfotb^que  &e  Garabas  Series* 


I.  CUPID  AND  PSYCHE  :   The  most  Pleasant  and  Delect- 

able Tale  of  the  Marriage  of  Cupid  and  Psyche.  Done  into 
English  by  William  Addington,  of  University  College  in 
Oxford.  With  a  Discourse  on  the  Fable  by  Andrew  Lang, 
late  of  Merton  College  in  Oxford.  Frontispiece  by  W.  B. 
Richmond,  and  Verses  by  the  Editor,  May  Kendall,  J. 
W.  Mackail,  F.  Locker-Lampson,  and  W.  H.  Pollock. 
(lxxxvi.  66  pp.)     1887.     Out  of  print. 

II.  EUTERPE:   The  Second  Book  of  the  Famous  History  of 

Herodotus.  Englished  by  B.  R.,  1584.  Edited  by  Andrew- 
Lang,  with  Introductory  Essays  on  the  Religion  and  the 
Good  Faith  of  Herodotus.  Frontispiece  by  A.  W.  Tomson  ; 
and  Verses  by  the  Editor  and  Graham  R.  Tomson. 
(xlviii.  174  pp.)     1888.     ioj.     Only  a  few  copies  left. 

III.  THE  FABLES  OF  BIDPAI :  or,  The  Morall  Philo- 

sophie  of  Doni :  Drawne  out  of  the  auncient  writers,  a  work 
first  compiled  in  the  Indian  tongue.  Englished  out  of  Italian 
by  Thomas  North,  Brother  to  the  Right  Honorable  Sir 
Roger  North,  Knight,  Lord  North  of  Kytheling,  1570. 
Now  again  edited  and  induced  together  with  a  Chronologico- 
Bibliographical  Chart  of  the  translations  and  adaptations  of 
the  Sanskrit  original,  and  an  Analytical  Concordance  of  the 
Stories,  by  Joseph  Jacobs,  late  of  St.  John's  College  in 
Cambridge.  With  a  full-page  Illustration  by  Edward 
Burne  Jones,  A.  R.A.,  Frontispiece  from  a  sixteenth  cen- 
tury MS.  of  the  Anvari  Suhaili,  and  facsimiles  of  Woodcuts 
in  the  Italian  Doni  of  1532.     (lxxxii.  264pp.)  1888.     11s. 


Gbe  fables  of  Hesop, 
i. 


From  the  Bayeux  Tapestry. 


Zhe  fables  of  Heeop 

as  first  printed  by  William   Caxton   in    1484. 
with  those  of  Avian,  Alfonso  and  Poggio, 
now  again  edited  and  induced 
by  Joseph  Jacobs. 

I. 

History  of  the  ;£sopic   Fable. 


London.     Published  by  David  Nutt  in 
the  Strand,     m.d.ccclxxxix. 


ts 

CO 


TO 
MY  BROTHERS 

SYDNEY,    EDWIN,   LOUIS 

TO   WHOM    I    OWE 
ALL 


Esop. 

He  sat  among  the  woods,  he  heard 

The  sylvan  merriment ;  he  saw 
The  pranks  of  butterfly  and  bird, 

The  humours  of  the  ape,  the  daw. 

And  in  the  lion  or  the  frog — 

In  all  the  life  of  moor  and  fen, 
In  ass  and  peacock,  stork  and  log, 

He  read  similitudes  of  men. 

"  Of  these,  from  those,"  he  cried,  "  we  come, 

Our  hearts,  our  brains  descend  from  these." 
And  lo  !  the  Beasts  no  more  were  dumb, 
But  answered  out  of  brakes  and  trees  ; 

"  Not  ours,"  they  cried  ;  "  Degenerate, 

If  ours  at  all,"  they  cried  again, 
"  Ye  fools,  who  war  with  God  and  Fate, 

Who  strive  and  toil :  strange  race  of  men, 


"  For  we  are  neither  bond  nor  free, 
For  we  have  neither  slaves  nor  kings, 

But  near  to  Nature's  heart  are  we, 
And  conscious  of  her  secret  things. 


"  Content  are  we  to  fall  asleep, 
And  well  content  to  wake  no  more, 

We  do  not  laugh,  we  do  not  weep, 
Nor  look  behind  us  and  before  ; 

"  But  were  there  cause  for  moan  or  mirth, 
"lis  we,  not  you,  should  sigh  or  scorn, 

Oh,  latest  children  of  the  Earth 

Most  childish  children  Earth  has  borne." 


They  spoke,  but  that  misshapen  Slave 
Told  never  of  the  thing  he  heard, 

And  unto  men  their  portraits  gave, 
In  likenesses  of  beast  and  bird  ! 

A.  L. 


PREFACE. 


AESOP'S  Fables  are  the  first 
book  one  reads,  or  at  least 
the  first  tales  one  hears.  It 
seems,  therefore,  appropriate 
*\J^  to  reproduce  them  in  the  first 
form  in  which  they  appeared  among  English 
books,  translated  and  printed  by  William 
Caxton  fat  Westmynster  in  thabbey  J  dur- 
ing the  spring  of  1484,  eight  years  before 
the  discovery  of  America.  Richard  Crook- 
back  had  just  doffed  Buckingham's  head,, 
and  was  passing  through  his  first  and  only 
Parliament  the  most  intelligent  set  of  laws 
that  any  English  King  had  added  to  the 
Statute  Book.  Among  these  was  one  which 
excepted  foreign  printers  from  the  restric- 
tions that  were  put  upon  aliens  (1  Ric.  III. 


xii  PREFACE. 

c.  9).  At  that  moment  Caxton  was  justify- 
ing the  exceptional  favour  by  producing  the 
book  which  was  to  form  his  most  popular 
production,  and  indeed  one  of  the  most 
popular  books  that  have  issued  from  the 
English  press. 

The  interest  of  this  reprint  is  literary 
rather  than  typographical  :  we  are  con- 
cerned here  with  Caxton  as  an  author,  to 
whom  scant  justice  has  been  done,  rather 
than  with  Caxton  as  a  printer,  whose  name 
can  never  be  uttered  without  the  Oriental 
wish,  '  God  cool  his  resting-place/  To 
illustrate  the  history  of  printing  nothing 
other  than  a  facsimile  reprint  would  suf- 
fice the  student,  and  facsimile  reprints  of 
Caxton's  heavy  and  rude  Gothic  type  are 
unreadable.  We  have,  however,  repro- 
duced his  text  with  such  fidelity  as  we 
could  command,  even  to  the  extent  of  retain- 
ing his  misprints.  If  we  have  occasionally 
added  some  of  our  own,  we  shall  be  for- 
given by  those  who  know  the  exhausting 
work  of  collating  Gothic  and  ordinary  type ; 


PREFACE.  xiii 

we  have  blazoned  Caxton's  carelessness  and 
our  own  on  p.  318  of  vol.  ii.  On  the  few 
occasions  where  a  letter  had  slipped  or  had 
been  elevated  above  the  line,  we  have  re- 
produced the  peculiaritv  of  the  original  in 
our  text,  as  on  pp.  79,  224. 

On  the  typographical  peculiarities  of  the 
original — how  it  is  composed  in  the  fourth 
fount  used  by  Caxton,  and  so  on — we  need 
not  dilate  here.  Are  not  these  things  writ- 
ten, once  for  all,  in  the  Chronicles  of  Blades 
(W.  Blades5  Life  and  Work  of  Caxton,  ii. 
157-60),  one  of  the  few  final  books  written 
by  an  Englishman  ?  Caxton^s  '  Esope  '  is 
distinguished  in  the  history  of  English  print- 
ing by  being  the  first  book  to  possess  initial 
letters.  A  facsimile  of  the  first  of  these, 
appropriately  enough  the  letter  A,  is  given 
at  the  beginning  of  this  Preface.  In  the 
original  every  fable  is  accompanied  by  a 
woodcut :  we  give  a  few  of  these,  reduced 
in  size  :  they  claim  no  merit  but  that  of 
the  grotesque. 

Our  text  was  copied  from   the  Bodleian 


xiv  PREFACE. 

exemplar.  There  are  but  two  others — one, 
the  only  perfect  text,  in  the  Queen's  library, 
and  the  other  at  the  British  Museum  :  the 
rest  of  the  copies  have  been  thumbed  out 
of  existence.  I  have  corrected  proofs  from 
the  Museum  copy,  having  had  all  facilities 
given  me  for  the  purpose  by  the  courtesy  of 
Mr.  Bullen. 

In  the  original  the  Fables  are  preceded 
by  the  apocryphal  Life  of  JEsop  attributed 
to  Planudes.  This  belongs  to  quite  another 
genre  of  writing  —  the  Noodle  literature. 
To  have  included  this  would  have  extended 
the  book,  already  stretching  beyond  the 
prescribed  limits  of  the  series  in  which  it 
appears,  by  nearly  ioo  pages.  I  had  there- 
fore to  choose  whether  to  omit  this  or  to 
leave  out  the  Fables  of  Avian,  Alphonse  and 
Poggio,  which  have  closer  connection  with 
the  Fables  of  iEsop.  I  have  elected  to 
begin  with  folio  xxvj  of  the  original,  passing 
over  the  Life  of  ^Esop,  with  the  exception  of 
its  first  sentence,  out  of  which  has  been 
concocted  a  title-page  to  the  text. 


PREFACE.  xv 

In  the  Introduction  I  had  first  to  give 
the  latest  word  of  literary  science, — there 
is  such  a  thing, — on  the  many  intricate 
questions  connected  with  the  provenance 
and  history  of  the  iEsopic  Fable.  I  have 
endeavoured  to  bring  within  moderate  com- 
pass the  cardinal  points  of  a  whole  literature 
of  critical  investigation  which  has  not  been 
brought  within  one  survey  since  Edelestand 
du  Meril  made  a  premature  attempt  to  do 
so  in  1854.  Since  his  time  much  has  been 
cleared  up  which  to  him  was  obscure — not- 
ably by  Benfey  and  Fausboll  on  the  Oriental 
sources,  by  Crusius  on  Babrius,  by  Oesterley 
and  Hervieux  on  the  derivates  of  Phsedrus, 
and  by  Mall  on  Marie  de  France.  Owing 
to  their  labours  the  time  seemed  to  me  ripe 
to  make  a  bold  stroke  for  it,  and  to  give  for 
the  first  time  a  history  of  the  iEsopic  Fable 
in  the  light  of  modern  research.  I  could 
only  do  this  by  making  an  attempt  to  fill  up 
the  many  gaps  left  by  my  predecessors,  and 
to  supply  the  missing  links  required  to  con- 
nect their  investigations.     On  almost  all  the 


xvi  PREFACE. 

knotty  points  left  undecided  by  them — the 
literary  source  of  Phaedrus — who  wrote  JEsop 
— and  why  his  name  is  connected  with  the 
Fables — the  true  nature  of  Libyan  Fable,  and 
the  identity  of  its  putative  parent,  Kybises — 
the  source  of  Talmudic  Fable  and  its  crucial 
importance  for  the  ancient  history  of  the 
Fable — the  Indian  origin  of  the  Proverbs  of 
Agur  (Prov.  xxx.) — the  conduit- pipe  by 
which  the  Indian  Jatakas  reached  the 
Hellenic  world  and  the  common  source  of  the 
Jatakas  and  the  Bidpai — the  origin  of  the 
Morals  of  Fables — the  determination  of  the 
Indian  elements  in  Latin  Fable — the  exist- 
ence of  a  larger  Arabic  iEsop,  and  its  re- 
lations to  the  collections  of  Marie  de  France 
and  Berachyah  ha-Nakdan,  and  to  Ar- 
menian Fable — the  identification  of  Marie's 
immediate  source,  Alfred — the  date  and 
domicile  of  Berachyah  ha-Nakdan — the  dis- 
tinction between  Beast-Fable  and  Beast- 
Satire — on  all  these  points  I  have  been 
able  to  make  suggestions  more  or  less 
plausible,  which  will  at  the  worst  afford  ob- 


PREFACE.  xvii 

jectives  for  further  research,  and  make  the 
^Esopic  problem  more  definite  henceforth. 
I  have  told  the  tale  backwards,  concisely 
where  certainty  has  been  reached,  in  detail 
on  points  still  sub  judice. 

It  was  time  at  least  that  some  contribu- 
tion to  the  history  of  the  iEsopic  Fable 
should  issue  from  England,  which  has  done 
nothing  in  this  direction  since  Bentley's 
day.  For  England,  as  I  have  shown,  was 
the  home  of  the  Fable  during  the  early 
Middle  Age,  and  the  centre  of  dispersion 
whence  the  Mediaeval  JEsop  spread  through 
Europe.  It  owed  this  to  its  commanding 
position  among  the  Romance  nations,  as 
head  of  the  Angevin  Empire,  just  at  the 
time  when  European  literature  was  being 
crossfertilized  by  new  germs  from  the  East. 
I  hope  to  show  before  long  that  much  the 
same  history  applies  to  the  development  of 
Romance.  It  seemed  appropriate,  I  may 
add,  to  prefix  this  contribution  to  the  his- 
tory of  the  European  ^Esop  to  Caxton^s 
edition,    because   this   has   the    same    con- 


xviii  PREFACE. 

tents  and  arrangement  as  the  first  printed 
jEsops  in  the  chief  languages  of  modern 
Europe. 

I  have  summed  up  the  results  in  the 
Pedigree  of  the  Fables  ;  I  trust  that  the 
N.E.  corner  of  this,  which  contains  most 
of  my  novelties,  will  not  turn  out  merely 
to  contain  so  many  critical  ninepins  put  up 
only  to  be  bowled  over.  The  literary  his- 
tory of  each  fable  is  given  in  the  Synopsis 
of  Parallelisms.  They  are  here  brought 
together  for  the  first  time :  Oesterley's 
references,  which  form  the  nucleus  of  my 
collections,  have  to  be  sought  for  from 
among  five  different  works.  I  have  omitted 
some  of  his  references,  but  have  added  far 
more  than  I  have  omitted,  more  indeed 
than  I  have  taken.  For  the  literature  of 
the  last  twenty  years,  and  for  the  English 
and  some  of  the  Oriental  sources,  I  have 
had  to  make  my  own  collections.  The 
Glossary  at  the  end  of  the  book  is  intended 
more  to  record  for  philologists  Caxton's 
phraseology  than  to  assist  readers  to  under- 


PREFACE.  xix 

stand  it,  which  they  will  find  little  difficulty 
in  doing. 

I  have  now  only  to  thank  the  friends  who 
have  associated  themselves  in  various  ways 
with  my  work.  Mr.  Andrew  Lang  has 
introduced  it  with  his  brilliant  lines  on  the 
opportunities  ^Esop  missed.  Mr.  Henry 
Ryland  embellishes  the  text  with  his  charm- 
ing design  of  the  eponymous  hero  of  the 
Fable,  alone  with  Nature  and  the  birds  and 
beasts  he  must  have  loved  so  well.  Dr. 
James  Gow  and  Mr.  S.  Schechter  have 
checked  my  classical  and  Talmudical  re- 
ferences respectively,  though  these  scholars 
are  not,  of  course,  to  be  held  responsible 
for  the  inferences  I  draw  from  them.  Mr. 
Alfred  Nutt  has  throughout  given  me  the 
benefit  of  his  knowledge,  judgment  and 
taste.  And  lastly,  Dr.  R.  Gottheil  was  good 
enough  to  undertake  a  search  for  a  larger 
Arabic  iEsop  among  the  European  collec- 
tions of  Oriental  MSS.  he  was  visiting. 


6. 

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HISTORY 

OF 

THE    /ESOPIC   FABLE. 


I.— THE  MEDIAEVAL  ,ESOR 

XQie  kifnte  man  cin  fciner  bucb  in  wcltlicber  teibniscbet 
vrcisbcit  macbcn,  t>enn  6as  gemcinc,  albere  feinoerbucb 
1st,  50  Esenus  beisst. —  M.  Luther,  Auslegung  des  101 
Psalms  (1534). 

Our  iEsop  is  Phsedrus  with  trimmings.  That, 
to  put  it  shortly,  is  the  outcome  of  some  half 
a  century's  investigation  into  the  origin  of  the 
^Esopic  fable,  conducted  mainly  by  French 
scholars.*  Begun  by  M.  Robert  in  his  elabo- 
rate edition  of  Lafontaine  in  1825,  it  was 
continued  in  very  thoroughgoing  fashion  by  M. 
Edelestand  du  Meril  in  his  Histoire  de  la  fable 
esopique  in  1854,  and  has  culminated  in  the 
colossal  work  of  M.  L.  Hervieux,  Les  fabu- 
listes  latins  (1884),  which  gives  the  raw  mate- 

*  It  is  but  fair,  however,  to  add  the  name  of  Hermann 
Oesterley  to  the  French  triumvirate  about  to  be  mentioned. 
His  Romulus,  die  Paraphrasen  des  Pncedrus  und  die 
cesopische  Fabel  im  Mittelalter  (1870)  contains  much  valu- 
able material  in  very  accessible  form. 

VOL.  I.  A 


2  THE  MEDIAEVAL  MSOP. 

rial,  the  very  raw  material,  from  which  the 
history  of  the  Latin  Mediaeval  iEsop  can  now 
be  definitively  settled. 

M.  Hervieux's  work  has  itself  a  history  which 
deserves  to  be  briefly  recited.  M.  Hervieux, 
a  lawyer  of  some  distinction,  has  daughters 
whom  he  desired  to  initiate  into  the  beauties 
of  Latin  literature.  The  choice  of  books  suit- 
able for  such  young  persons  is,  we  know,  some- 
what limited,  and  M.  Hervieux  wisely  fixed 
upon  Phagdrus,  which  he  determined  to  trans- 
late for  their  use.  But  in  order  to  translate, 
you  must  have  a  fixed  text,  and  M.  Hervieux 
found  that  of  Phaedrus  by  no  means  fixed ; 
he  found  moreover  that  even  the  number  of 
Phaedrine  fables  was  an  independent  variable. 
His  interest  was  aroused  and  he  determined 
to  see  the  matter  out.  And  he  did  see  the 
matter  out,  though  everything  seemed  against 
him  at  the  start ;  he  had  received  no  philolo- 
gical training  and  had  never  had  a  Latin  MS. 
in  his  hands.  In  the  course  of  his  researches 
he  visited  almost  every  library  of  importance 
lying  between  the  Isis  and  the  Elbe,  between 
Cambridge  and  R,ome.  Meanwhile,  let  it  be 
parenthically   observed,    the    Miles.    Hervieux 


M.  HERVIEUX'S  RESEARCHES.         3 

had  become  Mesdames   X.    and    M.,    and    M. 

Hervieux  has  probably  long  ere  this  learned 
the  art  of  being  grandfather.  The  results 
of  his  critical  Odyssey  ultimately  appeared 
some  five  years  ago  in  the  shape  of  two 
bulky  tomes,  running  to  1500  pages,  Ger- 
man in  their  thoroughness,  German  also  in 
their  want  of  nettete  and  coup  oVoeil*  He 
has  given  in  the  first  of  these  volumes  a  full 
and  accurate  account  of  all  the  MSS.  of  Phse- 
drus  and  his  imitators,  with  slight  biographi- 
cal sketches  of  their  authors,  scribes,  owners 
and  owners'  grandfathers,  and  in  his  second 
volume  he  has  edited  the  whole  Corpus  of 
Latin  fabulists  from  Phsedrus  to  2STeckam.  f  It 
must  be  our  first  task  to  get  a  ground-plan  to 
this  forest  of  investigations  in  which  it  is'  by  no 
means  easy  to  find  one's  way  owing  to  the  num- 
ber of  the  trees  and  the  size  of  their  branches,  t 

*  I  hope  M.  Hervieux  will  pardon  this.  One  of  the  few 
touches  which  lighten  his  pages  is  the  recital  of  his  patriotic 
scruples  in  applying  to  German  librarians,  who  as  a  general 
rule  have  responded  with  a  courtesy  that  might  have 
softened  a  Hannibal. 

+  With  an  important  exception ;  he  has  reserved  Avian 
and  his  adapters  for  a  future  occasion. 

X  M.   Gaston  Pari3  has    given    an    admirable    compte- 


4  THE  MEDIAEVAL  MSOP. 

We  cannot,  perhaps,  begin  better  than  by 
taking  to  pieces  the  book  we  have  in  our 
hands,  Caxton's  version  of  Jules  Machault's 
translation  of  Stainhbwels  Asqp,  in  which 
the  mediaeval  collections  were  first  brought 
together  in  print.  Caxton's  book  is  composed 
of  ten  sections  :  the  first,  the  so-called  "  Life 
of  iEsop,"  we  have  omitted;  the  last  three 
are  connected  with  the  names  of  Avian,  "  Al- 
fonce,"  and  "Poge,"  which  will  concern  us 
later.  The  remaining  six  are  the  "Fables  of 
iEsop,"  as  we  meet  with  them  in  Mediaeval 
literature.  And  of  these,  again,  the  first  four 
are  found  in  separate  form  connected  with  the 
name  of  "  Romulus,"  whom  mediaeval  scribes 
have  at  times  raised  to  the  Imperial  throne  of 
Rome.  Let  us  for  the  present  concentrate 
our  attention  on  the  information  which  M. 
Hervieux's  pages  convey  as  to  this  "  Romulus," 
and  the  many  books  connected  with  it. 

There  are  three  families  of  MSS.  and  ver- 
sions connected  with  the  "  Romulus "  fables, 
neglecting  various    abstracts  or   combinations 

rendu  of  M.  Hervieux's  work  in  the  Journal  des  Savants. 
1884-5,  to  which  I  am  much  indebted  in  what  immediately 
follows. 


THE  ROMULUS  LITERATURE.  5 

of  the  three.*  There  is  first  the  "  Romulus  " 
itself,  consisting  of  eighty-three  fables  divided 
in  the  Yulgate  edition  rather  irregularly  in  four 
books ;  the  earliest  3IS.  of  this  (the  Burneian 
in  the  British  Museum)  dates  from  the  tenth 
century.  Then  comes  a  recension  represented 
in  a  IMS.  formerly  at  Wisseburg,  now  at  TTol- 
fenbiittel,  containing  eighty-two  fables  and 
known  as  the  "  JEsopus  ad  Rufum."  Finally 
there  is  a  collection  of  sixty-seven  Eomulean 
fables  first  published  by  Volant  in  1709, 
and  known  accordingly  as  the  "Anonymus 
Xilanti,"  but  now  ascertained  to  have  been 
compiled  by  the  chronicler  Ademar  de  Cha- 
bannes  (988-1030).  before  his  departure  for  the 
Holy  Land  in  1029.  These  three  collections, 
"  Romulus,"  "  iEsopus  ad  Rufum,'''  t  and  the 
^Esop  of  Ademar,  represent  three  stages  back- 

*  Among-  these  the  only  one  of  interest  is  the  collection 
contained  in  double  form  in  the  mediaeval  encyclopaedia, 
the  Speculum  majus  of  the  Dominican  Vincent  of  Beauvais 
(1264).  The  "Komulus  of  Nilant"  (not  to  be  confounded 
with  the  "Anonymus  of  Xilant ")  has  its  interest  in 
another  connection.     (See  infra,  p.  161.) 

f  For  clearness'  sake,  I  leave  out  of  account  the  "  Eufus  ;' 
in  what  follows.  Its  exact  relation  to  Ademar  and  Eomulus 
is  the  subject  of  dispute  between  Oesterley,  L.  Mueller, 
Heydenreich,  and  MM.  Paris  and  Hervieux,  and  I  will  not 
attempt  to  decide  where  such  doctors  disagree. 


6  THE  MEDIAEVAL  JESOP. 

wards  to  the  origin  of  the  Medissval  iEsop. 
The  "  Romulus  "  is  near,  the  "Rufus  "  is  nearer, 
and  the  Ademar  is  nearest  the  source.  This 
turns  out  be  Phsedrus  and  Phsedrus  alone, 
though  in  a  more  extended  form  than  we 
know  him  at  school. 

It  is  well-known  that  the  book  we  read  at 
school  "  'twixt  smiling  and  tears,"  contains 
some  of  the  fables  associated  with  the  name 
of  iEsop.  The  first  five  fables  of  the  first 
book,  for  example,  deal  with  such  familiar 
topics  as  The  Wolf  and  Lamb,  The  Frogs  de- 
siring a  King,  The  Jay  in  Peacock's  Feathers, 
The  Bog  and  Shadow,  and  The  Lion's  Share. 
On  the  other  hand  Fables  equally  familiar  like 
The  Lion  and  Mouse,  The  Town  and  Country 
Mouse,  The  Ass  and  Lap-dog,  The  Wolf  and 
Kid,  and  The  Belly  and  Members  fail  to  find 
a  place  in  the  ordinary  editions  of  Phsedrus. 
Is  this  because  they  are  taken  from  another 
source,  or  did  Phsedrus  write  more  fables  than 
are  contained  in  the  vulgate  edition?  The 
latter  is  the  alternative  towards  which  we  are 
led  by  a  careful  examination  .  of  the  prose 
versions,  especially  of  the  iEsop  of  Ademar. 

Ademar's  collection  is,  as  we  have  said,  com- 


ROMULUS  IS  PHAEDRUS.  7 

posed  of  sixty-seven  fables.  Of  these  thirty- 
seven  occur  in  the  ordinary  Phaedrus,  and  on 
inspection  it  becomes  clear  that  they  were 
taken  direct  from  it  with  only  sufficient  altera- 
tion to  turn  them  from  verse  to  prose.*  Let 
us  take  as  an  example  the  Fable  of  TJie  Wolf 
and  Crane,  which  will  often  meet  us  later  on 
in  other  connections.  Here  is  Phaedrus'  ren- 
dering : — 

Fab.  VIIL— Lvpvs  et  Grvis. 

Qui  pretium  meriti  ab  improbis  desiderat, 

Bis  peccat :  primum,  quoniam  indignos  adiuvat ; 

Impime  abire  deinde  quia  iam  non  potest. 

Os  devoratum  fauce  quum  kaereret  lupi, 

5       Magno  dolore  victus  coepit  singulos 

Inlicere  pretio,  ut  illud  extraherent  malum. 
Tandem  persuasa  est  iure  iurando  gruis, 
Gulaeque  credens  colli  longitudinem, 
Periculosam  fecit  medicinam  lupo. 

10     Pro  quo  cum  pactum  flagitaret  praemium  : 
Ingrata  es,  inquit,  ore  quae  nostro  caput 
Iucolume  abstuleris,  et  mercedem  postules. 

Now  let  us  take  Ademar's  prose  adaptation 
and  arrange  it  in  lines  like  the  original,  for 

*  The  earliest  MS.  of  Phsedrus,  the  Codex  Pithoeanus, 
is  written  continuously,  as  if  in  prose. 


8  THE  MEDIMVAL  JESOP. 

this  purpose  restoring  the  moral  to  the  be- 
ginning. The  italicised  words  and  inflections 
will  show  how  slight  have  been  the  changes. 

LXIV.  [Lupus  et  Gruis.] 

Qui  pretium  meriti  ab  improbo  desiderat 
plus  peccat :  prinium  quod  indignos      juvat 
importune,  deinde  quia  ingratus  postulat  quod  im- 

plere  non  pom't  * 
Lup^s,  os.se  devorato  fauce  inh&eso, 
magno  dolore  victus  coepit  singulos 
promissionibus  et  praemio  deprecari  ut  illud  extra- 

heretur  malum. 
Tandem  persuaswm  iureiurando  gr\ie?n 
gulae       credens  colli  longitudinem 
optulit  +  se  pericuZo,  et  fecit  medicamcfi  lupo. 
A  quo  cum  pactum  flagitaret  praemium  : 
Ingra£wm  est,  inquit,  or*  nostro  quod  caput 
incolume  extuleris ;  pro  hoc  et  mercedem  a  nobis  in- 
super  postulare  videris. 

No  one  can  doubt  that  the  writer  of  the 
prose  version,  execrable  as  it  is,  had  before 
him  the  verses  of  Phsedrus.  Or  if  any  still 
doubt,  let  him  compare  the  still  more  execrable 
version  in  the    "  Romulus "   which  forms  the 

*  Ademar  has  scarcely  improved  the  moral. 

f  What  is  the  subject  here  ?  In  mangling  his  theft  to 
disguise  its  identity,  Ademar  has  in  effect  made  the  wolf 
look  down  his  own  throat. 


ADEMAR  AND  ROMULUS.  9 

basis  of  Caxton's  version  of  the  Fable  (vol.  ii. 
p.  13),  through  the  French  of  Machault. 

8.  Qui  cunque  malo  milt  benefacere  satis  PECCAT 
De  quo  simili  audi  fabulam 

Ossa  lupus  cum  devora/ret  ■  unum  ex  illis  \esit  ei  in 
iaucibus  •  transuersvm  grauiter  •  Inuitauit  lupus  mag- 
no  pretio  qui  eum  extraheret  malum.  Rogabatur 
gruis  collo  longo  •  ut  prestaret  lupo  medicinam.  Id 
egissct  ut  mitteret  caput  et  extraheret  malum  de  fau- 
cibus.  Sanus  cum  esset  lupus  •  rogabat  gruis petitores 
redcli  sibi  promissa  premia.  et  lupus  •  dicitur  dixisse  • 
Ingrata  estf  ilia  gruis  que  caput  incolume  extvlit  •  non 
uexatum  dente  nostro  et  mercedem  sibi  postulrt£.  0 
in  injuriam  meis  uirtutibus  •  Parabola  hec  illos  monet  • 
qui  uolunt  bene  facer  e  malis* 

Here  we  have  had  to  italicise  nearly  the 
whole  fable  as  verbally  different  from  the 
Phaedrine  original.  Comparing  the  Ademar 
and  the  Romulus  it  is  clear  that  the  former 
had,  and  the  latter  had  not,  the  actual  words 
of  Phsedrus  as  a  model.  But  if  Ademar  so 
slavishly  follows  Phsedrus  in  the  thirty-seven 
fables  which  he  has  in  common  with  the  Latin 
fabulist  in  the  ordinary  edition,  the  presump- 

*  Rom.  i.  8,  Oest.  Wherever  I  quote  "  Eom."  it  is  to 
"  Romulus,"  as  edited  by  Oesterlev  ;  "  Ro  "  refers  to  the 
English  version  of  Caxton. 


io  THE  MEDIEVAL  yESOP. 

tion  is  that  lie  had  metrical  versions  before 
him  in  the  thirty  fables  which  do  not  exist  in 
the  ordinary  Phsedrus. 

We  can  scarcely,  however,  hope  to  restore 
the  original  from  Ademar's  versions.  It  is 
clear  from  the  above  example  of  his  method 
that  he  rarely  leaves  a  line  intact ;  thus,  only 
the  fifth  line  is  left  untouched  in  the  above, 
though  the  tenth  is  but  slightly  altered  and 
preserves  the  metre  even  in  the  altered  form. 
Hence  we  can  only  expect  to  recover  a  line 
here  and  there.  And  this  is  exactly  what  we 
can  do.  Thus,  in  Ademar's  version  of  The 
Town  and  Country  Mouse  (Adem.  13,  Ro. 
I.  xii.),  the  iambic  trimeter  of  the  line — 

perduxit  precibus  post  in  urbem  rusticum, 

proves  its  Phaedrine  origin.  So  too  in  Tlie  Ass 
and  Lapdog  (Adem.  17,  Ro.  I.  xvii.) — 

clamore  domini  concitatur  [omnis  familia], 

and  in  TJie  Lion  and  Mouse  (Adem.  18,  Ro. 
I.  xviii.),  though  again  with  a  slight  halt — 

sic  inns  leoneni  captura  liberum  [silvis  restitnit]. 


I A  MBICS  IN  A  DEM  A  R.  1 1 

Again  the  Phsedrine  origin  of  the  story  of 
Androclus  (Adem.  35,  E.o.  III.  i.)  is  proved  by 
the  line — 

sublatum  et  hominis  posuit  in  gremio  pedem, 

or  that  of  The  Horse  and  Ass  (Adem.  37,  Eo. 
III.  iii.)  by  the  lines — 

reticuit  ille  et  gemitu  testatur  deos, 

equus  currendo  ruptus  parvo  in  tempore 

ad  villain  est  missus.     Nunc  onustum  stercore 

ut  vidit  asinus  tali  eum  irrisit  [verb©].* 

It  is  rare,  however,  that  Ademar  forgets  his 
role  of  plagiator  for  so  many  consecutive  lines, 
and  in  no  case  can  we  restore  a  complete  fable 
from  his  version.  Indeed,  the  only  case  where 
this  is  possible  occurs  in  the  JEsopus  ad  Rufum 
in  a  fable,  The  Vixen  turned  Maiden,  which 
that  collection  alone  possesses,  though  we  know 
it  was  one  current  in  antiquity  (see  infra,  pp.  28, 
97).  As  it  is  of  great  interest  historically,  we 
may  apply  the  inverse  method  to  it,  and  restore 
at  least  this  one  fable  to  its  legitimate  owner, 
Phaedrus.  It  runs  thus  in  the  prose  form  (as 
given  by  Oesterley,  Romulus,  App.  1) — 

*  I  take  these  examples  from  Riese's  admirable  four- 
penny  Tauchnitz  Phcedrus,  1885. 


12  THE  MED1MVAL  A1S0P. 

VULPIS  IN  HOMINE  (sic)  VERSA. 

Naturani  turpem  nulla  f  ortuna  obtegit  •  Humanam 
specieni  cum  uertisset  iupiter  uulpem  •  legitimis  ut 
sedit  in  thoris  •  scarabeum  uidit  prorepentem  ex 
angulo  notamque  ad  prsedam  celeri  prosiluit  gradu  • 
Superi  risere  •  magnus  erubuit  pater  •  uulpem  que 
repudiatam  thalamis  expulit  •  liis  prosequutus  :  uiue 
quo  digna  es  modo  •  quia  digna  nostris  meritis  non 
potes  esse. 

By  merely  writing  this  in  verse  form  we  can, 
with  Burmann  and  Biese,  restore  every  word 
of  the  original  but  two. 

VVLPES  IN  HOMINEM  VERSA. 

Naturam  turpem  nulla  fortuna  obtegit. 
humanam  in  speciem  cum  vertisset  Iuppiter 
vulpem  legitimis  ut  [con]sedit  in  toris 
scarabaeum  vidit  prorepentem  ex  angulo, 
5  notamque  ad  prsedam  celeri  prosiluit  gradu. 
superi  risere,  magnus  erubuit  pater, 
vulpemque  repudiatam  thalamis  expulit 
his  prosecutus  :   '  vive  quo  digna  es  modo 
quia  digna  nostris  meritis  esse  non  potes.' 

The  Phsedrine  cachet  of  these  lines  is  unmis- 
takable, and  the  whole  inquiry  largely  increases 
the  presumption  that  the  remaining  prose  ver- 
sions retain  for  us  the  subject-matter  at  least  of 
the  lost  fables  of  Phssdrus,  of  which  metrical 


PHMDRUS  RESTORED.  13 

versions  must  have  been  in  the  hands  of  the  pro- 
saists. The  canine  character  of  their  Latinity 
is  sufficient  to  acquit  them  of  any  originality. 

In  some  cases  metrical  versions  actually  exist 
and,  what  is  more,  are  found  associated  with 
the  name  of  Pheedrus.  In  one  MS.  of  Phae- 
drus,  of  which  only  a  transcript  is  now  extant, 
made  by  Perotti  and  published  by  Jannelli 
in  181 1,  no  less  than  thirty-two  additional 
fables  are  contained,  among  them  The  Ape 
and  Fox  (Bo.  III.  xvii.),  Juno  Venus  and 
the  Hen  (Ko.  III.  viii.,  about  which  Caxton 
was  so  sensitive,  rather  unnecessarily,  it  would 
seem),  Tlie  Ephesian  Widow  (perhaps  the  most 
popular  of  all  stories,  see  the  Parallels,  Eo.  III. 
ix.),  and  The  Sheep  and  Crov:  (Eo.  IV.  xix.). 
iSTor  is  this  all.  Attached  to  the  editions  of 
Phfedrus  by  Burmann  and  Dressier  there  are 
other  versified  fables  found  in  MSS.  of  the  poet. 
Altogether  in  one  or  other  of  these  App>endices 
(of  Jannelli,  of  Burmann,  or  of  Dressier*),  everv 
one  of  the  fables  in  "  Eomulus  "  can  be  traced 
to  Phasdrine  metrical  versions,  as  can  be  seen 

*  A  convenient  edition  including  all  three  is  just  now 
a  great  -want  and  would  form  an  admirable  schoolbook. 
Such  a  book  might  even  be  made  a  worthy  pendant  to 
Rutherford's  Babrius,  and  Ellis'  Avian. 


i4  THE  MEDIAEVAL  &SOP. 

from  our  Synopsis  of  Parallels.  Indeed,  the 
whole  ninety-six  fables  which  are  "  prosed  "  in 
the  three  forms  of  "Romulus"  can  be  so 
traced.*  Whether  the  additional  fables  found 
in  the  Perotti  MS.  of  Phsedrus  are  really  by 
that  author  or  no,  is  another  and  more  delicate 
question.  France  and  Germany  here  take 
opposite  sides.  MM.  Hervieux  and  Paris  have 
no  doubts  on  the  subject,  Drs.  L.  Miiller  (in 
his  edition  of  Phsedrus,  1876)  and  E.  Heyden- 
reich  (in  Bursian's  Jahresbericht  for  1884,  Bnd. 
xxxix.),  are  not  by  any  means  so  sure.  Phse- 
drus was  such  a  favourite  schoolbook  among 
the  Romans,  and  formed  so  frequent  a  subject 
of  rhetorical  amplification  and  imitation  that  it 
seems  not  unlikely  that  some  of  the  fables 
contained  in  the  Appendix  were  products  of 
Silver  Latinity,  and  do  not  come  down  to  us 
from  Phsedrus  himself.  But,  be  this  as  it 
may,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  all  these 
fables  came  down  to  the  Middle  Ages  in  the 

*  M.  Gaston  Paris  allows  for  only  fifty-seven  prose  ver- 
sions to  be  found  in  Phsedrus  and  the  Appendix  of  Jannelli. 
He  rejects  the  additions  of  Burmann  and  Dressier.  Mr. 
Rutherford  also  leaves  them  and  the  prose  versions  out  of 
account  in  his  Babrius,  pp.  c.-ciii.,  where  they  would  have 
afforded  him  another  dozen  parallels. 


PHjEDRUS  OR  PHJEDRINB.  15 

name  of  Phaedrus,  and  were  all  equally  regarded 
as  productions  of  that  poet.  We  have  accord- 
ingly traced  the  first  four  books  of  Caxton's 
collection  to  their  immediate  source.  So  far, 
so  good.* 


&v 


ll— MSOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

BBs  mans  abcr  bem  £sopo  juscbrdbct,  ist  mcins  acbtens, 
cin  Gcticbt,  rn5  viclcicbt  nic  fecin  flftcnscb  auff  Er^en, 
Escpus  gcbci55Cn.— M.  Luther,  Etliche  Fabeln  aus  Esopo, 
ed.  Thiele,  p.  1. 

But  nowadays  we  are  not  content  with  imme- 
diate sources;  we  seek  for  the  Ur-ur- origins  of 
things.  Beginnings  are  the  chief  things  that 
interest  us,f  and  on  the  present  occasion  we 
can  scarcely  avoid  the  question  :  Whence  did 
Phsedrus  and  the  other  fabulists  of  the  Boman 
world  get  their  fables  1  Generally  speaking 
Latin  literature  is  but  one  vast  plagiarism 
from  the  Greek,  often  bettered  in  the  stealing 
no  doubt  and  so  justified,  but  still  a  plagiar- 
ism.    In  any  department  it  may  be  assumed 

*  The  derivates  of  Ademar  and  Romulus  might  have 
been  treated  here,  but  I  have  reserved  them  for  the  sec- 
tion "^Esop  in  England." 

f  And  endings  or  "survivals,"  the  school  of  Tylor  and 

Maclennan  will  add. 


1 6  JESOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

almost  as  a  matter  of  course  that  the  model 
is  to  be  sought  for  in  Greece.  That  this  is 
the  case  with  the  Latin  Fable  is  acknow- 
ledged by  its  two  great  masters,  Phsedrus  and 
Avian,  in  their  Prefaces.  For  besides  Phsedrus 
there  is  another  collection  of  Latin  metrical 
fables  attributed  to  a  certain  Avianus.  He 
has  been  identified  out  of  a  number  of  obscuri- 
ties of  the  same  name  with  a  young  man 
named  Avienus  mentioned  in  Macrobius'  Satur- 
nalia and  the  date  of  his  42  Fabulse,  fixed 
between  370  and  379  a.d.*  These  were 
equally  popular  with  Phsedrus  in  the  Middle 
Ages  and  "prosed"  like  the  older  fabulist. 
But  they  never  lost  their  identity,  and  when 
Stainhowel  made  his  collection  from  the  Latin 
fabulists  he  kept  the  majority  of  Avian's 
together  and  gave  them  their  proper  affiliation. 
"We  accordingly  find  them  under  the  title  "  The 
Fables  of  Auian  "  in  our  Caxton.  Here  then 
is  another  of  the  sections  of  our  book  which 
we   can  trace  to  its  immediate  source.      But 

*  This  is  Mr.  Kobinsort  Ellis'  identification,  and  dating  in 
the  edition  which  he  has  made  of  Avian  in  his  usual  exhaus- 
tive fashion.  Against  the  date  is  the  fact  that  Avienus  is 
called  a  young  man  in  the  Saturnalia  at  least  thirty  years 
later. 


THE  GREEK  PROSE  mSOP.  17 

the  history  is  so  straightforward  that  it  ceases 
to  be  interesting,  and  we  may  turn  with  the 
greater  zest  to  the  more  puzzling  question  : 
whence  did  Phsedrus  and  Avian  get  their 
Fables  2  What  was  their  Greek  source,  for 
both  of  them  own  their  indebtedness  to  Greece,* 
or,  at  least,  to  zEsop  ? 

Here  at  first  sight  there  seems  to  be  no 
difficulty.  There  have  been  published  no  less 
than  seven  collections  of  Greek  fables,  all 
known  by  the  name  of  ^Esop,  and  each  adding 
more  or  less  to  the  Corpus  Fabularum  JEsopi- 
arum.j  This  in  Halm's  convenient  edition 
counts  426  fables,  among  which  most  of  those 
of  Phsedrus  and  Avian  find  parallels,  as  can  be 
seen  by  our  Synopsis.  Here  then  we  seem  at 
last  to  have  arrived  at  the  Father  of  the  Fable 
in  propria  persona,   and  these  collections  have 

*  Pheedros  was  himself  a  Greek  by  birth.  He  ought  to 
have  tasted  deeply  of  the  Pierian  spring,  for  he  was  born 
by  its  side.  He  became  a  slave  early,  and  was  freed  by 
Augustus. 

f  Accursius  (1476)  had  147 ;  to  these  Stephanus  (1546) 
added  20,  Xevelet  (1610)  148,  Heusinger  (1741)  6,  Furia 
(1810)  28,  Coraes  (1810)  77,  and  Schneider  (1812)  2.  (Prom 
F.  Fedde,  uEsopische  Fabeln  nach  einer  Wiener  HS., 
1877).  The  latest  collections  by  Fedde  and  Knoell  (both 
1877)  vary  in  treatment,  not  in  subject,  from  the  earlier 
ones. 

VOL.  I.  B 


18  &SOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

been  indeed  generally  taken  for  the  real  iEsop. 
But  the  slightest  critical  inquiry  brings  with' it 
the  most  serious  doubts  as  to  the  antiquity  of 
these  collections.  The  keen  glance  of  Bentley 
was  diverted  for  a  moment  to  these  Fables  of 
.ZEsop,  and  they  shrunk  away  before  his  magis- 
terial gaze  as  convicted  impostors.*  Of  the  two 
collections  published  before  his  time,  that  con- 
nected with  the  name  of  Planudes  (1476),  and 
the  additional  collection  of  Neveletus  (16 10), 
he  pointed  out  that  the  former  used  Hebraisms 
and  Middle  Greek  words,  while  the  latter, 
though  bearing  signs  of  being  the  earlier  col- 
lection of  the  two,  quotes  Job  i.  21,  "Naked 
came  we  from  our  mother's  womb,"  &c.  Both 
collections,  too,  bore  traces  of  having  made  use 
of  a  writer  named  Babrius  or  Gabrias.  Until 
his  date  was  settled  no  conclusion  could  be 
drawn  about  the  Greek  prose  iEsop  except  that 
they  could  not  come  from  the  time  or  hand  of 
iEsop.  Meanwhile  Bentley's  object  had  been 
attained,  and  Sir  William  Temple  had  lost 
another  skirmish  in  the  Battle  of  the  Books 

*  Bentley's  excursus  on  JEsop's  Fables  was  contained  in 
a  few  pages  appended  to  his  great  Dissertation  on 
Phalaris,  to  which  Professor  Jebb  has  scarcely  done  justice 
in  his  otherwise  admirable  monograph. 


BABRIUS.  19 

through  his  bad  tactics  in  referring  to  these 
fables  with  respect  and  as  iEsop's. 

Henceforth  the  search  was  after  this  Babrius 
on  whom  the  whole  question  had  been  shown 
by  Bentlev  to  hinge.  The  great  critic  him- 
self had  recovered  a  few  Babrian  lines  from 
Suidas  and  the  prose  versions,  and  with  the 
scholar's  prophetic  instinct  had  declared  for  his 
late  date.*  Tyrwhitt  followed  Bentley's  lead 
in  his  Dissertatio  de  Babrio  (1776),  and  rescued 
a  few  more  fragments,  and  there  the  matter 
rested  so  far  as  the  eighteenth  century  was 
concerned.  With  the  opening  years  of  the 
nineteenth  fresh  activity  was  shown  in  the 
search  after  the  Greek  iEsop.  Within  four 
years  (1809-12)  no  less  than  four  editions 
appeared,  t  But  none  of  the  new  collections 
afforded  additional  light  on  the  question  of 
origin :  each  and  all,  old  and  new,  had  hidden 

*  It  is  some  encouragement  for  us  smaller  fry  to  find  the 
great  scholar  in  the  wrong  in  attributing  the  Life  of  ^Esop 
to  Planudes,  whereas  it  existed  in  MSS.  before  the  date  of 
the  Byzantine.  He  had  also  no  suspicion  that  Babrius  was 
a  Roman. 

f  That  by  Furia,  the  Leipsic  reprint  of  Furia  (with  the 
addition  of  Fabricius,  Bentley,  Tyrwhitt,  and  Huschke 
which  makes  it  still  the  most  convenient  collection),  Coraes' 
most  complete  collection,  and  Schneider's. 


20  JESOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

their  spoor  from  the  critical  hunter  by  the 
simple  but  effectual  plan  of  alphabetic  arrange- 
ment which  baffled  all  tracking  to  their  source. 
Nor  did  any  of  the  new  lights  cast  their  illumi- 
nation upon  the  great  unknown,  Babrius,  though 
Furia's  collections  contained  fifteen  of  his  fables. 
At  last  in  1840  Minoides  Menas,  a  Greek 
commissioned  by  the  French  Minister  of  Public 
Instruction  to  search  among  the  monasteries  of 
his  native  land,  found  a  MS.  containing  123 
Babrian  fables  in  the  Convent  of  St.  Laura  on 
Mount  Athos,  and  brought  a  transcript  to  Paris 
where  it  was  published  in  1844.  Barely  has 
such  a  discovery  been  so  eagerly  welcomed ;  * 
no  less  than  eight  complete  editions  appeared 
within  a  year  of  the  princeps. 

But  the  emergence  of  the  sun  of  the  ^Esopic 
system  from  the  clouds  that  had  so  long  ob- 
scured him,  served  rather  to  dazzle  than  to 
illuminate.  On  the  important  question  of  his 
date  opinions  oscillated  between  250  B.C.  to  250 
a.d.     He  was  declared  an  Athenian,  a  Syrian, 

*  The  only  parallel  I  can  think  of  is  the  eagerness  with 
which  edition  after  edition  of  the  Teaching  of  the  XII. 
Apostles  was  edited  soon  after  its  first  production.  And 
there  the  interest  was  theological  as  well  as  scholarly. 


BABRIUS,  A  ROMAN.  21 

an  Alexandrine,  even  an  Assyrian.  It  was  not 
till  1879  that  the  question  of  Babrius'  age  and 
identity  was  settled  by  Otto  Crusius  in  a  most 
thorough  and  convincing  essay  "  De  Babrii 
setate."  *  He  comes  to  the  somewhat  startling 
conclusion  that  the  Greek  Fables  of  Babrius 
were  by  a  Roman,  f  By  a  remarkable  exer- 
cise of  critical  sagacity,  the  Babrian  scazon 
is  shown  to  be  influenced  by  Latin  metre,  and 
to  be  an  attempt,  a  very  successful  attempt, 
to  utilise  accent  in  Greek  verse.  Some  of 
the  fables  are  shown  to  be  derived  from  Latin 
models,  the  eleventh,  e.g.,  being  drawn  from 
Ovid  (Fasti,  iv.  700).  Roman  customs  are  im- 
plied in  others ;  it  was  a  Roman,  but  not  a 
Greek  custom,  to  put  figures  of  animals  on 
sepulchral  monuments  as  is  implied  in  the 
Fable  of  TJie  Lion  and  the  Man.%  The  name 
Babrius    is    a    not    unfrequent    gentile    name 

*  Leipziger  Studien,  Bnd.  ii.  pp.  128-244.  In  what  fol- 
lows I  have  ventured  to  disregard  the  "fortasse"  which 
the  modesty  and  caution  of  a  great  scholar  have  attached 
to  each  of  Crusius'  discoveries. 

f  Boissonade,  the  first  editor,  also  held  this  view,  basing 
it  on  the  name. 

X  Not  extant  in  our  Babrius,  but  represented  by  the 
first  of  the  tetrastichs  of  Gabrias  or  Ignatius,  which  were 
entirely  derived  from  the  complete  Babrius  (cf.  Bo.  IV.  xv. ). 


22  JESOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

among  the  Romans,  and  is  etymologically 
connected  with  barba.  Finally,  it  is  rendered 
probable  that  Babrius  was  one  Valerius  Babrius, 
and  composed  his  fables  in  his  quality  of  tutor 
to  Branchus,  the  young  son  of  the  Emperor 
Alexander  Severus  (a.d.  235).!  As  Suidas 
states  that  Babrius'  fables  were  originally  in 
ten  books,  Crusius  conjectures  that  they  merely 
put  into  verse — for  the  first  time  in  Greek 
letters,  Babrius  boasts  —  the  AtKcc/jivOta,  of 
Nicostratus,  a  rhetor  of  the  "greedy  Greek- 
ling"  type  who  was  about  Marcus  Aurelius' 
court. 

Babrius'  age  and  identity  being  established, 
it  still  remained  to  determine  the  extent  of 
his  collection.  For  the  Athoan  Codex  dis 
covered  by  Menas  is  only  a  fragment :  the 
fables  are  arranged  alphabetically  and  break  off 
in  the  middle  of  O,  and  it  is  by  no  means  cer- 
tain that  it  is  complete  from  Alpha  to  Omikron. 
With  our  fuller  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  the 
Babrian  scazon,  it  might  seem  possible  to 
recover  from  the  prose  versions  the  missing 
fables.      Two    German    scholars,    Drs.    Knoell 

f  He  must  have  been  very  young,  as  Severus  was  killed 
at  the  age  of  27. 


THE  GREEK  .ESOP  IS  BABR1US.         23 

and  Gitlbauer,  have  tried  to  complete  the  task 
initiated  by  Bentley  and  carried  on  by  Tyrwhit 
last  century  under  much  more  adverse  circum- 
stances. I  have  Mr.  Rutherford's  authority  * 
for  stating  that  they  have  disastrously  failed  in 
their  application  of  the  inverse  method  :  Gitl- 
bauer, who  sums  up  their  labours,  has  restored 
to  us,  not  Babrius,  but  only  Gitlbauer's  Babrius, 
quite  a  different  thing.  But  for  our  immediate 
purpose  the  accuracy  of  the  text  he  has  estab- 
lished is  of  little  consequence  compared  with 
the  determination  of  the  number  and  subjects 
of  the  missing  Babrian  fables.  The  Babrian 
scazon  has  such  a  urique  appearance  in  Greek 
prosody  that  there  can  be  little  difficulty  in 
tracing  "  survivals "  of  it,  and  we  may  fairly 
assume,  I  think,  that  Gitlbauer's  reconstruction 
gives  us  the  minimum  number  of  fables  in  the 
original  Babrius.  f     This  he  extends  to  no  less 

*  Babrius,  pp.  lxviii.  and  lxxvii.  I  take  this  opportunity 
of  saying  that  I  have  not  been  able  to  quote  Mr.  Ruther- 
ford hitherto,  because  on  the  Babrian  questions  with  which 
we  have  been  concerned  he  has  only  entered  upon  the 
labours  of  Crusius,  as  he  himself  handsomely  acknowledges. 
I  hope,  however,  that  his  second  volume  will  give  a  definite 
settlement  to  the  questions  I  am  here  touching  with  amateur 
hand. 

f  At  the  same  time  it  is  unlikely  that  Babrius  made  two 


24  jESOP  in  antiquity. 

than  293.  Besides  these,  we  may  be  able  to 
add  a  few  more  from  a  collection  of  fifty-three 
fables  in  tetrastichs  curtailed  from  Babrius  by 
Ignatius,  Archbishop  of  Nicsea  (780-850),  and 
passing  current  under  the  name  of  Gabrias.* 
Altogether  we  are  justified,  I  think,  in  assuming 
that  some  three  hundred  fables  of  the  Greek 
prose  ^Esop  owe  their  origin  to  Babrius. 

We  are  now  in  a  position  to  dispose  of  the 
Greek  prose  fables  which  have  for  so  long 
usurped  the  title  of  ^Esop  and  are  referred 
to  even  to  this  day  as,  primary  evidence  for 
the  existence  of  the  special  fables  in  ancient 
Greece.  Three  hundred  —  three-quarters  of 
them,  we  have  seen — can  only  trace  back  to 
Babrius  in  the  third  century,  a.d.,  or  at  most 
to  the  rhetor  Nicostratus  in  the  second.  Of 
the   remaining   hundred,!    some   are   variants 

or  even  three  bites  at  the  ^Esopic  cherry,  as  Gitlbauer 
assumes  in  giving  us  three  versions  of  the  same  subject,  e.g., 
his  115,  216,  273. 

*  A  useful  edition  of  them  has  recently  been  published 
in  Programm  form  by  C.  F.  Miiller,  Ignatii  Diaconi  tetra- 
sticha  iambica  lid  (Kilias,  1886).  I  quote  this  as  "Gab." 
in  the  Parallels,  under  II  (Classical  Antiquity),  where  no 
Babrian  parallel  exists,  under  III  (Middle  Ages),  where  the 
original  is  extant. 

t  The  few  over  the  hundred  are  due  to  Coraes,  who 


"RE  MI  CI  US."  25 

of  the  Babrian  ones  which  are  not  above  the 
capacity  of  mediaeval  monks  to  execute,  some 
are  derived  from  the  Oriental  sources,  Bidpai, 
Syntipas,  &c,  of  which  we  are  shortly  about 
to  speak,  and  some,  it  is  even  possible,  are 
versions  of  the  Romulus.  We  may  accord- 
ingly sweep  them  from  our  path  in  our  jour- 
ney to  the  sources  of  our  fables.  But  before 
doing  so,  it  should  be  pointed  out  that  one 
section  of  Caxton's  ^Esop  can  be  directly 
traced  to  them.  Before  any  of  them  had 
appeared  in  Greek,  an  Italian  scholar,  Banutio 
d'  Arezzo,  translated  100  of  them  into  Latin 
from  a  MS.  and  published  them  in  1476.  His 
name  was  Latinised  as  Benutius,  but  as  there 
is  no  distinction  in  mediaeval  script  between 
nut  and  mic,  his  collection  is  known  by  the 
name  of  Bemicius,*  and  in  that  form  was  ex- 
cerpted by  Stainhowel  when  he  made  his  selec- 
tion from  the  Latin  fables  extant  in  his  time, 
and  so  got  into  our  Caxton.  It  is  some  con- 
firmation of  the  conclusion  at  which  we  have 
arrived  with  regard  to  the  origin  of  the  Greek 

unwisely  inserted  the  genuine  remains  of  ancient  Greek 

Fable  in  the  prose  collections.     For  these  see  infra,  p.  26. 

*  Lessing,  one  of  the  earliest  and  best  of  Asop-forscher, 

was  the  first  to  point  this  out  ( Werke,  ed.  1874,  ix.  p.  39  seq. ). 


26  MSOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

prose  fables  that  I  have  been  able  to  trace  all 
but  one  of  these  to  Babrius,  either  in  the 
vulgate  or  in  Gitlbauer's  edition. 

Putting  Babrius  and  the  prose  versions  aside 
once  for  all,  we  find  ourselves  but  poorly  pro- 
vided with  material  when  at  last  we  step  on 
to  Greek  soil  and  look  around  us  for  .ZEsop's 
fables  in  the  fatherland  of  ^sop.  Here  is  a 
complete  list  of  the  Fables  given  in  Greek 
literature  up  to  the  fall  of  Greek  independence 
— the  only  time  that  counts  for  aught,  as  re- 
gards literary  originality.  They  amount  to 
eight  * — Hesiod's  The  Nightingale  (Op.  et  Dies, 
202  seq.) — the  oldest  fable  in  existence  f — The 
Fox  and  Ape  and  Eagle  and  Fox  (cf.  Ro.  I.  xiii.) 
of  Archilochus,  The  Piper  turned  Fisherman 
of  Herodotus  (i.  141,  cf.  Re.  vii.)  The  Eagle  hoist 
with  his  own  Petard  (to  use  a  telescopic  title)  of 
.ZEschylus  in  a  fragment  of  his  lost  Myrmidons 
(ap.  Schol.  on  Aristoph.  Aves  808),  Sheep  and 


*  I  omit  Plato's  Grasshoppers  {Phced.  259),  as  clearly  not 
a  folk-fable,  but  concocted  ad  hoc.  Similarly  I  omit  the 
reference  to  The  Fox  and  Lion  fable  in  the  pseudepi- 
graphic  Alcibiades,  though  it  is  probably  early. 

f  Jotham's  fable  (Jud.  ix.  8-15)  was  probably  redacted 
later.  At  the  same  time  the  verses  come  in  very  discon- 
nectedly in  Hesiod.     See  also  infra,  p.  82. 


A  REAL  jESOP'S  FABLE.  27 

Dog  by  Xenophon  (Mem.  II.  vii.  1 3)  and  two 
fables  given  by  Aristotle  in  the  chapter  of  his 
Rhetoric,  (II.  xx)  which  deals  with  the  use  of 
Example  in  oratory.  One  is  The  Horse,  Hunter, 
and  Stag  (cf.  Ro.  IV.  ix.)  attributed  to  Stesi- 
ehorus,  the  other  The  Fox,  Hedgehog,  and 
Dog-Ticks  attributed  to  ^Esop.  As  the  latter 
is  the  earliest  extant  fable  attributed  to  the 
Father  of  the  Fable,  and  that  on  so  respectable 
an  authority  as  Aristotle's,  we  may  here  give  it 
in  Air.  Welldon's  excellent  version. 

iEsop  again  at  Samos,  as  counsel  for  a  demagogue 
who  was  being  tried  for  a  capital  offence,  said  that  a 
fox,  in  crossing  a  river,  was  swept  down  into  a  cleft  of 
a  rock,  and  being  unable  to  get  out,  was  for  a  long 
time  in  a  sorry  plight,  and  a  number  of  dog-ticks 
fastened  on  her  body.  A  hedgehog,  strolling  by, 
happened  to  catch  sight  of  her,  and  was  moved  by 
compassionate  feeling  to  inquire  if  he  should  remove 
the  dog-ticks  from  her.  The  fox,  however,  would 
not  allow  him  to  do  so,  and  being  asked  the  reason, 
replied,  "  Because  these  have  already  taken  their  fill 
of  me,  and  do  not  now  suck  much  blood  ;  but  if  you 
take  these  away,  other  will  come,  and  in  then  hunger 
will  drain  up  all  the  blood  that  is  left."  "  Yes,  and 
in  your  case,  men  of  Samos,"  said  iEsop,  "my  client 
will  not  do  much  further  mischief ;  he  has  already 
made  his  fortune  ;  but,  if  you  put  him  to  death,  then 
will  come  others  who  are  poor,  and  who  will  consume 


28  JESOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

all  the   revenues   of  the  State  by  their  embezzle- 
ments." 

We  may  complete*  the  Corpus  of  ancient 
Greek  fables,  the  subjects  of  which  can  be 
identified  and  the  date  approximately  fixed  by 
adding  a  dozen  other  fables  merely  referred  to — 
The  Heron  and  Eel  by  Simonides  Amorginus 
(ap.  Athen.  vii.  299  C.) ;  The  Ass'  Heart,  by 
Solon  '(cf.  Diog.  Laert.  i.  51,  Babr.  95);  The 
Serpent  and  Eagle,  by  Stesichorus  (ap.  iElian 
xvii.  37);  The  Serpent  and  Ass  by  Ibycus 
(Schneidewin,  Poet,  grcec,  176);  The  Fox  (with 
many  wiles)  and  Hedgehog  (with  one)  by  Ion 
(ap.  Leutsch.  Parasom.  grceci,  I.  47  ;  cf.  Ex. 
V.  v.) ;  The  Countryman  and  Snake  by  Theognis 
(579  cf'  ^°-  !•  x-)  j  r^ie  Transformed  Weasel  by 
the  dramatist  Strattis,  c.  400  (Meineke  Frag, 
com.  441) ;  The  Serpent  and  Crab  attributed  to 
Alcseus  (ap.  Furia,  note  on  /.  231);  The  Dog 
and  Shadow  by  Democritus  (ap.  Stob.  x.  69 ; 
cf.  Ro.  I.  v.) ;  The  North  Wind  and  Sun  by 
Sophocles  (ap.  Athen.  xiii.  604  D) ;  The  Hare 
and  Hound  (Vesp.  375,  Ban.  1191),  and  per- 

*  Strange  to  say,  this  is  the  first  time  such  a  list  having1 
any  claims  to  completeness  has  been  drawn  up.  I  have 
compiled  it  from  Coraes,  Wagener,  and  Mr.  Rutherford. 


GREEK  FABLE  =  GREEK  FOLK-LORE.    29 

haps  Tiie  Two  Crabs  by  Aristophanes  {Pax.  1083 
cf  Av.  iii.);  and  perhaps  The  Ass  in  Lion's 
Shin  by  Plato  (Cratyl.  411  A.;  cf.  A  v.  iv.).* 
When  we  come  to  the  Greek  authors  of  the 
Roman  Imperial  period  —  e.g.  Plutarch  and 
Lucian — we  might  add  another  dozen  or  so 
references,!  but  even  Plutarch  is  later  than 
Phsedrus,  and  the  others  are  later  than  Babrius' 
original,  Nicostratus.  There  is  only  one  way  to 
explain  the  paucity  of  reference  in  Greek  litera- 
ture to  the  Beast-Fable.  This  only  makes 
casual  appearance  in  written  literature,  because 
it  formed  part  of  the  folk- literature  with  which 
every  Greek  was  familiar  with  from  his  youth.  J 
Similarly  we  might  search  English  literature  in 
vain  for  even  a  reference  to  Jack  and  the  Bean 
Sialic,  or  Tlie  Little  Old  Woman  who  led  a  Pig 
from  Market.  The  Beast- Fable,  as  the  Wes- 
tern world  knows  it,  is  directly  traceable  to 
Greek  folk-lore. 

*  Wagener  adds  Simonides'  celebrated  satire  on  woman, 
scarcely  a  fable.  Mr.  Rutherford  gives  references  from 
Arcbilochus  corresponding  to  certain  of  Babrius'  Fables — 
Fox  and  Crow  [77  cf.  Ko.  I.  xv.),  Fox  and  Wolf  (130),  Cat 
and  Parrot  (135) — but  these  are  uncertain. 

f  See  Parallels  Ro.  II.  v.  ;  III.  i.,  iii.,  xiii.,  xvi. ;  IV. 
xiii.,  xv.  ;  Y.  xi.  ;  Av.  xx.,  and  cf.  Furia,  384-405. 

i  Arcbilochus  refers  to  one  of  his  as  afoos  avdpuiruv. 


30  MSOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

Here  comes  in  the  puzzle  of  the  whole  inves- 
tigation. The  allusive  character  of  the  majority 
of  the  references  in  Greek  literature  to  the 
Beast-Fable  shows  that  the  individual  fables 
are  not  told  at  length  by  the  Greek  writers,  for 
the  simple  reason  that  they  were  already  fami- 
liar to  the  audience  they  were  addressing.  In 
other  words,  the  Greek  Beast- Fable  bears  the 
characteristic  mark  of  folk-lore — anonymity. 
And  yet  from  a  certain  time  it  is  found  con- 
nected with  the  name  of  a  definite  personality, 
that  of  iEsop.  I  say  "from  a  certain  time," 
for  of  the  thirty  or  so  fables  enumerated 
above  only  the  latest  of  the  eight  fables  is  con- 
nected with  the  name  of  iEsop.  Previous 
to  this,  however,  Socrates  had  tried  to  put 
in  verse  some  of  the  Fables  of  iEsop  that 
he  remembered  (Phcedo,  61  A).  Besides,  in 
Aristophanes  especially  we  find  references  to 
A/Vw?rou  yeXoTa,  which  show  that  the  Attic 
comedians  assumed  that  Athenian  audiences 
connected  the  Beast- Fable  with  the  name  of 
^Esop.  Such  a  conjunction  is  unique,  so  far 
as  I  am  aware.  No  other  department  of  folk- 
lore— folk-tales,  spells,  proverbs,  weather-lore, 
or  riddles — is  connected  with  a  definite  name 


WHY  JESOP'S  FABLES?  31 

of  a  putative  author.*  The  only  key  to  the 
mystery  that  I  can  see  is  to  be  found  in  the 
mirth -producing  qualities  which  the  Greeks 
and  Romans  associated  with  the  Beast-Fable 
and  with  the  name  of  iEsop.  Aristophanes 
refers  to  the  fables  as  ysXo/a,  almost  the  sole 
mention  of  Phaedrus  in  Latin  literature  is 
Martial's  "  improbi  iocos  Phaedri"  (iii.  xx.  5),! 
and  Avian  speaks  of  ^Esop's  fables  as  ridicula 
in  his  Preface.  We  may  find  a  modern  instance 
of  this  tendency  to  see  the  risible  in  -tEsop  in 
George  Eliot's  youthful  experience.  In  her 
Life  (i.  20)  it  is  recorded  "how  she  laughed 
till  the  tears  ran  down  her  face  in  recalling  her 
infantile  enjoyment  of  the  humour  in  the  fable 
of  Mercury  and  the  Statue  Seller."  To  the 
child's  mind  of  George  Eliot  and  to  the  child- 
like minds  of  the  Greeks  it  was  the  humorous 
properties  of  the  iEsopic  fable  that  was  the 
chief  attraction. 

Now  it  is  with  special  reference  to  the  Jest 

*  There  is  perhaps  a  tendency  to  refer  to  a  familiar  folk- 
tale as  "one  of  Grimm's  Goblins,"  but  that  is  late,  and  con- 
veys no  real  intimation  of  authorship. 

f  Phsedrus  refers  to  his  own  fables  as  iocos  (III.  Prol.  37), 
and  gives  as  one  of  the  claims  of  the  fable  '  quod  risum 
movet '  (Prol.  Lib,  I.). 


32  JESOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

that  we  find  a  popular  tendency  to  connect  the 
name  of  a  definite  personal  origin.  From  the 
days  of  Hierocles  to  those  of  Mr.  Punch  it  has 
been  usual  to  connect  the  floating  Jest  with 
representative  names.  Among  these  may  be 
mentioned  Pasquil,  Poggio,  whom  we  shall  meet 
later,  and  Joe  Miller,*  and  in  later  days  there 
has  been  a  tendency  for  jests  to  crystallise 
round  the  names  of  Talleyrand  and  Sydney 
Smith.  In  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt's  three  volumes 
of  Elizabethan  Jest-books  the  majority  of  the 
collections  are  connected  with  some  definite 
personality — real,  as  Skelton,  Scoggin,  Tarletom 
Peele,  Taylor,  Old  Hobson  (Milton's  friend), 
or  imaginary,  as  Jack  of  Dover  and  the  Widow 
Edyth.  The  secret  of  all  this  is  probably  that 
the  simple  mind  likes  to  be  informed  before- 
hand that  it  is  expected  to  laugh  at  what  is 
coming — the  notice  is  indeed  often  necessary — 
and  the  readiest  means  of  doing  this  is  to  con- 
nect the  anecdote  with  some  well-known  name, 
in  itself  associated  with  past  guffaws.  It  is 
probable,  I  think,  that  the  name  of  iEsop  is  to 


*  This  name  comes  from  Mottley's  Joe  Miller's  Jests, 
temp.  Jac.  II.  There  is  no  evidence  that  the  actor  Joseph 
Miller  was  a  wit. 


A  GREEK  JOE  MILLER.  33 

be  added  to  the  above  list  of  professional  jesters, 
that  to  the  later  Greeks  JEsop  was  in  short  a 
kind  of  Joe  Miller.* 

How  early  iEsop's  name  was  indissolubly 
connected  with  the  Greek  Beast-Fable  in  a 
collected  form  is  shown  by  a  fact  to  which  in 
my  opinion  not  enough  significance  has  hitherto 
been  attached.  One  of  the  most  interesting 
figures  in  the  post-Alexandrine  history  of 
Athens  is  Demetrius  of  Phaleron  (one  of  the 
Attic  denies). f  Born  about  345  B.C.,  and 
educated  with  Menander  under  Theophrastus, 
he  became  the  leading  Attic  orator  of  his  day, 
and  became  so  influential  that  on  the  death  of 
Phocion,  317  B.C.,  he  was  placed  by  Cassander 
at  the  head  of  affairs  at  Athens.  Here  he 
"  tyrannised "  in  an  easy-going  way  for  ten 
years,  when  he  was  ousted  from  his  office  and 

*  Curiously  enough,  the  passage  from  George  Eliot's  Life 
just  quoted  is  immediately  followed  hy  one  in  which  Joe 
Miller's  Jest  Book  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  earliest  books 
read  by  the  creator  of  Mrs.  Poyser. 

t  On  him,  see  Grote,  xii  184,  195,  200  ;  Dr.  Schmitz  in 
Smith  Diet.  Class.  Biog.  ;  and  Jebb,  Attic  Orators,  ii.  441. 
Dohrn  wrote  a  monograph  on  him,  1825  ;  and  another  and 
more  complete  account  was  given  by  MM.  Legrand  and 
Tychon  in  the  Memoires  of  the  Brussels  Academy,  t.  xxiv. 
For  our  knowledge  of  his  literary  productions  we  are 
indebted  to  Diogenes  Laertius,  Y.  v. 

VOL.   I,  C 


34  MSOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

fled  to  Alexandria.  There  he  turned  from  action 
to  thought,  and  for  twenty  years  (307-283  B.C.) 
produced  book  after  book,  and  what  was  more, 
collected  book  after  book,  and  thus  formed  the 
nucleus  of  what  was  afterwards  the  world- 
famous  library  of  Alexandria.  i3ut  he  chiefly 
interests  us  here  as  a  kind  of  Grecian  Grimm. 
It  is  to  him  that  we  owe  the  collection  of 
sayings  of  the  Seven  Wise  Men  of  Greece. 
He  was  the  first  to  collect  Greek  proverbs, 
doubtless  from  the  mouths  of  the  people,  and 
it  was  probably  from  the  same  source  that  he 
compiled  the  Xoycav  Alffuiri/uv  cwayuycti,  which 
Diogenes  Laertius  includes  among  his  works 
(v.  80).  This  is  the  earliest  collection  of  Greek 
Beast-Fables  of  which  we  have  any  trace,  and 
they  are  thus  from  the  first  connected  with  the 
name  of  iEsop. 

Now  it  is  a  remarkable  coincidence,  which 
previous  investigators  have  carelessly  over- 
looked,*  that   Phsedrus    includes    among    his 

*  I  have  been  struck  throughout  my  investigations  into 
this  part  of  the  subject  at  the  apathy  of  classical  scholars 
about  points  of  literary  history  as  compared  with  their 
zeal  for  textual  and  verbal  criticism.  One  feels  inclined 
to  ask  if  textual  criticism  is  the  be-all  and  end-all  of  classical 
scholarship. 


DEMETRIUS  PHALEREUS.  35 

Fables  (v.  1)  a  somewhat  pointless  anecdote 
about  Menander  and  this  very  Demetrius 
Phalereus.  One  cannot  help  asking  what  he 
is  doing  dans  cette  galere.  And  the  only  answer 
must  be  that  Phaedrus  had  before  him  some 
edition  of  Demetrius'  svtaytoyaf,  to  which  some 
later  editor  had  added  various  anecdotes  of  the 
compiler.  The  fact  is  significant  in  many  ways ; 
if  an  editor  added  anecdotes  he  may  have  added 
further  fables,  and  we  shall  see  later  on  the 
special  opportunities  afforded  by  Alexandria 
for  this  purpose.  But  be  this  as  it  may,  the 
inclusion  of  the  fable  in  Phaedrus'  collection 
renders  it  almost  certain  that  Phaedrus'  Fables 
— and  they  form,  as  we  have  seen,  the  bulk 
of  our  iEsop — are  derived  from  an  enlarged 
edition  of  The  Assemblies  of  JSsopian  Fables, 
compiled  by  Demetrius  Phalereus,  c.  300  B.C. 

This  completes  the  close  parallel  which  the 
reader  must  already  have  observed  between  the 
two  great  masters  of  ancient  fable — Phaedrus 
and  Babrius.  The  one  was  a  Greek  writing  in 
Latin,  the  other  a  Boman  writing  in  Greek, 
verse.  The  works  of  neither  have  come  down 
to  us  complete  in  metrical  form ;  in  the  case  of 
both,  prose  versions  have  usurped  the  place  of 


36  JESOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

the  original.  These  prose  versions  preserve 
here  and  there  a  line  of  the  original  in  both 
cases,  but  do  not  enable  us  to  recover  it  in  toto. 
Each  of  these  prose  versions  in  collected  form 
has  passed  current  under  the  name  of  ^Esop, 
and  both  have  contributed  to  the  body  of  folk- 
tales familiar  to  us  as  M sop's  Fables. 

And  now  we  find  that  as  Babrius  probably 
only  put  into  Greek  verse  a  collection  of  Greek 
prose  fables  made  by  Nicostratus,  so  Phsedrus 
merely  translated  into  Latin  verse  the  earlier 
Greek  prose  collection  of  Demetrius  Phalereus. 
May  we  go  a  step  further  and  connect  these 
two  Greek  prose  collections  of  Beast- Fables  ? 
Nicostratus  is  scarcely  likely  to  have  remained 
ignorant  of  Demetrius'  collection,  and  must 
have  used  a  later  and  fuller  edition  than  Phse- 
drus did.  If  this  be  so,  we  can  trace  both 
Phsedrus  and  Babrius  to  the  one  source,  and  as 
they  constitute  our  iEsop,  we  may  round  off 
the  literary  history  of  our  fables  by  stating 
that  the  Fables  of  iEsop,  as  literary  products, 
are  the  fables  of  Demetrius  Phalereus.  To  the 
question,  "  Who  wrote  ^sop  ?  "  if  there  is  to 
be  only  one  reply;  we  must  answer,  "Deme- 
trius Phalereus." 


WHO  WROTE  .ESOP?  37 

This  result  considerably  reduces  ^Esop's  im- 
portance as  regards  any  light  he  can  throw  on 
the  Ur- origin  of  the  Fables  with  which  his 
name  will  always  be  connected.  Yet  it  is 
decidedly  appropriate  to  include  all  that  can 
be  ascertained  concerning  the  putative  Father 
of  the  Fable,  especially  as  this  may  account 
for  the  original  association  of  his  name  with 
it.  Unluckily  this  is  very  scanty,  so  scanty 
indeed  that  Welcker  has  written  an  ingenious 
essay  to  the  effect  that  ^Esop  is  himself  a 
Fable  (Kl.  Schr.  II.  229,  seq.)  And  as  a  matter 
of  fact  the  only  trustworthy  notice  of  him 
in  Greek  literature  is  one  contained  in  a  pas- 
sage in  Herodotus  (ii.  134).  That  good  gossip 
is  discussing  the  tradition  that  one  of  the 
Pyramids  had  been  built  out  of  the  profes- 
sional fees  of  Rhodopis,  a  renowned  Hetaira. 
How  could  this  be,  asks  Herodotus,  since 
Rhodopis  lived  in  the  reign  of  Amasis  ?  (fl. 
550  B.C.) ;  and  he  continues  : — 

She  was  a  Thracian  by  birth,  and  was  the  slave  of 
Iadmon,  son  of  Hephaestopolis,  a  Samian.  yEsop, 
the  fable  writer,*  was  one  of  her  fellow-slaves.    That 

*  In  the  original,  \0707rotos,  "  story  teller."  It  is  by  no 
means  certain  that  Herodotus  used  it  in  the  more  special 
sense. 


38  &SOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

iEsop  belonged  to  Iadmon  is  proved  by  many  facts — 
among  others,  by  this :  When  the  Delphians,  in 
obedience  to  the  commands  of  the  oracle,  made  pro- 
clamation that  if  anyone  claimed  compensation  for 
the  murder  of  iEsop,  he  should  receive  it,  the  person 
who  at  last  came  forward  was  Iadmon,  grandson  of 
the  former  Iadmon,  and  he  received  the  compensa- 
tion. iEsop  must  certainly  therefore  have  been  the 
earlier  Iadmon's  slave. 

This  passage  contains  all  the  authentic  in- 
formation we  have  of  the  reputed  Father  of  the 
Fable.  That  he  nourished  about  550  B.C.,  was 
a  slave  in  Samos,  and  was  killed,  probably  by  a 
decree  Of  the  Delphic  oracle,  and  that  compen- 
sation (wergild)  was  claimed  for  his  death  by  the 
grandson  of  his  master — this  is  the  scanty  but 
probably  accurate,  biography  of  iEsop.  Pro- 
bably accurate  because  Herodotus  is  reporting 
on  events  that  only  happened  a  hundred  years 
before  his  time.  Of  these  facts  I  am  inclined 
to  lay  most  stress  on  the  circumstance  of 
iEsop's  death.  His  was  the  epoch  of  the 
Tyrants,  and  I  would  conjecture  that  his  connec- 
tion with  the  Beast-Fable  originally  consisted 
in  its  application  to  political  controversy  under 
despotic  government,  and  that  his  fate  was  due 
to  the  influence  of  one  of  the  Tyrants  with  the 


POLITICAL   USE  OF  FABLES.  39 

Delphic  authorities,  who  were  doubtless  not 
above  being  influenced  by  powerful  clients.* 
We  shall  see  later  on  that  the  Fable  is  most 
effective  as  a  literary  or  oratorical  weapon 
under  despotic  governments  allowing  no  free 
speech.  A  Tyrant  cannot  take  notice  of  a 
Fable  without  putting  on  the  cap  that  fits. 
Much  of  our  ancient  evidence  points  this  way. 
Jotham's  fable  (Jud.  ix.  8-15)  was  directed 
against  Abimelech,  the  Israelite  riisav.oc.  In 
our  list  of  genuinely  ancient  Greek  Fables, 
one  is  connected  with  the  name  of  Theo- 
gnis  who  was  ruined  by  a  Tyrant,  Solon  made 
use  of  his  for  political  purposes,  and  Archi- 
lochus  was  Satire  personified.  The  only  extant 
Fable  that  can  be  attributed  to  iEsop  with  any 
plausibility  {supra,  p.  27)  was  used  by  him  for 
political  purposes.  Our  evidence  is  of  course 
scanty,  but  it  all  points  one  way.  x-Esop 
could  not  have  been  the  inventor  or  introducer 
of  the  Beast- Fable  into  Greece,  as  we  find  it 

*  Plutarch's  story  of  iEsop  having  done  them  out  of 
their  fees  sent  by  him  from  Crcesus  is  a  weak  (and  late)  in- 
vention of  the  enemy.  For  it  see  Rawlinson's  note  ad  loc. 
It  contains,  however,  an  interesting  variant  of  Joseph's  plan 
for  detaining  Benjamin  (Gen.  xliv.  2).  Other  classical 
parallels  are  given  by  Wagener  (p.  16). 


4o  jESOP  in  antiquity. 

there  before  him.  The  only  way  therefore 
we  can  explain  the  later  identification  of  his 
name  with  it  is  to  suppose  some  special  and 
striking  use  of  the  fabellce  aniles  familiar  to  all 
Greek  children.  Considering  the  age  he  lived 
in  and  the  death  he  died  the  conjecture  I  have 
put  forth  that  iEsop's  name  was  associated 
with  the  Fable,  because  he  made  use  of  it  as  a 
political  weapon,  is  the  only  hypothesis  that 
will  fit  in  with  all  the  facts  of  the  case.* 
zEsop  was  not  the  Father  of  the  Fable,  but 
only  the  inventor  (or  most  conspicuous  applier) 
of  a  new  use  for  it,  and  when  the  need  for  that 
use  no  longer  existed  under  outspoken  demo- 
cracies, his  connection  with  the  Fable  was  still 
kept  up  as  a  convenient  and  conventional 
figurehead  round  which  to  gather  a  specialised 
form  of  the  Greek  Jest. 

This  result  considerably  reduces  the  impor- 
tance of  the  other  fact  we  know  of  him  from 
Herodotus  on  which  previous  inquirers  have 
laid  exclusive  stress.     iEsop  was  a  slave,  and 

*  There  are  two  points  to  meet :  (i)  why  was  the  Fable, 
a  part  of  Folk-lore,  associated  with  a  name  at  all  ?  I 
answer,  because  it  was  regarded  as  a  jest,  and  there  is  a 
general  tendency  for  Jests  to  cluster  round  a  name ;  (2), 
why  with  iEsop's  name  ?  my  reply  is,  that  he  first  applied 
it  to  convince  men,  instead  of  merely  amusing  children  as 
heretofore. 


WAS  MSOP  A  BARBARIAN?  41 

therefore  a  barbarian.  As  a  stranger,  may  he 
not  have  introduced  from  some  foreign  country 
the  fables  with  which  his  name  is  associated  ? 
Accordingly  all  those  who  have  hitherto  argued 
for  a  foreign  origin  of  the  Greek  Fable  have 
made  ^Esop  a  native  of  the  particular  land 
whence  they  wish  to  trace  it,  and  they  are  to 
some  extent  supported  in  their  conjecture  by 
the  fact  that  Ajecairog  is  an  un-Greek  form. 
Dr.  Landsberger  (Die  Fabeln  des  Sophos,  1S59), 
who  on  the  strength  of  Jotham's  fable  and 
Talmudic  reference  would  make  Judsea  the  ori- 
ginal home  of  the  Fable,  makes  iEsop  a  Syrian, 
and  connects  his  name  with  the  same  root  as  that 
of  Joseph.*  Herr  Ziindel  (Rhein  Mus.,  1847), 
who  advocates  the  claims  of  Egypt,  brings  our 
hero  from  the  banks  of  the  Nile.  D'Herbelot, 
who  is  for  identifying  him  with  the  Arabic 
Loqman,  is  for  Arabia  as  ^Esop's  fatherland 
(Bibl.  Orient.,  s.  v.  Esope).  Finally,  it  is  fair 
to  add  that  Mr.  Rutherford  (Babrius,  1882,  p. 
xxxv l),  who  is  staunch  for  the  autochthonous 

*  This  is  not  so  wild  as  Hitzig's  suggestion  that  Solomon 
was  acquainted  with  our  Fables,  because  it  is  said — "And 
he  spake  of  trees,  from  the  cedar  tree  in  Lebanon  even 
unto  the  hyssop  that  springeth  out  of  the  wall"  (1  Kings 
"".  33)- 


42  &SOP  IN  ANTIQUITY. 

character  of  the  .ZEsopean  fable,  does  not  see 
why  he  may  not  have  been  "  one  of  that  large 
class  of  Greeks  whom  the  fortune  of  war  ex- 
patriated and  forced  to  serve  men  of  the  same 
race  and  language  with  themselves."  All  these 
conjectures  are  nugatory  if,  as  we  have  seen, 
the  Fable  can  be  traced  before  iEsop  as  a  part 
of  Greek  folk-lore,  and  a  plausible  reason  can 
be  given  for  the  connection  of  his  name  with  it. 
But  though  the  possibility  of  ZEsop  having 
formed  a  link  between  Greece  and  some  foreign 
country  has  lost  its  interest,  if  the  above  view  of 
the  Greek  fable  is  correct,  it  does  not  follow  that 
the  question  of  its  foreign  origin  is  entirely  a 
nugatory  one.  Folk-lores  of  various  countries 
may  influence  one  another,  and  it  is  still  worth 
while  inquiring  whether  this  is  the  case  with 
that  particular  branch  of  Greek  folk-lore  which 
we  know  as  iEsop's  Fables.  Of  all  the  sugges- 
tions that  have  been  made  to  this  effect,  only  one 
deserves  serious  consideration.  The  Talmudic 
fables  adduced  by  Dr.  Landsberger  are  too  late, 
Egyptian  fables  are  practically  non-existent 
(see  infra,  pp.  82,  91),  and  the  four  Assyrian 
ones  extant  (Smith,  Chald.  Gen.  c.  ix.)  have  no 
similarity  with  the  Greek  ones  that  suggest  bor- 


ARE  THE  FABLES  BORROWED?      43 

rowing  on  either  side.  But  a  number  of  such 
resemblances  have  been  shown  to  exist  between 
Indian  and  Greek  fables,  rendering  it  advisable 
to  consider  their  connection.  This  course  will 
be  found  in  the  end  to  give  some  explanation  of 
the  sole  remaining  section  of  our  Caxton,  which 
has  not  yet  been  traced  by  us  to  its  immediate 
source.  For  during  the  course  of  our  inquiry 
into  the  Greek  Fable  in  the  present  section 
we  have  traced  the  seventh  division  of  our  book 
to  Avian,  and  the  sixth  practically  to  Bab- 
rius.  For  the  remaining  section — Liber  Quin- 
tus  Caxton  calls  it,  Fabulce  extravagantes  is 
Stainhowel's  name — our  best  course,  though  a 
somewhat  roundabout  one,  is  to  turn  to  the 
East  and  discuss — 

III.— THE    ORIENTAL   .zESOP. 

Bni>  tbe  /Easter  totfc  a  tale. 

—Jatakas  passim. 

Before  launching  out  on  the  Indian  Ocean  of 
Fable,  it  is  as  well  that  we  should  know  the 
port  from  which  we  start  and  the  quarter  to 
which  we  are  steering.  If  the  reader  wall 
glance  at  the  Synopsis  of  Parallelisms  at  the 
end  of  these  remarks,  he  will  rind  variants  given 


44  THE  ORIENTAL  jESOP. 

under  Section  I.  (the  Orient)  for  some  seventy 
of  the  Fables,  a  sort  of  Oriental  Septuagint,  as 
we  may  call  them.  That  is  the  datum  of  our 
inquiry,  and  the  obvious  question  to  ask  is,  How 
did  this  resemblance  come  about  ?  Here  we 
meet  with  one  of  those  general  questions  which 
the  folk-lorist  meets  at  every  turn,  and  it  is 
with  this  problem  that  he  is  at  present  chiefly 
engaged.  To  this  question,  stated  in  its 
broadest  generality,  there  are  four  answers  be- 
fore the  world.  Such  resemblances  between 
the  folk-lores  of  the  Aryan  peoples  are  due  to 
memories  of  the  time  when  all  were  one  people 
with  a  common  fund  of  popular  tradition,  said 
the  brothers  Grimm.  They  are  due  to  the 
tendency  of  the  human  mind  to  take  metaphor 
for  reality,  and  thus  change  figures  of  speech 
into  explanatory  tales,  was  the  reply  formulated 
by  Kuhn  and  made  popular  by  the  persuasive 
skill  of  Max  Miiller.  Then  came  Benfey  with 
a  solution  simple  and  natural  in  itself  but  re- 
quiring all  his  vast  erudition  to  demonstrate 
it;  folk-tales  of  different  nations  resemble  one 
another,  said  he,  for  the  simple  reason  that 
they  borrowed  from  one  another.  Lastly,  in 
recent   years,    Messrs.   Tylor   and    Lang   have 


FOLK-LORE  RESEMBLANCES.         45 

rendered  it  probable  that  many  of  the  resem- 
blances noted  are  due  to  the  identity  of  the 
human  mind  at  similar  stages  of  culture  :  the 
tales  are  similar  because  the  minds  producing 
them  were  alike. 

Restricting  ourselves  to  the  Beast-Fable,  it 
will  be  found  that  these  four  solutions  practi- 
cally reduce  themselves  to  one.  Grimm's  con- 
tention for  a  common  Aryan  Beast-Epic  ex- 
plaining Reynard  the  Fox  has  been  ruled  out 
of  court  with  costs  against  it.  The  view  that 
could  reduce  all  mythology  and  folk-lore  to  a 
department  of  folk-etymology  is  generally  dis- 
credited nowadays  and  was  never  seriously  ap- 
plied to  the  Beast-Fable.*  And  there  is  a  special 
reason  why  the  views  of  Messrs.  Tylor  and 
Lang,  ingenious  and  convincing  in  other  de- 
partments of  folk-lore,  fail  in  regard  to  the 
special  inquiry  before  us.  We  can  understand 
how  two  peoples  may  hit  upon  the  same  ruse 
by  which  a  wife  deceives  her  husband  or  a 
slave  his  master.  But  we  cannot  well  conceive 
two  nations  hitting  upon  the  same  form  of  the 
Apologue  in  the  guise  of  the  Beast-Tale,  though 

*  De    Gubernatis'    bizarre    attempt    in    his    Zoological 

Mythology  (1S72)  was  its  reductio  ad  absuraissimum. 


46  THE  ORIENTAL  jESOP. 

the  tendency  to  use  the  Beast-Tale  for  that 
purpose  and  the  origin  of  the  Beast- Tale  itself 
as  a  "survival"  of  Animism*  may  be  ex- 
plained on  their  hypothesis.  To  put  a  concrete 
example :  if  we  find  two  peoples,  who  have  been 
previously  in  contact,  each  making  use  of  so 
artificial  a  fable  as  TJie  Fox  and  Stork,  we  can- 
not assume  that  the  human  mind  has  been 
normally  at  work  in  the  two  cases  producing 
independently  such  an  abnormal  picture  as  a 
stork  and  a  fox  on  visiting  terms,  provided 
with  an  elaborate  dinner  service,  and  hitting 
upon  such  unnatural  forms  of  tantalisation.  If 
therefore  the  parallelism  in  such  cases  is  com- 
plete— all  depends  on  this — we  have  no  alter- 
native but  to  resort  to  Benfey's  hypothesis, 
and,  in  the  special  case  before  us,  for  the  most 
part  to  Benfey's  own  collection  of  such  parallels 
in  his  magnificent  Einleitung  to  the  German 
translation  of  the  Pcmtschatantra.f 

*  On  this  see  Mr.  Lang's  admirable  introduction  to  Mrs. 
Hunt's  Grimm.  I  have  discussed  the  general  question 
of  the  origin  of  the  Beast-Fable  in  my  Bidpai,  pp.  xxxix. 
-xlis. 

t  An  English  adaptation  of  this,  putting  results  in  a  more 
collected  form,  and  with  the  addenda  and  corrigenda  of 
the  last  thirty  years,  is  a  great  want  just  now.  I  may 
attempt  the  task  myself  one  of  these  days. 


THE  BORROWING  THEORY.  47 

For  when  it  comes  to  a  question  of  borrow- 
ing, the  question  of  relative  age  comes  in  also. 
Borrowing  is  after  all  a  mutual  relation,  and  in 
matters  like  the  present  we  can  only  determine 
to  whom  the  debt  is  due  by  ascertaining  who 
was  first  in  possession  of  the  property.  When 
Greek  meets  Indian,  Indian  meets  Greek,  and 
the  question  arises  which  had  the  goods  to 
dispose  of.  Hence  the  all-importance  of  dates 
in  an  inquiry  of  this  kind,  as  in  most  literary 
and  historical  investigations.  On  the  Greek 
side  we  are  at  length  in  a  position  to  fix  at 
anyrate  the  first  appearance  in  extant  litera- 
ture of  nearly  the  whole  body  of  Fables  current 
in  the  Greco-Eoman  world.  Confining  our- 
selves to  the  Caxton-Stainhowel — and  with  a 
few  exceptions*  this  gives  us  all  we  need  to 
arrive  at  a  decision — we  have  seen  that  the 
first  four  books  date  from  Phsedrus  temp. 
Tiberii  in  the  first  third  of  the  first  century 
A.D.,  the  sixth  traces  to  Babrius  in  the  third, 
or  at  most  to  iSTicostratus  in  the  second  cen- 
tury, and  the  seventh  to  Avian  in  the  latter 
part    of   fourth   century,    while   the   fifth,   we 

*  I  have   only  considered  parallels   not  in  our  Caston 
when  the  evidence  is  very  strong  indeed. 


48  THE  ORIENTAL  jESOP. 

shall  see,  is  late,  and  does  not  come  in  the 
reckoning  on  the  present  occasion.  We  have 
indeed  given  strong  grounds  for  suspecting 
that  the  bulk  of  these  are  ultimately  derived 
from  the  collection  made  by  Demetrius  Phale- 
reus  about  300  B.C.  But  the  very  evidence  on 
which  we  relied  showed  that  his  collection  was 
interpolated  later,  and  we  cannot  therefore  be 
sure  about  any  particular  fable  that  it  is  much 
earlier  than  the  collection  in  which  we  first 
find  it.  As  regards  the  earliest  Greek  fables 
we  have  enumerated  the  score  or  so  that  can 
be  traced  in  Greek  antiquity  on  pp.  26-8, 
and  on  these  must  rest  the  mainstay  of  our 
argument. 

How  does  it  stand  with  the  Indian  evidence 
that  we  are  to  compare  with  the  Greek  ?  With- 
out troubling  the  reader  with  the  scaffolding  I 
have  had  to  erect  and  remove  before  arriving 
at  the  following  results,*  I  may  divide  the 
seventy  Oriental  parallels  in  our  Synopsis  into 
five  categories.  We  may  first  dismiss  those 
occurring  in  the  Arabic  Loqman  or  the  Syriac 

*  I  have  found  Benfey's  Einleitung  very  awkward  to 
manage.  It  has  no  index,  no  comparative  tables,  no 
detailed  summary  of  results,  and  simply  to  understand 
many  of  his  points  one  has  often  to  look  up  his  references. 


INDIAN  PARALLELS.  49 

Sophos.*  which,  as  we  shall  see  later,  are  them- 
selves derived  from,  or  influenced  by  the  Greek. 
Then  comes  a  miscellaneous  collection  f  of 
parallels  from  the  Persian  Mesnevi,  the  Turkish 
TutinameTt,  the  African  parallels  occurring  in 
African  Native  Literature,  by  Kolle,  and  the 
modern  Indian  ones  given  by  Mr.  Eamaswami 
Rajo  {Indian  Fables,  Sonnenschein,  n.  d.)  and 
Captain  Temple  {Wideawake  Stories,  1884)4 
Xow  of  these  the  Persian  and  Turkish  date 
late  on  in  the  Middle  Ages,  and  the  African 
Tales  may  be  due  to  European  as  well  as  Indo- 
Arabic  influences.  With  the  modern  Indian 
parallels  the  case  is  somewhat  different.  If 
we   find   Mr.  Eamaswami  Paju  §  giving  us    a 

*  See  Eo.  II.  viii.  is.  xvi.  ;  III.  iii.  vii.  xii.  xv.  :  IV.  ii. 
xv.  xvii.  ;  A  v.  x.  xiv.  xx.  These  are,  of  course,  not  all 
the  parallels  from  these  two  sources,  but  only  those  in 
which  I  could  find  no  other  Oriental  variants. 

f  See  Eo.  I.  vi. ;  III.  iv.  vi.  xiv.  ;  IV.  i. ;  V.  iv.  ix.  xvi.  ; 
Av.  x.  xiii.  xvii 

X  I  have  selected  this,  as  Capt.  Temple's  Survey  at  the 
end  gives  an  analysis  of  all  the  other  modern  Indian  col- 
lections. It  is,  besides,  one  of  the  most  readable  and 
most  scientific  collections  that  have  been  made  outside 
Grimm. 

§  Mr.  Eaju's  collection  is  perfectly  uncritical,  which  is 

all  the  better  for  our  purposes,  but  does  not  indicate  his 

sources,  which  is  so  much  the  worse.     I  may  mention  as  a 

curiosity  that  his  tale  of  The  Fox  and  Crabs,  p.  28,  affords 

VOL.  I.  D 


50  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

modern  Indian  version  of  The  Ass  and  Watch- 
dog (p.  63,)  which  we  can  trace  back  into 
remote  Indian  antiquity ;  there  is  some  pre- 
sumption that  the  fable  of  The  Woodman  and 
Trees  (p.  47,  cf.  Ro.  III.  xiv.)  can  also  trace 
back  so  far,  and  we  shall  produce  later  on 
evidence  which  confirms  this  inference.  And 
so  too  when  we  find  in  Captain  Temple's 
collection  so  thorough  an  Indian  folk-tale  as 
The  Brahman,  Tiger,  and  Jackal  (p.  116,  cf. 
Ex.  V.  iv.)  which  we  can  trace  back  to  the 
earliest  times  in  India,  the  probabilities  are 
great  that  the  twenty-second  fable  of  Avian 
(here  Av.  xvii.)  may  also  be  traceable  to  the 
original  Indian  form  of  the  current  folk- tale, 
The  Farmer  and  the  Moneylender  (p.  215)  in 
which  the  farmer,  being  granted  a  wish  by 
Ram  on  condition  that  the  money-lender  gets 
double,  demands  to  have  one  of  his  eyes  put 
out !  But  we  need  not  linger  over  these  prob- 
abilities when  we  have  so  many  actualities  of 
the  Indian  antiquity  of  "iEsop's"  Fables  in 
the  Bidpai  literature.* 

a  striking  parallel  to  Alice's  ballad  of  The  Walrus  and  the 
Carpenter.     The  Tiger,  Stag,  and  Crocodile  (p.  67)  is  a  bit 
of  Munchausen. 
*  I  may  here  refer  my  readers  to  the  Introduction  of  my 


BIDPAI  PARALLELS.  51 

Here  again  we  must  distinguish.  The  Bid- 
pai  literature  as  analysed  in  all  its  offshoots  by 
Benfey,  covers  a  period  ranging  between  300  B.C. 
and  1000  a.d.  We  must  accordingly  divide  the 
parallels  to  the  Caxton  occurring  in  it  into  three 
different  strata.  There  are  first  what  may  be 
termed  the  Cainozoic  parallels  occurring  only  in 
the  Persian  and  other  versions  made  from  the 
original  after  it  had  left  India  or  in  those 
parts  of  the  Indian  original  that  bear  signs  of 
late  insertion. t  Then  we  come  on  the  parallels 
occurring  in  the  main  body  of  the  work  in  its 
original  and  most  ancient  form.  These  de- 
serve to  be  mentioned  at  length  :  they  are,  The 
Dog  and  Sliadow  (Ho.  I.  v.;  Benf.  §  17),  TJie 
Man  and  Serpent  (I.  x.  cf.  II.  x. ;  B.  §  150), 
Tlie  Two  Bitches*  (I.  ix. ;  B.  §  144),  The  Eagle 
and  Raven  (I.  xiv.  cf.  Av.  ii. ;  B.  §  84),  The  Crow 

edition  of  the  earliest  English  version  of  Bidpai  in  this 
series. 

f  See  Ro.  I.  i.  iii.  xiii  xvi.  xvii.  xx.  ;  II.  iii.  xiii.  xiv. 
xv.  xx.  ;  III.  xiv.  xvi.  xx.  ;  TV.  iv.  xii.  Ex.  V.  iii.  ;  Re.  i. 
xvi. ;  Av.  vii.  xvii.  xxiv.  These  and  other  Greek  and  Indian 
parallels  of  this  description  are  discussed  by  Benfey  §§19, 
58,  77,  112,  n8,  160,  220,  222,  227,  229,  230. 

*  In  the  sequel  I  have  not  discussed  Benfey's  parallels 
for  the  Fables  marked  with  an  asterisk,  as  they  do  not 
appear  to  me  to  be  close  enough  to  necessitate  the  hypo- 
thesis of  borrowing. 


52  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

with  Cheese  and  Fox  (I.  xv. ;  B.  §  143),  The  Lion 
and  Mouse  (I.  xviii. ;  B.  §  130),  Frogs  desiring  a 
King*  (II.  i. ;  B.  §  164),  Parturient  Mountain 
(Ro.  II.  v.;  B.  §  158),  The  Good  Man  and 
Serpent  (II.  x.  cf.  I.  x. ;  B.  §  150),  The  Bald 
man  and  Fly  (II.  xii ;  B.  §  105),  Jay  and 
Peacock  (II.  xv.;  B.  §  29),  Androclus*  (III. 
i. ;  B.  §  71),  27ie  Ephesian  Widow*  (III.  ix. ; 
B.  §  186),  27ze  &'c&  L*ow  (III.  xx. ;  B.  §  22), 
i^oa;  a?zd  Grapes  *  (IV.  i. ;  B.  §  45),  Gat  and  Rats 
(IV.  ii. ;  B.  §  73),  Dragon  and  Hart  (Ex.  Vf 
iv. ;  B.  §  150),  Fox  and  Cat  (Ex.  V.  v.;  B.  §  121), 
Serpent  and  Labourer  (Ex  V.  viii. ;  B.  §  150), 
The  Butting  Goats  (part  of  Ex.  V.  x. ;  B.  §  50), 
Eagle  and  Weasel  (Re.  ii ;  B.  §  84),  Fox  and  Goat  * 
(Re.  iii. ;  B.  §  143),  Man  and  Wooden  God* 
(Re.  vi. ;  B.  §  200),  Tortoise  and  Birds  (A  v.  ii.  cf. 
I.  xiv. ;  B.  §  84),  Ass  in  Lion's  Skin  (Av.  iv. ;  B.  § 
188),  The  Two  Pots  (Av.  ix. ;  B.  §  139),  Goose  with 
Golden  Eggs  (Av.  xxiv;  B.  §  159)-  Here  then 
at  last  we  seem  to  have  our  oldest  Indian  fables 
that  can  be  compared  with  the  oldest  Greek 
fables.      But    if    that    were    all    our    search 

*  See  note  *,  preceding  page. 

t  Parallels  from  Book  V.  do  not  count  in  the  present 
connection,  as  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  their  derivation 
for  the  most  part  from  India.     See  infra,  pp.  159  seq. 


BIDPAI  PARALLELS.  53 

after  an  earlier  source  than  the  Greek  for 
'•'  zEsop's "  fables  would  be  in  vain.  For 
the  earliest  form  of  the  Bidpai  cannot  trace 
back  earlier  than  the  third  or  at  most  the 
second  century  a.d.,  and  the  whole  body  of 
Greek  Fable  can  trace  back  as  early  as  that  if 
not  earlier.  But  though  the  Bidpai  must 
have  been  put  together  in  something  like  its 
present  shape  at  the  time  when  Brahmanism 
was  winning  back  the  ground  from  Buddhism, 
it  still  retains  survivals  of  a  Buddhistic  tone 
in  many  of  its  sections ;  and  some  of  these  we 
can  fortunately  trace  back  to  the  portion  of 
sacred  Buddhistic  literature  known  as  the 
Jatakas  or  Birth-Stories  of  the  Buddha.  These 
tell  of  the  Buddha's  adventures  during  his 
former  incarnations,  sometimes  in  the  shape  of 
a  bird,  beast,  fish,  or  tree.  As  some  of  them 
have  been  found  sculptured  on  Buddhist  topes 
dated  in  the  third  century  B.C.,  they  must  be  at 
least  older  than  that  period,  and  it  is  probable 
that  many  of  them  may  really  be  derived  from 
Sakyamuni,  who  flourished  453  B.C.*     If,  then, 

*  Many  may  be  even  older.  Buddha  probably  adopted 
the  Jataka  form  of  inculcating  a  moral  lesson  just  as  Christ 
made  use  of  the  Parable  so  popular  with  the  Rabbis. 


54  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

we  can  trace  any  of  the  above  Fables  back  to  the 
Jatakas,  we  have  come  upon  a  really  Palae- 
ozoic *  stratum  of  the  Bidpai  Fables,  and  are  at 
last  in  a  condition  to  compare  the  earliest 
Indian  with  the  earliest  Greek  Fables.  The 
Jatakas  had  not  been  published  when  Benfey 
wrote  in  1859,  but  from  traditional  accounts 
of  them  in  English  descriptions  of  Ceylon,! 
he  managed  to  trace  nearly  all  the  ^Esopic 
sections  of  the  Bidpai,  which  were  so  traceable, 
to  the  Jatakas.  These  we  may  now  proceed 
to  consider  in  some  detail. 

I.  We  may  begin  with  one  which  he  did  not 
so  trace,  because  it  does  not  happen  to  present 
any  parallelism  with  any  part  of  the  Bidpai 
literature,  and  does  not  accordingly  occur  in 
the  above  list.  It  is  of  especial  interest  to  us 
because  it  gives  the  earliest  extant  form  of  the 
fable  of  The  Wolf  and  the  Crane,  which  we  have 
already  traced  through  the  Middle  Ages  up  to 
Phsedrus.  It  happens  also  to  be  a  good,  and 
not  too  long,  specimen  of  the  general  plan  on 
which  the  Jatakas  are  formed. 

*  The  remaining  parables  occurring  in  the  original  Bidpai 
but  not  in  the  Jatakas  would  form  a  Mesozoic  stratum  of 
the  Bidpai  Parallels.     See  infra,  p.  89. 

f  Chiefly  Upham,  Sacred  Books,  and  Hardy,  Manual  of 
Buddhism. 


JATAKAS.  55 

Javasakuna-  Jataka.  * 

[V.  Fausboll,  Five  Jdtahas,  pp.  35-8. t] 

%  srrtricE  fjafac  be  tinrtc  tfjrc— This  the  Master  told, 
while  living  at  Jetavana,  concerning  Devadatta's 
treachery.  "  Not  only  now,  0  bhikkhus,  but  in  a 
former  existence  was  Devadatta  ungrateful."  And 
having  said  this,  he  told  a  tale  : — 

In  former  days  when  Brahmadatta  reigned  in 
Benares,  the  Bodhisat  was  born  in  the  region  of 
Himavanta  as  a  white  crane.  Now  it  chanced  that 
as  a  lion  was  eating  meat  a  bone  stuck  in  his  throat. 
The  throat  became  swollen,  he  could  not  take  food, 
his  suffering  was  terrible.  The  crane  seeing  him  as  he 
was  perched  on  a  tree  looking  for  food  asked,  "  What 
ails  thee;  friend?"  He  told  him  why.  "I  could 
free  thee  from  that  bone,  friend,  but  dare  not  enter 
thy  mouth  for  fear  thou  mightest  eat  me."  "Don't 
be  afraid,  friend,  I'll  not  eat  thee,  only  save  my  life." 
"  Very  well,"  says  he,  and  caused  him  to  lie  down  on 
his  left  side.  But  thinking  to  himself  "Who  knows 
what  this  fellow  will  do,"  he  placed  a  small  stick 
upright  between  his  two  jaws  that  he  could  not  close 
his  mouth,  and  inserting  his  head  inside  his  mouth 
struck  one  end  of  the  bone  with  his  beak.  Where- 
upon the  bone  dropped  and  fell  out.  As  soon  as  he 
had  caused  the  bone  to  fall,  he  got  out  of  the  lion's 


*  This  first  appeared  in  European  literature  in  De  la 
Loubere  Eoyaume  de  Siam  (1691),  ii.  25. 

t  I  have  ventured  to  English  Prof.  Fausboll's  version, 
which  was  intended  merely  as  a  "crib "  to  the  Pali  text. 


5 6  THE  ORIENTAL  JSSOP. 

mouth  striking  the  stick  with  his  beak  so  that  it  fell 
out  and  then  settled  on  a  branch.  The  lion  gets  well 
and  one  day  was  eating  a  buffalo  he  had  killed.  The 
crane  thinking  "I  will  sound  him"  settled  on  a 
branch  just  over  him,  and  in  conversation  spoke  this 
first  verse  (gdtha) — 

"  &  serbtcc  rjabe  foe  tione  tfjee 
3To  tfje  best  of  our  abtlttg 
I&tng  of  tfjc  Beasts !  £four  fHajestg ! 
£2Erjat  return  sjjaH  rjae  get  from  ttyt  ?  " 

In  reply  the  Lion  spoke  the  second  verse — 

"  3s  I  fecti  on  blooo 

3no  alttags  fjunt  for  prcg 
'£is  tmtcfj  tfjat  tfjau  art  still  alibe 
p^abtng  once  bttn  brtbjeen  mg  teetfj." 

Then  in  reply  the  crane  said  the  two  other  verses — 

"  Ungrateful,  ooing  rto  gooti, 

flot  tiaing  as  fjc  ojouIo  be  none  bo 
En  Tjxm  tfjerc  is  no  gratitutic 
Co  serbc  fjim  ts  useless. 

"  pjis  fricnoshtp  is  not  ioon 
Bg  tfjc  clearest  gooo  occo. 
Better  Softlg  bntfjorabi  from  fjim 
^ettfjer  cnbgmg  n°r  abusing." 

And  having  thus  spoken  the  crane  flew  away. 

The  Master  having  given  this  lesson,  summed  up 
the  Jataka  thus  :  "At  that  time,  the  Lion  was  Deva- 
datta  and  the  crane  was  I  myself." 


INDIAN  WOLF  AND  CRANE.  57 

The  part  in  italics  is  termed  the  "  Story  of 
the  Present,"  that  in  ordinary  type  the  "  Story 
of  the  Past."  These  are  extant  in  Pali  rever- 
sions of  Cingalese  translations  of  the  original 
Pali.  Of  this  last  the  verses  (gatka)  are  "sur- 
vivals," and  probably  date  from  400  B.C.  The 
stories  were  probably  written  down  as  commen- 
tary on  the  gdthas,  with  the  first  lines  of  which 
they  invariably  begin.  The  significance  of 
these  gdthas  will  concern  us  later  on. 

So  much  for  the  form  of  the  Jataka.  The 
subject-matter  is  so  clearly  parallel  to  the  fable 
of  The  Wolf  and  Crane,  which  we  have  seen 
current  in  the  Greco- Ptoman  world,  that  it  is 
impossible  not  to  surmise  some  historical  con- 
nection between  the  two.  What  that  precisely 
is  we  may  leave  for  discussion  till  we  have  fur- 
ther evidence  before  us. 

II.  We  may  next  take  the  Jataka  version  of 
The  Ass  in  the  Lion's  Skin  (No.  189  in  Faus- 
boll's  edition,  Siha-Cama  Jataka,  tr.  Rhys- 
Davids,  pp.  v.  vi.).  A  hawker  used  to  dress 
his  ass  in  a  lion's  skin,  and  thus  obtained  gratis 
forage  for  him,  as  the  watchmen  of  the  fields 
dared  not  go  near  him  to  drive  him  away. 
One  day,  however,  they  plucked  up  courage. 


5 8  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

and  summoned  a  posse  of  the  villagers,  and 
surrounded  the  pseudo-lion,  who,  in  the  fear  of 
death,  hee-hawed.  Then  the  Buddha,  who  had 
been  re-born  as  one  of  the  villagers,  said  the 
first  gatha — 

"  Ojis  i£  not  a  lion's  roaring, 
£or  a  tiger's,  nor  a  pantrjer's ; 
Drrssro  in  a  lion's  skin, 
'£ts  a  rorrtrfjeo  ass  tfjat  roars." 

and  the  hawker  returning  just  as  the  ass  died 
from  the  blows,  recited  the  second — 

"  3Long  mtirfjt  tfjc  ass 
GDIao  in  a  lion's  skin 
f^abc  fctr  on  tfjc  barlrrj  grew, 

But  fjc  crag  to  ! 
&no  tijat  moment  rje  came  to  ruin." 

Here  again  the  similarity  of  the  Greek  and 
Indian  fables  is  too  pronounced  to  leave  much 
doubt  about  a  historic  connection.  As  Mr. 
Rhys-  Davids  remarks,  the  Indian  fable  gives 
a  motive  for  the  masquerade  which  does  not 
exist  in  the  Greek  version. 

III.  Among  the  Jatakas  translated  by  Dr. 
R  Morris  in  the  Folk-Lore  Journal  (II. -IV.), 
I  have  found  one  which  gives  a  parallel  to  The 
Dog   and   Shadow   fable,  which    Benfey  could 


INDIAN  ASS  IN  LION'S  SKIN.         59 

not  trace  farther  than  the  Ur-Pantschatantra 
(§  191).  It  is  No.  374  of  Fausboll's  edition, 
bears  the  euphonious  title  of  Culladhanuggaha 
JataJca,  and  in  abstract  runs  as  follows  (cf. 
FLJ.  ii.  371  seq.).  An  unfaithful  wife  elop- 
ing with  her  lover  arrives  at  the  bank  of  a 
stream.  There  the  lover  persuades  her  to  strip 
herself,  so  that  he  may  carry  her  clothes  across 
the  stream,  which  he  proceeds  to  do,  but  never 
returns.  Indra  seeing  her  plight  changes  him- 
self into  a  jackal  bearing  a  piece  of  flesh, 
and  goes  down  to  the  bank  of  the  stream. 
In  its  waters  fish  are  disporting,  and  the 
Indra-jackal,  laying  aside  his  meat,  plunges 
in  after  one  of  them.  A  vulture  hovering 
near  seizes  hold  of  the  meat  and  bears  it 
aloft,  and  the  jackal  returning  unsucessful 
from  his  fishing  is  taunted  by  the  woman,  who 
had  observed  all  this,  in  the  first  gatha. 

11  <B  Sarfcal  so  oroton,  most  stnpto  art  gou, 
0o  sftill  cabr  pou  got,  rtor  KtiaMrDgc,  nor  Suit ; 
If  our  fisfj  gou  Ijabe  lost,  gour  meat  is  all  gonr, 
UrtD  nob  gou  sit  gruomg  all  poor  anO  forlorn." 

To  which  the  Indra-jackal  retorts  the  second 
gatha — 


6o  THE  ORIENTAL  jESOP. 

"  Cfje  faults  of  otfjcrgi  rasp  arc  to  See,' 
Tout  fjara  tttueeti  our  oton  are  to  fcefjoln  ; 
"ST^p  ^ujEfbann  t^jmt  Tjasst  lost,  ano  lober  efte, 
Stofc  tioto,  31  toeen,  tfiou  grteuesit  o'er  tfjp  logs."* 

Here  we  miss  the  (somewhat  unnatural) 
episode  of  the  dog  (or  jackal)  mistaking  the 
image  for  the  meat,  but  otherwise  the  parallel 
is  sufficiently  close  to  render  borrowing  prob- 
able, f  It  is  scarcely  likely  that  two  nations 
would  independently  hit  upon  the  loss  of  a 
piece  of  meat  as  a  symbol  of  the  punishment  of 
over-greed. 

TV.  Our  next  example  of  the  Palaeozoic 
stratum  of  the  Bidpai,  which  is  found  also  in 

*  These  gdthas  are  imitated  in  the  Pantschatantra  thus 
(Pants.  V.  viii.,  p.  311,  Benfey's  trans.)  : — 

Bk.  V.  Str.  64.  The  fish  swims  in  the  waters  still,  the 
vulture  is  off  with  the  meat  : 
Deprived  of  both  fish  and  meat,  Mistress 
Jackal,  whither  away  ? 

Str.  65.  Great  as  is  my  wisdom,  thine  is  twice  as 
great ; 
No  husband,  no  lover,  no  clothes,  Lady, 
whither  away  ? 

f  In  the  Arabic  iEsop,  Loqman  (No.  51),  the  animal  is  a 
dog.  as  in  the  Greek,  and  the  meat  is  captured  by  a  vulture, 
as  in  the  Indian  form.  Benfey  thinks  the  image  in  the 
water  is  derived  from  The  Hare  and  Elephant,  which  may 
be  the  origin  of  our  Fox  and  Goat  (Re.  iii.  ;  Benf.  §  143). 


INDIAN  DOG  AND  SHADOW.  61 

Buddhist  Birth- Stories,  shall  be  that  entitled 
by  Caxton,  Of  the  tortoise  and  of  the  other 
byrdes  (Avian  ii).  Caxton,  and  Avian  his 
original,*  are  hard  put  to  it  to  find  an  appro- 
priate moral  to  a  rather  senseless  apologue. 
But  in  what  we  cannot  help  regarding  as  the 
true  original,  the  Kacchapa  Jakata  (Fausboll, 
No.  215,  Rhys-Davids,  pp.  viii.-x.,  reprinted 
in  my  Bidjpai,  pp.  Ixv.-lxvii.),  the  fable  is 
directed  against  chatterboxes.  Two  young 
hamsas,  friendly  with  a  tortoise,  offer  to  carry 
him  to  their  favourite  pasture  ground,  if  he 
will  bite  a  stick  which  they  will  carry ;  they 
warn  him,  however,  to  keep  his  mouth  closed 
during  the  flight.  While  on  the  wing  all  the 
birds  of  the  air  collect  about  the  curious 
spectacle,  and  make  remarks  by  no  means 
complimentary  about  the  tortoise.  His  natu- 
ral disposition  to  loquacity  overcomes  him,  and 
opening  his  mouth  to  expostulate  with  them, 
he  loses  hold  of  the  stick  and  falls  to  the 
ground.       Buddha    utilises     the     incident    to 


*  It  occurs  also  in  Babrius  115,  where  the  tortoise  offers 
all  the  treasures  of  the  Erythraean  sea  for  its  aerial  journey, 
a  trait  which,  as  Mr.  E.  Ellis  remarks,  points  to  an  Indian 
original. 


62  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

reprove  a  loquacious  king  by  summing  it  up  in 
the  gdtha — 

"  Ferilrj,  flje  tortoise  ftillrtJ  fjimself 

£2Ef)iIst  uttering  fjts  noicr, 

£rjougf)  rjc  inas  fjoloing  tigfjt  tfjc  stick 

23g  a  Snorlj  ijimsrtf  rjc  slcfo. 
"  Bcrjolti  fjim  tljcn,  ©  excellent  bu  strcngtfj 

•Eno  speak  intsc  rooros  not  out  of  season. 

|fou  sec  fjooj  on.  fjrs  talking  obermuer; 

Oje  tortoise  fell  into  tfjis  roreterjeo  nligrjt." 

This  fable  has  probably  had  influence  on  that 
of  The  Eagle  and  Raven  (Ro.  I.  xiv.),  and  is 
probably  not  disconnected  with  the  story  of 
the  death  of  iEschylus  by  an  eagle  dropping  a 
tortoise  on  his  bald  cranium ;  this  occurs  for 
the  first  time  as  late  as  iElian  (vii.  17). 

V.  I  will  now  put  in  the  Jataka  variant  for 
the  well-known  fable  of  The  Wolf  and  La?nb,  a 
parallel  which  has  not  hitherto  been  pointed 
out.  It  is  the  Dipi  Jataka  (Fausboll,  No.  426, 
translated  by  Dr.  Morris,  Folk-Lore  Journal, 
iv.  45).  A  panther  meets  a  kid  ;  what  follows 
is  sufficiently  indicated  by  the  gdthas  they 
utter : — 
"  Pan,  ©u  mo  tail  rjafae  gou  stent,  gou  false^speakino; 

ffou  fjabe  oone  me  mucfj  fjarm,  gou  careless 
goungtfjing.  .  .  . 


INDIAN  WOLF  AND  LAMB.  63 

Kid.  Hour  fare  mas  tomaros  tat,  gour  tail  mas  nn* 
skit,  .  .  . 
fgom  ttjen  coulo  S  trrau  on'  tfje  enfl  of  gour  tail  ? 
/fc».  £Sg  tail  is  full  long  atto  reaches  so  far 

<3s  to  cober  tfje  rartfj  ano  its  quarters  all  four.  . . . 
p?om  ttjen  coulo  gou  miss  to  step  on  mg  tail? 
Kid.  Za  aboio  gour  long  tail,  ©  }3antf)cr  oeprabeo, 
Ojrougfr  ttje  air  oio  £  came,  anO  taucrjeti  not  tfjc 
grounfl.  .  .  ♦ 
Pan.  <B  2£io,  K  Din  see  gou  come  tfjrourtfj  tfjc  air  ; 

£fje  Beasts  gou  alarmro"  ano  frigfjtcneo  full 

sore,  .  ,  . 
&no  ttjus  gou  quite  spoilt  tfjc  fooo  ttjat  S  eat." 

"  £rjns  e'en  tlje  little  2£io  in  piteous  terms 
Dio  6eg  ttjc  panther  Spare  tjer  tenner  tfrroat. 
23ut  tje  atbirst  for  blooD  Bio  tear  tjer  tfjroat, 
3no  ttjen  tjer  manglrB  ftoBg  grecoilg  ate. 
eEnninO  of  spcerrj,  unjust  tfjc  roicfeeo  is, 
£or  listens  tje  at  all  to  reason's  boice." 

If  this  occurred  alone,  the  parallelism  would 
not  be  sufficient  to  make  any  borrowing  hypo- 
thesis necessary.  But  taken  in  conjunction 
with  the  other  examples,  it  becomes  probable 
that  the  form  with  which  we  are  familiar  is 
merely  a  softening  down  of  the  Indian  exagge- 
rations due  to  the  Greek  sense  of  xatzog.  "We 
have  another  variant  of  a  similar  kind  in  The 
Cat  and  Chicken  (Re.  iv.).  And  I  have  found 
a  Tibetan  version  of  this  very  Jtitaka  contained 


64  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

in  Schiefner's  collection  of  Thiletan  Tales  (Ral- 
ston's  Trans.,  No.  xxix.)  ;  the  personages  have 
actually  become  The  Wolf  and  the  Sheep,  from 
which  it  is  but  a  slight  step  to  our  familiar 
Wolf  and  Lamb. 

VI.  The  Bald  Man  and  Fly  (Ro.  II.  xii.)  finds 
a  parallel  in  an  exaggerated  form  in  two  Jatakas, 
which  are  obviously  variants  of  one  another,  to 
speak  Hibernically.  These  are  £Tos.  44  and  45 
of  Fausboll's  edition,  and  have  been  translated 
by  the  Bishop  of  Colombo  in  Journ.  Asiat.  Soc. 
(Ceylon  Branch),  vol.  viii.  167-70.*  In  the  first, 
the  Makasa  JataJca,  a  mosquito  settles  on  the 
"  copper-basin-like  head  "  of  a  carpenter,  who 
requests  his  son  to  relieve  him  of  the  annoy- 
ance. The  son  seizes  an  axe,  and  nearly  hits 
the  mosquito.  The  result  is  summed  up  in  the 
gdtha — 

"23rttcr  aftnscfcic 

Cfjan  a  frirntJ  of  sense  btxdt ; 
Zfjt  stupitJ  son  to  Ml  tjj$  gnat 
p?is  father's  ijcaopirce  eleft." 

The  other,  or  Rohini  JataJca,  merely  changes 
the  sex  and  the  weapon.     Its  gdtha  runs — 

*  No.  44,  also  by  Weber,  Ind.  Stud.,  iv.  387,  from  the 
text  of  the  Jataka  supplied  him  by  Fau3boll. 


THE  INDIAN  BALD  MAN  AND  FLY.     65 

"  Better  a  sensible  encmn 

Cta  a  fool,  fjomebcr  kino  fjt  be  ; 
ilrok  at  sillg  EoJjim : 
Sfje's  ktlleo  f)er  matfjer,  anU  sore  frreps  sfjc." 

It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  moral  is  quite 
different  in  the  fable  current  among  the  Greeks, 
as  represented  by  Phasdrus  (V.  ii.  ed.  Eiese). 
Indeed  missing  a  fly  is  not  such  an  extraordi- 
nary circumstance  that  we  need  go  all  the  way 
to  India  in  order  to  explain  it. 

VII.  There  are  also  two  Jatakas  which  re- 
semble the  Fable  of  the  The  Fox  and  Croiv,  in 
so  far  that  we  find  a  fox  (jackal)  and  crow 
flattering  one  another.  In  one  (the  Jamhu- 
khadaka  Jdtaka,  Fausboll,  iSTo.  294,  tr.  Rhys- 
Davids,  p.  xii)  a  crow  is  eating  Jambus  when 
he  is  thus  addressed  by  a  passing  jackal — 

"  £33bo  mag  tfjis  be,  nffjose  ricfj  ana  pleasant  notes 
^iroclatm  fjim  best  of  all  rfje  singing  biros, 
tLHarbltng  so  smertlg  on  tfje  3ambn-brand;j, 
££tfjcre  like  a  praeock  fje  sits  firm  anti  grano." 

To  which  the  crow  replies 

" '  £is  a  foellsbteo  geung  gentleman  mfjo  knoios 
Za  speak  of  gentlemen  in  terms  polite ! 
Gooti  sir — mrjose  srjape  ana  glasso  coat  rcbral 
£fje  tiger's  offspring — eat  of  tfjcse,  £  prag ! " 

VOL.  I.  "  E 


66  THE  ORIENTAL  2ES0P. 

Buddha  in  the  form  of  the  genius  of  the 
Jambu  tree,  comments  in  the  third  gatlia — 

"  JToo  long,  torsootfj,  Ffa  borne  fyt  sigfjt 
(81  tfjese  poor  chatterers  of  lies — 
Cfjc  refttsc=cater  ano  tfje  offaI=eater 
23cIauoing  eacfj  otl)er." 

The  positions  are  reversed  in  the  Anta 
Jataka  (Fausbbll,  No.  276  tr.  R  Morris,  F.-L. 
J.  iii.  363)  the  gathas  of  which  will  explain  the 

situation — 

Crow. 

"SII  Tjail  to  tJjee,  ©  fcmg  of  beasts, 
&  lion's  strcngtfj  cost  tfjon  possess.. 
Sinn  sfjottloers  broao  just  like  a  bull  ,* 
^erfjaps  gou'II  leabe  a  bit  for  me." 

Jackal. 

"  JFulI  iorll  ootfj  fje  ro^o  is  of  gentle  rjirtf; 
3->noro  fjoro  to  praise  a  mrlkbreo  gentleman. 
Come  Do&m,  oear  crom,  roitfj  neck  line  peacock's  rjtic, 
VMzit  J) ere  arofjtle  ano  eat  trjo  fill  of  flrsfj." 

Buddha,  (in  form  of  an  Erawa  tree). 

"  <©f  beasts  tfje  jackal  oilest  is  ano  morst, 
<8£  biros  tfje  croro  is  least  estrcmeo  ano  praiseo, 
dramas  arc  tfje  trees  in  orocr  last, 
^no  now  togetfjer  come  tfje  Iofrest  t&rce." 

YIII.  The  goose  that  lays  the  golden  eggs 


INDIAN  GOOSE  WITH  GOLDEN  EGGS.    67 

may  next  engage  our  attention.  She  finds  her 
Indian  analogue  in  the  flamingo  that  moults 
golden  feathers  and  is  plucked  bare  by  her 
greedy  owner  (Suvannaharnsa  Jcttaka,  Fausboll, 
136,  tr.  R  Morris,  F.-L.  J  iv.  171).  The  moral 
is  the  same — 

(i  33e  content  foitf)  fofiat's  gibnt,  srcft  not  to  get  more, 
©'crgreciig  tfjr  oncKeo,  unsateo  tljiv  are. 
£2Efjen  thi  trolo  flamingo  ta  strtppco  of  fjt's  plume 
f^ts  featfjers  of  gola  all  t^etr  colour  oto  lose." 

IX.  There  is  a  Jataka  which  has  peculiar 
interest  for  us  in  the  present  connection,  though 
the  Fable  which  it  parallels  is  not  among  those 
of  Stainhciwel  or  Caxton.  It  rejoices  in  the 
name  of  Suvannakakkata  Jataka,  is  No.  389  in 
Fausboll's  edition,  and  has  been  translated  by 
Dr.  Morris  in  Folk-Lore  Journal,  iii.  56.  A 
Brahmin  has  a  crab  for  a  friend  and  a  crow 
for  an  enemy.  The  latter  induces  a  serpent  to 
poison  the  Brahmin,  whereupon  the  friendly 
crab  seizes  the  crow.  What  follows  is  told  in 
the  gdthas — 

"  Ojc  fussing  snake  iottfj  fjoojj  outsprcao, 
Cfje  crao  full  near  Bto  come, 
Ss  frteno  in  neeo  to  fjelp  a  frieno, 
But  f)im  tfje  crab  oio  sie^c." 


68  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

Serpent. 

"  M  for  the  man  me  tfoo  so  fast  are  fjelo 
3Lct  fjtm  arise  ano  Fll  the  ocnom  oram, 
Release  at  once  the  crom  ano  me,  mg  frtnttr, 
Before  the  poison  strong  o'ercomes  the  man." 

Crab. 

"  £fje  serpent  FII  release,  the  crofri  not  get, 
|^e  sfjaH  remain  a  mhile  mitfjin  mg  clams ; 
But  mfjen  to  fjcaltfj  £  see  mg  frteno  reStorco, 
32'en  as  the  snake  tlje  crom  £  mill  set  free." 

He  fulfils  the  promise  by  nipping  off  both  their 
heads  "as  clean  as  a  lotus-plant."  Crabs  are 
not  so  frequently  in  the  habit  of  seizing  ser- 
pents and  conversing  with  them  that  we  can 
consider  the  following  fragment  of  a  Greek 
scholion  or  table-song  quite  unconnected  with 
the  above  Jataka — 

6  Kapnivos  55'  £<pa 
X<xXa  top  6(pw  \afiijjv. 
evdiiv  XPV  top  eraipop  e/xfxev 
taxi  /j,h  cwoXlo,  (ppoveiv* 


*  Furia,  Coraes,  and  Benfey  attribute  this  to  Alcaeus  ; 
Wagener  and  Mr.  Rutherford  deny  the  attribution.  The 
latter,  however,  grants  the  archaic  flavour  of  the  style.  At 
the  same  time  the  full  fable  in  the  Greek  JEsop  (Halm, 
346)  has  only  a  slight  resemblance  to  the  Indian. 


ENVY  NOT  'SAUSAGES:  69 

X.  (Jrnrj?  not  "  Sausages." — One,  says  the  '•  Story  of 
the  Present''  of  the  Munika  Jataka  (Fausboll,  2so. 
30..  tr.  Rhys-Davids,  pp.  275-7),  it  happened  at  the 
Jetavana  Monastery  that  one  of  the  monks  fell  in 
love.  On  that  occasion  the  Teacher  asked  the  monk, 
"Is  it  true  what  they  say,  that  you  are  love-sick?" 
"  It  is  true,  lord!'''  said  he.  "  What  about?'' 
"My  Lord!  'tis  the  allurement  of  that  fat  girl." 
Then  the  Master  said,  "0  monk!  she  will  bring  evil 
upon  you..  Already  in  a  former  birth  you  lost  your 
life  on  the  day  of  her  marriage,  and  were  turned  into 
food  for  the  multitude:''    And  he  told  a  tcde  :— 

[Once  "when  Brahmadatta  was  reigning  in  Benares 
the  Bodisat  was  a  large  red  ox.  and  was  called  '  Big- 
red;'  he  had  a  brother  named 'Eedlet.'  The  daughter 
of  the  house  was  an  heiress  engaged  to  be  married, 
and  they  were  fattening  up  a  pig  named  Munika 
(='  Curry-bit-ling,'  vulgo  Sausages)  for  the  wed- 
ding feast.  Bedlet  complains  to  Big-red  that  they 
have  to  do  all  the  carting  on  grass  and  straw,  while 
Munika  is  fed  on  boiled  rice  for  doing  nothing.  In 
answer  Big-red  says  the  gatha — 

"  <£nfcp  not  '  Sausages,' 
'£js  ncanip  fooD  Tjz  tats, 
Q3at  pour  cfjaff,  arte  be  content, 
'Zi$  the  sign  of  length  of  life," 

Soon  after  Murika  became  Munika  indeed,  and  Red- 
let  was  comforted.] 

Then  the  Master  made  the  connection  and,  summed 
up  the  Jataka  by  saying :  'He  u-ho  at  that  time  was 
Sausages  the  Pig  was  the  love-sick  monk,  the  fat  girl 


;o  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

was  as  she  is  now,  Redlet  was  Ananda,  but  Big-red 
was  I  myself. '  * 

We  can  be  sure  that  the  "  Tale  of  the  Past " 
reached  the  "West,  since  it  is  found  almost 
exactly  in  the  same  form  (with  the  substitu- 
tion of  asses  for  oxen)  in  the  Jewish  Midrash 
Kabba*  (Great  Commentary  on  the  Penta- 
teuch and  the  Five  Rolls)  on  Esther  iii.  i, 
where  its  foreign  origin  is  shown  by  the  refer- 
ence to  pig  as  suitable  festival  diet,  and  the 
use  of  the  word  Kalends  for  festival.  And  if  it 
got  as  far  as  Syria  (probably  via  Alexandria) 
there  is  little  doubt  it  was  current  elsewhere  in 
the  Hellenic  world,  and  we  accordingly  find  an 
obvious  variant  of  it  in  the  Greek  fable  of  The 
Calf  and  the  Ox  (Halm,  113;  Avian,  ed.  Ellis. 
36),  while  Phcedrus'  Asinus  et  Porcellus  (V.  iv.) 
seems  to  be  a  corollary  on  it. 

XI.  The  peacock  is  an  Indian  native,  and  was 
too  rare  in  Greece  to  give  rise  to  a  folk-fable. 

*  I  have  thought  the  "Story  of  the  Present"  interesting 
enough  in  this  case  to  be  given  in  full. 

f  It  was  by  mistake  that  Benfey  (p.  229)  attributes  this 
to  Berachyah  Hanakdan.  There  is  therefore  no  need,  with 
Mr.  Khys-Davids  (Z.c),  to  assume  a  direct  passage  of  the 
Jataka  to  the  West  in  the  thirteenth  century.  Dr.  Lands- 
berger,  I  may  observe,  pointed  out  the  Indian  parallel 
{Fabeln  des  Sophos,  p.  xxxvii). 


INDIAN  CRANE  AND  PEACOCK.       71 

Under  these  circumstances  we  may  connect  the 
two  fables  in  our  collection  dealing  with  the 
brilliant  bird  (Juno,  the  ■peacock,  and  the  night- 
ingale, Ro.  IV.  iv.,  and  Tlie  crane  and  pea- 
cock, A  v.  xii.)  with  a  Jataka  which  has  at 
least  this  much  in  common  with  those  that  it 
lays  stress  on  the  vanity  of  the  bird.  It  is  the 
Nacca-  Jataka  (No.  32  of  Fausboll's  edition  tr. 
Rhys-Davids,  291-4)  in  which  the  King  of  the 
Golden  Geese  seeks  a  mate  for  his  heiress,  and 
selects  the  peacock.  He  in  the  exuberance  of 
his  joy  exclaims,  "  Up  to  to-day  you  have  not 
seen  my  greatness,"  and  proceeds  to  show  his 
dancing  powers.  In  so  doing  he  exposes  him- 
self and  the  haughty  monarch  says  the  gdtha — 

"  Pleasant  is  gour  erg,  orilliant  is  gour  facn, 
Almost  like  tty  opal  in  its  colour  is  gour  nrcn ; 
Ojc  featfjers  in  gour  tail  rracfj  about  a  fathom's  Iengtfj, 
But  to  sucfj  a  oanccr  E  can  girje  no  Daughter,  sir,  of 
mine!"  * 

XII.  Among  Phsedrus'  fables,  though  not 
among  Caxton's,  there  is  one  (I.  xx).  in  which 
some  dogs,  to  get  at  a  hide  at  the  bottom  of  a 
river,  set  to  work  to  drink  the  river  up,  so  as 

*  The  Nacca-Jataka  is  figured  on  the  sculptures  of  Bhar- 
hut,  though  in  a  fragmentary  condition  (Cunningham,  Stupa 
of  Bharhut,  pi.  xxvii.  11). 


72  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

to  reach  it ;  they  burst  in  the  process.*     This 

is  paralleled  by  the  Kaka-Jataka  in  which  crows 

try  to  drink  up  the  sea  with  a  similar  object. 

(Fausb.  146  ;  tr.  R  Morris,  F.-L.J.  iv.  59.)   The 

gatha  runs : 

<c  C'en  ttoto  our  toearp  jatogs  Co  aefje, 
©ttr  mouths  inoeeti  are  narcfieB  ana  Dry, 
Wit  toorfe  ann  toil,  no  rest,  no  truce, 
£na  jStiU  again  tl)t  sea  not!)  fill." 

The  analogy  is  not  so  noteworthy  but  for  the 
fact  that  two  of  the  best-known  Jatakas  (given 
in  Benfey,  §82,  from  Hardy  Manual  106  and 
Hiouen  Tsang,  I.  325)  relate  how  the  Buddha 
overcame  the  opposition  of  Indra  by  his  perti- 
nacity in  attempting  to  bale  out  the  sea  (or  a 
river  in  the  second  case).t  We  can  be  certain 
that  the  former  of  these  reached  the  West,  since 
the  Jewish  Midrash  Babba  on  Esther  iii.  6,  I 
find,  compares  Haman  to  a  bird  that  had  built 
its  nest  by  the  sea-shore,  and  attempted  to 
carry  away  the  advancing  sea  inland. 

*  Cf.  too  Bom.  App.  43,  where  a  fox  does  the  same  in 
trying  to  get  at  the  moon  in  the  river,  which  he  mistakes 
for  (green  ?)  cheese.  This  is  an  Indian  trait  (cf.  Benf.  i. 
p.  349).     And  cf.  Nights  with  Uncle  Remus,  xix. 

f  Cf,  Sydney  Smith's  celebrated  image  of  Mrs.  Partington 
repelling  the  Atlantic  with  a  mop.  The  Buddhist  feeling 
in  the  matter  would  be  to  applaud  the  courage  and  faith  of 
the  good  lady. 


INDIAN  MRS.  PARTINGTON.  73 

XIII.  Another  Jataka  which  parallels  an 
iEsopic  Fable  not  in  our  collection  is  the  Viro- 
cana  Jataka  (Fausb.  143,  tr.  R.  Morris,  F.-L.J. 
iii.  353).  Here  a  lion  adopts  a  jackal,  who  at 
Tast  comes  to  think  himself  a  veritable  lion,  and 
once  requests  his  foster-father  to  stand  aside 
while  he  shows  the  king  of  beasts  the  proper 
way  to  bring  down  an  elephant.  The  result  is 
disastrous,  as  is  showny  in  the  gatha  : — 

C$t>  fjeafl  i$  split,  tl)t>  trains  are  oof  inn;  out, 
afl  broken  arc  i$v  tibi  hv  tfu*  T)u$t  oeast; 
31  n  Sorrr>  plight  t^ou  fitiDest  t^p^elf  to=uap, 
jfttfl  ineUj  31  toeen,  t^ou  art  conspicuous  noio. 

There  is  another  Jataka  of  a  similar  character 
given  by  Hardy  (Manual  of  Buddhism,  233,  ap. 
Benf.  i.  104),  in  which  a  Jackal  is  taken  as  a 
servant  by  a  lion,  who  gives  him  a  share  in  his 
booty.  He  waxes  fat,  and  seeing  one  day  that 
he  has  four  legs,  two  canine  teeth,  two  ears,  and 
a  tail,  just  like  the  lion,  determines  to  start 
business  on  his  own  account.  He  emits  his 
little  roar,  but  no  beast  fears  him,  and  he  cannot 
bringdown  any  prey.  Benfey,  §  29,  points  out 
the  close  analogy  of  one  of  Aphthonius'  fables 
(c.  350  a.d.)  in  which  a  fox  serves  a  lion,  be- 
comes proud,  tries  his  own  hand,  and  perishes 


74  THE  ORIENTAL  jESOP. 

(Halm,  41).  He  omits  to  notice  the  great  simi- 
larity of  Phaed.  I.  xi.  (Asinus  et  Leo  Venantes, 
cf.  R.  IV.  x.),  where  the  ass  and  lion  go  a-h  mat- 
ing together  and  the  ass  emits  his  terrible  bray, 
this  time,  however,  with  more  effect.  I  am  the 
more  inclined  to  suspect  a  foreign  origin  for 
this  owing  to  the  unnatural  conjunction  of  an 
ass  and  a  lion  as  fellow-hunters,  and  am  inclined 
to  think  the  ass  has  got  into  the  story  through 
some  mistranslation,  which  occurs  most  fre- 
quently in  the  names  of  birds,  beasts,  and  fishes, 
as  every  one  knows  who  has  had  much  to  do 
with  translation.*  I  would  add  that  it  seems 
to  be  a  story  like  one  of  those  contained  in  the 
above  Jatakas  to  which  a  certain  Rabbi  referred 
when  he  taunted  another  with  the  proverb, 
"The  lion  has  turned  out  a  fox  "  (Talm.,  Baba 
Kama,  ii7a).f 

XIV.  We  may  close  our  comparison  of  the 


*  They  are  almost  like  proper  names  ;  provided  some 
animal  is  mentioned  the  version  construes ;  e.g.  iEsop's 
fable  {supra,  p.  27)  is  generally  spoken  of  as  the  Fox  and 
Horse-Leeches.  I  suspect  also  that  something  of  the  same 
kind  has  occurred,  Phaed.,  I.  v.  (Ro.  I.  iv. ),  to  make  Vacca, 
Capella,  Ovis,  fellow-hunters  with  Leo.     See  infra,  p.  166. 

t  Landsberger,  p.  xlvii.,  refers  the  saying  to  a  fable 
analogous  to  Babr.  101,  Halm,  272,  which  may  again  be 
referred  back  to  the  above  Jatakas.     Cf.  too  Av.  40. 


INDIAN  FOX  AND  COCK.  75 

Jatakas  with  one  that  bears  some  relation  to 
the  closing  fable  of  Stainhowel's  collection, 
really  from  the  Romulus  but  included  in  the 
"  Fables  of  Poge"  (Fox,  Cod;  #  Dogs,  p.  307).  In 
the  Kukkuta  J  at  ale  a  (tr.  Morris,  F.-L.J.,  ii.  333, 
cf.  Cunningham,  Stupa  of  Bliarhut,  77)  a  cat 
approaches  a  cock  perched  on  a  tree  and  tries 
in  vain  to  inveigle  him  down,  as  is  told  in  the 
gdthas  : — 

"  Cat.    O  Ioucln  bixu,  bitty  fcatfjrrs  brujfjt  of  fjnr,  .... 
I-'II  it  tfjn  biit,  rfjou  strait  fjabc  nongijt  to  pag. 
Cock.  WSlt  bixos  pair  not  frrttfj  qtiaimtpeos. 

Go,  sztk  anatfjrr  mate  ttezbtym.  .  .  . 
fffann  imlfs  fjabe  inomen  clrorr,  gooU  men  tfjrg  will 

Drcribc 
U3.it\}  soft  anU  of  In.  foor&s,  as  liuss  Sooula  tfjeat  tfje 
corn.  .  .  ." 

At  first  sight  the  analogy  with  the  mediaeval 
form  does  not  seem  very  close.  But  I  think  I 
can  show  by  a  curious  piece  of  evidence  that 
the  present  form  of  the  Jataka  has  been  trun- 
cated, and  that  in  its  original  version  there  was 
some  reference  to  a  third  dramatis  persona. 
For  the  KuJckuta  Jataka  happens  to  be  one  of 
those  sculptured  on  the  coping  of  the  Stupa  of 
Bharhut,  and  is  accordingly  figured  in  Sir  A. 
Cunningham's  monograph  (PI.  xlvii.    5).     We 


76 


THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 


can  be  certain  of  its  identity,  since  the  name  of 
the  Jataka  is  inscribed  above  the  figures. *  From 
the  facsimile  which  we  give  it  will  be  observed 


that  there  is  an  object  at  the  foot  of  the  tree 
which  is  evidently  of  importance  in  the  story, 

*  This  may  possibly  be  a  case  of  the  traditional  migra- 
tion of  illustration  to  which  I  called  attention  in  my  Bicipai, 
pp.  xx.-xxiii. 


WHAT  IS  BEHIND  THE  TREE?        77 

but  does  not  occur  in  the  present  version  of  the 
Jataka.  General  Cunningham  suggests  that 
it  represents  the  bunch  of  bells  worn  by  Xautch 
girls,  and  is  placed  in  the  sculpture  as  a  symbol 
of  the  wakefulness  of  the  cock  I  think  it 
however  more  likely  that  it  represents  the 
presence  of  a  watcher  behind  the  tree,  as 
occurs  in  the  Greek  form  of  the  Fable  (Furia, 
88;  Halm,  231),  and  in  the  Romulus  here.* 
The  original  form  of  the  Fable  would  thus  be 
merely  a  variant  of  the  Biter  bit  formula.  In 
the  form  in  which  it  occurs  in  the  present  ver- 
sion of  the  Jatakas,  the  story  is  not  rounded 
off,  and  it  only  serves  to  illustrate  the  peculi- 
arly Buddhistic  conception  of  the  innate  cor- 
ruption and  deceit}  of  the  feminine  nature. 

Thus  far  the  evidence  of  the  Jakatas,  and — 
important   point — no  further.!      I   have  been 

*  By  a  most  remarkable  coincidence,  James,  in  his  ver- 
sion of  the  Fable  (Xo.  xxxii.  p.  22),  has  a  reference  to  the 
bell ;  "  The  Cock  replied,  '  Go,  my  good  friend,  to  the  foot 
of  the  tree,  and  call  the  sacristan  to  toll  the  bell.*"  But 
there  is  nothing  to  warrant  this  in  the  Greek  original. 

f  I  have  rejected  The  Conceited  Jackal  (Supra  XIII.), 
regarded  as  a  proposed  variant  of  the  Daw  in  peacock's 
feathers  ;  the  Baveru  J.  (F.-L.  J.,  hi.  124)  is  closer.  The 
Sammouamdna  J.  (No.  33)  is  not  close  enough  to  the  Lion 
and  Four  Oxen  (Av.  xiv.),  nor  the  Sakana  J.  (Xo.  36) 
to  The  Swallow  and  Birds  (Ro.  I.  xx.  ;  Avian,  21),  though 
they  have  the  same  moral. 


78  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

taken  to  task  for  declaring  my  conviction  that 
the  Pali  scholars  have  played  out  their  best 
trumps  in  dealing  with  this  question.  (Bidpai, 
Introd.,  li.,  note).  After  having  gone  more 
fully  into  the  matter  I  still  retain  that  opinion. 
The  whole  of  the  Jatakas  have  now  been  pub- 
lished, and  if  any  very  striking  analogy  with 
iEsop's  Fables  had  been  found  among  them,  we 
should  doubtless  have  heard  of  it.  Dr.  Morris' 
selections  in  the  Folk-Lore  Journal  ranged  over 
the  first  four  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  Jatakas, 
and  the  remaining  hundred  are  not  likely 
to  have  a  richer  yield,  as  they  are  those  with 
the  longest  gctthas.  At  any  rate,  we  cannot 
permit  the  Pali  scholars  to  win  tricks  with 
cards  which  they  keep  up  their  sleeve ;  and 
the  above  dozen  or  so  instances  must  stand  for 
the  present  as  representing  the  contribution  of 
the  Jatakas  to  the  question  of  the  origin  of 
"  ^sop's  Fables!"  * 

But  this  contribution,  though  scanty,  is  im- 
portant. The  Jatakas,  or  at  least  the  gctthas, 
in   archaic   Pali,   which  form   the   nucleus   of 

*  What  is  wanted  for  folk-lore  purposes  is  an  abstract  of 
all  "the  stories  of  the  past,"  with  a  translation  of  their 
gdthas.  This  could  be  got  within  a  volume  of  a  size  similar 
to  Mr.  Khys-Davids'. 


EVIDENCE  OF  JATAKAS.  79 

them,  were  carried  over  to  Ceylon  in  a  complete 
form  241  B.C.  ;  they  had  been  sculptured  in  the 
Stupa  of  Bharhut  about  that  date  ;  they  formed 
a  topic  of  dispute  at  the  Buddhist  Council  of 
Yesali,  c.  350  B.C.,  and  we  can  scarcely  fix  their 
collection,  very  nearly  in  their  present  form, 
at  least  as  regards  the  gdthas,  at  much  later 
than  400  B.C.  This  is  before  any  contact  be- 
tween Greek  and  Hindoo  thought  can  be  taken 
into  account.*  Besides  this,  the  stories  have, 
in  the  majority  of  cases,  nothing  Buddhistic 
about  them,  and  were  evidently  folk-tales 
current  in  India  long  before  they  were  adapted 
by  the  Buddhists  to  point  a  moral ;  and  some 
of  them  were  probably  used  by  Buddha  himself 
for  that  purpose  in  the  fifth  century  B.C. 
Altogether,  the  probabilities  are  strong  that 
we  have  in  them  genuine  and  native  products 
of  Indian  thought,  and  that  where  we  find 
them  later  among  the  Greeks  they  are  borrowed 
products.  At  any  rate,  we  may  accept  this 
as  a  provisional  result  which  renders  it  worth 
while  putting  in  and  considering  the  other  In- 

*  The  first  notice  of  India  in  Greek  literature  is  in  one 
of  the  fragments  of  Hecatams  (fl.  500  B.C.).  Cf.  Bunbury's 
Ancient  Geography,  i.  142.     But  see  infra,  p.  100. 


80  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

dian  evidence  of  a  later  date  before  summing 
up. 

We  may  first  take  some  references  found  by 
Weber  and  Liebrecht  in  the  Mahabharata, 
which  may  serve  as  an  appendix  to  the  Palaeo- 
zoic stratum  of  the  Bidpai.  The  Mahabharata 
is  the  Indian  Iliad  and  Odyssey  and  ^Eneid  and 
Gerusalemme  Liberate/,  and  Orlando  Furioso  and 
Faerie  Queene  ;  at  least  it  is  equal  to  all  these, 
and  more  also,  in  point  of  bulk.  Such  a  huge 
mass  affords  grand  accommodation  for  inter- 
polation, and  parts  of  the  Indian  epics  have 
been  dated  as  early  as  the  Upanishad  stage  of 
the  Vedic  literature,  and  others  as  late  as  the 
Christian  era.  It  is,  accordingly,  impossible  to 
use  references  occurring  in  it  with  much  con- 
fidence, as  to  their  date,  except  that  we  may  be 
sure  it  is  B.C.,  and  so  anterior  to  Phsedrus. 
Such  analogies  to  Greek  fables  as  have  been 
observed  in  it  *  occur  by  way  of  casual  reference, 
somewhat  in  the  same  way  as  the  earliest  Greek 

*  There  has  been  no  systematic  search  made  through  the 
Mahabharata  ;  Weber  owns  that  he  had  only  made  a  per- 
functory one.  It  is  from  this  quarter  accordingly  that  we 
may  anticipate  the  largest  addition  to  our  knowledge  of 
the  existence  of  ^Esop's  Fables  in  India  that  yet  remain 
to  be  made.  Cf.  Benf.  i.  554  seq.,  on  the  probabilities  of 
Abstemius'  Fable,  No.  70,  being  derived  from  Mb.  xii.  4930. 


MAHABHARATA  PARALLELS.         81 

Fables  enumerated  on  p.  xliv.  This  has  its 
importance,  as  showing  that  in  India,  as  in 
Greece,  the  fable  was  current  among  the  people, 
and  formed  part  of  their  folk-lore.  It  confirms, 
too,  the  impression  that  the  Buddha,  in  using 
the  fable,  was  only  applying  a  general  practice 
of  his  day. 

XY.-XYII.  Three  of  these  references  we 
may  dismiss  very  shortly.  Liebrecht  has  found 
a  very  explicit  reference  to  The  Man  and  Serpent 
(Ro.  I.  x.)  in  Holtzmann's  translation  of  parts 
of  the  Mahabharata.*  Thore  seems  also  to  be 
a  reference  to  Tlie  Oak  and  Reed  (Ro.  TV.  xx.) 
in  the  complaint  of  the  sea,  that  rivers  bring  to 
it  oaks  but  not  reeds  (Mh.  xii.  4198).!  Again, 
the  request  of  the  camel  for  a  long  neck  in  TJie 
Camel  and  Jupiter  (Av.  vii.)  finds  its  analogue  in 
the  Indian  epic  (Mh.  xii.  41 75)4  That  the  last 
two  of  these  reached  the  pale  of  Hellenism  is 
proved  by  their  appearance  in  Jewish  writings,  f 

*  Indische  Sagen,  2nd  edition,  II.  210  (ap.  Jahrb.  eng.  u. 
rom.  Phil.  iii.  146).  I  cannot  find  it  in  the  first  edition, 
the  only  one  accessible  to  me. 

f  It  is,  perhaps,  worth  while  remarking  that  it  is  from 
the  twelfth  book  of  the  Mahabharata  that  three  books  of 
the  £7>-Bidpai  were  taken  (Benfey,  219-22). 

X  They  occur  in  form  of  proverbs:  "Be  flexible  as  the 
reed,  not  stiff  as  the  cedar"  (Talm.  Taanith  20a);  "The 
VOL.  I.  F 


82  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

XVIII.  Finally,  there  is  a  reference  in  the 
Mahabharata  (xiv.  688)  to  a  fable  similar  to  The 
Belly  and  Members  (Ro.  III.  xvi.),  which  de- 
serves closer  attention,  as  it  is,  in  many  ways, 
the  most  remarkable  fable  in  existence.  A 
variant  of  it,  or  something  very  like  it,  was 
discovered  six  years  ago  by  M.  Maspero  in  a 
fragmentary  papyrus,  which  he  dates  about  the 
twentieth  dynasty  (c.  1250  B.C.).  It  is,  conse- 
quently, the  oldest  fable  in  existence,  and  as 
such  we  may  give  it : — 

Trial  of  Belly  v.  Head — wherein  are  published  the 
pleadings  made  before  the  supreme  judges — while 
their  President  watched  to  unmask  the  liar — his  eye 
never  ceased  to  watch.  *  The  due  rites  having  been 
done — in  honour  of  the  god  who  detests  iniquity — 
after  the  Belly  had  spoken  his  plea — the  Head  began 
a  long  harangue  : — 

'  'Tis  I,  'tis  I,  the  rafter  of  the  whole  house — whence 
'  the  beams  issue  and  where  they  join  together — all 
'  the  members  ...  on  me  and  rejoice.  My  forehead 
'is  joyous — my  members  are  vigorous — the  neck 
'  stands  firm  beneath  the  head — my  eye  sees  afar  off 

camel  asked  for  horns  and  had  his  ears  cut  off"  (Talm. 
Sank.  1066). 

*  I  have  ventured  to  substitute  this  for  the  "  pleurer  " 
of  M.  Maspero  which  gives  no  sense,  though  he  makes  out 
of  it  a  very  pathetic  (and  very  French)  picture  of  the  judge 
weeping  at  the  eloquence  of  the  advocate — before  the 
speeches  are  delivered. 


EARLIEST  EXTANT  FABLE.  83 

c  — the  nostril  expands  and  breathes  the  air — the 
'  ear  opens  and  hears — the  mouth  sends  forth  sound 
'  and  talks — the  two  arms  are  vigorous — and  cause  a 
'  man  to  be  respected— he  marches  with  head  erect — 
'  looks  the  great  in  the  face  as  -well  as  the  lowly  .  .  . 
'  Tis  I  that  am  their  queen — 'tis  I  the  head  of  my 
'  companions  .  .  .  Who  would  play  a  trick — or  is 
'  there  any  would  say — "  Is  it  not  false  ?  "  Let  them 
'  call  me  the  head — 'tis  I  that  cause  to  live  .  .  . '  * 

Here  the  fragment  breaks  off,  and  we  cannot 
tell  if  judgment  went  with  the  plaintiff  as  in 
the  Roman  fable.  For  it  will  be  observed  that 
the  fable,  if  fable  it  can  be  called,  takes  the 
form  of  a  mock-trial,  corresponding,  as  M. 
Gaston  Paris  has  pointed  out,  to  the  debat 
which  is  so  familiar  in  mediaeval  French  litera- 
ture, t  From  this  point  of  view  the  debat  of 
Belly  and  Head  affords  us  the  earliest  example 
of  legal  procedure  extant. 

We  again  meet  with  the  fable  in  the  Upani- 
shads,  whence  it  doubtless  got  into  the  Maha- 
bharata,  and  perhaps  too  into  the  Zend 
Yacna  : — 

*  Academie  des  Inscriptions,  Seance  of  5th  Jan.  1883, 

P-  5- 

f  As  a  matter  of  fact  a  kind  of  debat  on  this  very  subject 
was  published  in  1545,  Cinq  Sens  de  I'homme.  There  was 
also  a  Mystere  on  the  same  subject  (Migne,  Diet.  d.  Myst., 
s.  v.  Membres). 


84  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

Dispute  of  the  Senses  and  the  Soul.* 

The  senses  disputed  among  themselves  saying,  "I 
am  the  first,  I  am  the  first."  They  said :  "  Let  us  go 
out  of  the  body,  whichever  shall  cause  the  body  to 
fall  by  its  departure  shall  be  the  first."  The  word 
departed,  the  man  spoke  no  more,  but  he  still  ate, 
drank,  and  lived;  the  sight  departed,  the  man  saw 
not,  but  still  ate,  drank,  and  lived ;  [and  so  with  the 
hearing,  &c] ;  the  mind  went  forth,  intelligence  left 
the  man,  but  he  still  ate,  drank,  and  lived.  The  soul 
departed,  no  sooner  was  it  without  than  the  body  fell. 
[They  again  disputed  and  tried  who  could  raise  the 
body  with  the  same  result.] 

A  similar  apologue  existed  among  the  Buddh- 
ists as  we  know  from  the  fact  that  it  exists 
in  the  Chinese  Buddhistic  work  Avadanas  (No. 
105) ;  it  occurs  also  in  the  Pantschatantra  : — 

The  Bikd  with  Twto  Heads. 

Once  on  a  time  on  Mount  Himavat  there  was  a  bird 
named  Jivanjiva.  This  had  one  body  and  two  heads, 
one  of  which  used  to  eat  fine  fruit  to  give  strength  and 
vigour  to  the  body.  The  other  became  jealous  and 
thought,   "Why  should  that  head  always  eat  fine 


*  I  take  this  from  the  Italian  abridgment  of  Signor 
Prato,  who  has  written  an  interesting  paper  on  ISApologo 
di  Menenio  Agrij^a  in  Archivio  por  trad,  popolari,  iv. 
25-40.  The  full  text  of  the  Zend  version  is  given  by 
Burnouf,  Sur  U  Yacna,  notes  pp.  clxxii.  seq. 


DISPUTE  OF  SENSES.  85 

fruit,  of  which  I  never  taste  one  ?  "  Accordingly  it 
ate  a  poisonous  fruit  and  the  two  heads  perished  at 
the  same  time.* 

I  have  also  found  a  Jewish  variant,  though 
with  a  somewhat  different  moral : — 

The  Tongue  and  the  Members. 

(Schocher  Tob  on  Ps.  xxxix.  1). 

A  Persian  King  sick  unto  death  was  ordered  the 
milk  of  a  lioness  (Heb.  Lebia).  [A  man  obtains  it 
after  many  adventures.]  On  his  return  the  mem- 
bers disputed  in  the  night.  The  feet  said,  '  Had 
we  not  gone  the  milk  had  not  been  got '  :  the 
hands,  '  We  milked ;  that  was  the  chief  thing ' : 
the  eyes,  'But  for  us  the  lioness  could  not  have 
been  found  out.'  The  heart  reminds  them  of  her 
wise  counsels.  At  last  spoke  the  tongue,  '  But  for 
me  where  would  you  have  been  ? '  To  the  retorts  of 
the  other  members,  the  only  reply  is,  "  You'll  soon 
see  ! "  Xext  morning  the  man  came  before  the  King 
and  handing  him  the  milk,  said,  '  There  is  the  milk 
of  the  bitch'  (Heb.  Kalba).  [The  man  is  ordered  off 
to  execution.]  On  the  scaffold  the  members  wept 
but  the  tongue  laughed.  s  "What  did  I  tell  you  ? 
Are  you  not  all  iu  my  power?  However,  111  take 
pity  on  you  ? '     The  tongue  called  out,  '  Lead  me  once 


*  Cf.  the  Midrashic  apologue  of  the  quarrel  between  the 
head  and  tail  of  the  serpent  which  should  go  first.  The 
tail  leads  the  head  a  merry  dance  ;  "  so  it  is  when  the  lowly 
lead  the  great"  [Midr.  Babba,  Deut.  §  5). 


86  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

more  to  the  King.'  In  his  presence  it  said,  '  I  have 
truly  brought  you  the  milk  of  a  lioness,  Sire.  Kalba, 
is  Arabic  for  lioness.'  They  tasted,  and  tried,  and 
found  it  right,  and  sent  the  man  away  with  great 
gifts.  Then  said  the  tongue,  'See  now,  life  and 
death  are  in  my  hand  '  (Pro v.  xviii.  21). 

But  there  is  a  still  more  striking  use  of 
the  fable  by  a  Jew.  There  can  be  little  doubt 
that  St.  Paul  had  a  similar  fable*  in  his  mind  in 
the  characteristic  passage  (1  Cor.  xii.  i2-26).t 

The  body  is  one,  and  hath  many  members,  and  all 
the  members  of  the  body,  being  many,  are  one  body. 
.  .  .  For  the  body  is  not  one  member  but  many.  If 
the  foot  shall  say,  Because  I  am  not  the  hand,  I  am 
not  of  the  body  ;  it  is  not  therefore  not  of  the  body. 
And  if  the  ear  shall  say,  Because  I  am  not  the  eye, 
I  am  not  of  the  body ;  it  is  not  therefore  not  of  the 
body.  If  the  whole  body  were  an  eye,  where  were  the 
hearing  ?  If  the  whole  body  were  hearing,  where  were 
the  smelling  ?  .  .  .  And  if  they  were  all  one  member, 
where  were  the  body  ?  But  now  they  are  many 
members,  but  one  body.  And  the  eye  cannot  say  to 
the  hand,  I  have  no  need  of  thee ;  or  a^ain  the  head 
to  the  feet,  I  have  no  need  of  you.  Nay,  much  rather, 
those  members  of  the  body  which  seem  to  be  more 
feeble  are  necessary :   and  those  parts  of  the  body 


*  The  passage  combines  the  Indian  idea  of  the  contest 
of  the  members  with  the  Eoman  notion  of  the  organic 
nature  of  the  body  politic. 

t  E.  V„  omitting  the  theological  inferences. 


ST.  PAUL'S  FABLE.  87 

which  we  think  to  be  less  honourable,  upon  these  we 
bestow  more  abundant  honour ;  and  our  uncomely 
parts  have  more  abundant  comeliness  ;  whereas  our 
comely  parts  have  no  need  .  .  .  And  whether  one 
member  suffereth,  all  the  members  suffer  with  it,  or 
one  member  is  honoured,  all  the  members  rejoice 
with  it. 

As  this  passage  is  the  foundation  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  Visible  Church,  and  indirectly 
of  the  conception  of  the  Body  Politic  (of  which 
Hobbes  made  such  quaint  use),  we  cannot  well 
overrate  the  importance  of  the  fable  on  which 
it  is  founded. 

We  have  thus  seen  this  fable  of  the  Body 
and  its  Members  with  its  Belgian  motto, 
V union  fait  la  force,  forming  part  of  the  sacred 
literature  of  Egyptians  and  Chinese,  of  Brah- 
mins, Buddhists,  and  Magians,  of  Jews  and 
Christians.*  The  reader  must  not,  however, 
assume  that  these  are  all  necessarily  derived 
from  one  source.  On  the  contrary,  I  have 
p-iven  the  various  versions  at  length  as  an 
instructive  example  how  different  nations  may 
hit  upon  very  much  the  same  apologue  to  illus- 

*  As  it  occurs  also  in  the  legendary  history  of  Borne, 
and  in  the  quasi-sacred  pages  of  Shakespeare,  where  it  fills 
the  whole  of  the  second  scene  of  the  first  act  of  Coriolanus, 
we  might  add  Romans  and  Englishmen  to  the  above  list. 


83  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

trate  the  same  idea.  Carefully  examined,  the 
various  versions  may  be  reduced  to  four  inde- 
pendent ones.  The  Egyptian  debat  stands  by 
itself,  the  Brahmin  Contest  of  Senses  and  Soul, 
occurring  in  the  Upanishads,  recurs  in  the 
Indian  epic,  in  the  Persian  scripture,  and, 
possibly  through  the  latter,  in  Jewish  com- 
mentaries, and  may  thence  have  influenced  St. 
Paul.  The  lost  Buddhist  apologue  of  The  Bird 
with  Two  Heads  found  its  way  to  China,  and 
was  received  into  the  Bidpai  literature.  The 
Boman  fable  is  remarkable  as  being  the  only 
fable  of  its  kind  in  Latin  literature  which  can 
claim  to  be  current  among  the  Bomans.*  It 
occurs  late,  and  may  have  been  interpolated  by 
Livy,  like  so  much  of  his  work.  But  on  the 
whole  I  am  inclined  to  regard  it  as  a  genuine 
Boman  folk-fable,  and  another  instance  of  the 
sporadic  use  of  the  fable — as  in  the  Egyptian 
example  above,  or  in  Cyrus'  fable  of  The  Piper 
turned  Fisherman  (Herod,  i.  141),  or  in  Jotham's 
and  Joaz'  fables  in  the  Old  Testament  (Jud.  ix. 
8-15;  2  Kings  xiv.  9) — by  nations  who  have 

*  Ennius  has  a  reference  to  The  Piper  turned  Fisherman 
(Re.  vii.),  and  to  The  Swalloios  and  other  Birds  (Ro.  I.  xs. ). 
But  he  was  acquainted  with  Greek,  and  might  ha7e  got 
the  first  from  Herodotus. 


BELLY  AND  MEMBERS.  S9 

not  otherwise  shown  a  turn  towards  that  par- 
ticular form  of  the  apologue.  The  whole  in- 
quiry ought  to  make  us  careful  in  the  future 
how  we  admit  borrowing  without  sure  evidence 
either  of  identity  of  the  fables  or  of  contact 
between  the  nations  using  them. 

For  there  still  remain  a  number  of  Indian 
parallels  to  our  fables,  in  what  I  call  the 
Mesozoic  stratum  of  the  Bidpai  literature — pas- 
sages, that  is,  which  formed  part  of  the  origi- 
nal form  of  the  book,  but  cannot  be  traced  back 
among  the  Jatakas.  Taken  by  themselves,  they 
could  scarcely  be  adduced  as  valid  evidence,  as 
they  cannot  be  traced  back  even  as  early  as 
300  a.d.,  when  the  Greco-Roman  collections 
were  already  in  existence.  But  the  Jatakas 
have  shown  us  evidence  of  similar  stories  being 
current  in  India  from  five  to  seven  centuries 
before  that,  and  the  analogues  from  the  Indian 
epic  can  trace  back  nearly  as  far.  Besides  Indian 
writers  were  veritable  Jeremy  Diddlers  in  the 
way  of  literary  borrowing,  and  the  whole  of  the 
Bidpai,  even  in  its  earliest  form,  strikes  one  as 
a  vast  plagiarism.  It  becomes,  therefore,  pro- 
bable that  the  Bidpai  stories  of  the  Mesozoic 
stratum  have  the  same  antiquity  as  the  Jatakas 


9o  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

or  the  Mahabharata.  We  may  therefore  pro- 
ceed to  add  to  our  previous  parallels  such  of 
these  as  have  close  analogy  with  Greek  fables, 
being  somewhat  more  particular  as  to  the 
closeness  of  the  parallelism  than  we  were  in 
the  case  of  the  Jatakas  or  the  epic  refer- 
ences. 

XIX.  We  may  begin  with  the  fable  of  The 
Lion  and  Mouse,  which  occurs  in  the  Pantscha- 
tantra  in  the  form  of  The  Elephant  and  the 
Mice  (II.  App.  i,  Benf.  ii.  208-10).  The  mice 
had  made  a  settlement  by  the  banks  of  a  river 
whither  elephants  came  to  drink,  and  on  their 
way  disturbed  and  crushed  many  of  the  mice.  A 
deputation  is  sent  to  the  king  of  the  elephants, 
who  graciously  commands  his  troop  to  select 
another  passage  to  the  watering-place.  Soon 
after  the  troop  are  captured  in  pits  and  then 
bound  to  trees.*  The  king  sends  for  aid  to  the 
mice,  who  come  and  gnaw  away  the  thongs  and 
free  the  whole  troop.  There  is  one  decisive 
criterion  which  proves  the  priority  of  the  In- 
dian form  and  the   dependence  of   the  Greek 

*  In  the  Southern  redaction  there  is  but  one  elephant, 
and  he  is  not  bound  to  the  tree.  The  mice  rescue  him  by 
filling  up  the  pit.     Cf.  Benf.  i.  324. 


INDIAN  LION  AND  MOUSE.  91 

upon  it.     Elephants  are  frequently  bound  by 
cords  to  trees,  lions  never  are. 

The  Indian  origin  of  this  fable  would  be 
rudely  shaken,  however,  if  we  could  trust  the 
inferences  Herr  Lauth  drew  from  a  Leyden 
papyrus  which  he  discovered,  and  the  pertinent 
part  of  which  he  translated  as  follows  :  * — 

[Lion  catches  mouse  who  speaks  as  follows] :  '  0 
'Pharaoh,  my  superior,  O  Lion,  if  thou  eatest  me, 
'thou  wilt  not  fill  thyself  ;  thy  hunger  will  remain. 
'  Preserve  for  me  the  breath  of  life  as  I  preserved  it 
'for  thee  in  thy  trouble  ...  on  thy  unlucky  day.' 
Then  the  Lion  reflected  and  the  Mouse  said  to  him  : 
1  Eemember  the  hunters  ;  one  had  a  hue  to  bind  thee, 
'  another  a  leash.  There  was  also  a  cistern  dug  before 
'  the  Hon ;  he  fell  in  and  the  lion  was  prisoner  in  the 
'pit ;  he  was  pledged  by  his  feet.  Lo,  there  came  a 
•'little  mouse  before  the  lion  and  freed  thee.t  There- 
•'fore,  reward  me.     I  was  that  little  mouse.' 

There,  sure  enough,  we  have  the  fable  of 
The  Lion  and  the  Mouse  in  Egyptian  literature, 
and  the  question  arises  how  and  when  did  it 
get  there.  ISTow  the  Leyden  papyrus  (I.  3S4) 
is  written  in  demotic,   i.e.,   sometime  between 

*  Munich  Sitzungsberichte,  1868,  ii.  50.  Die  Thierfalel 
in  Egypten. 

f  The  mixture  of  persons  is  due  to  Herr  Lauth,  who,  it 
is  perhaps  -worth  while  adding,  was  the  author  of  some  wild 
theories  about  Mose  der  Egypter. 


92  THE  ORIENTAL  jESOP. 

500  B.C.  and  200  a.d.,  and  the  latter  terminus 
is  the  more  likely  since  other  parts  of  the 
papyrus  contain  Coptic  versions  of  the  Ritual 
of  the  Dead.  But  Herr  Lauth  was  not  satis- 
fied with  this :  he  finds  a  comic  picture  of  a 
mouse  driving  a  chariot  in  the  celebrated 
satiric  papyrus  of  Turin  which  dates  about  1 150 
B.C.  He  therefore  calmly  assumed  that  the 
above  fable  was  of  the  same  date,  and  this  bold 
bad  assumption  has  passed  vid  Sir  R.  F.  Burton 
and  the  versatile  Prof.  Mahaffy  (Proleg.  Anc. 
Hist.  390)  into  the  article  '  Beast  Fable '  of 
Chambers's  Cyclopaedia,  and  a  whole  pyramid 
of  theory  about  the  African  origin  of  the  fable 
has  been  based  upon  it,  the  apex  of  which  is 
downward  in  the  sand.  There  can  be  little 
doubt  that  the  Egyptian  fable  is  a  late  con- 
veyance from  the  Greek. 

XX.  Our  next  example  will  illustrate  not 
alone  the  derivation  of  a  Greco-Roman  fable 
from  the  Indian,  but  also  Benfey's  analytical 
powers.  In  the  fable  of  The  Good  Man  and 
Serpent  (Ro.  II.  x.),  he  has  traced,  without  any 
reasonable  doubt,  the  survival  of  an  Indian 
fable,  which  we  find  complete  and  consistent  in 
its  Indian  form,  but  which  is  only  preserved  in 


INDIAN  COUNTRYMAN  AND  SNAKE.   93 


unmeaning  fragments  in  Greek  and  Latin  fable. 
We  can  best  indicate  the  relationship  of  the 
three  different  versions,  by  displaying  them 
side  by  side,  and  indicating  by  a  series  of  bars 
the  passage  where  the  classic  fables  have  failed 
to  preserve  the  original. 


Bid  pal 
A  Brahmin  once  observed  a 
snake  in  his  field,  and  think- 
ing it  the  tutelary  spirit  of  the 
field,  he  offered  it  a  libation 
of  milk  in  a  bowl,  ^ext  day 
he  finds  a  piece  of  gold  in  the 
bowl,  and  he  receives  this  each 
day  after  offering  the  libation. 
One  day  he  had  to  go  else- 
where and  he  sent  his  son  with 
the  libation.  The  son  sees  the 
gold,  and  thinking  the  serpent's 
hole  full  of  treasure,  deter- 
mines to  slay  the  snake.  He 
strikes  at  its  head  with  a 
cudgel,  and  the  enraged  ser- 
pent stings  him  to  death.  The 
Brahmin  mourns  his  son's 
death,  but  next  morning  as 
usual  brings  the  libation  of 
milk  (in  the  hope  of  getting 
the  gold  as  before).  The  ser- 
pent appears  after  a  long  delay 
at  the  mouth  of  its  lair,  and 
declares  their  friendship  at  an 
end,  as  it  could  not  forget  the 
blow  of  the  Brahmin's  son,  nor 
the  Brahmin  his  son's  death 
from  the  bite  of  the  snake. 
—Pants.  III.  v.  (Benf.  244-7). 


PH-EDRINE. 

-  -  -  A  good  man  had  be- 
come friendly  with  the  snake, 
who  came  into  his  house  and 
brought  luck  with  it,  so  that 
the  man  became  rich  through 

it. One  day  he  struck  the 

serpent,  which  disappeared,  and 
with  it  the  man's  riches.  The 
good  man  tries  to  make  it  up, 
but  the  serpent  declares  their 
friendship  at  an  end.  as  it  could 

not  forget  the  blow. 

— Phffid.  Dressl.  VII.  23  (Bom. 
II.  xi.  ;  Bo.  II.  x). 

Babrian. 


A  serpent  stung  a  farmer' 
son  to  death.  The  farmer  pur 
sued  the  serpent  with  an  axe 
and  struck  off  part  of  its  tail 
Afterwards  fearing  its  venge 
ance  he  brought  food  and  honey 
to  its  lair,  and  begged  reconcili 
ation.  The  serpent,  however, 
declares  friendship  impossible 
as  it  could  not  forget  the  blow 

nor  the  farmer  his  son's 

death   from   the   bite  of   the 
snake. 

— Jisop  Halm  g6b  (Babrius- 
Gitlb.  160). 


94  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

While  in  the  Indian  fable  every  action  is 
properly  motivated,  the  Latin  form  does  not 
explain  why  the  snake  was  friendly  in  the  first 
instance,  or  why  the  good  man  was  enraged 
afterwards,  while  the  Greek  form  starts 
abruptly  without  explaining  why  the  serpent 
had  killed  the  farmer's  son.  Combine  the 
Latin  and  Greek  form  together,  and  we  practi- 
cally get  the  Indian,  which  is  thus  shown  by 
Benfey's  ingenious  analysis  to  be  the  source 
of  both. 

XXI.  In  Babrius  (95),  though  not  in  Caxton, 
there  is  a  fable  of  a  fox  enticing  a  deer  to  the 
cave  of  a  lion  no  less  than  twice  by  an  appeal 
to  his  ambition.  On  the  second  occasion  the 
lion  seizes  the  beast  and  kills  it.  Going  away, 
he  finds  on  his  return  the  heart  of  the  deer 
missing.  Making  inquiry  from  the  fox  (who, 
of  course,  has  eaten  it),  he  is  answered  that  an 
animal  that  could  have  been  induced  to  put 
itself  twice  in  the  power  of  a  lion  could  have 
no  heart  (i.e.,  sense).  Exactly  the  same  story, 
finishing  with  the  same  witticism,  occurs  in 
the  Pantschatantra  (IY.  ii.),  except  that  an  ass 
occurs  instead  of  a  deer,  and  his  amorous  pro- 
pensities are    played    upon  to  induce  him  to 


INDIAN  ASS'  HEART.  95 

return  a  second  time.  Which  of  these  is  the 
original,  which  the  derivate  ?  Both  "Weber 
(Ind.  Stud,  iii.  388)  and  Benfey  (§  181)  are 
strongly  in  favour  of  the  Greek,  more  on 
general  grounds  than  for  any  specific  reason. 
I  think  I  can  reverse  their  result.  There 
exists  a  Jewish  variant  (Jalkut  on  Exod.,  §  182) 
in  which  the  ass  asks  toll  of  King  Lion  and 
is  killed ;  the  heart  disappears,  and  the  fox 
declares  the  ass  had  no  heart  or  he  would  not 
have  asked  toll  of  a  lion.  Xow  here  the  dupe 
is  an  ass,  as  in  the  Indian  fable,  not  a  deer,  as 
in  the  Roman.  Xo  one  will  nowadays  suggest 
that  the  Jewish  writer  obtained  the  story  from 
a  Roman  source,  changed  the  deer  to  an  ass, 
and  then  transmitted  it  to  India.  It  must  have 
been  vice  versa.  The  story  got  to  Alexandria 
with  the  ass  as  the  dupe,  passed  thence  to 
Judsea  and  Rome,  and  in  the  latter  place  was 
transformed  by  Babrius  into  a  deer.  We  shall 
see  later  on  that  this  is  not  an  isolated  instance 
where  the  Jewish  evidence  turns  the  scale  in 
favour  of  Indian  origin.* 

*  In  the  particular  case  before  us,  we  might  add  that 
the  reference  to  the  heart  as  the  seat  of  intelligence 
exactly  corresponds  to  the  Sanskrit  hrdaye,  whereas 
Achilles'  taunt  to  Agamemnon  of  Kpaoir]  iXacpoio  would 


96  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

XXII.  A  couple  of  strophes  of  the  Pantsclm- 
tantra,  III.  13,  14,  Benfey,  ii.  215)  bear  remark- 
able resemblance  to  the  fable  of  The  Two  Pots 
( Av.  ix. ).     They  run  as  follows  : — 

13  Who  cannot  put  up  with  things  from  pride 

oft  falls  through  his  equals  ; 
When  two  unbaked  pots  strike  together, 
they  both  break  in  two. 

14  To  vie  with  the  mighty 

brings  oft  death  to  the  lowly  ; 
Like  a  stone  that  breaks  a  pot, 
the  mighty  remain  unhurt. 

Here  again,  as  in  many  previous  instances,  I 
can  produce  a  Jewish  parallel  in  the  Talmudic 
proverb,  "  If  a  jug  fall  on  a  stone,  woe  to  the 
jug,  if  a  stone  fall  on  a  jug,  woe  to  the 
jug"  (Midr.  Est.  ap.  Dukes' Blumenlesei'No.  530). 
The  Jewish  form  is  nearer  the  Indian  (str.  14) 
than  that  we  are  accustomed  to  from  Avian,  a 
fact  not  without  its  significance,  as  we  shall  see. 
Taken  by  themselves,  the  three  cases  might  be 
regarded  as  fortuitous  coincidences.  But  it 
should  be  emphasised  that  we  cannot  take  such 
cases  by  themselves.     The  strength  of  the  chain 

seem  to  imply  that  it  was  regarded  by  the  Greeks  rather 
as  the  seat  of  courage. 


INDIAN  TWO  POTS.  97 

of  tradition,  against  all  catenary  laws,  depends 
on  its  strongest  not  upon  its  weakest  link.  When 
we  have  so  strong  a  case  as  The  Wolf  and  Crane 
or  The  Countryman,  Son.  and  Snake,  these  commu- 
nicate their  strength  to  their  weaker  brethren, 
because  if  we  prove  borrowing  in  one  or  two 
cases,  the  probabilities  of  borrowing  in  the  latter 
cases  become  stronger  in  proportion,  and  what 
look  like  fortuitous  coincidences  turn  into  cases 
of  borrowing.  And  examined  more  closely,  the 
particular  case  we  are  considering  is  not  so  for- 
tuitous as  it  looks.  There  are  many  ways  in 
which  the  dangers  of  ambition  can  be  expressed 
symbolically.*  It  would  be  indeed  strange  if 
three  nations  independently  should  hit  upon 
the  fragility  of  an  earthen  pot  to  express  the 
idea.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  Fable  affords 
such  a  stronghold  for  the  Borrowing  theory ; 
its  symbolical  character  renders  it  doubly  im- 
probable that  two  nations  should  independently 
hit  upon  the  same  symbol,  unless  an  extremely 
obvious  one,  for  the  same  moral  lesson. 

XXIII.  We  may  conclude  this  part  of  our 

*  "Set  a  beggar  on   horseback,"  '-'Vaulting  ambition 
o'erleaps  itself,"  The  Ass  as  Lapdog  formula,  are  among 
those  that  occur  to  me  at  this  moment  of  writing. 
VOL.  I.  G 


98  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

inquiry  with  an  Indian  parallel  to  The  Maiden 
transformed  into  a  Cat,  which  we  have  previously 
traced  back  to  Phaedrus.  I  must  confess  the 
analogy  does  not  appear  to  me  so  striking,  but  I 
include  it  in  deference  to  Benfey's  opinion,  which 
is  the  more  noteworthy,  as  he  is  generally 
inclined  to  trace  Indian  to  Greek  fables  rather 
than  vice  versd,  as  here.  The  Indian  story  runs 
as  follows  (Pants.  III.  xii. ;  Benf.  ii.  262-6)  : — 
A  Brahmin  saves  a  mouse  and  turns  it  into  a 
maiden,  whom  he  carefully  educates.  When 
nubile,  he  determines  to  marry  her  to  the  most 
powerful  being  in  the  world.  He  goes  to  the 
sun,  but  the  sun  declares  that  clouds  can 
obscure  him,  while  the  mouse-maiden  declares 
he  is  too  hot  for  her.  The  clouds  in  their  turn 
confess  inferiority  to  the  winds  before  which 
they  scud,  while  they  are  too  cold  for  the  mouse- 
maiden.  The  winds  again  yield  to  the  moun- 
tain, against  which  they  storm  in  vain,  while 
the  mouse -maiden  objects  to  their  unsteady 
conduct.  The  mountain  is  too  hard  for 
the  mouse  -  maiden,  while  it  confesses  that 
the  mice  are  stronger  than  it,  since  they 
bore  through  its  interior.  Finally  the  Brah- 
min  goes  with  his   adopted  daughter   to  the 


INDIAN  MOUSE-MAIDEN.  99 

Mouse  King,  and  asks  her  her  pleasure.  {  But 
'  she,  when  she  saw  him,  thought,  "  he  is  of  my 
'  own  species ; "  her  body  became  beautified  by 
'  her  hair  standing  on  end  from  joy,  and  she 
'  said,  "  Papa,  make  me  into  a  mouse  and  give 
1  me  to  him  as  a  wife,  so  that  I  may  fulfil  the 
'  household  duties  suitable  to  my  species."  And 
'  he  made  her  into  a  mouse  by  the  might  of  his 
'  sanctity,  and  gave  her  to  him  as  a  wife. ' 

The  story,  it  will  be  seen,  has,  in  common 
with  the  classic  fable,  the  transformation  of  a 
lower  animal  into  a  maiden,  her  being  given  in 
marriage,  and  the  moral, 

Xaturam  expellas  furca,  tamen  usque  recurret. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  marriage  in  the  Ph.82- 
drine  form  occurs  before  the  revelation  of  the 
true  nature,  and  the  maiden  is  an  enemy  of  the 
mouse  in  disguise.  I  should  therefore  hesitate 
before  granting  any  influence  of  the  Indian  on 
the  Greek  fable,  but  for  two  points  which  tell 
in  favour  of  it.  The  first  is  that  it  postulates  so 
strongly  the  animistic  theory  of  metempsycho- 
sis, which  has  remained  active  in  India  during  all 
historic  time,  while  in  Greece  we  meet  with  it  at 
best  asa"  survival ;  "  in  the  Roman  fable  itself 


ico  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

it  is  regarded  as  so  strange  that  it  requires  the 
power  of  Jupiter  to  effect  the  change,  and  even 
he  only  does  it  as  an  experiment,  which  fails,  to  the 
merriment  of  the  other  gods.  The  other  point 
is  that  there  is  a  certain  amount  of  evidence  that 
the  episode  of  strong,  more  strong,  stronger, 
stronger  still,  and  strongest,  reached  the  west, 
at  least  as  far  west  as  Syria.  For  in  Jewish 
legends  about  Abraham  we  find  him  arguing 
with  Nimrod  that  fire  should  not  be  worshipped 
because  water  can  put  it  out ;  nor  this,  because 
the  clouds  carry  it;  nor  those,  because  the 
winds  bear  them ;  nor  these,  because  man  can 
withstand  them.* 

If  we  allow,  with  Benfey,  the  Indian  origin 
of  The  Cat-Maiden,  then  certain  important 
points  follow.  For  we  find  the  fable  referred 
to  by  Strattis  (c.  400  B.C.),  and  by  Alexis  (c. 
375  B.C.),  before  Alexander's  expedition  to 
India.  We  must  accordingly  allow  for  some 
percolation  of  Indian  stories,  possibly  through 
Persia,  to  Greece,  as  early  as  the  fifth  century 
B.c.t    This  would  render  it  more  likely  that  The 

*  Ber.  rob.  §  xxxviii.  cf.  Beer.  Leben  Abrahams,  11  and 
7i.  92.     Similarly  in  the  Talmud,  Baba  batra  10a. 

f  Liebrecht  traces  a  story  that  the  Cardians  lost  a  battle 
because  their  steeds  had  been  trained  to  dance  to  music, 


STRONG,  STRONGER,  STRONGEST,    ior 

Dog  and  Shadow  and  others  (see  infra.,  p.  129) 
had  also  penetrated  thence  at  an  early  date  into 
Greece.  I  would  add  that  the  peculiar  assump- 
tion that  the  mice  are  stronger  than  the  moun- 
tains among  which  they  burrow  may  have 
provoked  the  Greeks  that  heard  the  tale  to  the 
burlesque  of  a  fable  immortalised  in  Horace's 
line. 

Parturiunt  montes,  nascitur  ridiculus  mus. 

We  have  now  before  us  all  *  the  evidence  on 
which  we  are  to  decide  whether  the  Greeks 
derived  their  fables,  all  or  some,  from  India. 
The  most  strangely  diverse  answers  have  been 
given  to  this  question  by  those  who  have  con- 
sidered it  at  length.  Two  classical  scholars, 
A.  Wagener  (in  his  Memoire  sur  les  rapports  des 
apologues  de  TInde  et  de  la  G-rece,  Brussels,  1854)! 

told  by  Charon  of  Lampsacus  (fl.  470  B.  C. )  to  a  Buddhistic 
legend,  now  only  extant  in  the  Chinese  A vadanas  (No.  10). 
Zur  Volksk.  p.  27. 

*  Or  nearly  all,  see  infra  p.  no  seq.  I  may  remark  that 
I  have  been  exceptionally  rigid  in  cases  occurring  only  in 
the  Bidpai  and  have  entirely  rejected  those  in  which  the 
probabilities  are  of  Greek  origin  for  the  Indian  variants. 
For  our  present  purpose  these  have  only  a  secondary  import 
for  us. 

f  Wagener  has  the  merit  of  having  been  practically  the 
first  to  give  detailed  instances  of  the  resemblance  of 
Indian  and  Greek  fables.     He  selected  twenty  examples 


102  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

and  0.  Keller  ( Untersuchungen  uber  die  Gescliiclite 
d.  griech.  Fabel,  Leipzig,  1862),  declare  most 
strongly  for  the  Indian  origin.  Two  Indian 
authorities,  A.  Weber  (who  discusses  each  of 
Wagener's  pointsseriatim  in  his  Indischp  Stud i en, 
Bnd.  III.  327-72)  and  T.  Benfey,  are  inclined  to 
trace  all  resemblance  between  the  two  to  Greek 
influence  percolating  through  the  Greco-Bactrian 
kingdoms,  left  in  the  backwater  of  Alexander's 
invasion.  Weber  bases  his  conclusion  chiefly 
on  aesthetic  grounds ;  the  Greek  fables  are  too 
clear-cut  and  artistic  to  have  been  derived  from 
the  longueurs  of  Indian  fable.  To  this  might 
be  replied  from  the  standpoint  of  evolution 
that  it  is  not  the  most  definite  which  comes 
first,  and  from  the  standpoint  of  classical 
scholarship  that  the  fables  in  which  Weber 
sees  such  classical  finish  are  the  Greek  verses 
of  a  Boman  or  mediaeval  prose  derivates  from 
these.  Benfey  is  less  decided  in  favour  of  India ; 
in  six  cases  (§§  29,  130,  143,  150,  158,  and  200  ; 
cf.  supra  XIII.,  XYIIL,  XIX.,  XX,  XXIII.) 
he  allows  Indian  influence.     But  in  some  fifty 

with  excellent  judgment,  one  quarter  of  them  turning  out 
afterwards  to  be  Jatakas,  and  eight  occurring  in  the  above 
list. 


BENFEVS  VIEWS.  103 

other  cases  he  declares  for  a  Greek  origin,  and 
traces  the  Indian  parallels,  often  very  slight 
ones,  I  may  observe,  to  Hellas.     He  draws  a 

distinction,'' which  seems  to  me  quite  illusory, 
between  fables  in  which  the  animals  act  like 
human  beings  and  those  in  which  they  behave 
naturally,  and  restricts  the  former  to  India.* 
This  of  course  gives  the  majority  to  Greece, 
since  many  fables  are  merely  applications  of 
the  Beast- Anecdote.  But  what  was,  or  ought 
to  have  been,  the  determining  factor  in  Benfey's 
mind  in  determining  the  relative  priority  of 
the  two  sets  of  fables  he  is  considering,  those 
occurring  in  the  Bidpai  literature  and  their 
Greek  parallels,  is  the  comparatively  late  date  at 
which  the  Bidpai  fables  are  first  found.  Strictly 
speaking,  we  first  know  of  them  by  the  Pehlevi 
translation,  executed  under  Khosru  ZSTushirvan 
about  550  a.d.  They  are  probably  a  couple 
of  centuries  earlier,  and  some  of  them  can 
be  traced  to  the  Jatakas  which,  we  now  know, 
are  nearly  a  thousand  years  older  than  Xushir- 
van.     But  Benfey  had  no  reason  for  suspect- 

*  If  the  distinction  were  valid,  every  fable  in  which  an 
animal  is  represented  as  speaking  should  be  traceable  to 
India. 


104 


THE  ORIENTAL  &S0P. 


ing  so  early  a  date  for  the  Jatakas;  and  at 
the  same  time  classical  authorities  placed 
Babrius  much  earlier  than  what  we  now  know 
to  be  his  date.  Under  the  circumstances  Ben- 
fey  was  justified*  in  giving  priority  to  the  set 
of  fables  which  make  the  earlier  appearance  in 
literature  so  far  as  the  materials  at  his  disposal 
enabled  him  to  judge.  We  now  know  the 
chronological  order  of  the  various  sets  of  fables 
which  come  into  dispute  to  be  as  follows  : — 


Greek. 

Indian. 

Parallels.     Strata  of  Bidpai. 

Jatakas. 

I.-XIV.               Palaeozoic. 

Ancient 

(supra,  pp.  26- 

-8). 

Mahabharata. 

xv.-xvm. 

Phsedrus. 

Babrius. 

Avian. 

Bidpai. 

XIX.-XXTII.      Mesozoic. 

Additions  to 
Bidpai. 

(C/.  note'p.  51.)    Cainozoic. 

While  Benfey's  chief  Indian  source  came  last 
in  chronological  order,  he  was  perfectly  justified 
in  treating  it  as  the  recipient.  I  cannot  help 
thinking  that  the  determination  of  the  early 
date  of  the  Jatakas  would  have,  in  his  opinion, 
transposed  the  relation  of  borrower  and  lender. 

*  In  my  Bidpai.  p.  xlvii.,  I  spoke  somewhat  disparag- 
ingly of  Benfey's  judgment  for  this,  not  taking  the  above 
considerations  into  account.  It  was  my  judgment  that 
was  at  fault. 


RECENT  OPINION.  105 

Of  recent  years  the  relative  position  of  clas- 
sical and  Indian  scholars  has  changed.  Mr. 
Rutherford,  in  the  Introduction  to  his  edition 
of  Babrius,  dismisses  the  possibility  of  Indian 
influence  in  a  few  contemptuous  phrases.  How 
is  it  possible,  he  asks,  that  a  nation  so  original 
as  the  Greeks  should  be  indebted  for  their 
fables  to  the  childish  Orientals,  with  their  page 
after  page  of  weak  moralising,  capped  by  a 
so-called  fable  ?  And  so,  with  a  lofty  wave  of 
the  hand,  he  bids  the  Indians  go  to  their  appro- 
priate diet  (k'jvsj  <zph;  sfierov  is  his  phrase),  and 
passes  on.  iSTow,  such  aesthetic  tests  of  origin 
have  been  proved  to  be  illusory  over  and  over 
again ;  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  we  know  that 
the  Greeks  were  much  indebted  to  Orientals 
both  in  art  and  religion ;  why  not  in  literature  ? 
We  might  very  well  ask  Mr.  Rutherford  how 
he  judges  of  the  superior  beauty  of  the  Greek 
fable  :  which  of  the  ei^ht  fables  which,  as  we 
have  seen,  form  the  Corpus  of  genuine  Greek 
fable,  does  he  regard  as  a  model  ?  I  must  con- 
fess that,  notwithstanding  their  length,  I  find 
much  animation  and  dramatic  point  in  the 
"  Stories  of  the  Past  "  contained  in  the  Jatakas, 
as  is  but  natural,  considering  that  the  animistic 


106  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

spirit  vitalises  them.  The  gclthas,  too,  put  the 
chief  points  of  each  Jdtaka  in  very  concise  and 
striking  form.  But  apart  from  all  this,  ques- 
tions of  origin  cannot  be  dismissed  in  this 
lofty  way.  When  we  find  cases  of  similarity 
so  close  as  those  of  The  Wolf  and  Crane,  The 
Ass  in  Lion's  Skin,  The  Lion  and  Mouse,  and 
The  Countryman  and  his  Son  and  the  Snake, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  there  has  been  borrow- 
ing on  one  side  or  the  other.  It  is,  as  the 
Germans  say,  a  case  of  either -or.  And  con- 
sidering that  the  Jatakas  belong  to  the  Canon 
of  Buddhist  Scriptures,  into  which  foreign  in- 
gredients would  enter  with  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty,* and,  as  a  whole,  are  much  earlier  than 
the  main  body  of  Greek  fable  as  it  has  come 
down  to  us,  the  alternative  must  rest  with  them. 
There  can  be  little  doubt  that  most  of  the 
Greek  fables  enumerated  above — with  perhaps 
a  few  others — are   derived  from  Indian  ones 

*  It  is  but  fair,  however,  to  state  that  the  Bishop  of 
Colombo  {Journ.  Ceyl.  Asiat.  Soc,  via.  114)  considers 
that  the  shaping  of  the  Losakd  J.  (No.  41)  has  been  in- 
fluenced by  some  form  of  the  Odyssey.  It  is  possible,  too, 
that  the  Mahosadha  J.  (Rhys-Davids,  p.  xiv.)  preserved 
some  form  of  Solomon's  judgment  brought  to  Ophir  (Abhira 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Indus)  by  Phoenician  sailors.  But 
see  infra,  p.  131. 


MR.  RUTHERFORD'S  VIEWS.         107 

similar  to,  or   identical  with,  those  contained 
in  the  Jatakas. 

But  not  all,  or  nearly  all,  Greek  fables  are 
so  derived,  as  Mr.  Rhys- Davids  contends  in 
the  interesting  Introduction  to  his  transla- 
tion of  the  first  forty  Jatakas  (Buddhist  Birth 
Stories,  I.,  Triibner,  18S0).  For  to  reach  this 
conclusion  Mr.  Rhys-Davids  has  to  make  tvro 
assumptions,  one  of  them  wrong  in  point  of 
fact,  the  other  wrong  in  point  of  method.*  He 
assumes  that  our  "  ^Esop  "  is  derived  from  the 
Greek  prose  versions  attributed  to  Planudes, 
which  he  takes  to  have  been  brought  together 
for  the  first  time  late  in  the  Middle  Ages,  after 
the  Bidpai  literature  had  had  time  to  reach 
Greece.  We  have  seen  that,  on  the  contrary, 
our  xEsop  is  mainly  Phsedrus  in  prose,  and 
that  the  Greek  prose  .Esop  is  for  the  major 
part  Babrius  in  prose.  It  follows  that  our 
"iEsop"  could  not  have  been  influenced  by 
the  Bidpai  literature,  which  does  not  reach 
Europe  till  the  eleventh  century.  The  other 
assumption  is  "that  a  large  number  of  them 

*  To  say  nothing  of  a  third  equally  erroneous  assumption 
that  the  Bidpai  (in  all  its  branches  too)  is  entirely  derive 

from  the  Jatakas. 


io8  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

[^Esop's  Fables]  have  been  already  traced  back, 
in  various  ways,  to  our  Buddhist  Jataka  book, 
and' that  almost  the  whole  of  them  are  pro- 
bably derived,  in  one  way  or  another,  from 
Indian  sources "  (I.  c.  p.  xxxv.).  The  large 
number  referred  to  turns  out,  we  have  seen, 
to  be  no  more  than  a  dozen.  Now  the  Corpus 
of  Greco-Homan  fable  amounts  to  500  (Phse- 
drus  200,  Babrius  300),  or  say  300  themes, 
allowing  for  doublets  and  pseudo-fables  (expan- 
sions of  proverbs,  &c.*).  It  is  probable  that 
the  Jatakas  contain  as  many;  of  the  first  50, 
28  are  either  beast-tales  or  beast-fables.  It 
is  idle  to  talk  of  a  body  of  literature  amounting 
to  300  numbers  being  derived  from  another 
running  also  to  300,  when  they  have  only  a 
dozen  items  in  common.  And  Mr.  Rhys- 
Davids'  further  argument  that  because  some  of 
the  Greek  fables  can  be  shown  to  be  derived 
from  the  Jatakas,  therefore  it  is  probable  that 
most  of  them  were  so  derived,  savours  somewhat 


*  On  this  see  some  interesting  remarks  by  Mr.  Ruther- 
ford, I.  c.  xliii.-vii.  Of  the  148  Babrius  fables  contained 
in  Mr.  Rutherford's  edition,  only  16  occur  in  Phsedrus,  to 
which  may  be  added  another  dozen  in  the  prose  derivates 
of  Phaedrus. 


MR.  RHYS-DAVIDS'  VIEWS.  ico. 

of  the  Fallacy  of  the  Priest  of  Neptune.* 
1  Eevere  the  Deity,  my  son,  and  pay  his  fees/ 
said  he,  '  see  the  number  of  votive  tablets  pre- 
1  sented  by  those  who  vowed  them  to  the  god 
'  and  were  thereby  saved  from  drowning.'  '  But 
'  where,  holy  father,'  asked  the  irreverent  tar, 
'  are  the  votive  tablets  of  those  who  vowed  and 
'  were  not  saved  ? '  We  may  grant  the  Pali 
scholars  every  credit  for  the  dozen  votive  tablets 
erected  to  the  honour  of  Buddha  in  the  temple 
of  iEsop,  but  we  must  at  the  same  time  point 
to  the  300  places  where  votive  tablets  are  not. 
Of  course,  if  only  a  few  Jatakas  were  extant, 
and  among  these  a  considerable  proportion 
found  parallels  in  Greek  fable,  Air.  Rhys- 
Davids  might  be  justified  in  assuming  that  a 
similar  proportion  of  parallels  would  have 
occurred  in  the  missing  Jatakas.  But  all  the 
Jatakas  are  extant,  and  we  can  only  allow  the 
Pali  scholars  to  count  the  parallels  which  they 
can    prove    to    exist    among    the    Jatakas    in 

*  This  fallacy  so  rife  in  investigations  of  this  kind  has 
never  received  a  name.  Formally,  it  is  a  sub-species  of  the 
Fallacy  of  Accident  (a  dicto  secundum  quid  ad  dictum  sim- 
pliciter).  It  is  the  method  by  which  statistics  may  be 
made  'to  prove  anything,'  and  in  that  science  might  be 
called  the  Fallacy  of  Selection. 


no  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

existence.  And  these,  as  we  have  seen,  amount 
at  present  to  no  more  than  a  dozen  or  so. 
'As  a  contrast  to  the  case  of  the  Jatakas,  we 
may  consider  the  Talmudic  fables,  which  are  of 
interest  also  in  many  other  connections,  as  we 
shall  see.  The  industry  of  Jewish  scholars* 
has  only  been  able  to  unearth  about  thirty 
fables  from  the  vast  expanse  of  Talmudic  and 
Midrashic  literature.  Yet,  few  in  number  as 
they  are,  they  are  of  crucial  importance  critic- 
ally. I  have  little  hesitation  in  saying  that 
they  have  given  me  the  clue  to  the  whole 
international  history  of  the  ancient  fable,  t 
In    order    to    substantiate    this    somewhat 


*  Dr.  Landsberger  in  the  introduction  to  his  edition  of 
Die  Fabeln  des  Sophos,  Dr.  Back  in  a  set  of  papers  in 
Graetz'  Monatsschrift,  between  1876  and  1886,  and  Ham- 
burger in  his  Realencyclopddie  des  Talmud,  s.v.  Fabel.  I 
have  myself  been  able  to  add  seven  to  the  scanty  list, 
chiefly  by  a  careful  scrutiny  of  Talmudic  proverbs,  as 
given  in  Dukes'  Blumenlese. 

f  Dr.  Landsberger  missed  the  crucial  importance  of  the 
Talmudic  beast-fables,  because  (1)  he  was  ignorant  of  their 
Indian  analogues  except  in  the  five  cases  where  his  name 
is  mentioned,  (2)  he  was  occupied  in  maintaining  the 
wild  thesis  of  the  Jewish  origin  of  Greek  fable,  i.e.  of 
the  derivation  of  a  body  of  300  fables,  some  of  which  can 
be  traced  back  to  the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries  B.C.  from 
some  25  to  30  fables,  the  earliest  of  which  is  of  the  begin- 
ning of  the  second  century  A.D. 


THE  TALMUD  GIVES  THE  CLUE,    m 

startling  assertion,  I  must  analyse  somewhat 
minutely  the  whole  body  of  Talmudic  fables, 
dividing  them  into  five  classes  as  follows  : 

(i.)  Talmudic  fables  common  to  the  classical 
and  the  earlier  strata  of  Indian  fables.  We 
have  already  seen  this  in  the  cases  of  The  Oxen 
(Asses)  and  Pig  (X.  Landsb.  p.  xxxvii),  The 
Proud  Jadcal  (XIII.  Landsb.  xlix.),  Oak  and 
Peed  (XYI.  Landsb.  lii.),  Camel  and  Horns 
(XVII.),  Hie  Ass'  Heart  (XXI.),  and  The  Two 
Pets  (XXII.),  and  we  shall  shortly  see  that  it 
applies  to  The  Lion  (Wolf)  and  Crane  (I.). 

(2.)  Talmudic  fables  found  among  the  classi- 
cal ones  and  likewise  in  later  strata  of  the 
Indian  ones.  These  include  The  Lean  Fox 
(Midr.  Koh  v.  14  Babr.  86  c  .  Bent  §  19)  The 
Mouse  and  Frog  (I.  iii.  Bacher  Agada  d.  Amorder 
42),  Man  and  Wood  (Ro.  III.  xiv.),  Man  and 
Two  Wives  (Re.  xvi.  Ph.  II.  ii),*  and  what  is  gene- 
rally known  as  the  only  extant  example  of  the 
300  Fox-Fables  of  R.  Heir,  The  Fox  and  Lion 

*  The  Jewish  references  for  these  two  classes  will  be 
found  in  the  Synopsis  of  Parallels.  They  are  mostly  from 
the  Midrash  Rabba  or  Great  Commentary  on  the  Penta- 
teuch and  Five  Rolls.  There  is  a  German  translation  of 
this  by  Dr.  A.  Wuensche  [Bibliotheca  Eabbinica,  Leipzig, 
1880-6). 


ii2  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

(^v.  (Ellis)  24  cf.  Benf.  §  62).*  I  have,  however, 
come  across  another,  which  affords  an  extremely- 
curious  variant  of  the  Gellert  formula,  which 
has  hitherto  escaped  notice,  though  it  happens 
to  be  the  earliest  in  existence.  It  runs  as  fol- 
lows (PesiJcta,  ed.  Buber,  p.  79  b)  : — 

"  SUhen  a  man's*  toapg  please  tlje  iUrfl, 
J£e  mafcet^  efcen  Tjtgi  enemies  to  be  at  peace  totttJ 
T)tm"  (Prov.  xvi.  7). 

R.  Meir  said  :  That  refers  to  that  dog.  Once  the 
shepherds  had  milked  their  flock.  While  they  were 
away,  a  serpent  came  and  licked  some.  The  dog 
observed  this,  and  when  the  shepherds  returned  to 
drink  the  milk,  the  hound  began  to  bark  at  them,  as 
who  should  say,  '  Drink  it  not  ! '  But  they  did  not 
understand  him.  Then  he  himself  licked  some  of  the 
milk  and  died  straightway.  They  buried  him  and 
erected  to  him  a  cairn,  and  it  is  called  to  this  day 
"  The  Dog's  Grave." 

This  form  occurs  late  in  the  Bidpai  (cf. 
Benf.,  §  202),  but  is  found  in  Babrius-Gitl.  255 
(Halm.  120).  I  would  add  that  the  idea  of  an 
animal  (or  Buddha  in  the  guise  of  an  animal) 
sacrificing  his  life  for  others  is  an  essentially 

*  This  is  only  extant  in  two  late  and  discordant  versions 
of  the  tenth  (Hai  Gaon)  and  eleventh  (Rashi)  centuries 
(Hamburger,  l.  c.) 


GELLERT  IN  THE  MIDRASH.       113 

Buddhistic  one,  and  occurs  frequently  in  the 
Jatakas,  notably  in  the  beautiful  Jataka  of  the 
Banyan  Deer  (Fausboll,  Xo.  12,  tr.  Pchys-Davids, 
205-10).  and  still  more  in  the  celebrated  Susa 
Jataka  (Fausboll  3i6,tr.  Morris,  F.-L.  J.,  ii.  336;, 
in  which  Indra,  in  reward  of  the  hare's  self- 
devotion,  places  its  image  on  the  moon,  where 
it  is  to  be  seen  to  this  day.  Every  Buddhist 
thinks  of  that  type  of  self-sacrifice  whenever 
the  moon  is  full.* 

(3.)  Talmudic  fables  found  in  India,  but  not 
among  the  classical  ones.  These  include  Bird 
and  Waves  (XII.),  Head  and  Tail  of  Serpent 
(XVIII. ),  Tongue  and  Members  (XVIII. ),  Strong, 
Stronger,  Strongest  (XXIII.  Landsb.  liii.),  The 
Fox  and  Fishes  (Talm.  Beracoth,  6ih,  cf.  the  Bah  a 
Jataka,  reprinted  in  my  Bidpai,  pp.  lviii.-lxiv., 
and  Dr.  Back,  ap.,  Graetz'  Monatsft.,  1SS0,  p. 
24),  and  Tlie  Reanimated  Lion  {YajiJcra rabba,  § 

*  I  was  asked  by  a  friendly  critic  in  the  Daily  News 
why  Buddha  should  be  identified  with  the  Rabbit  in  the 
Uncle  Remus  stories,  the  chief  of  -which,  The  Tar  Baby,  I 
had  traced  to  the  Jataka  of  the  Demon  with  the  Matted 
Hair  {Bidpai,  Introd.,  pp.  xliv.-vi. ).  I  would  account  for  it 
by  a  reference  to  the  Susa  Jataka.  I  may  add  that  Mr. 
Andrew  Lang  has  since  found  the  Tar  Baby  a  step  nearer 
India  in  the  TVest  Indian  Islands  {Longman's  Mag.,  Feb. 
1889).     See  also  infra,  pp.  136-7. 

VOL.  I,  H 


ii4  THE  ORIENTAL  jESOP. 

22,  cf.  Pants.  V.  4,  Benf.  §  204,  Landsb.  lxiv. 
=  Sanjivaka  Jdtaka). 

(4.)  Then  come  the  Talmudic  fables  to  be  found 
among  the  Greeks,  but  not  in  India.  These 
are  :  '  Man's  years  are  those  of  Horse,  Ox,  and 
Hound'  (Midr.  Koh.  i.  2,  Babr.  74,*  Landsb. 
lviii.),  The  Shepherd  and  Young  Wolf  (Jalkut, 
§  923,  cf.  Halm  374  (  =  Babrius-GitL,  Lands- 
berger,  p.  lxii.).  To  these  I  would  add  The 
Grow  (Serpent)  and  Pitcher  ("A  serpent  was 
seen  pouring  water  in  a  flask  full  of  wine,  so 
as  to  get  at  the  wine,"  Talm.  Aboda  sara,  30a, 
cf.  Av.  xx.);  TJie  Fir  and  Bramble  (Av.  xv. 
"  Firs  are  only  good  to  cut  down,"  Shemoth 
Rabba,  gjb) ;  perhaps  The  Daw  in  Peacock's 
Feathers  ("  Crows  adorn  themselves  with  their 
own  as  well  as  others'  property,"  Midr.  Est.  83b, 
cf.  Ro.  II.  xv.);  and  The  Scorpion  and  Camel  ("A 
scorpion  was  trodden  under  foot  by  a  camel ;  '  I'll 
soon  reach  your  head/  said  he,"  Jalk.  §  764  ap., 
Dukes'  Blum.  No.  565,    cf.  Av.  xxiii.).f 

*  If  I  had  space  it  would  be  interesting  to  trace  the 
influence  of  this  on  Shakespeare's  Seven  Ages  of  Man  {As 
you  like  it,  II.  vii.).  Cf.  Taylor,  Pirqe  Aboth.,  in,  and 
Low,  LebcnsaUer,  22  and  notes. 

f  The  idea  of  a  mouse  biting  an  ox  in  the  apologue  of 
Avian  does  not  seem  very  consistent,  and  looks  more  like  a 
misunderstanding. 


TALMUDIC  FABLES.  115 

(5.)  Finally,  we  have  the  Talmudic  fables  for 
which  I  have  not  been  able  to  find  either  Indian 
or  classical  analogues  :  Chaff,  Straw,  and  Wheat 
(Ber.  Bab.,  §  S3),  who  dispute  for  which  of  them 
the  seed  has  been  sown  :  the  winnowing  fan 
soon  decides  (cf.  Matt.  ih.  12) ;  The  Caged  Bird 
(Midr.  Koh.,  §  11),  who  is  envied  by  his  free 
fellow,  possibly  a  variant  of  the  Munika  Jatdka  ; 
The  Wolf  and  Two  Hounds  who  had  quarrelled  ; 
the  wolf  seizes  one,  the  other  goes  to  his  rival's 
aid  fearing  the  same  fate  on  the  morrow  (Si/re, 
i.  1 5  7) :  this  looks  like  a  variant  of  The  Lion  and 
Oxen  (A  v.  xiv.)  ;  The  Wolf  at  the  Well  (Jlidr. 
ral>  Esther,  §  3),  which  is  covered  with  a  net  : 
"If  I  go  down,"  says  he,  "I  am  caught;  if  I 
do  not,  I  perish  of  thirst :  "  The  Cock  and  Bat 
(Talm.  Sank  gSb),  who  sit  by  one  another 
awaiting  the  dawn  :  says  the  cock,  "  I  wait 
for  the  daylight  for  that  is  my  signal;  but 
thou  ? — the  light  is  thy  ruin  :  "  and  the  grim 
Beast-tale  of  The  Fox  as  Singer  (Midr.  rob. 
Esther  iii.  1)  which,  as  it  is  short,  we  may 
give  :— 

The  Lion  once  gave  a  feast  to  the  beasts  of  forest 
and  field,  and  spread  over  thern  the  skins  of  lions, 
wolves,  and  other  wild  beasts.    After  they  had  eaten 


u6  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

and  drunk  they  asked  :  '  Who'll  sing  us  songs  ? '  and 
looked  at  the  Fox.  "Will  you  join,'  said  he,  'in 
the  chorus  with  me  ?  "  "  Yes,"  they  all  cried.  He 
said : — 

What  he  has  shown  us  above 
Soon  he'll  show  us  below. 

We  have  now  before  us  the  whole  extent  of 
the  Talmudic  Beast- fables,*  and  it  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  see  how  strongly  they  contrast  with 
the  Greek  or  Indian  collections.  Both  these 
consist  of  about  300  fables,  of  which  not  more 
than  a  score  or  so  can  be  traced  elsewhere, 
whereas  the  Jewish  list  runs  to  about  thirty, 
of  which  all  but  six,  or  perhaps  only  four,  can 
be  traced  either  to  India  or  Greece,  or  both. 
It  is  the  obvious  inference  that  the  Beast- 
fable  in  Judsea  is  a  borrowed  product,  and  the 
only  question  is  from  which  of  the  two  sources 


*  I  have  confined  myself  strictly  to  these,  and  have 
therefore  omitted  The  Euphrates  and  Tigris,  The  Lie  and 
Destruction  (but  cf.  Babr.  70),  and  The  Sun,  Moon,  and 
Stars  before  God  (and  similar  "holy"  fables,  to  use  Dr. 
Back's  distinction).  Hamburger  gives  the  names  of  two 
fables,  The  Lion  and  Fox,  and  The  Cat  and  Weasel,  with 
a  wrong  reference  (Ber.  rob.,  §  88),  which  I  cannot  check. 
I  fancy  the  former  is  but  a  doublet,  of  which  there  are 
many  in  his  list,  of  The  Fox  as  Singer,  and  the  latter  is 
a  reference  to  the  proverbial  saying  when  enemies  join, 
"  Cat  and  "Weasel  are  married  "  (Talm.  Sanh.  105a). 


TALMUDIC  FABLES  FROM  INDIA.     117 

it  has  been  derived.*  All  our  evidence  turns 
in  favour  of  India.  For  where  the  Greek  and 
Indian  forms  of  the  fables  common  to  the  three 
differ,  the  Jewish  form  agrees  with  the  Indian, 
not  the  Grecian.  We  have  already  seen  a  triad 
of  instances  of  this  (The  Belly  arid  Members, 
The  Two  Pots,  and  TJie  Ass'  Heart) ;  we  may 
now  find  a  fourth  in  the  earliest  Talmudic  fable 
that  can  be  dated.  This  turns  out  to  be  our 
old  friend  The  Wolf  (Lion)  and  Crane,  which 
runs  thus  in  the  Great  Commentary  on  the 
Pentateuch  (Ber.  Rabba,  ad.  loc.)  : — 

[Gen.  xxvi.  28.     2nB  toe  satfl  :  let  tTjcre  be  efcett 
itoto  an  oat?)  oettottt  u£.] 

In  the  days  of  R.  Joshua  hen  Chananyahf  the 
wicked  ruler  gave  permission  to  rebuild  the  Temple. 
[But  the  Samaritans  plotted  against  this  and  arranged 
that  the  condition  should  be  that  it  should  be  rebuilt 
on  a  different  site,  -which  would  destroy  its  sacro- 
sanctity.     The  Jews  on  receiving  the  message  met  in 

*  The  smallness  of  the  total  number  precludes  the 
possibility  of  the  Jews  having  had  access  to  more  than 
one  collection. 

f  "I  care  not  if  my  lot  be  as  that  of  Joshua  ben 
Chananyah  ;  after  the  last  destruction  he  earned  his  bread 
by  making  needles,  but  in  his  youth  he  had  been  a  singer 
on  the  steps  of  the  Temple,  and  had  a  memory  of  what 
was,  before  the  glory  departed,"'  says  Mordecai  in  Daniel 
Deronda,  chap.  xl. 


n8  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

the  Vale  of  Beth  Riiuon  and  midst  tears  and  cries 
determined  to  disobey  the  Emperor's  command.  K. 
Joshua  ben  Chananyah  *  was  sent  to  quiet  them.]  He 
went  to  them  and  told  them  this  fable  :  A  lion  had 
devoured  a  beast  and  a  bone  thereof  stuck  in  his 
throat.  He  issued  the  proclamation  "  Whoever  will 
come  and  take  out  this  bone  for  me,  shall  receive  his 
reward."  An  Egyptian  partridge  came  by,  which  has 
a  long  beak :  it  put  this  into  the  lion's  jaws  and 
pulled  out  the  bone.  "Give  me  my  reward,"  it 
thereupon  said  to  the  lion.  "Go,"  answered  he, 
"thou  canst  laugh  and  say  that  thou  hast  gone  in 
and  out  of  a  lion's  jaws  in  safety."  So  too  we 
may  rejoice,  added  the  speaker,  that  we  have  been 
received  into  this  nation  and  shall  get  out  of  it  in 
safety. 

Professor  Graetz,  in  an  elaborate  excursus, 
(Geschichte  der  Juden  Bnd.  iv.,  note  14),  has 
shown  that  the  event  here  referred  to  took 
place  in  the  year  118  a.d.,  which  is  accordingly 
the  date  of  the  earliest  Talmudic  fable  which 
can  be  chronologically  fixed,  f  Asa  matter  of 
fact  it  is  probably  twenty  or  thirty  years  earlier, 

*  He  was  called  "  The  man  of  the  golden  mean  "  (Graetz, 
Gesch.  iv.  p.  15).  He  gave  utterance  to  the  noble  saying, 
"  There  are  saints  among  the  Gentiles,  and  they  too  have 
a  place  in  Heaven "  (Tos.  Sank.,  c.  13,  ap.  Graetz,  I.e. 
427).  On  some  piquant  passages  between  him  and  early 
Christians  see  Gudemann  Religions  geschl.  Studien. 

f  Dr.  Joel  fixes  the  occurrence  under  Trajan  two  years 
earlier. — Blickc,  i.  p.  17  seq. 


JEWISH  WOLF  AND  CRANE.        119 

as  we  shall  see,  but  the  public  use  of  the  fable 
probably  dates  from  118  a.d.,  and  here  again  we 
see  the  fable  beginning  its  career  in  a  new  home 
as  a  political  weapon.  But  just  at  present  we 
may  notice  how  this  new  example  confirms  the 
three  former  ones  in  agreeing  with  the  Indian 
form  of  the  fable  on  the  point  in  which  it  differs 
from  the  Hellenic,  viz.,  in  making  the  chief 
actor  a  lion  instead  of  a  wolf.  If  R.  Joshua 
had  known  of  the  Grecian  form  he  could 
scarcely  have  avoided  using  it  in  a  case  where 
it  would  have  been  natural  to  identify  Rome 
with  a  wolf  in  the  significant  hint  with  which 
he  concluded  his  harangue.  This  clinches  the 
Indian  origin  of  the  Talmudic  Beast- fables, 
and  it  only  remains  to  ask  how  and  by  whose 
means  they  came  from  India  to  Judsea.  I  fancy 
I  have  been  able  to  discover  even  this  point  by  a 
careful  study  of  the  short  and  simple  annals  of 
the  fable  in  the  Talmud,  which  run  as  follows.* 

*  Hamburger  luckily  gives  his  fables  in  chronological 
order,  though  with  many  doublets  and  wrong  refer- 
ences. I  may  mention  that  though  the  bulk  of  Talmudical 
and  Midrashic  works  are  anonymous,  most  of  their  con- 
tents can  be  dated,  since  the  authors  of  the  statements 
are  given  in  the  majority  of  instances,  and  modern  Jewish 
science  has  established  the  dates  and  sequence  of  these 
with  tolerable  accuracy. 


120  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

We  first  hear  of  Beast-fables  in  the  Talmud 
in  connection  with  R.  Jochanan  ben  Saccai, 
who  established  the  schools  of  Jabne  (near 
Jaffa)  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  (70 
a.d.),  and  there  founded  Rabbinical  Judaism. 
Of  him  it  is  said  (Talm.  Succa,  28a,  and 
parallel  passages),  "He  did  not  leave  out  of 
the  circle  of  his  studies  even  the  Mishle 
Shu'alim  (Fox-fables)  and  the  Mishle  Kobsim." 
The  last  phrase  has  puzzled  the  commentators 
and  lexicographers  greatly;  the  nearest  they 
can  get  to  it  is  "the  fables  of  the  washermen." 
For  the  moment  we  will  reserve  the  solution 
of  this  mystery.  We  next  hear  of  R.  Meir  * 
living  in  the  middle  of  the  second  century, 
knowing  300  Fox- fables. f  Then  the  history 
finishes  with  the  statement  of  the  Mishna 
(Sota,  ix.  15),  "With  the  death  of  R.  Meir 
(c.  190  a.d.)  Fabulists  ceased  to  be."     Now  let 

*  Two  monographs  have  recently  been  written  on  this 
teacher  :  R.  Levy,  Un  Tanah  (Paris,  1883),  and  A.  Blumen- 
thal,  fiabbi  Meir  (Frankfort,  1888).  The  latter  contains  a 
chapter  on  his  fables  (pp.  97-107).  It  was  he,  it  will  be 
observed,  who  told  the  Gellert  story  (supra,  p.  112). 

t  The  exact  words  [Synh.,  386)  are  "  R.  Meir  had  (i/esh 
lo)  300  Fox-Fables."  As  we  have  seen,  only  one  is  extant, 
as  indeed  was  the  case  in  Talmudic  times  (See  ~\Y.  Bacher, 
Agada  d.  Tanaiten,  ii.  7). 


MISHLE  KOBSIM.  121 

us  try  and  interpret  these  seemingly  discon- 
nected jottings. 

"We  must  first  settle  what  Mishle  Kobsim 
means.  Now  there  is  an  uniform  Greek  tra- 
dition that  a  special  class  of  fables  called  the 
Libyan  were  collected  by  a  Libyan  named 
Kybisas,  Kybisios,  or  Kibysses.  Diogenian 
(p.  180)  says,  0/  0=  KvfiuSav  svz'errjv  y-'/esQui  roZ  s'Idovz 
to-jtov  ;  Theon  (ed.  Walz.,  i.  p.  17),  '/.cci  Kvfiiaoc 
ex  Aifi'jr,;  ^KTj/xovrjsra;  l~6  moov  u;  /uLvdoKoio;,*  and 
Hesychius  says  of  Aoj8/#co/Xoyo/.  Xa,aa/>Jaj;  <f>r,ai 
KifBvvrh  (J.  KifivGiGv)  evgcTt  rove  /.eyev;  rovrovs  (ap. 
Hartung,  Babrios,  p.  176).  Babrius  himself  in 
his  second  prologue  couples  him  with  .cEsop  : — 

■jrp&Tos  oe,  <fia.«j'iv,  etire  Traicrlv  'YXKtjvwv 
Aicruiros  6  cro(p6s,  elire  /ecu  AifivarivoLs 

Xoyovs  ~KL{3ucrcr7]s. 

The  first,  they  say,  {who)  spoke  {fables)  to  the  sons 
of  the  Hellenes  icas  JEsop  the  wise,  and  {the  first  who) 
spoke  fables  to  the  Libyans  {was)  Kibysses. 

Now  the  slightest  rounding  of  a  corner  of  a 
letter,  transforming  mem  (D)  into  samech  (D), 
would  change  the  inexplicable  Mishle  Kobsim, 

*  I  owe  these  references  to  Mr.  Eutherford,  who,  how- 
ever, thinks  them  all  due  to  an  early  misreading  of 
Al3vk6s.     This  is  out-Cobeting  Cobet. 


122  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

"  fables  of  washermen,"  into  Mislde  Kubsis, 
"fables  cf  Kybises,"*  and  with  the  Greek 
tradition  before  us  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
the  change  is  justified,  and  that  the  Talmudic 
statement  gives  us  evidence  of  the  collection  of 
Libyan  fables  by  Kybises  as  late  as  80  or 
90  a.d.,  the  period  of  R.  Jochanan  ben  Saccai's 
chief  activity. 

After  his  time  we  hear  no  more  of  the  Mislile 
Kybises,  as  we  may  now  call  them,  and  I  think 
I  can  also  suggest  a  reason  for  this.  When 
R.  Meir  revived  the  study  of  fables  a  century 
later,  he  only  knew  of  a  collection  of  300  Mishle 
Shu'alim  (Fox-fables).t  Now  Crusius  has  ren- 
dered it  probable  that  Babrius  in  the  third  cen- 
tury merely  put  into  verse  a  collection  of  Greek 
fables  made  by  Xicostratus  in  the  first  half  of 
the  second,  and  Gitlbauer's  edition  of  Babrius 
has  rendered  it  tolerably  certain  that  the  total 

*  Something  like  this  suggestion  was  made  by  Roth  in 
Heidelberger  Jahrhiicher,  i860,  p.  55,  but  in  an  opposite 
direction,  explaining  Kybisses  from  Kobsimf  It  attracted 
however  no  notice  from  either  Talmudic  or  classical  scholars. 
Indeed  its  significance  could  not  be  seen  till  the  dependence 
of  the  Talmudic  fables  on  India  had  been  established. 

f  They  are  only  once  more  mentioned  as  being  known  to 
R.  Simon  bar  Kappara  (Koh.  rob.  i.  3),  a  pupil  of  R. 
Meir's. 


MISHLE  KUBSIS.  123 

number  of  Babrian  versions,  and  therefore  of 
Xicostratus'  collection,  was  almost  exactly  300. 
We  can  guess,  too,  from  Babrius'  statement 
given  above  that  Xicostratus  merely  put  to- 
gether the  collections  of  Demetrius  and  of 
Kybises,  so  that  all  Jewish  students  of  Greek 
letters  *  would  find  would  be  Xicostratus'  com- 
plete collection  of  300  fables.  And  looking 
back  at  the  statement  which  begins  the  Tal- 
mudic  history  of  the  fable,  we  can  interpret 
more  exactly  the  Mishle  Shu'alim  which  R. 
Jochanan  ben  Saccai  studied  as  well  as  the 
Mishle  Kybises.  This  was  in  all  probability 
Demetrius'  collection,  so  that  "Fox  Fables"  is 
the  Hebrew  equivalent  for  our  iEsop's  Fables,  f 
But  though  R.  Jochanan  may  have  known  of 
the  "zEsopic"  collection,  all  our  evidence  goes  to 
show  that  he  used  the  other  of  Kybises  exclu- 
sively, either  because  its  Oriental  tone  attracted 

*  There  were  many  such,  though  the  practice  was  con- 
demned {cf.  M.  Joel,  Blicke  L).  Of  Elisha  ben  Abujah,  the 
Faust  of  the  Talmud,  and  R.  Meir's  teacher,  it  is  even  said 
that  the  words  of  Homer  were  never  absent  from  his  lips. 

f  The  title  recalls  Aristophanes'  coinage,  aXooireKL^eiv 
("to  foxify,"  Vesp.  1240),  which,  as  Mr.  Rutherford  re- 
marks (p.  xxxv.),  calls  up  a  whole  series  of  adventures  in 
apologue.  Cf.  the  French  proverb,  Avec  un  renard,  on 
renarde.  Mishle  Shu'alim  was  the  title  given  by  Ber- 
achyah  Hanakdan  to  his  collection  of  fables  {infra,  p.  168). 


124  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

him,  or,  as  is  more  likely,  because  it  was  the 
shorter  and  better  suited  for  translation.  For 
Phsedrus'  collection,  and  that  of  Demetrius,  on 
which  he  founds,  runs  to  over  two  hundred,  and 
Nicostratus',  which  includes  these  and  that  of 
Kybises,  only  makes  three  hundred,  leaving 
under  a  hundred  for  the  "  Libyan  "  collection. 
Now  it  is  a  remarkable  coincidence  that  of  the 
six  classic  fables  found  in  the  Talmud  without 
Indian  parallels  (class  4  above)  five  are  Babrian 
and  not  Phsedrine,  or,  in  other  words,  from  the 
Addenda  of  Nicostratus,  i.e.,  from  Kybises. 
And  the  sixth,  if  it  be  a  reference  to  the  Jay  in 
Peacock's  feathers,  is  in  a  form  which,  as  we  shall 
see  (p.  165),  indicates  a  different  origin  than 
Phsedrus.  This  clinches  the  matter  and  enables 
us  to  identify  nearly  thirty  fables  (classes  1  to 
4  above)  as  the  "  Libyan  fables  "  of  Kybises. 

A  careful  comparison  between  Phsedrus  as 
we  can  restore  him  from  his  derivates  and 
Babrius  in  Gitlbauer's  edition  would  enable  us 
to  restore  with  some  probability  the  contents 
of  the  lost  Fables  of  Kybises.*  I  cannot  afford 
space  for  such  a  comparison,  but  I  would 
remark  that  Stainhowel  has  already  done  part 
*  But  see  the  reservation  on  p.  151. 


LIBYAN  FABLES.  125 

of  the  work  in  his  xEsop,  and  therefore  in 
Caxton's,  which  we  have  before  us.  For  after 
he  had  given  the  Romulus,  which  contains  the 
nucleus  of  Phsedrus-Demetrius,  he  selected  from 
Remicius  and  Avian,  which  we  have  seen  to  be 
derived  from  Babrius,  the  fables  which  did  not 
exist  in  the  Phsedrus.  In  other  words,  these 
two  books  of  the  Caxton  represent  the  Libyan 
fables  of  Kybises  just  as  the  first  four  represent 
the  x-Esopian  jests  of  the  ancients. 

I  suspect  that  Avian  has  effected  the  same 
distinctions  for  us  in  his  collection.  In  his  pre- 
face he  speaks  of  having  before  him  both 
Phsedrus  and  Babrius  ;  yet  as  a  matter  of  fact 
he  seems  to  have  conscientiously  avoided  repeat- 
ing in  Latin  verse  the  fables  that  Phsedrus  had 
already  given  in  Latin  verse.*  It  is  probable 
therefore  that  unconsciously  to  himself  he  was 
really  giving  for  the  most  part  a  selection  from 
the  Libyan  Fables  of  Kybises.  It  is  at  any 
rate  remarkable  what  a  large  proportion  of  his 

*  The  only  exceptions  are  Ay.  34  =  Ph.  iv.  24.  and  Ay. 
37=Ph.  iii  7,  in  both  cases  with  variations  in  the  dramatis 
personce.  In  this  paragraph  I  refer  to  the  complete  Avian 
as  edited  by  Mr.  Ellis,  by  Arabic  numerals,  adding  Pioman 
numerals  in  brackets  when  they  also  occur  in  StainhoweFs 
selection,  and  therefore  in  our  Caxton. 


126  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

fables  have  an  Oriental  tone.  We  have  already 
seen  this  in  the  case  of  Av.  2  (ii.),  5  (iv.),  8 
(vii.),  16  (Ro.  IY.  xx.  but  not  from  Phsedrus), 
33  (xxiv.),  36,  40  (  =  IV.,  II.,  XVL,  XXII, 
XVIL,  VIII.,  X,  XIII.),  while  18  (xiv.),  19 
(xv.),  24,  27  (xx.),  31  (xxiii.)  occur  as  Talmudic 
parallels  in  classes  2,  4,  and  5.  Besides  this, 
The  Swallow  and  Birds  (21,  cf.  Ro.  I.  xx.)  and 
The  Avaricious  and  the  Envious  (22,  xvii.)  occur 
in  Cainozoic  strata  of  the  Bidpai  (Benf.  §§21, 
112),  the  latter  indeed,  as  we  have  seen,  occur- 
ring in  Capt.  Temple's  Wideawake  Stories  as  a 
current  Indian  folk- tale ;  it  does  not  occur  in 
Babrius  or  Halm.  I  may  add  that  The  Boy 
and  Thief  (25,  xviii. ),  is  exactly  of  the  type  of 
Noodle  stories  found  ad  nauseam  in  Indian 
story-books  (cf.  Benf.  §  146  and  Mr.  Clouston's 
Book  of  Noodles),  while  The  Sow  and  Lord  (30) 
has  again  the  joke  about  want  of  heart  (sense) 
which  we  have  met  with  before  in  The  Ass' 
Heart  (XX.).*  Besides  these  we  have  two  fables 
about  apes  (14,  xi.  ;  35,  xxv.)  and  one  of  a 
tiger  (17,  xiii.),  which  are  Indian,  not  Greek 
animals.     There  are  also  slight  indications  in 

*  But  see  Mr.  Ellis'  note  on  1.   14,  showing  that  the 
Komans  used  cor  in  the  same  way. 


LIBYAN  FABLES  IN  AVIAN.         127 

the  texts  of  Avian's  originals  which  point  to  a 
"  Libyan"  or  Indian  original.  In  2  (ii.)  the 
Tortoise  in  the  Babrius  offers  treasures  of  the 
Erythraean  Sea  for  his  aerial  voyage.  The 
Babrian  original  of  The  Crow  and  Peacock  (15, 
xii.)  begins  Aiftvaffu  ysgaiog,  and  iElian,  in  speak- 
ing of  The  Crow  and  Pitcher  (27,  xx.),  which 
does  not  occur  in  Babrius  or  Halm,  relates  the 
anecdote  of  a  Libyan  crow.  All  this  seems  to 
indicate  the  Libyan  (i.e.,  Indian)  origin  of  Avian, 
and  enables  us  to  identify  at  least  those  mentioned 
above  as  Libyan,  and  not  iEsopic,  Fables.* 

In  making  such  a  marked  distinction  between 
IEsopic  and  Libyan  fable,  I  am  but  reverting 
to  one  which  the  ancients  themselves  em- 
phasised throughout  their  treatment  of  the 
fable,  f  iEschylus  prefaces  his  fable  of  The 
Eagle  {  with  the  words — 

cD5'  earl,  jivduv  tQu  AtfivaTiKtav  tc\eo$. 

*  See  the  complete  list  drawn  out  on  p.  153. 
f  There  is  a  third  class  termed  Sybaritic,  Milesian,  and 
Cyprian,  but  these  refer  not  to  Beast-fables  but  to  broad 
jests  of  the  kind  that  have  been  always  associated  with 
the  fable.     See  infra,  p.  203. 

X  Represented  in  English  literature  by  Byron's  lines  : — 
"  So  the  struck  eagle,  stretch'd  upon  the  plain, 
No  more  through  rolling  clouds  to  soar  again, 
View'd  his  own  feather  on  the  fatal  dart, 
And  wing'd  the  shaft  that  quiver'd  in  his  heart." 


128  THE  ORIENTAL  ^SOP. 

When  Aristotle  is  discussing  the  use  of  the 
Fable  in  oratory  [Rhetoric,  ii.  20)  he  speaks 
of  fables  "whether  of  the  iEsopic  or  Libyan 
kind."  Babrius,  as  we  have  seen,  speaks  in 
one  breath  of  ./Esop  for  the  Greeks,  and 
Kibysses  for  the  Libyans.  The  rhetoricians 
kept  up  this  tradition  to  a  very  late  date.  And 
even  Julian  the  Apostate,  in  his  interesting 
Seventh  Oration,  devoted  to  the  fable,  retains 
the  distinction.  There  was  thus  throughout 
Greek  literature  a  conscious  recognition  that  a 
certain  number  of  fables  were  foreign  importa- 
tions, and  these  were  labelled  vaguely  as  "  Lib- 
yan," a  word  that  covered  all  dusky-skinned 
races.  We  are  now  in  a  position  to  interpret 
it  as  "  Indian  via  Egypt."* 

We  can  go  even  a  step  further,  I  think,  and 
distinguish  between  two  different  streams  of 
"Libyan"  (Indian)  influence  reaching  Hellas. 
If  we  examine  the  list  of  ancient  Greek  fables 
given  pp.  26-2S,  we  are  now  able  to  identify 
as  "Libyan"  The  Ass'  Heart,  by  Solon,  The 
Countryman  and  Snake  of  Theognis,  The  Eagle 

*  There  is  an  exact  analogy  for  this  kind  of  nomenclature 
in  our  own  name  for  the  figures  we  use.  "We  call  them 
"  Arabic  numerals  ;  "  the  Arabs  themselves  spoke  of  them 
as  "  Indian  signs." 


LYBIAN  FABLE.  129 

hoist  loith  his  own  Petard  of  iEschylus,  The  Trans- 
formed Weasel  of  Strattis,  and  The  Dog  and 
Shadow  of  Theognis.  Now  of  these  only  the  last 
is  traceable  to  a  Buddhistic  Jataka,  and  the  dif- 
ference here  is  great  enough  to  suggest  that  it  is 
from  an  Indian  Beast-fable  existing  prior  to 
Buddha,  and  adopted  by  him  or  his  followers. 
There  only  remains  The  Ass  in  Lion's  Skin,  sup- 
posed to  be  referred  to  by  Socrates  when  he  says 
(Cratyl.  41  ia),  "I  must  not  quake  now  I  have 
donned  the  lion's  skin,"  which  may,  as  Wagener 
suggests,  only  refer  to  the  stage  representations 
of  Bacchus  or  Hercules.  Socrates  would  scarcely 
write  himself  down  an  ass,  and  if  the  fable  were 
referred  to,  the  whole  point  of  it,  the  betrayal 
by  the  bray,  is  omitted.  With  this  exception 
then,  if  it  be  an  exception,  the  earliest  "  Lib- 
yan "  fables  are  non-Buddhistic.  But  later  on 
there  is  much  evidence  showing  that  an  infu- 
sion of  Jatakas  came  to  the  Western  world. 
In  Avian  (and  therefore,  if  I  am  right,  in  the 
"Libyan"  portion  of  Babrius)  we  have  The 
Ass  in  Lion's  Skin,  Tlie  Tortoise  and  Birds, 
The  Goose  with  Golden  Eggs,  and  The  Proud 
Jackal  (40) ;  in  Babrius  The  Asses  and  Pig  (cf. 

Av.    36);    and  in  the  Talmud   The  Lion   and 
vol.  1.  1 


1 3o  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

Crane,  The  Bird  and  Waves,  Fox  and  Fishes, 
and  Gellert,  the  Buddhistic  character  of  which 
I  have  shown.  All  these,  on  our  hypothesis, 
come  from  the  Libyan  fables  of  Kybises,  and 
it  becomes  therefore  probable  that  that  col- 
lection was  mainly  or  largely  identical  with  the 
Jatakas. 

There  is  another  curious  piece  of  evidence 
which  seems  to  show  that  the  Jataka  stories 
reached  the  Hellenic  world.  Among  the  Bud- 
dhist Birth-Tales  is  one  (tr.  Rhys-Davids,  pp. 
xiv.-vi.)  in  which  a  Yakshini,  or  female  demon, 
seizes  a  child  left  by  its  mother  for  a  moment 
and  claims  it  as  her  own.  The  two  claimants 
are  brought  before  the  future  Buddha,  who 
draws  a  line  on  the  ground,  orders  the  women 
to  stand  on  each  side  of  it  and  hold  the  child 
between  them,  one  by  the  legs  the  other  by 
the  arms.  Whichever  of  the  two,  he  decides, 
shall  drag  the  child  over  the  line  shall  possess 
it.  They  begin  hauling,  but  the  infant  cries, 
and  the  mother  lets  her  child  go  rather  than 
hurt  it.  Then  the  future  Buddha  knows  who 
is  the  true  mother,  gives  her  the  child,  and 
makes  the  Talcshini  confess  her  true  nature, 
and  that  she  had  wanted  the  child  to  eat  it 


INDIAN  SOLOMON'S  JUDGMENT.     131 

up.  In  short,  we  have  the  Judgment  of  Solo- 
mon attributed  to  Buddha.  It  is  not  impos- 
sible that  the  two  may  be  connected.  If  the 
incident  really  occurred  in  Israel,  as  is  possible, 
for  it  bears  the  stamp  of  Oriental*  justice, 
it  would  be  just  the  kind  of  story  to  be  carried 
out  to  Ophir,  which  we  now  know  to  be  Abhira 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Indus,  whence  came  the 
peacocks,  monkeys,  and  almug  trees — all  with 
Indian  names — to  bedeck  the  court  of  Solo- 
mon (1  Kings  x.  22). 

M.  G-aidoz,  however,  in  an  interesting  set  of 
papers  in  the  variants  of  Solomon's  Judgment 
(Mdusine,  1889),  traces  the  Hebraic  from  the 
Indian  form,  basing  his  conclusion  on  the  late 
date  at  which  the  Book  of  Kings  was  redacted, 
and  I  am  inclined  to  agree  with  him,  for  the 
additional  reason  that  I  think  it  highly  probable 
that  another  section  of  the  Bible  connected  with 
Solomon's    name    is    derived    from    an    Indian 

*  A  recent  instance  occurred  in  Persia  daring  the  absence 
of  the  Shah.  A  farmer  complained  that  a  soldier  had  eaten 
his  melons  -without  payment.  ""Which  soldier?"  asked 
the  Shah's  son,  who  was  dispensing  justice.  The  man  was 
pointed  out  and  denied  it.  "  Kip  him  up,"  said  the  Per- 
sian prince,  "and  if  it  is  found  that  he  has  been  eating 
melons,  you  shall  be  paid,  if  not,  woe  betide  you."  Sure 
enough  the  soldier  had  been  eating  melons. 


132 


THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 


source.     The  following  parallels    will    at  least 
serve  to  render  this  probable  : — 


Proverbs  XXX. 
Who  has  gone  up  to  heaven 

and  come  down  ? 
Who  has  gathered  the  wind 

in  his  fists  ? 
Who  has    bound    up    the 

waters  in  a  garment  ? 
Who  has  established  all  the 

ends  of  the  earth  ? 
What   is    his    name,   and 

what  his  son's,  if  thou 

knowest  ? 

The  horseleech  has  three 

daughters,  t     they      say 

alway,  "Give,  give." 
There    are     three    things 

never  sated, 
Yea,  four  that  never  say 

" Enough  :" 
She61  is  never  sated  with 

dead, 
JSTor  the  womb's  gate  with 

men, 
Earth    never    sated    with 

water, 
And      fire      says      never 

"Enough." 


Rig  Veda  and  Bidpai. 
Who  knows  or  who  here  can 

declare 
Whence  has  sprung— whence 

this  creation— 
From  what  this  creation  arose, 
Whether  any  made  it  or  not  ? 
He  who  in  the  highest  heaven 

is  its  ruler, 
He  verily  knows,  or  even  he 

knows  not. 
(Rig  Yeda,x.  i2g(Muir,  Sansk. 
Texts,  v.  356.)'- 


Eire  is  never  sated  with  fuel, 
Nor  the  streams  with  the  ocean, 
Nor  the  god  of  death  with  all 

creatures. 
Nor  the  bright-eyed  one  with 

men. 
Pants.,1.  str.  153  (also Mahabh. 
iv.  2227)4 


*  I  owe  the  reference  to  Prof.  Cheyne,  Job,  152. 

f  From  Bickell's  reconstruction  of  the  text. 

J  Prof.  Graetz  (Gesch.  i.  348)  notices  the  closeness  of  the 
parallel  which,  he  agrees,  argues  borrowing  from  one  side 
or  the  other.  He  decides  for  Jewish  priority  owing  to  the 
late  date  of  the  Hitopadesa,  being  unaware  of  the  other  paral- 
lels, and  that  it  occurs  in  the  Bidpai  and  the  Mahabharata. 


INDIAN  PROVERBS  OF  AGUE. 


18.  There  be  three  things  too 
wonderful  for  me, 
Yea,   four  which  I  know 
not: 
ic.  The  way  of  an  eagle  in  the 
air.  .  .  . 
The  way  of  a  ship  through 
the  sea. 

21.  Under  three  things  earth 

trembles. 
And  four  it  cannot  bear  : 

22.  Under     a     servant    when 

master, 
And  a  fool  filled  with  meat. 

23.  Under   an    odious  woman 

wedded, 
And  a  handmaid  heir  to 
her  mistress. 


The  path  of  ships  across  the 

sea, 
The     soaring     eagle's     flight 

Varan  a  knows. 
Big    Veda,    cf.    Amir's    lletr 
Trans.  160.* 


A  bad  woman  wedded, 
A  friend  that's  false, 
A  servant  become  pert, 
A  house  full  of  serpents, 
Make  life  unsupportable. 
Hitopadesa,  ii.  7  (cf.  Pants.,  I. 
str.  472). 


It  is,  to  say  the  least,  remarkable  that  all  the 
Indian  parallels  that  have  been  found  to  the 
Old  Testament,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  should 
occur  in  this  one  chapter.  The  second  parallel 
again  is  so  close  that,  as  Prof.  Graetz  admits, 
there  must  have  been  borrowing  on  one  side  or 
the  other.  The  arrangement  in  fours,  which  is 
distinctive  of  this  chapter,  is,  I  may  add,  a 
common  Indian  literary  artifice ;  I  have  counted 
no  less  than  thirty  instances  among  the  strophes 
of  the  First  Book  of  the  Pantschatantra.f 


*  Quoted  as  a'coincidence  by  Prof.  Cheyne,  I.e. 
t  Str.  3,  46,  72,  114,   115,   140,   141,   144,  153,   171,   172, 
180,  188,  192,  253,  269,  301,  310,  312,  322,  335,  337,  385, 


134  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

Considering  that  the  chapter  is,  according  to 
all  critics,  of  very  late  origin,  and  the  text 
itself  attributes  a  foreign  origin  to  it,*  and 
that  there  is  plenty  of  other  evidence  for 
foreign  elements  in  the  Old  Testament,! 
it  becomes  highly  probable  that  the  Proverbs 
of  Agur  were  derived  from  India  via  Arabia, 
and  that  we  must  allow  for  an  earlier  f  as  well 
as  later  "  Libyan "  influence  on  Hebrews,  as 
we  have  seen  reason  to  allow  it  for  Greeks.  And 
all  this  confirms  the  possibility  that  Solomon's 
Judgment  is  an  adaptation  of  an  Indian  folk- 
tale to  the  Jewish  monarch. 

But  be  all  this  as  it  may,  we  have  icono- 

386,  420,  425,  442,  467.  Besides  there  are  many  triads 
(str.  51,  84,  113,  174,  234,  257,  263,  280,  292,  364,  449),  in 
some  cases  beginning  like  "  There  are  three  that  win  earth's 
golden  crown  :  the  hero,  the  sage,  and  the  courtier  "  (str. 
51)  ;  "There  are  three  things  for  which  men  wage  war: 
land,  friends,  gold  "  (str.  257). 

*  "  The  words  of  Agur,  the  son  of  Jakeh  of  Massa,"  i.e., 
an  Arabian  (cf.  E.V.  margin). 

f  There  are  Sanskrit  words  in  Kings,  Greek  words  in 
Daniel,  Arabisms  in  Job,  the  scapegoat  (Azazel)  is  a  Persian 
importation,  and  Mr.  Tyler  has  sought  to  prove  with 
some  plausibility  traces  of  Epicureanism  and  Stoicism  in 
Ecclesiastes. 

X  The  Two  Pots  occur  in  Ecclus.  siii.  20  ;  the  reference 
to  the  Persian  King  in  The  Tongue  and  Members  {supra, 
p.  85)  seems  to  imply  that  it  did  not  come  from  the  Mishle 
Kybsis. 


SOLOMON'S  JUDGMENT  AT  POMPEII.    135 

graphic  evidence  of  an  interesting  kind,  that 
the  Judgment  became  known  to  the  Greeks  and 
Romans.  By  a  remarkable  coincidence,  two 
ancient  representations  of  the  Judgment  were 
found  wiihm  two  years.  One  brought  to  light 
by  M.  Longperier  in  1S80  was  engraved  on  an 
agate  that  could  be  traced  back  to  Bagdad  via 
Bucharest ;  its  age  cannot,  however,  be  decided 
with  any  great  accuracy.  But  the  other  was 
found  at  Pompeii,  and  cannot,  therefore,  be 
later  than  79  a.d.  M.  H.  Gaidoz,  who  has 
figured  the  two  in  Melusine  for  1889,  comes  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  Roman  version  is  not 
derived  from  a  Jewish  or  Christian  source.* 
If  so,  it  must  have  come  from  the  Jatakas,  and 
as  we  have  seen  other  Jatakas  which  came  to 
the  Hellenic  world  in  all  probability  in  the 
collection  of  Kybises,  this,  too,  may  have  been 
among  them.  I  have  found  a  slight  piece  of 
evidence  from  Rabbinic  sources,  which  confirms 
this  conclusion.  The  great  difference  between 
the  Jewish  and  the  Indian  form  of  the  story 

*  He  leaves  out  of  account,  however,  toe  fact  that  both 
representations  have  the  bisection  test  as  in  the  Jewish,  and 
not  the  hauling,  as  in  the  Indian  form.  It  is  possible,  how- 
ever, that  the  latter  is  a  tender  Buddhistic  softening  of  the 
original  Indian  folk-tale  preserved  in  the  Jewish  legend. 


136  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

is  that  in  the  latter  the  non-mother  is  a  Rishi 
or  demon.  In  commenting  on  the  story,  ~Rab, 
a  teacher  of  the  third  century,  declares  that  the 
mother's  opponent  was  a  demon  (cf.  Jellinek, 
Beth  Hamidrash  vi.  p.  xxxi.).  Have  we  here 
another  trace  of  the  Mislile  Kubsis?  If  so, 
it  would  be  a  further  point  towards  the  Bud- 
dhistic tone  of  Kybises'  "  Lybian  Fables." 

After  all,  it  should  not  surprise  us  to  find 
evidence  of  Buddhistic  influence  percolating 
into  the  Greco-Roman  world.  A  movement 
which  disturbs  to  its  depths  a  whole  ocean  of 
human  feeling  will  naturally  radiate  its  influ- 
ence, if  only  in  ripples,  to  all  parts  in  con- 
tinuity with  it.  Perhaps  the  most  remarkable 
instance  of  the  insidious  spread  of  Buddhistic 
tales  is  that  I  have  already  called  attention  to 
among  the  Negroes  of  the  Southern  States.*  In 
Uncle  Remus  I  pointed  out  the  identification  of 
the  central  story  of  the  collection,  TJie  Tar- 
Baby  with  the  Jataka  of  the  Demon  with  the 
Matted  Hair,  and  the  situation  is  so  remark- 
able and  the  resemblance  so  striking  that  the 
identification  seems  to  have  been  generally 
accepted.     Yet    this   would    seem    to   identify 

*  Introd.  to  Bidpai,  pp.  sliv.-vi.,  cf.  supi'a,  p.  113  n. 


BRER  RABBITS  FOOT.  157 

Brer  Babbit,  the  hero  of  the  collection,  -with 
Buddha  himself.  I  have  found  a  remarkable 
corroboration  of  this  incarnation  in  Mr.  Harris' 
sequel,  Nights  with  Uncle  Remus,  which  appeared 
this  year.  Not  to  speak  of  several  close  paral- 
lelisms with  Indian  *  Tales,  there  is  one  whole 
chapter  (ssx.)  devoted  to  Brer  Babbit  and  Ms 
famous  Foot,  its  mystical  and  magical  virtues 
as  a  fetish.  I  need  scarcely  remind  the  reader 
of  the  enormous  development  of  the  worship 
of  Buddha's  Foot  in  later  Buddhism,  and 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  South 
Carolina  negroes  still  retain  a  ';  survival"  of 
this.f  And  if  Buddhistic  influences  have  thus 
spread  from  India  through  Africa  to  America, 
we  can  more  easily  understand  the  shorter  and 
quicker  transit  from  India  to  Egypt  or  Home. 

There  are  certain  indications  apart  from  our 
Lybian  Fables  which  speak  for  a  spread  of 
Buddhistic    thought    in    the    Greek-speaking 


*  Some  of  these  are  allied  to  our  Fabulce  Extravagantes. 
See  Parallels  Ex.  Y.  iii.  iv.  xvi  "We  can  trace  the  first  of 
these  in  Africa  (Bleek,  Beineke  Fuchs  in  Africa,  p.  23). 

t  But  compare  Black,  Folk-Medicine,  154,  for  something 
similar  in  Northamptonshire.  Mr.  Clodd  has  a  biblio- 
graphical note  on  "The  Hare  in  African  Folk-Lore"  in 
F.-L.J.  vii.  23. 


138  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

world.  There  is  much  in  Pythagoreanism  in 
the  later  stages  leading  on  to  Neo-Pythagorean- 
ism  which  has  affinity  with  the  Buddhistic 
system  (cf.  Zeller,  Phil  d.  Griech.  iii.  b.  67). 
There  is  much  too  in  the  mysterious  sect  of  the 
Essen es,  their  monastic  organisation,  celibacy, 
vegetarianism,  and  abstinence  from  wine, 
which  smacks  of  Buddhistic  influence. *  Again, 
the  degradation  in  the  status  of  women  due  to 
early  Christianity,  to  which  Dr.  Donaldson  has 
recently  called  attention  (Contemp.  Rev.  Sept. 
1889),  is  neither  Jewish  nor  properly  Christian, 
i.e.,  personal  to  Christ,  but  is  distinctively  and 
characteristically  Buddhistic.  All  these  chime 
in  with  our  Fables  in  making  for  some  incur- 
sion of  Buddhistic  ideas  in  the  Greek-speaking 
world  about  the  beginning  of  the  Christian 
era. 

This  makes  it  of  some  theological  importance 
to  determine  the  date  of  the  introduction  of 
the  Fables  of  Kybises.  For  this  purpose  it 
will  be  necessary  to  examine  somewhat  closely 

*  This  is,  however,  denied  by  Bishop  Lightfoot  (Cotos- 
sians,  395)  as  part  of  a  general  apologetic  argument  against 
writers  like  Hilgenfeld,  who  go  too  far  in  attempting  to 
prove  derivation  from  Buddhism  instead  of  mere  influence 
by  it. 


BUDDHISM  IN  HELLENISM.  139 

the  Oriental  portions  of  Phsedrus  on  similar 
lines  to  those  we  adopted  in  dealing  with  Avian. 
We  may  as  well  deal  with  all  Phsedrus  that  is 
extant  (82  of  the  Vulgate,  30  of  the  Appendix, 
and  54  additional  in  the  Romulus,  Rufus,  and 
Ademar,  166  in  all),  so  as  to  complete  a  pro- 
visional determination  of  the  Indian  elements 
in  Latin  Fable.  *  We  have  seen  above  reason 
to  include  in  these  Ph.  I.  i.  (V.),  iii.  (XL),  iv. 
(TIL),  viii.  (I.),  xiii.  (TIL),  xx.  (XII).  III.  xviii. 
(XI.),xix.  (XY).,IY.xxiii.  (XXIIL),  Y  iii.  (VI.), 
iv.  (X.),  and  in  the  mediaeval  prose  versions 
Eo.  I.  xiv.  (IV.),  xxiii.  (XIX.),  II.  x.  (XXL), 
and  The  Fox,  Cat  and  Dogj  (XIY),  Ruf. 
Y.  ix.  (XXIIL).  Besides  this  their  presence 
in  the  Talmud  vouches  for  the  Oriental  origin 
of  Ph.  II.  ii,  Ro.  I.  iii.,  III.  xiv.+  Then  there 
are  a  number  in  which  occur  Indian  animals — 


*  The  reader  will  do  -well  here  also  to  compare  the 
Table  on  p.  153. 

f  In  the  Romulus  used  by  Stainhowel  this  was  IT.  18, 
as  we  know  from  his  table  of  contents.  He  transferred  it 
to  the  end  of  the  book  after  his  selection  from  Poggio  ; 
hence  with  us  it  is  Tog.  vii. 

£  It  is  just  possible  that  these  may  be  a  survival  of  the 
Mishle  Shu'alim,  which  we  saw  reason  to  identify  with 
JEsop's  Fables  pure  and  simple,  that  is,  Demetrius'  collec- 
tion, the  original  of  Phaedrus.     Cf.  supra,  p.  123. 


i4o  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

ape  (Ph.  I.  x.,  III.  iv.,  App.  i.,  Ro,  IY.  viii., 
Adem.  8),*  peacock  (Ph.  I.  iii,  III.  xviii. ), 
crocodile  (Ph.  I.  xxv.),  and  panther  (Ph.  III. 
ii.).  We  may  add  to  these  four  others  which 
occur  in  later  Oriental  sources,  and  at  the  same 
time  do  not  occur  in  the  mediaeval  collection  of 
Marie  de  France,  f  These  are  The  Fox  and 
Stork  (Ph.  I.  xxvt,  Ro.  II.  xiii.),  Fox  and 
Grapes  (Ph.  IY.  iii.,  Po.  IY.  i.),  Bat,  Birds, 
and  Beasts  (Po.  III.  iv.),  and  Fox  and  Wolf 
Ro.  III.  vi.).  Finally  we  may  add  a  group  of 
tales  which  are  not  Beast-Fables  at  all,  but 
which  are  found  in  the  East ;  their  presence 
among  the  Phaedrine  Fables  can  scarcely  indeed 
be  explained,  except  on  the  theory  that  they 
were  in  the  Oriental  book  whence  his  Indian 
Fables  were  taken.  These  are  The  Man  and 
Two  Wives  (Ph.  II.  ii.,  Re.  xvi.),  Androclus  (Ro. 
III.  i.),  The  Ephesian  Widow  (Ro.  III.  ix.),  and 
Mercury  and  the  Two  Women  (App.  3).  The 
last  is  a  variant  of  The  Three  Wishes,  on  which 


*  At  the  same  time  it  is  -worth  remembering  that  one  of 
the  earliest  Greek  fables,  that  of  Archilochus,  has  an  Ape 
for  a  hero  {supra,  p.  26). 

f  The  reader  will  learn  the  reason  for  this  restriction 
later.  It  did  not  apply  to  Avian,  owing  to  the  general 
probability  of  the  majority  of  his  collection  being  Oriental. 


INDIAN  ELEMENTS  IN  PHJBDRUS.     141 

Mr.  Andrew  Lang  has  a  learned  and  chatty 
but  somewhat  inconclusive  monograph  in  his 
Perrault,  xlii.-li.  The  Phssdrine  form,  though 
the  earliest,  is  not  mentioned  by  Mr.  Lang, 
and  we  may  therefore  give  it  in  outline.  Two 
women  entertain  Mercury  unawares  and  rather 
shabbily,  one  a  young  mother  with  a  baby  in 
the  cradle,  the  other  a  lady  of  the  same  profession 
as  iEsop's  fellow-slave,  Rhodopis.  On  leaving 
the  deity  manifests  himself,  and  grants  them 
each  a  wish.  The  mother  wishes  that  she  may 
see  her  first-born  when  he  has  a  beard,  the 
other  that  whatever  she  touches  may  follow 
her.  Soon  the  mother  finds  her  cradled  babe 
embellished  with  a  beard,  while  her  friend  in 
raising  her  hand  to  wipe  away  the  tears  her 
laughter  had  produced,  finds  her  nose  following 
her  hand,  and  on  this  effective  situation  the 
scene  closes.  We  shall  see  later  on  a  further 
stage  of  this  story. 

Let  us  now  compare  this  analysis  of  the 
Oriental  elements  of  Phsedrus  with  our  former 
one  of  Avian.  In  the  first  place  the  number 
of  these  elements,  though  seemingly  greater,  is 
proportionably  less.  We  found  reason  for 
tracing  to  the  East  some   20  of   Avian's   42 


i42  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

fables,  whereas  the  166  extant  fables  of 
Phsedrus,  almost  exactly  four  times  as  many, 
yield  us  only  36  parallels,  some  fifth  against 
Avian's  half.  Then  again,  the  proportion  of 
the  parallels  which  we  have  included  on  general 
and  therefore  very  precarious  grounds,  is  very 
large,  12  out  of  the  36.  The  parallelisms  too  are 
not  so  close  as  in  the  case  of  Avian  {e.g.,  The 
Ass  in  Lion's  Skin,  Oak  and  Reed,  Camel 
asking  for  Horns).  Even  where  the  action  is 
similar,  the  dramatis  personx  vary;  the  ele- 
phant becomes  a  lion  (XIX.),  the  lion  a  wolf 
(I.),  dogs  take  the  place  of  crows  (XII.),  the 
mouse-maiden  becomes  a  vixen  (XXIII.).  The 
analogies  with  the  Talmud  which,  we  saw  reason 
to  think,  preserves  the  Kybissean  Fables  with 
greatest  accuracy,  are  few  and  far  between. 
Altogether  the  Phsedrine  analogies  strike  one 
as  fainter  echoes  of  the  Lybian  fables  than  the 
Talmudic  or  Avianian  forms,  for  which  we 
have  a  certain  amount  of  warrant  that  they 
came  from  the  collection  associated  with  the 
name  of  Kybises.  To  sum  up,  so  far  as  we 
can  draw  conclusions  from  such  uncertain  mate- 
rials, it  seems  tolerably  certain  that  Phsedrus 
was  unacquainted  with  the  Kybissean  fables, 


NOT  FROM  KYBISES.  143 

and  that  his  Oriental  elements  represent  the 
earlier  stratum  of  Lybian  fables  current  among 
the  Greeks.  Indeed,  we  know  this  to  be  the 
case  with  The  Countryman  and  Snake,  Tlie  Dog 
and  Shadow,  and  The  Vixen-Maiden  (see  p.  28). 
Altogether,  our  former  conclusion  that  Phsedrus 
merely  translated  Demetrius,  receives  further 
confirmation  from  our  examination  of  his  Ori- 
ental elements.*  If  we  are  to  seek  for  a  definite 
source  for  Phsedrus'  Oriental  elements,  the  only 
hint  I  can  find  is  in  his  lines  (III.  Prol.  52) — 

si  Phiyx  iEsopus  potuit,  si  Anacharsis  Scytha 
oeternam  famara  condere  ingenio  suo 

where  Anacharsis  "  the  Scythian,"  almost  as 
vague  a  term  as  Lybian,  is  coupled  with  iEsop, 
just  as  Babrius,  200  years  later,  couples  Kybises 
with  him.  But  I  can  find  no  other  record  of  a 
tradition  connecting  Anacharsis  with  the  his- 

*  The  reader  will  have  observed  that  throughout  this  in- 
vestigation I  am  assuming  that  neither  Phsedrus,  Babrius, 
nor  Avian  made  any  original  contribution  to  the  Fable.  I 
think  this  is  justified,  (1)  because  they  were  chiefly  occu- 
pied with  translating  and  versifying,  (2)  we  can  trace  every 
one  of  the  241  fables  of  Lafontaine,  who  had  more  original 
genius  than  all  three  together,  (3)  what  they  did  add  was 
by  way  of  anecdote,  not  of  fable  {e.g.,  Ph.  I.  xiv.,  II.  v., 
III.  xi. ;  Ayp.  viii.  ;  Avian,  10).     Cf.  Eiese,  p.  iv.b. 


144  THE  ORIENTAL  MSOP. 

tory  of  the  fable,  and  for  the  present  we  may 
content  ourselves  with  the  negative  statement 
that  Phsedrus'  Oriental  fables  were  not  derived 
from  the  collection  associated  with  the  name  of 
Kybises. 

What  follows  ?  This  at  least  that  we  are  able 
to  fix  the  introduction  of  the  Fables  of  Kybises 
within  a  very  few  years.  Phsedrus  was  writ- 
ing after  the  fall  of  Sejanus  (a.d.  31),  and 
R.  Jochanan  b.  Saccai  was  studying  the  Fables 
of  Kybises  about  80  a.d.  They  must  therefore 
have  been  introduced  in  the  intervening  half 
century.  If  so,  we  can  give  a  pretty  shrewd 
guess  as  to  the  conduit-pipe  by  which  they 
reached  the  western  world. *  About  the  year 
50  a.d.  a  freedman  of  Annius  Plocanus,  sailing 
in  the  Erythraean  Sea,  was  caught  by  the 
monsoon,  and  carried  out  to  Hipporus,  a  port 
of  Ceylon,  one  of  the  many  claimants  for 
identification  with  Solomon's  Ophir.  Here  he 
was  taken  captive,  but  was  kindly  treated,  and 
learnt  the  language.     His  accounts  of  the  great- 

*  Mr.  O.  Priaulx  collected  all  that  is  known,  or  can 
be  conjectured,  about  the  direct  communications  between 
India  and  Rome,  from  Augustus  to  Justinian,  in  bis 
Indian  Travels  of  Apollonius,  &c.  (Lond.  1873).  I  take  my 
facts  from  bim,  pp.  91-8. 


KYBISES  FROM  CEYLON.  145 

ness  of  Rome  impressed  the  King.  Chandra  Ivluka 
Siwa  (t  52  a.d.),  so  much,  that  he  determined  to 
send  an  embassy  thither.  Accordingly  he  sent 
one  Rackias,  probably  a  Prince  Royal  {Rag an), 
and  three  other  nobles,  who,  accompanied  by 
Plocanus'  freedman,  reached  Rome  in  safety, 
and  interviewed  the  Emperor  Claudius  (t  54 
a.d.)  It  was  from  them  that  Pliny  obtained  his 
account  of  Taprobane  (Ceylon),  and  there  can 
be  little  doubt  that  it  was  from  one  of  them, 
or  their  retinue,  that  the  Fables  of  Kybises 
were  procured.  TTe  could  not  desire  a  more 
appropriate  origin  than  Ceylon  for  a  collection 
of  tales  related  to  the  Jatakas,  which  have 
themselves  come  from  Ceylon  in  these  later  days. 
I  say,  "related  to  the  Jatakas,"  for  it  now 
seems  time  to  point  out  that  the  Fables  of 
Kybises,  or  the  forty  or  so  of  them  that  we  can 
identify  in  the  Talmud  and  Avian,  could  not 
have  been  any  edition  of  the  Jatakas.  For 
only  about  a  dozen  of  those  forty  can  be  iden- 
tified with  Jatakas  (or,  at  least,  with  those 
accessible  in  translations).  Besides  this,  it  is 
difficult  to  see  how  any  form  of  the  Jatakas 
could  become  connected  with  a  name  like  that 
of  Kybises.     What  we  want  is  a  collection  of 

VOL.  I.  K 


146  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

fables  connected  with  some  such  name,  and 
containing  others  besides  those  contained  in 
the  Jatakas.  I  may  add  that  a  similar  collec- 
tion is  also  required  to  explain  the  existence 
of  Jataka  elements  in  the  Bidpai.  A  careful 
scrutiny  of  the  Jatakas  has,  I  think,  put  me 
on  the  track  of  what  we  want.  "  Quand  on 
cite,"  says  M.  Leon  Feer,  one  of  the  greatest 
authorities  on  the  Jatakas,  "quand  le  Jataka 
pah  cite  un  Buddha,  c'est  ordinairement  Kac- 
yapa,  le  pred^cesseur  de  Qakyamuni"  (Journ. 
Asiat.,  8e  serie,  t.  iv.  p.  308).  Kasyapa  was  the 
twenty-seventh  of  the  twenty- seven  Buddhas 
that  had  preceded  Sakyamuni,  was  therefore  the 
latest  and  the  one  most  likely  to  have  some  his- 
torical reality.  Of  him  it  is  said  (Nidanakatlia, 
str.  246,  tr.  Rhys-Davids,  p.  51),  "  The  birthplace 
of  the  Blessed  One  was  called  Benares,  Brah- 
madatta  the  Brahman  was  his  father,  .  .  .  and 
the  Nigrodha-tree  his  Bo-tree.  His  body  was 
twenty  cubits  high,  and  his  age  was  twenty 
thousand  years."  Now  it  is  a  remarkable  cir- 
cumstance that  all  the  Jatakas  I  have  seen, 
which  have  analogy  with  classical  or  Talmudic 
fables,  are  ushered  in  as  regards  the  "  Story  of 
the  Past "   by  the  words,    "  Once  on   a  time 


ITIAHASA  KASYAPA.  147 

when  Brahmadatta  was  reigning  in  Benares." 
Of  the  fifty- six  Jatakas  contained  in  Mr.  Rhys- 
Davids'  book,  and  in  the  Jour.  Ceyl.  Asiat.  Soc, 
viii.,  no  less  than  thirty-seven  thus  begin,  twenty- 
four  of  which  are  beast- fables.*  It  looks  very 
much  like  as  if  these  (with  possibly  others) 
existed  in  a  separate  collection  under  some  such 
title  as  Itialidsa  Kdsyapa,  "thus  spake  Kas- 
yapa,"  and  that  the  Buddhist  compiler  had 
calmly  appropriated  them  on  the  plea  that  the 
said  sage  was  merely  one  of  the  previous  incar- 
nations of  the  Buddha,  f  Now,  from  the  way 
in  which  Babrius  speaks  of  Kybises,  it  is  clear 
that  he  was  regarded  as  the  father  of  the 
Lybian  fable,  just  as  ^Esop  was  of  the  purely 
Greek  fable.  It  does  not  seem  too  hazardous 
to  identify  the  Lybian  sage  Kybises  of  the 
Greeks  with  the  Indian  sage  Kasyapa,  from 
whom  the  Buddhists  took  the  majority  of  their 
fables,  on  the  plea  that  he  was  a  pre-incarna- 

*  There  are  a  couple  of  examples,  supra  I.  and  X.  The 
painstaking  M.  Feer,  I  observe,  has  counted  372  instances 
out  of  the  547  Jatakas  where  Benares  is  the  locality  of  the 
Story  of  the  Past  (J A.  1873,  p.  547). 

f  It  is  as  if  the  later  Pythagoreans  had  assumed  that 
the  soul  of  iEsop  had  transmigrated  into  that  of  Pytha- 
goras, and  incorporated  our  fables  in  the  Pythagorean 
scriptures,  if  there  had  been  any. 


148  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

tion  of  Buddha.  If  I  were  a  German  privat 
docent  I  might  perhaps  go  a  step  further  and, 
remarking  that  K  is  sometimes  dropped  in 
Aryan  roots  *  especially  when  they  are  loan- 
words,t  I  might  suggest  that  Kasyapa  and 
the  un-Greek  A'/curog  are  not  unrelated.  But 
just  at  present  we  have  perhaps  balanced  enough 
of  theory  on  the  corner  of  a  letter  in  the  Talmud, 
and  I  will  therefore  make  the  suggestion  a  pre- 
sent to  any  young  German  scholar  who  desires 
to  be  "  extraordinary." 

All  this  evidence  renders  it  worth  while 
considering  a  suggestion  which  I  already  made 
in  the  Introduction  to  Bidpai  (p.  xlviii.)  on  d, 
priori  grounds.  The  fable  is  a  species  of  the 
Allegory  J  and  it  seems  absurd  to  give  your 
Allegory,  and  then  give  in  addition  the  truth 
which  you  wish  to  convey.  Either  your  fable 
makes  its  point  or  it  does  not  1  If  it  does,  you 
need  not  repeat  your  point :  if  it  does  not, 
you  need  not  give  your  fable.  To  add  your 
point  is  practically  to  confess  the  fear  that  your 

*  The  Latin  amor  is  from  V  KAM,  our  it  from  V  KI. 

f  Our  ape  (Germ.  Affe)  is  from  the  Sanskt.  Kapi,  the 
-word  from  which  the  Heb.  Koph  is  also  derived  (i  Kings 
x.  22). 

X  The  morals  of  fables  are  called  ' AWnryopiai  in  Eomaic. 


MORALS  OF  FABLES.  149 

fable  has  not  put  it  with  sufficient  force.* 
Yet  this  is  practically  what  the  floral  does, 
which  has  now  become  part  and  parcel  of  a  Fable. 
It  was  not  always  so,  it  does  not  occur  in  the 
ancient  classical  fables.  That  it  is  not  an  organic 
part  of  the  fable  is  shown  by  the  curious  fact  that 
so  many  morals  miss  the  point  of  the  fables,  f 
How  then  did  this  artificial  product  come  to  be 
regarded  as  an  essential  part  of  the  fable  ? 
Now,  we  have  seen  in  the  Jatakas,  what  an 
important  role  is  played  by  the  gatlias  or  moral 
verses  which  sum  up  the  whole  teaching  of  the 
Jatakas.  In  most  cases  I  have  been  able  to 
give  the  pith  of  the  Birth-stories  by  merely 
giving  the  gatlias,  which  are  besides  the  only 
relics  which  are  now  left  to  us  of  the  original 
form  of  the  Jatakas.  Is  it  too  bold  to  suggest 
that  any  set  of  fables  taken  from  the  Jatakas  or 
their  source  would  adopt  the  gdtha  feature,  and 

*  This  is  the  weakness  of  George  Eliot's  art,  especially  in 
her  later  manner. 

f  I  am  afraid  I  must  report  that  Mr.  "Walter  Crane  has 
very  bad  morals,  at  least  in  his  Baby's  Own  sEsop.  "  Small 
causes  may  produce  great  results  "  is  his  comment  on  The 
Lion  and  the  Mouse;  "Our  friend,  our  enemy,"  his  enig- 
matic explanation  of  The  Two  Pots  ;  "Watch  on  all  sides," 
his  summary  of  The  Blind  Doe,  rather  cruel  advice  to  a 
one-eyed  animal. 


ISO  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

that  the  Moral  would  naturally  arise  in  this  way? 
"We  find  the  Moral  fully  developed  in  Babrius  * 
and  Avian,  whom  we  have  seen  strong  reason 
for  connecting  with  Kybises'  Libyan  fables. 
AVe  may  conclude  the  series  of  conjectures  on 
which  we  have  been  engaged  for  the  past  few 
pages,  by  suggesting  that  the  Morals  of  fables 
are  an  imitation  of  the  gaflias  of  Jatakas  as  they 
passed  into  the  Libyan  collection  of  Kybises. 

Meanwhile  let  us  estimate  how  far  our  discove- 
ries, if  discoveries  they  are,  will  aid  us  in  the 
specific  task  on  which  we  are  engaged  in  this  sec- 
tion, to  determine  which  of  the  Oriental  LXX. 
of  our  collection  {supra,  p.  44)  can  be  traced 
back  to  India.  Theoretically,  on  the  lines  laid 
down  above,  every  additional  fable  in  Babrius 
or  his  derivates  that  cannot  be  traced  to  Phae- 
drus  should  come  from  the  "Libyan"  collec- 
tion of  Kybises.  But  we  do  not  know  the  full 
contents  of  Phsedrus,  though  we  can  calculate 
its  extent   tolerably  accurately  at    200    mem- 

*  I  am  aware  that  Mr.  Rutherford  rejects  all  the  morals 
of  Babrius  on  account  of  their  ineptitude.  It  is  the  chief 
■weakness  of  the  school  of  Cobet  to  obelise  passages  on 
subjective  grounds.  It  is  obviously  more  difficult  to  point 
a  moral  than  adorn  a  tale,  and  we  ought  to  expect  a  falling 
off  in  the  moral. 


INDIA  N  ELEMENTS.  1 5  1 

bers.*  Of  these  we  are  ignorant  of  the  sub- 
jects of  some  fifty  numbers,  and  we  cannot 
tell  of  any  Babrian  fable  that  it  was  not  among 
these.  Besides  which  we  cannot  be  certain 
that  the  collection  of  Kybises  was  not  inter- 
polated at  Alexandria  as  we  know  that  of 
Demetrius  to  have  been.  Altogether  we  can 
only  be  absolutely  certain  of  the  Indian  origin  of 
any  of  the  exclusively  Babrian  fables  when  we 
can  give  chapter  and  verse  for  its  actual  exist- 
ence in  India,  and  as  a  rule  I  should  require 
chapter  and  verse  of  a  date  anterior  to  the 
Christian  era.  I  think,  however,  we  may 
waive  this  requirement  in  the  case  of  fables 
which  can  only  be  found  late  in  India,  but 
are  found  in  the  Talmud  (our  second  class 
supra,  p.  111),  or  even  those  that  are  found 
only  in  the  Talmud  (class  4).  Besides  these, 
however,  there  are  a  certain  number  of  fables 
that  through  glaring  inconsistencies,  or  their 
familiar  reference  to  Indian  animals,  argue  an 


*  This  calculation  is  M.  Gaston  Paris'  [Journ.  des  Savants). 
We  can  trace  57  of  the  prose  versions  among  127  of  the 
extant  metrical  ones  ;  therefore  the  remaining  39  which 
cannot  be  so  traced  will  allow  for  some  87  additional 
metrical  fables  no  longer  extant,  the  subjects  of  48  of  which 
are  therefore  no  longer  to  be  ascertained. 


152  THE  ORIENTAL  JESOP. 

Indian  origin  when  taken  in  conjunction  with 
the  rest.  Altogether  we  have  been  able  to  make 
a  provisional  determination  of  the  Oriental  ele- 
ments in  Latin  fable,  and  have  summed  up  our 
results  on  the  next  page  in  such  a  way  as  to 
indicate  the  amount  of  evidence  for  each.*  Out 
of  the  208  fables  composing  it  (166  Phsedrus, 
42  Avian)  56  are  there  traced  with  more  or 
less  plausibility  to  India,  and  of  these  45  occur 
in  our  Caxton,  but  only  2  5  out  of  the  Oriental 
LXX.  which  formed  the  starting  point  of  our 
inquiry  {supra,  p.  44). 

Of  the  remaining  forty-five  for  which  we 
have  Oriental  parallels,  which  are  either  slight 
or  late,  we  cannot  in  any  specific  case  be  cer- 
tain of  an  Indian  origin,  as  they  may  have  got 
to  India  by  the  mediation  of  Islam,  which  had 
contact  with  both  the  Hellenic  and  the  Indian 
world. t     As  soon  as  the  Prophet's  creed  had 

*  I  must  reserve  the  more  intricate  and  delicate  task  of 
determining  the  Indian  elements  in  Greek  fable  for  another 
occasion.  The  Caxton  and  the  European  ./Esop  generally 
is  more  directly  derived  from  Latin  than  from  Greek  fable. 

f  I  must  confess  I  do  not  see  much  evidence  for  an  earlier 
and  direct  influence  of  Hellenic  on  Indian  fable,  on  which 
Weber  and  Benfey  lay  so  much  stress.  See,  however,  Sir 
W.  Hunter's  Indian  Empire,  c.  vi.  for  Greek  influence  on 
North- West  Indian  art. 


INDIAN  ELEMENTS  IN  LATIN  FABLE. 


PLLEDRFS  {cf.  pp.  139-40). 

I.  i.  Wolf  and  Lamb  (Ro.  i. 

2,  V.)  - 
iii.  Jay  in  Peacock's  Feathers 

(ii.  15,  XI.) 
iv.  Dog  and  Shadow  (i.  5,  III.) 
v.  Lion's  Share  (L  6) 
viii.    Wolf   and    Crane  (1.    8, 

L,  T.) 
x.  Wolf,  Fox  and  Ape  (ii.  18) 
xL  Ass  and  Lion  hunting  (iv.  10) 
xiii.  Fox  and  Crow(i.  16,  VII.) 
xx.  Dogs  and  Hide  (XII.) 
xxv.  Dogs  and  Crocodile, 
xxvi.  Fox  and  Stork  (ii.  13,  Be.) 

II.  ii.  Man  and    Two  Wives 
(Re.  xvi.  T.) 

III.  ii.  Panther  and  Shepherds 
(iv.  5) 

iv.  Butcher  and  Ape. 

xviii.  Juno  and  Peacock  (iv.  4, 

XI.) 
xix.   Countryman   and    Snake 

(i.  io;  XV.) 

IV.  iii.   Fox  and  Grapes  (iv. 
i,  Be.) 

xxiii.  Mountain  in  labour  (ii. 
5,  XXIII.) 

V.  iii.  Bald  man  and  Fly  (ii.  n, 

VI.) 
iv.  Ass  and  suckling  Pig  (X.) 

Appendix. 

App.  1.  Ape  and  Fox  (iii.  17) 
3.  Mercury     and     Two 
Women  (Be.) 

13.  Ephesian  Widow  (iii. 

9,  T-  '■) 

Romulus. 

Ro.  i.  3.  Rat  and  Frog  (Be,  T.) 

14.  Eagle  and  Raven  (IV.) 
23.  Lion      and      Mouse 

(XIX.) 


Ro.   ii.    10.    Countrvman    and 
Snake  (XX.) 
iii.  1.  Androclus  (Be.) 

4.  Bat,  Birds,  Beasts  (Be.) 
6.  Fox  and  Wolf  (Be.) 
14.  Man,  Axe,  and  Wood 
(Be,  T.) 
iv.  S.  Kincc  of  Apes. 
(18.)  Cat.    Fox.    and    Dog 
(Pog.  viL  XIV.) 

Rufus. 

v.9.Vixen-Maiden(XXIII). 

Ademar. 
8.  Snail  and  She- Ape. 

AVIAX  (cf.  p.  126). 

2.  Tortoise  and  Eagle  (ii.  IV.) 
5.  Ass  in  Lion's  Skin  (iv.  II.) 
8.  Camel    asking    for   Horns 

(vii.  XVII.,  T.) 
11.  Two  Pots  (ix.'  XXII.  T.) 

14.  Ape-mother  (xi.) 

15.  Crane  and  Peacock  (xii.  XI.) 

16.  Oak  and  Reed  (Ro.  iv.  20, 

XVI.,  T.) 

17.  Hunter  and  Tiger  (xiii.) 

18.  Four  Oxen  and  Lion  (xiv. 

T.  ?) 

19.  Fir  and  Bramole  (xv.  T.) 

21.  Swallow  and  Birds  (Ro.  i. 

20,  Be.  T.) 

22.  Avaricious     and    Envious 

(xvii.  Be.) 

24.  Hunter  and  Lion  (Be  T.) 

25.  Boy  and  Thief  (xviii.) 

27.  Crow  and  Pitcher  (xx.  T.) 

30.  Sow  and  Lord  (XXI.  T.) 

31.  Mouse  and  Ox  (xxiii.  T.) 
33.  Goose   with   Golden   Eggs 

(xxiv.,  VIII.) 
3-.  Ape  and  Twins  fxxv.) 
35.  Ox  and  Heifer  (X.  T.) 
40.  Leopard  and  Fox  (XIII.  T.) 


*  References  in  brackets  are  to  the  corresponding  fables  in  Caxton  :  the 
large  Roman  numerals  and  letters  to  the  Indian  and  Talmudic  evidence 
supra,  pp.  51-115.  I. -XIV.  Jatatas  ;  XV.-XVIII.  Mahabharatu  ;  XIX-XXIII. 
B.dpai  ;  Be.  additions  to  Bidpai  ;  T.  Talmud  and  Midrash. 


r 


154  THE  ORIENTAL  &SOP. 

been  spread  from  India  to  Spain,  the  con- 
querors laid  down  the  sword  and  took  up  the 
pen.  In  search  of  models  they  turned  to 
Greece,  and  chiefly  by  means  of  Syrians  had 
the  literary  treasures  of  Hellas  made  accessible 
to  them  in  Arabic  versions  of  Syriac  transla- 
tions of  the  chief  Greek  authors  in  science  and 
philosophy.  Was  iEsop  also  included  among 
these  ?  That  is  the  question  we  must  set  our- 
selves to  answer  as  we  turn  our  backs  on  India 
and  cry,  Westward  Ho  ! 

Earlier  investigators  into  the  history  of  the 
-ZEsopic  Fable  were  led  off  the  trail  for  a  while 
by  a  collection  of  Arabic  fables,  mostly  identi- 
cal with  the  iEsopic,  and  attributed  to  the  sage 
Loqman,  who  gives  a  title  to  a  Sura  of  the 
Koran  (S.  31  of  the  vulgate,  82  of  Nbldeke- 
Rodwell).*  We  now  know  that  the  fables  are 
late,  and  derived  from  the  Greek.     Dr.  Lands- 

*  Sir  R.  F.  Burton  has  collected  the  Arabic  learning  on 
Loqman  in  his  Nights  (Lady  Burton's  edition,  vi.  p.  260). 
M.  Derenbourg  in  the  Preface  to  his  edition  (Berlin,  1858) 
gives  reasons  for  considering  him  a  doublet  of  Balaam,  and 
the  book  attributed  to  him  as  the  work  of  a  Christian  of 
the  thirteenth  century.  The  identification,  I  may  add,  is 
rendered  certain  by  Petrus  Alphonsus  (ii.  7),  "  Balaam 
qui  lingua  Arabica  vocatur  Lucaniam,"  which  Schmidt 
did  not  understand,  but  is  clearly  a  misreading  for 
"  Lucman. " 


LOQMAN—SOPHOS—SYNTIPAS.       155 

berger,  some  thirty  years  ago,  unearthed  a 
series  of  sixty-seven  fables  in  Syriac,*  which 
had  clearly  intimate  relation  with  our  Loqman, 
since  thirty-nine  out  of  the  forty-one  Arabic 
fables  are  identical  with  the  Syriac.  Dr.  Lands- 
berger  attempted  to  found  upon  them  an  utterly 
untenable  theory  of  the  Judaic  origin  of  the 
Beast-Fable  (Die  Fabeln  des  Soi^ltos,  1859),  but 
critical  investigation  showed  that  they  were 
a  late  translation  from  the  Greek. f  Indeed 
fifty-one  of  the  fables  are  identical  with  that 
number  out  of  a  collection  of  sixty-two  Greek 
fables  attributed  to  a  Persian  sage,  Syntipas, 
and  published  by  Matthai  a  Moscow  pro- 
fessor at  the  end  of  last  century  ( r  7S1).  This 
collection  has  never  yet  been  adequately  ex- 
amined so  as  to  definitely  settle  its  p'rovenance.i 
It  is  probable  enough  that  some  of  the  fables 
of  Syntipas  are  Oriental  ones  that  had  perco- 

*  Or  rather  JudaBO-Syriac,  since  they  were  found  written 
in  Hebrew  characters  and  were  printed  first  as  Chaldaic 
{Chofes  Matmonim,  1844). 

t  The  late  Prof.  Wright  dates  them  as  the  eleventh 
century  (art.  "  Syriac"  in  Ency.  Brit.),  and  mentions  that 
the  name  Sophos  is  found  as  Isophos  and  Josephus  in  other 
MSS. ,  showing  its  identity  with  Jisop. 

X  Eberhard  gives  an  edition  of  the  test  in  his  FaVulcs 
grcecce  romanenses  I.  (Teubner,  1876). 


156  THE  ORIENTAL  jESOP. 

lated  into  the  Lower  Greek  Empire.  But  the 
majority  are  a  redressing  of  the  ordinary  .ZEsop 
(i.e.  of  Babrins),  and  the  eighty  fables  con- 
tained in  the  Syntipas-Sophos-Loqman*  can- 
not be  used  as  independent  witnesses  for  the 
Oriental  origin  of  any  of  our  fables,  while  the 
Loqman  collection  may  account  for  the  presence 
in  India  of  certain  of  iEsop's  fables  at  a  late 
date. 

I  have,  however,  come  across  traces  of 
another  Arabic  ^Esop,  which  would  probably 
account  for  even  more,  as  it  is  four  times  as 
large  as  the  Loqman.  In  the  India  Office 
Library  there  is,  or  was,  a  Karshunic  MS. 
(Loth.  Cat.  Arab.  31SS.  India  Off.,  1049),  i.e., 
Arabic  written  in  Syriac  characters,  con- 
taining no  less  than  164  fables.  The  char- 
acter in  which  it  is  written  implies  that  the 
Arabic  fables  were  translated  from  the  Syriac, 
the  ordinary  course  from  the  Greek,  and  the 
large  number  of  fables  proves  that  it  is  diffe- 
rent  from  the   collection   associated    with  the 

*  I  have  not  gone  minutely  into  the  matter,  but  I  fancy- 
that  the  Armenian  fabulist  Vartan  derives  from  the  same 
source.  It  is  possible  too,  I  think,  that  the  tetrastichs  of 
Ignatius  (supra,  p.  24)  were  derived  from  a  selection  from 
Babrius,  which  was  the  parent  of  the  whole  school. 


LARGER  ARABIC  /ESOP.  157 

name  of  Loqinan.  Unfortunately  the  MS.  has 
been  mislaid,  and  I  cannot  therefore  use  it  for 
the  purposes  of  the  present  inquiry.*  There 
is,  however,  other  evidence  of  an  Arabic  iEsop 
larger  than  the  Loqman.  In  the  Bibliotheque 
Rationale  at  Paris  there  is  a  collection  of  144 
"  Fables  of  ^sop  "  in  Arabic  (MS.  Arabe  Suppt, 
1644).!  Altogether  there  is  strong  evidence 
of  a  large  body  of  ^Esopic  fables  derived  from 
the  Greek  passing  current  in  the  Arabic-speak- 
ing world,  and  so  reaching  India  and  afford- 
ing the  late  parallels  occurring  in  the  Cainozoic 
stratum  of  the  Bidpai  and  in  the  later  sources 
{supra,  pp.  49,  51).  Till  we  arrive  at  earlier 
evidence,  these  cannot  be  used  as  proving  the 

*  Of  course  I  may  be  mistaking  an  ignotum  pro  magnifico 
in  attributing  so  mucb  importance  to  tbis  MS.  But  tbe 
mere  cbance  of  its  crucial  importance  for  tbe  mediaeval 
bistory  of  tbe  Fable  sbould  cause  it  to  be  diligently  searcbed 
for.  Survivals  of  tbe  Syriac  original  may  exist  in  Bbdigers 
direst,  Si/riaca,  1870. 

f  See  Appendix,  wbicb  I  owe  to  my  friend  Dr.  B.  Gottheil, 
who  kindly  undertook  to  searcb  for  an  Arabic  Jisop  among 
tbe  Oriental  collections  be  was  visiting  in  Europe.  Tbere  are 
also  fables,  be  informs  us,  in  MS3.  suppt.  1647,  1739,  and 
2197.  He  refers  me  likewise  to  Fertscb,  Catalogue  of  the 
Gotba  Oriental  MSS.  IV.  447,  wbicb  is  not  accessible  to  me. 
We  clearly  need  an  article  on  tbe  Arabic  ^Esop  similar  to 
tbat  of  Dr.  Klamrotb's  "  Ueber  den  arabiscben  Euclid," 
ZDilG.,  1881,  27C-326. 


158  MSOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

Oriental  origin  of  any  of  the  Greco-Roman 
fables,  which  are  probably  their  parents  or 
cousins  rather  than  their  children. 

But  though  the  larger  Arabic  iEsop  of  which 
I  have  found  traces  cannot  throw  light  on  the 
xEsop  of  antiquity  it  may  serve  to  elucidate,  as 
we  shall  soon  see,  certain  obscure  points  in  the 
mediaeval  iEsop.  For  besides  the  fables  current 
in  antiquity  we  find  in  the  mediaeval  collections 
a  set  which  cannot  be  traced  back  to  the  Greco- 
Roman  world.  For  their  peculiarities  we  have 
to  take  a  sudden  leap  from  Arabia  to  England, 
and  henceforth  study 

IV.  ^ESOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

22sopet  apeluns  ce  livre 
©uil  traveilla  c  fist  escrire 
2Dc  Griu  en  latin  le  turna. 
%i  reis  Blvrc3  qui  mult  Tama 
%c  tvanslata  puis  en  cnglcis 
JE  jo  I'ai  rime"  en  franceis. 
—Marie  de  France,  Fables,  EpiL  vv.  13-18. 

The  formula  with  which  we  started  these 
investigations  was,  "  Our  ^Esop  is  Phsedrus 
with  trimmings."  "We  have  now  seen  the 
nature  and  source  of  some  of  these  accessories. 
The  sixth  and  seventh  sections  of  the  Caxton 
connected  with   the   names   of   Remicius   and 


COMET  FABLES.  159 

Avian  have  turned  out  to  be  ultimately  derived 
from  Babrius,  and  we  Lave  seen  reason  to 
trace  them  further  back  to  the  "  Lybian  '"'  fables 
of  Kybises.  There  still  remains  the  fifth  book 
of  our  collection  to  be  accounted  for — the  Comet 
Fables,  Fabalce  extravagantes,  as  Stainhowel 
called  them.  These  differ  much  in  character 
and  style  from  those  we  have  previously  been 
considering.  They  are  much  longer,  to  begin 
with ;  they  are  filled  with  elaborate  conversa- 
tions between  the  beasts.  Again,  though  cus- 
tom has  attached  a  moral  to  them,  they  do  not 
seem  primarily  intended  to  point  one.  They 
belong  rather  to  the  Beast-Tale  or  Beast- Satire 
than  to  the  Beast-Fable  proper.  Their  nearest 
analogue  in  literature  is  the  so-called  Beast- 
Epic  of  Reynard  the  Fox.  This  diversity  in 
style  by  itself  argues  a  difference  of  origin  for 
this  part  of  our  collection.  They  represent,  we 
may  say  at  once,  the  mediaeval  additions  to 
JSsop  which  are  associated  with  the  name  of 
Marie  de  France. 

This  lady  is  one  of  the  most  striking  figures 
in  Middle  English  literature.  Her  linguistic 
ability  would  by  itself  stamp  her  as  no  ordi- 
nary figure.     All  three  works  of  her  are  trans- 


160  jESOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

lations  into  French  of  the  Anglo-Norman  dia- 
lect. One  is  from  a  Latin  account  of  The 
Purgatory  of  St.  Patrick.  Another  is  a  version 
of  some  Breton  Lais,  some  of  the  weirdest 
things  in  mediaeval  literature.*  Her  third  and 
most  extensive  work  is  a  collection  of  103  (106) 
Fables,  which  she  declares  she  translated  from 
the  English  of  King  Alfred,  in  the  lines  I  have 
quoted  at  the  head  of  this  section.!  Let  us  first 
examine  into  the  truth  of  this  statement. 

We  cannot  do  better  than  put  ourselves  in 
the  hands  of  Herr  Mall,  who  has  concentrated 
his  energies  on  Marie  de  France  for  the  last 
quarter  of  a  century,  and  has  recently  summed 
up  the  results  of  his  labours.]:     He  has  first  to 

*  These  have  recently  been  edited  admirably  by  Warncke, 
with  variants  by  R.  Kohler.  Ellis  gives  an  abstract  of  them 
in  his  Metrical  Bomances,  and  Mr.  O'Shaughnessy  Englished 
a  few  in  his  Lays  of  France. 

f  They  are  given  in  the  text  of  Herr  Mall.  The  first, 
and  as  yet  only  edition  of  Marie's  Fables  was  by  Roquefort, 
in  1820.  The  above  lines,  however,  had  been  early  quoted 
from  MS.  sources,  and  are  given  in  Howell's  Letters.  (See 
my  edition,  p.  592  and  note.)  There  is  no  doubt  about  the 
reading  "  Alvrez,"  though  earlier  corruptions  changed  it  at 
times  to  "  Henris,"  whence  our  Fables  have  been  attributed 
to  Henry  I.  and  Henry  II. 

X  "Zur  Geschichte  der  mittelalterlichen  Fabelliteratur," 
in  Ztsft  f.  rom.  Phil.  ix.  161-203.  This  supersedes  his 
earlier  dissertation  JDe  Maria  estate,  &c.  (Halle,  1867). 


MARIE  DE  FRANCE.  161 

discuss  the  claims  of  a  set  of  Latin  Fables  found 
in  three  MSS.  at  London,  Brussels,  and  Got- 
tingen  (hence  termed  by  him  the  LEG  fables), 
which  certainly  contain  the  additional  fables 
found  in  Marie  de  France,  and  have  accordingly 
been  termed  the  "  Romulus  of  Marie  "  by  M. 
Hervieux,  while  Oesterley  printed  them  as  an 
Appendix  to  his  edition  of  Romulus.  Herr  Mall 
points  out  first,  by  one  of  these  pieces  of  minute 
analysis  in  which  German  scholars  delight,* 
that  the  order  of  the  fables  has  been  disturbed 
by  the  transposition  of  certain  leaves  in  the 
fable  of  The  Belly  and  Members,  which  begins 
in  Xo.  33  and  finishes  in  Xo.  73.  He  is  thus 
enabled  to  ascertain  that  the  LEG  consists  of 
three  parts — (1)  45  fables  selected  from  the 
Romulus  of  Xilant;  (2)  a  selection  of  15  fables 
from  the  ordinary  Romulus,  at  the  end  of  which 
comes  the  announcement  quod  sequitur  addidit 
rex  AffruSj  which  refers  to  (3)  74  additional 
fables,  most  of  which  are  to  be  found  in  Marie. 
Are  these  from  the  Latin  original  of  Marie  ?  is 

*  The  most  striking  instance  I  can  recall  is  the  manner 
in  -which  Lachmann  determined  the  extent,  the  missing, 
mutilated  and  blank  leaves,  and  the  average  number  of 
lines  on  a  page  of  the  lost  archetype  of  Lucretius.  Cf. 
Munro's  Lucretius,  i.  26-8.] 

VOL.  1.  L 


1 62  MSOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

the  further  question  to  be  settled  by  Herr  Mall. 
He  decides  in  the  negative,  by  pointing  out 
that  in  the  LBG  version  of  the  Mouse  Maiden 
(evidently  derived  from  the  Bidpai,  I  may 
parenthetically  observe,  cf.  supra,  p.  98),  the 
mouse  after  all  her  travels  in  search  for  a  hus- 
band, comes  at  last  to  marry  a  mule  !  an  evident 
mistranslation  of  Marie's  mulet,  archaic  French 
for  mouse.  In  other  words,  the  set  of  Fables 
whose  trade-mark  is  LBG  is  a  translation  from 
Marie,  and  not  vice  versd. 

"We  have  accordingly  to  turn  to  Marie  herself 
for  a  solution  of  the  true  origin  of  her  fables, 
whether  from  a  Latin  or  an  English  source, 
and  in  the  latter  case  whether  this  was  really 
one  of  King  Alfred's  literary  gifts  to  England. 
Previous  inquirers  had  pointed  to  the  existence 
of  English  forms  in  Marie's  French — wibet 
(56  1.  27,  "gnat"),  which  Wace  expressly  men- 
tions as  an  English  word  [Rom.  du  Bou,  8164), 
widecoc  (Jiuitecox,  24 1.  20,  cf.  A.  Lang,  Perratdt, 
p.  xlix.,  "woodcock")  and  icelke  (13  L),  which 
is  no  less  than  our  humble  "whelk."*  But, 
as  Herr  Mall  points  out.  these  words  may  have 

*  To  these  I  would  add  the  still  more  striking  example 
of  hus,  our  "house,"  used  by  Marie  for  "door"  (63  L  87). 


"sepande:>  163 

formed  part  of  the  ordinary  Anglo-Xorman  voca- 
bulary, and  may  therefore  have  been  still  used 
by  Marie,  though  translating  from  the  Latin. 
He  has  sought,  therefore,  for  a  mistranslation 
or  misapplication  of  an  English  word  similar 
to  that  which  enabled  him  to  determine  the 
origin  of  "  LBG."  He  finds  it  in  Marie's  word 
sepande,  which  does  him  yeoman's  service.  She 
uses  it  three  times  (31  1.  34,  65  1.  10,  97  1.  7), 
and  in  each  case  later  copyists  have  not  been 
able  to  make  anything  of  the  word  for  which 
they  have  substituted  Nature,  or  Destinee,  or 
Deuesse.  This  clearly  un-French  word,  which 
even  Marie  could  not  make  out,  is  no  other 
than  the  Old  English  participial  form  sceppend, 
"shaper"  or  '"'creator,"  corresponding  to  the 
familiar  German  word  Schopfer.  Herr  Mall 
deduces  from  it  not  only  that  Marie  did  use  an 
English  original,  as  she  states,  but  also  that  it 
could  not  have  been  in  Anglo-Saxon  or  from 
the  hand  of  King  Alfred  (though  the  Latin 
author,  he  adds,  was  probably  named  Alfred, 
which  would  account  for  the  mistake).  The 
omission  of  the  c  in  sepande  proves  that  it 
was    a   Middle   English,   not  an  Anglo-Saxon 


1 64  mSOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

form  in  the  original.*  Finally,  Herr  Mall 
fancies  he  has  come  across  a  trace  of  the 
Middle  English  original  in  a  couple  of  lines 
quoted  in  Wright's  Latin  Stories,  52 — 

"  Of  aye  ich  the  brou3te 
Of  athcle  ich  ne  mi3te," 

which  are  sufficiently  close  to  serve  for  the 
original  of  Marie's 

"  De  l'oef  les  poi  jo  bien  geter  .  .  . 
Mais  nient  fors  de  lur  nature,"  + 

On  Marie's  epoch  Herr  Mall  has  at  present 
nothing  definite  to  say,  except  that  the  Pur- 
gatory of  St.  Patrick  which  she  translated  is 
later  than  1198.  As  her  Lais  reached  Iceland 
about  1245,  this  fixes  her  floruit  in  the  earlier 
half  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

So  far  Herr  Mall,  who,  instructive  as  he  is, 
leaves  us  still  in  the  dark  as  to  the  proven- 
ance  of   the   sixty-six   or  so  new  fables  with 

*  I  would  add  that  both  ividecoc  and  welke  are  nearer  the 
Middle  English  than  the  West-Saxon  forms,  widucoc  and 
weoluc. 

f  There  is  probably,  I  would  suggest,  a  still  longer  sur- 
vival in  the  Middle  English  version  of  the  Wolf  Learning 
to  Read  given  by  Douce,  Illustrations  to  Shakespeare,  525, 
according  to  Du  Meril,  156 ;  I  cannot  find  it. 


FROM  THE  GREEK?  165 

which  Marie's  name  is  connected.  Taking 
up  the  inquiry  at  this  point,  I  would  first 
inquire  whether,  as  we  have  seen  Marie  at 
least  half-right  in  attributing  her  fables  to  an 
English  version  of  (King)  Alfred,  she  may  not 
be  as  much  in  the  right  in  tracing  them  to  a 
Greek  source.  It  is  indeed  unusual  for  a 
mediaBval  writer  to  connect  the  name  of  ^Esop 
with  Greek  at  all,  as  he  was  regarded  as  a 
Latin  poet  even  as  late  as  1485  (Du  Meril,  91, 
163).  Again,  at  times  where  she  has  the  same 
fable  as  the  Romulus  and  the  Greek  versions 
she  is  nearer  the  Greek  form.  Herr  Fuchs,  who 
has  written  an  elaborate  monograph  on  TJie  Daw 
in  Peacock's  Feathers*  has  observed  that  Marie 
(58)  has  a  raven  for  her  hero,  who  competes  for 
the  crown  of  beauty  of  the  birds,  as  in  the  Greek, 
instead  of  a  Jay  as  in  the  Latin  iEsop  (cf .  supra, 
p.  1 2 4).  Du  Meril  {Poesies  inedites,  1854,  p.  x  5  8) 
points  out  that  in  Marie's  version  of  The  Dog 
and  Shadow,  her  dog  passes  across  a  bridge  f 
and  carries  cheese,  instead  of  swimming  in  the 
stream  and  holding  meat  as  in  Phsedrus,  while 

*  Die  Krahe  die  mit  fremden  Fedem  sich  schmiickt. 
Berlin  (Dissert.)  1886. 

t  This  trait  has  passed  from  her  into  the  modern  tradi- 
tional versions. 


1 66  ^SOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

she  has  a  curious  variant  (n)  of  The  Lion's 
Share,  in  which  the  lion's  partners  are  carnivo- 
rous, as  is  natural,  instead  of  Phsedrus'  cow, 
goat  and  sheep,  as  is  absurd.*  In  this  the 
./Esop  of  Alfred,  as  we  now  may  call  her  original, 
conies  nearer  to  the  Greek  (Halm,  260)  than  to 
Phsedrus.  And  when  we  speak  about  an  early 
mediaeval  writer  coming  nearer  to  the  Greek, 
we  can  of  course  only  mean  one  thing,  that  he 
has  approached  it  via  Arabia.  If  we  find  a 
writer  of  the  twelfth  or  thirteenth  century 
quoting  Aristotle,  Euclid,  or  Galen  with  some 
approach  of  accuracy  to  the  original,  we  may 
be  certain  that  he  has  had  access  by  means  of 
Latin  versions  to  the  Arabic  translations  of 
these  authors.  And  indeed,  to  revert  to  our 
present  instance,  how  could  the  Arabic  elements 
of  Alfred's  .iEsop  have  crept  into  it  unless  as 
interpolations  in  an  Arabic  ^Esop  ?  For  we 
find  in  Marie,  and  therefore  there  were  in 
Alfred's  iEsop,  such  distinctively  Eastern  tales 
as  TJie  Ass'  Heart  (Marie,  61,  supra  XXI.),  Hie 
Good  Man  and  Serpent,  nearly  in  a  complete 
form  (Marie,  63,  supra  XX.),  The  Mouse-Maiden 

*  Curiously  enough  this  is  immediately  followed  by  the 
ordinary  version  (12). 


ALFRED  THE  ENGLISHMAN.        167 

(Marie,  64,  supra  XXIII.)  and  The  Three  Wishes 
(Marie,  24,  Benf.  §  208),  which  we  found  reason 
to  reckon  among  the  Oriental  elements  of 
Phsedrus  {supra,  p.  140).  Considering  the 
evidence  I  have  produced  of  a  larger  Arabic 
^Esop  into  which  these  stories  could  easily  creep 
in  from  Al  Mokaffa's  Kalilah  ica  Dimnali,  we 
are  justified  in  looking  out  for  an  Alfred  who 
knew  Arabic  in  searching  for  the  original  of 
Marie's  Fables. 

I  think  I  have  hit  upon  the  very  man 
in  the  following  passage  of  Roger  Bacon's 
Compendium  Studii  (ed.  Brewer,  p.  471).  He 
is  speaking  of  the  need  of  a  knowledge  of  the 
original  tongues. 

•'•Bat  far  greater  errors  happen  in  translating  philo- 
sophy. Wherefore,  when  a  many  translations  on  all 
kinds  of  knowledge  have  been  given  ns  by  Gerard  of 
Cremona,  Michael  the  Scot,  Alfred  the  Englishman, 
Hermann  the  German,  and  William  the  Fleming, 
you  cannot  imagine  how  many  blunders  occur  in 
their  works.  [Besides,  they  did  not  even  know 
Arabic]  In  the  same  way  Michael  Scot  claimed 
the  merit  of  numerous  translations.  But  it  is  cer- 
tain that  Andrew  a  Jew  laboured  at  them  more  than 
he  did.  .  .  .  And  so  with  the  rest." 

This  Alfred,  so  Mr.  Thomas  Wright  informs 


1 68  MSOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

us  (Biographia  Liter  aria,  Anglo-Norman  period, 
s.  v.),  flourished  about  1170  a.d.,*  and  this,  or 
a  slightly  later  date,  would  just  give  time  for 
an  English  translation  of  his  version  of  the 
Arabic  ^Esop,  from  which  Marie  de  France 
could  execute  her  own  version,  say  about 
1220  A.D.f 

Not  only  have  I  identified  this  Alfred,  but 
I  fancy  I  can  show  that  he  too,  like  Michael 
Scot  "and  the  rest,"  had  a  Jewish  dragoman 
at  his  side  helping  him  with  his  version.  For 
there  is  another  collection  of  Fables  evidently 
connected  with  the  same  origin  as  that  of 
Marie's.  It  is  in  Hebrew  rhymed  prose,  has 
the  Talmudic  name  for  ^Esop's  Fables,  Mislile 
Shu'alim,  and  has  for  author  R.  Berachyah 
ben  Natronai  ha-Nakdan  or  the  Punctuator, 
a  name  used  by  Jewish  writers  of  the  twelfth 
and  thirteenth  centuries  for  Massorite  or 
Grammarian.       His    collection    runs    to    107 


*  Herr  Wustenfeld,  in  the  Gottingen  Abhandlungen, 
xxii.  85-9,  gives  him  a  somewhat  later  date,  basing  on  the 
first  English  bibliography,  J.  Bale  Scriptores  Britannia, 
cent.  iv.  §  xxxv. 

f  William  Loug-Sword,  Henry  II. 's  natural  son,  Marie's 
"  le  cumte  Willaume,  le  plus  vaillant  de  cest  royaume," 
for  whom  the  Fables  were  written,  died  in  1226. 


BERACHYAH  NAKDAN.  169 

fables,  against  the  103  or  106  of  Marie.* 
Of  these  he  has  38  in  common  with  her  and 
with  the  Romulus  and  with  the  variations 
from  the  Romulus,  f  His  jay,  like  hers,  is 
a  crow,  his  dog  crosses  a  bridge  with  cheese 
in  its  mouth,  as  hers  does,  and  above  all  he 
has  both  the  carnivorous  (52)  and  the  grami- 
nivorous version  (11)  of  The  Lion's  Share. 
This  by  itself  would  be  sufficient  to  prove  his 
connection  with  the  JEsop  of  Alfred.  But 
besides  these  he  has  fifteen  others  i  of  the 
additional  fables  of  Marie,  including  The  Mouse 
Maiden  (Berach.,  28),  and  The  Ass'  Heart 
(Berach.,  105).  There  are  three  others,  The  Man 
and  Pit  (B.  68),  The  Man  and  Idol  (95),  and 
The  Treasure  (104),  taken  from  the  Arabic 
Bidpai,  §   a    couple    more    also   from  Oriental 

*  103  in  Roquefort's  edition,  but  a  couple  or  so  exist 
elsewhere.    Cf.  Ex.  V.  iv. 

+  See  Index,  s.v.  These  are  mainly  due  to  Dr.  Stein- 
schneider's  painstaking  collation  in  the  Israel.  Letterbode, 
viii.  28-9.  There  are  besides  ten  in  Avian  which  Dr.  Stein- 
schneider  missed. 

X  Ber.  19  (M.  21),  Eom.  Jpp.  60;  B.  26,  cf.  59  (M.  56) 
App.  31  ;  28  (64)  61  ;  36  (73  :  88)  28  ;  39  (contra  22)  24  ;  45 
(3i)  27  ;  50  (74)  36) ;  77  (75)  37  ;  81  (38)  22  ;  83  (72)  35  ;  84 
(71)  25  ;  85  (59)  32  ;  86  (103)  71 ;  94  (98)  20  ;  105  (61). 

§  For  the  first  and  last  see  my  Bidpai  Contents,  C  4  and 
A  1  ;  for  the  other  Benf .  §  200.     The  former  occur  in  the 


170  2ES0P  IN  ENGLAND. 

sources,  The  Chicken  and  Fox  (B.  32,  cf.  De 
Gubernatis  Zool.  Myth.  ii.  131),  and  a  dispute  of 
Wolf,  Fox,  and  Dove  (B.  69)  as  to  their  relative 
age.  which  parallels  curiously  the  same  dispute 
between  The  Partridge,  Monkey  and  Elephant, 
in  the  Tettira  Jdtaka  (Fausb.  37,  tr.  Rhys- 
Davids,  310  seq.).  Besides  these  there  are  four 
which  could  only  come  from  the  Greek  :  The 
Mule's  Pedigree  (B.  66,  Halm  157),  The  Lion's 
Traces  (B.  93,  H.  63),  a  curious  variant  of  ^Esop's 
Fable  The  Fox  and  Dog-Ticks  (B.  102,  supra 
p.  27),  and  a  still  more  curious  illustration  of 
the  fable  referred  to  by  Bacon  {Essays,  54),  "It 
was  prettily  devised  of  JEsope ;  The  Fly  sate 
upon  the  Axle-tree  of  the  Chariot  wheele  and 
said,  What  a  Dust  doe  I  raise  ?  "  (cf.  B.  90).* 
One  seems  taken  from  the  Talmud  (B.  6,  Fox 
and  Fishes,  cf.  supra,  p.  113),  and  for  eighteen 
neither  Dr.  Steinschneider  nor  I  can  find 
parallels,t  though  many  resemble  incidents  in 

Arabic  and  not  in  the  Indian  Bidpai,  the  first  being  the  most 
renowned  apologue  in  the  Barlaarn  and  Josaphat  set.  See 
my  forthcoming  Early  English  Lives  of  Buddha,  pp.  15-16. 

*  This  has  puzzled  Mr.  W.  A.  Wright  and  the  other 
Baconian  commentors,  who  leave  it  severely  alone  ;  it  is 
Abstemius',  No.  17,  cf.  Ko.  ii.  16. 

f  Lamb,  Bam,  and  Lion  (25),  Ox,  Lion,  and  Kid  (30). 
Frogs  and  Oxen  (34,  cf.  Bo.  ii.  20),  Cat  and  Mouse  (46), 


ANALYSIS  OF  BERACHYAH.         171 

the  Reynard  cycle,*  as  do  some  of  those 
common  to  Berachyah  and  Marie. 

This  analysis  shows  that  Berachyah's  Fables 
are  of  the  same  family  as  Marie's,  that  they 
include  a  large  infusion  of  Indian  ingredients 
traceable  through  the  Arabic,  and  much  also 
which  must  have  come  indirectly  from  a  purely 
Greek  collection.  In  other  words,  they  confirm 
strongly  the  conclusion  we  drew  from  an  ex- 
amination of  Marie's  collection  that  it  must  be 
traceable  to  an  Arabic  source. 

The  reader  would  probably  care  to  see  a 
specimen  of  his  work.  I  have  selected  one 
which  he  has  in  common  with  Marie,  and  is  a 
type  of  the  additions  made  by  Alfred  to  the 
iEsop  of  Antiquity  :  it  savours  more  of  the 
Beast- Satire.     I  have  endeavoured  to    imitate 

Wild  Boar  and  Goat  (48),  Lion  and  Lizard  (58),  Lion  and 
Animals  (70),  Parrot  and  Princess  (71),  Ram  and  Ten 
Sheep  (72),  Sheep,  Goat,  and  Shepherd  (82),  Camel  and  herd 
of  Camels  (87),  Terrible  Knight  (89),  Wolf  and  Fox  (91), 
Bull  and  Oiciier  (92),  Leveret  and  Leverets  (97),  Lion,  Goat 
and  Fox  (98),  Crow  and  Carrion  (99),  Pirate  and  Ship  (101). 
*  Berach,  100,  contains  the  incident  of  the  Fox  fishing 
with  tail  in  ice.  I  cannot  here  discuss  the  possible  light 
these,  and  other  indications  I  have  observed,  may  thro-w- 
on the  Oriental  origin  of  Eeincke  Fuchs.  The  latest  and 
best  word  on  this  is  that  of  E.  Voigt  in  the  Introduction  to 
his  edition  of  Ysemgrimus  (Stuttgart,  1884). 


172  MSOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

the  rhymed  prose  or  doggrel,  which  is  again  an 
Arabic  trait,  that  will  be  familiar  to  English 
readers  from  recent  translations  of  The  Arabian 
Nights. 

The  Fable  of  the  Wolf  and  the  Animals, 

[Mishle    Shualim    ("  Fox    Fables  ")    of    Berachyah 
Hanakdan,  No.  36]. 

The  Wolf,  the  Lion's  prince  and  peer,  as  the  foe  of 
all  flesh  did  appear ;  greedy  and  grinding,  he  con- 
sumed all  he  was  finding.  Birds  and  beasts,  wild 
and  tame,  by  their  families  urged  to  the  same,  brought 
against  him  before  the  Lion  an  accusation,  as  a  mon- 
ster worthy  of  detestation.  Said  His  Majesty,  "If  he 
uses  his  teeth  as  you  say,  and  causes  scandal  in  this 
terrible  way,  I'll  punish  him  in  such  a  way  as  to 
save  his  neck,  if  I  may,  and  yet  prevent  you  becom- 
ing his  prey."  Said  Lion  to  Wolf,  "Attend  me  to- 
morrow, see  that  you  come,  or  you'll  come  to  much 
sorrow."  He  came,  sure  enough,  and  the  Lion  spoke 
to  him  harsh  and  rough.  "What  by  doing  this  do 
you  mean  ?  Never  more  raven  the  living  or  live  by 
ravening.  What  you  shall  eat  shall  be  only  dead 
meat.  The  living  you  shall  neither  trap  nor  hunt. 
And  that  you  may  my  words  obey  swear  me  that 
you'll  eat  no  flesh  for  two  years  from  to-day,  to  atone 
for  your  sins,  testified  and  seen :  'tis  my  judgment, 
you  had  better  fulfil  it,  I  ween."  Thereat  the  Wolf 
swore  right  away  no  flesh  to  eat  for  two  years  from 
that  day.     Off  went  Sir  Wolf  on  his  way,  King  Lion 


TWO  YEARS  IN  FOUR  MINUTES.     173 

stopped  at  court  on  his  throne  so  gay.  Nothing  that's 
fleshly  for  some  time  did  our  Wolf  eat,  for  like  a 
gentleman  he  knew  how  his  word  to  keep.  But  then 
came  a  day  when  he  was  a  hungred  and  he  looked 
hither  and  thither  for  meat,  and  lo,  a  fat  sheep  fair  to 
look  on  and  goodly  to  eat  (Gen,  iii.  6).  Then  to 
himself  he  said,  "  "Who  can  keep  every  law  ?  "  and  his 
thoughts  were  bewildered  with  what  he  saw.  He  said 
to  himself,  "  It  overcomes  me  the  longing  to  eat,  for 
two  years  day  by  day  must  I  fast  from  meat.  This 
is  my  oath  to  the  king  that  I  swore  but  I've  thought 
how  to  fulfil  it  as  never  before.  Three  sixty-five  are 
the  days  in  a  year.  Night  is  when  you  close  your 
eyes,  open  them,  then  the  day  is  near."  His  eyes  he 
closed  and  opens  straightway.  It  was  evening  and 
it  was  morning,  one  day  (Gen.  i.  5).  Thus  he  winked 
till  he  had  numbered  two  years  and  his  greed  returned 
and  his  sin  disappears.  His  eyes  fix  the  goat  (sic) 
they  had  seen  and  he  said,  "See  beforehand  I  have 
atoned  for  my  sin,"  and  he  seized  the  neck  of  the 
goat,  broke  it  to  pieces,  and  filled  up  his  throat  as  he 
was  wont  to  do  before,  and  as  of  yore  his  hand  was 
stretched  out  to  the  beasts,  his  peers,  as  it  had  been 
in  former  days  and  years. 

The  story  is  told  with  considerable  humour, 
and  the  Biblical  verses  are  wittily  applied.  In 
Marie  (73)  and  the  usual  versions  the  wolf 
meets  the  sheep  during  Lent,  with  the  greeting, 
"  Good  morrow,  Salmon ! "  and,  refusing  to 
be  convinced  of  his  mistake,  makes  a  fish 
meal  off  mutton.     I  cannot  help  thinking  that 


174  MSOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

the  story  is  ultimately  to  be  traced  back  to 
some  modification  of  the  VaJca  Jatdka  (Fausb. 
300,  tr.  R.  Morris,  F.-L.J.  iii.  359),  the  sub- 
stance of  which  is  sufficiently  indicated  by  its 
gatha. 

"  a  toolf  irrtjo  IibcO  op  others'  Death 
3nn  ate  tTjctr  flesh  anD  Moon, 
IDtO  mane  atom  to  keep  the  fast 
3nD  $0*5  nap  ooserbe* 

"But  Jttnra  soon  titti  note  his  ooto, 
9i  goat's  *  form  he  assumes  3 
SP&e  murnerous  toolf  his  uofo  forsook 
5lnu  tuien  the  goat  to  sei?e." 

Who  was  this  Berachyah  Nakdan,  whose 
collection  is  of  such  critical  importance  for 
the  mediaeval  history  of  the  Fable,  f  and  when 
and  where  did  he  live  1  This  has  been  a  long- 
standing subject  of  dispute  between  Drs.  Stein- 
schneider  and  Xeubauer,  the  two  greatest  living 
authorities  on  medieval  Jewish  literature,  and 
I  hesitate  to  interfere,  especially  as  I  happen 

*  N.B. — There  is  a  curious  vacillation  between  sheep 
and  goat  in  Berachyah's  version. 

f  It  is  for  this  reason  that  I  have  gone  into  such  detail 
about  the  Mishle  Shu'aZim.  I  have  ventured  to  repeat  Dr. 
Steinschneider's  collation,  because  it  has  been  overlooked, 
owing  to  the  obscure  quarter  in  which  it  appeared,  and 
because  I  have  been  able  largely  to  supplement  his  parallels. 


BERACHYAH  IN  ENGLAND.         175 

to  differ  from  both  in  holding  that  he  lived  and 
wrote  in  England  towards  the  end  of  the  twelfth 
century.*  It  is  due  to  them  that  I  should  give 
my  reasons  at  some  length.  They  are  as  fol- 
lows : — (1)  The  earliest  mention  of  him  occurs 
in  the  work  of  an  English  Jew,  The  Onyx  Book 
(Sepher  Hassoham),  of  R.  Moses  ben  Isaac,  who 
must  have  died  before  1215.!  (2)  His  other 
translation  is  of  the  work  of  an  Englishman  of 
the  twelfth  century,  the  Questiones  Naturales  of 
Adelard  of  Bath.  (3)  The  authorities  he  chiefly 
quotes,  Abraham  ibn  Ezra.  (Browning's  "  Ptabbi 
ben  Ezra ")  and  Solomon  Parchon,  are  those 
generally  quoted  by  English  Jews ;  the  former 
visited  England  in  115S.  (4)  England  was  the 
seat  of  a  school  of  Xakdanim  or  Punctuators 
in  the  twelfth  century,  all  those  known  of  that 
date  (Moses  ben  Yomtob,  Moses  ben  Isaac  and 
Samuel)  being  located  in  this  country.  (5)  Ber- 
achyah  somtimes  uses  French,  the  ordinary  lan- 

*  It  is  perhaps  worth  while  stating  that  I  arrived  at  this 
result  during  my  researches  on  the  early  history  of  the 
Jews  in  this  country,  long  before  I  was  aware  of  its  import- 
ance for  the  history  of  the  Fable.  See  my  note  in  Jew. 
Quart.  Rev.  i.,  p.  183. 

i  His  tombstone  was  then  removed  by  the  Barons  to 
fortify  Ludgate  (Stow  Survey,  ed.  Thorns,  p.  15).  See  my 
letters  in  The  Academy.  Jan.  12.  Feb.  2,  1889. 


176  MSOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

guage  of  the  English  Jews  at  this  period  and 
later,*  and  London  was  the  chief  centre  of  the 
French-speaking  world  under  the  Angevin  kings. 
(6)  Seemingly  the  oldest  MS.  of  the  Fables  is  one 
which  once  belonged  to  Cotton,  and  is  probably 
therefore  one  of  the  few  Hebrew  MSS.  belonging 
to  the  early  Jews  of  England  which  have  never 
left  England  (see  Neubauer's  Catalogue,  No. 
1466,  7,  and  cf.  Letters  of  Eminent  Men  (Cam. 
Soc),  p.  103).  (7)  Finally,  during  the  course  of 
some  researches  at  the  Record  Office  I  have  found 
an  Oxford  Jew  named  "  Benedictus  le  punc- 
teur,"  paying  a  contribution  to  Richard  I.  on 
his  return  to  captivity,  f  We  could  not  have 
a  closer  translation  of  Berachyah  (the  blessed), 
ha  Nakdan  (the  Punctuator),  and  there  has 
always  been  a  tradition  that  Oxford  Jews  helped 
towards  the  foundation  of  the  University.  Few 
identifications  of  mediaeval  personages  rest  on 
stronger  grounds  than  these,  and  we  may  fairly 
assume,  I  think,  that  Berachyah  Nakdan  lived 
in  England  about  1190  a.d.,  and  was  known 

*  I  have  published  an  interesting  letter  in  French  from 
an  English  Jew  as  late  as  1280  in  the  Revue  des  etudes  juives, 
1889,  p.  258. 

f  "  Oxonia...  De  Bhdicto  le  punetf-  xxvj  s.  &  viij  S  p 
eod."    {Miscell.  Queen's  Bemembr.  556/2  mem.  1.  ad  imum.) 


BENEDICT  LE  PUNCTEUR.  177 

among  Englishmen  as  "  Benedict  le  puncteur." 
If  so,  we  can  scarcely  imagine  the  two  men, 
Alfred  and  Benedict,  translating  from  the 
Arabic  independently,  and  it  is  but  the  slightest 
step  further  to  assume  that  Benedict  (Bera- 
chyah)  the  Jew  was  to  Alfred  the  Englishman 
what  Andrew  the  Jew  was  to  Michael  the  Scot, 
as  indeed  Roger  Bacon  implies  in  asserting  the 
same  of  "  all  the  rest."  *  "While  aiding  Alfred, 
Berachyah  worked  at  the  Fables  on  his  own 
account,  and  thus  produced  the  Fox  Fables 
(Meshle  Shualim)  which  have  so  long  puzzled 
critics  to  account  for  their  provenance.^  I  may 
add  that  about  the  same  time  over  in  distant 
Armenia  the  vartabied  Eremia  (Dr.  Jeremiah) 
was  translating  from  the  Arabic  a  collection  of 
164  fables  under  the  title  Aglio-YesahirJ:  {The 
Fox  BooJ:).%  that  the  two  collections  of  Marie 

*  The  only  other  alternative  is  that  Berachyah  translated 
Alfred's  Latin.  But  I  know  of  no  such  translation  into 
rhymed  prose,  which  was  an  Arabic  invention,  and  was  used 
by  the  Jews  chiefly  to  translate  Arabic.  Prof.  Chenery 
published  a  Hebrew  version  in  rhymed  prose  of  Hariri's 
Makamen  a  few  years  ago. 

f  See  Du  Meril,  pp.  26-8,  and  Lessing,  Werke,  vi. 
p.  52,  seq. 

Z  Du  Meril,  p.  30,  who  mentions  casually  the  similarity 
of  the  title  to  that  of  Berachyah's.  It  must  be  remembered, 
however,  that  the  latter  is  Talmudical.  A  French  trans- 
VOL.  I.  M 


i7S  &SOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

and  Berachyah,  which  are  certainly  from  the 
same  source,  amount  between  them  to  163 
separate  fables,  and  that  the  India  Office  Arabic 
MS.  contains,  or  did  contain,  164  fables.  Such 
numerical  coincidences  rarely  happen  by  acci- 
dent. 

On  general  grounds  indeed  we  might  assume 
that  any  new  incursion  of  Beast-Fables  during 
the  twelfth  century  would  occur  in  this  country, 
for  during  that  period  England  was  the  home 
of  the  Fable.  A  glance  at  the  Pedigree  which 
heads  this  Introduction  will  confirm  this.  Herr 
Mall  locates  the  Romulus  of  Kilant  and  the 
LBG  fables  in  England,  the  earliest  MSS.  of 
Fabulce  rhythmicce  are  still  here.  The  most 
popular  collection  of  Fables  in  the  late  Middle 
Ages  was  one  of  the  first  three  books  of  the 
Romulus,  in  tolerable  Latin  verse,  passing  under 
an  infinity  of  names.*  To  one  of  the  many 
MSS.  M.  Hervieux  found  the  colophon — 


lation  of  Eremia's  Fables  seems  to  have  appeared  in  1676, 
at  the  end  of  an  abridged  translation  of  Moses  of  Khorene. 
I  have  not  been  able  to  find  this  in  any  of  the  great  English 
libraries. 

*  Garicius,  Garritus,  Galfredus,  Hildebertus,  Ugobardus 
de  Salmone,  Waltherus,  Salo,  Salone,  Serlo,  Bernard  de 
Chartres,  Accius  and  Alanus  (Oesterley,  Bom.  p.  xxiv.). 


WALTER  OF  ENGLAND.  179 

"  Gualteras  Anglicus  fecit  hunc  librum  sub  nomine 
Esopi," 

which  fixes  Walter  of  England  as  the  author  of 
the  collection  hitherto  known  as  the  Anonymus 
Neveleti.  From  this  were  derived  no  less  than 
two  French  metrical  versions,  besides  an  Italian 
one  in  verse.  Then  again  there  was  another 
collection  in  Latin  verse  done  by  Alexander 
2S  eckam  ^"(1157-1217,  foster-brother  of  Richard 
L,  and  author  of  De  naturis  rerum  in  the  Rolls 
Series),  which  gave  rise  to  two  French  ver- 
sions. We  have  just  seen  the  important  col- 
lection associated  with  the  name  of  Alfred, 
the  only  original  contribution  to  the  Fable 
in  the  Middle  Ages,  being  composed  in  Eng- 
land about  the  same  time,  and  giving  rise 
to  a  Middle  English  and  a  French  version — 
that  of  Marie  de  France — which  in  its  turn 
gave  rise  to  an  Italian  and  to  two  Latin  ver- 
sions, from  one  of  which  a  Dutch  version,  by 
one  Gerard,  introduced  Alfred's  yEsop  to  Teu- 
tonic Europe.     It  would  indeed  be  difficult  to 

*  His  real  name  was  Alexander  Nequam  (  =  "Naughty 
Alick"),  but  this  caused  so  much  unmerciful  ridicule 
that  he  changed  the  spelling  of  his  name. 


180  MSOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

suggest  where  else  but  in  England  Berachyah's 
fables  could  have  been  produced. 

Nor  should  I  be  surprised  if  some  at  least 
of  the  many  adaptations  in  French  verse,  known 
by  the  name  of  Ysojpet,  were  also  made  in  this 
country.  We  are  too  apt  to  forget  that  litera- 
ture, like  commerce,  follows  the  flag,  and  that 
London  in  the  latter  half  of  the  twelfth  century 
(i  154-1206)  was  the  capital  and  centre  of  the 
French-speaking  world.  The  Angevin  Empire 
during  those  years  included  Normandy,  Brit- 
tany, Maine,  Anjou,  Toulouse,  Aquitaine,  and 
Gascony,  and  the  poets  and  literary  men  of 
that  vast  tract  of  country  looked  to  London  for 
recognition  and  reward.  Nearly  two-thirds  of 
the  French  writers  of  that  period  are  con- 
nected with  the  court  of  England ;  nor  do  they 
all  write  in  Anglo-Norman.*  If  these  writers 
had  written  in  Latin  we  should  include  them  in 

Biographia  literaria  anglo-normannica,^  but 
because  they  happened  to  write  in  the  court- 

*  I  calculate  this  from  elaborate  lists  I  have  made 
from  M.  Gaston  Paris'  admirable  Literature  francaise  du 
meyen  age. 

f  Bishop  Stubbs'  admirable  lectures  on  "Learning  and 
Literature  at  the  Court  of  Henry  II."  (Lectures  vi.,  vii.) 
only  deal  with  Latin  writers. 


ENGLAND  THE  HOME  OF  FABLE.      1S1 

language — French — we  allow  them  to  be  en- 
gulfed in  the  Histoire  Utter  aire  de  la  France* 

I  hope  to  develope  elsewhere  the  thesis  that 
England  in  the  latter  half  of  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury was  the  nidus,  to  use  a  biological  term, 
of  the  whole  Romantic  movement  which  char- 
acterises mediaeval  literature.  At  present  I 
would  point  out  that  this  country  was  cer- 
tainly the  home  of  the  Fable  during  that 
period,  and  that  it  is  therefore  probable  that 
some  at  least  of  the  French  Ysopets  were  com- 
posed here. 

We  can  observe  the  English  love  of  the 
Fable  outside  the  special  collections  devoted 
to  it.  It  is  possible  that  the  predilection  can 
be  traced  to  the  Norman  element,  for  one  of 
the  few  material  relics  of  William  the  Con- 
queror, the  famous  piece  of  tapestry  now  at 
Bayeux,  attributed  to  the  fair  hands  of  his 
Queen  Matilda,  contains  representations  of  a 
dozen  iEsopic  fables  on  the  lower  border  of  the 
tapestry. 

As  they  represent  the  first  contact  of  Eng- 

*  As  it  is,  we  have  permitted  M.  Herrieus  to  compile 
his  Corpus  Fabularum  medii  cevi  from  MSS.  the  majority 
of  which  were  in  English  libraries. 


1 82  MSOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

land  with  the  Fables,  we  have  selected  four  of 
them — our  old  friend  The  Wolf  and  Crane,  The 
Fox  and  Grow,  The  Eagle  and  Tortoise,  which 
has  been  broken  literally  in  two,  and  The  Wolf 
and  Lamb — as  a  suitable  frontispiece  to  this 
introduction  to  the  first  English  printed  version 
of  them.*  They  are  represented  with  some 
spirit  and  sense  of  humour,  considering  the 
impracticable  nature  of  their  medium. t  It  is 
probable  that  they  are  to  be  affiliated  with  the 
collection  of  Ademar,  since  Matilda  was  from 
Flanders.  Indeed  M.  Comte  observes  that  the 
figures  are  closely  allied  to  those  given  in  the 
Ley  den  MS.  of  Ademar.  There  is  a  certain 
amount  of  likeness  between  the  Bayeux  Wolf 
and  Lamb  and  that  figured  in  our  Caxton, 
which  derives  through  a  French  imitation  of 
Stainhowel's   woodcut,    which   probably   repro- 


*  They  have  been  taken  from  J.  Comte's  photographic 
reproductions  of  the  Tapestry  (La  tapisserie  de  Bayeux, 
Rouen,  1879),  pi.  iv.-vi.  Others  occur  on  pi.  1  {Tvx> 
Bitches  ?),  iv-vi.  (Nulla  vestigia),  vii.  (Fox  and  Goat), 
viii.  (Lion's  Share),  x.-xii.  (Sivallow  and  Birds),  xl.  (Ass 
in  Lions  Skin  ?),  xiv.  (f  Ephesian  Widow).  Du  Meril 
(p.  176)  adds  Fox  and  Grapes,  but  I  could  not  identify 
this. 

f  We  have  endeavoured  to  reproduce  the  stitching  of 
the  tapestry. 


JESOP  IN  THE  BAYEUX  TAPESTRY.     1S3 

duced  the  traditional  representation  in  MSS. 
The  Bayeux  version  deals,  however,  with  the 
first  act  of  the  tragedy;  the  wolf,  it  will  be 
observed,  is  lapping  the  stream  which  the 
needlewoman  has  carefully  represented  run- 
ning down  to  the  lamb.  The  presence  of  The 
Eagle  and  Tortoise  from  Avian  among  the 
Eomulean  Fables  requires  some  comment.  It 
illustrates  the  early  date  at  which  the  more 
popular  portions  of  Avian  were  interpolated  in 
the  Romulus.*  The  fact  that  the  Fables  were 
chosen  to  adorn  a  great  national  monument  is 
sufficient  to  indicate  their  popularity  among 
the  Normans,  among  whom  we  find  the  same 
throughout  their  predominance  in  England,  t 

When  John  of  Salisbury  in  the  next  century 
bears  from  the  mouth  of  a  Pope  the  venerable 
apologue  of  The  Belly  and  Members  (ii.  6.  24) 
Poly., it  is  an  Englishman,  Nicholas  Brakespeare 

*  Our  Eo.  IT.  xs.  [Oak  and  Reed)  is  not  in  the  Burneian 
Romulus.  I  suspect,  too,  that  Eo.  I.  xx.  (Swallow  and 
Birds,  Bom.  I.  xix.)  is  an  earlier  interpolation  from 
Avian. 

f  The  presence  of  iEsopic  fables  on  the  Tapestry  used 
to  be  one  of  the  arguments  against  its  authenticity  (Free- 
man, Norm.  Conq.,  hi.  571-2).  The  argument  was  invalid, 
since  we  know  of  MSS.  of  the  Fables  of  the  tenth  (Rufus, 
Burneian)  and  eleventh  (Ademar)  centuries. 


1 84  &SOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

(Adrian  IV.),  speaking  to  an  Englishman. 
When  Bichard  Coeur  de  Lion,  after  his  return 
from  captivity  in  1 1 94,  wished  to  rebuke  the 
Barons  for  their  ungrateful  conduct,  he  told 
them  the  Eastern  apologue  of  The  Man,  Lion, 
and  Serpent,  who  were  all  three  rescued  from 
a  pit  by  a  peasant.  The  lion  shortly  after- 
wards brings  his  benefactor  a  leveret,  the  ser- 
pent a  precious  jewel,  but  the  man,  on  being 
applied  to  for  the  promised  reward,  drives 
away  his  deliverer.  This  is  no  other  than  the 
Karma  Jdtaka  (given  by  Benfey  from  a  Tibetan 
version,  pp.  195-8),  though  Bichard  doubtless 
had  heard  it  orally,  as  the  ungrateful  one  is 
said  to  be  Yitalis,  a  Venetian.* 

But  it  is  in  the  popular  literature  of  anecdote 
and  sermon  that  we  find  the  popularity  of  the 
Fable  in  England  best  verified.     When  Odo  de 


*  Matthew  Paris'  addition  to  Disset  (sub.  anno  1195,  ed. 
Luard,  ii.  413-6).  See  Benfey's  interesting  and  long  §  71. 
Cf.,  too,  Gower,  Conf.  Avian,  v.  6,  ed.  Morley,  276-8.  We 
may  have  here  the  clue  to  the  relationship  between  Bera- 
chyah's  collection  and  that  of  the  Armenian  Eremia,  since 
Cyprus,  the  home  of  Richard's  Queen,  Berengaria,  was  at 
that  time  in  intimate  relations  with  Armenia  (cf.  Stubbs' 
Lectures,  p.  161).  Isaac  Comnenus,  the  Basileus  of  Cyprus, 
whom  Bichard  deposed,  had  been  for  some  time  ruler  of 
Armenia.     It  is  not,  however,  in  Marie  or  Berachyah. 


ENGLISH  LOVE  OF  FABLES.       185 

Cerintonia  (1  Sherington  in  Warwick)  in  the 
thirteenth  century  collected  his  Narrationes, 
more  than  half  were  fables,  and  the  same  applies 
to  John  of  Sheppey  in  the  next  century.  John 
of  Salisbury's  Polycraticus  has  several  fables ;  so 
has  Mapes'  Poems,  and  even  iSTeckam's  De  Na- 
turis  Rerum.  The  collections  of  examples  for 
the  use  of  the  clergy  in  their  sermons  by  Holkot, 
by  Bromyard  (Summa  Predicant  him),  or  by 
Xicole  Bozon,  an  English  Franciscan  monk, 
who  wrote  in  French  {Romania  xv.  343,  G. 
Paris,  Lit.  franc  au  moyen  age,  §§  81,  152),  are 
filled  with  fables.  The  poets  also  made  use 
of  them.  Gower  and  Lydgate  occur  in  our 
Parallels,  and  Chaucer  seems  to  have  been 
acquainted  with  Alfred's  .zEsop.* 

As  the  Middle  Ages  died  away,  England  lost 
her  hegemony  in  the  realm  of  Fable,  and  at  the 
invention  of  printing  it  was  Germany  that  took 
the  lead  in  spreading  a  knowledge  of  ^Esop 
through  Europe,  by  means  of  printed  books. 
The  first  German  book  printed  was  Boner's 
Edelstein  of  100  fables.  Eeinrich  Stainhbwel 
brought  together  in  his  Asop  the  four  books  of 

*  The  quotation  from  Ysope  in  The  Tale  of  Melibceus 
seems  to  refer  to  Extrav.  vii. 


1 86  2ES0P  IN  ENGLAND. 

the  Romulus,  really  as  we  have  seen  prose  ver- 
sions of  Phaedrus,  and  selections  from  the  other 
collections,  1 7  from  the  century  of  Greek  fables 
translated  by  Ranuzio,  27  from  the  prose  ver- 
sions of  Avian,  and  1 7  from  a  source  which  has 
never  yet  been  identified,  and  called  by  him 
Fabuloe  Extravagant es.  For  the  majority  of 
these  I  have  found  parallels  in  Marie  or 
Berachyah,  or  both,  and  it  is  possible  that  we 
have  in  the  Fabuloz  Extravagantes  a  German 
revision  of  Alfred's  iEsop.*  At  any  rate  they 
are  of  the  same  branch,  and  represent  Alfred's 
collection  in  the  modern  European  .ZEsop.  For 
Stainhowel's  Asqp  f  is  the  parent  of  all  the 
printed  zEsops  of  Europe.  He  himself  gave  a 
German  translation  of  his  Latin  text.  Jules 
Machault,  a  monk  at  Lyons,  next  translated 
the  fables  into  French,  and  Caxton,  without 
much  loss  of  time,  turned  this  into  English  in 


*  It  is  from  them  that  we  get  The  Dog  and  Manger  and 
The  Fox  (with  many  wiles)  and  Cat  (with  one),  which  occur 
in  the  Greek,  bat  not  in  the  Latin  iEsop.  This  is,  as  we 
have  seen,  a  characteristic  mark  of  Alfred's  iEsop.  The 
only  MS.  containing  the  Extravagantes  is  the  Breslau  MS. 
of  Petrus  Alphonsus. 

f  Oesterley  edited  this  for  the  Stuttgart  Literarischer 
Verein,  Bnd.  117,  but  very  perfunctorily,  and  missing  a 
grand  opportunity. 


THE  EUROPEAN  .ESOP.  187 

the  winter  and  spring  of  14S3-4.  Next  year 
an  Italian  version  of  Stainhbwel  by  one  Tuppo 
appeared  at  Venice,  then  a  Dutch  version  was 
made  from  the  French  of  Machault  in  1490, 
and  Spain,  late  as  usual,  added  ^Esop  to  her 
printed  books  by  the  hands  of  the  Infante 
Henrique  in  1496.*  All  these  editions — Latin, 
German,  French,  English,  Italian,  Dutch,  and 
Spanish,  have  the  Fables  arranged  in  the  same 
order,  and  are  illustrated  by  woodcuts  plainly 
copied  from  one  another.  Thus  in  explaining 
the  -provenance  of  our  Caxton,  we  have  practi- 
cally performed  the  same  task  for  the  European 
^Esop  :  our  bibliography  would  serve  equally 
well  mutatis  mutandis,  for  the  first  edition 
of  iEsop  in  German,  Latin,  French,  Italian, 
Dutch  and  Spanish.! 

Our  Caxton  is  an  average  specimen  of   the 

*  Conservative  Spain  has  remained  true  to  the  Stainhowel 
ever  since.  I  have  a  duodecimo  of  the  early  part  of  this  cen- 
tury, still  following  his  order,  and  with  plates  which  are 
merely  reductions  of  the  earliest  woodcuts.  There  was  a 
Catalan  version  made  from  this  in  1682  (Du  Merit,  p.  161). 

f  I  have,  however,  given  a  predominance  to  the  English 
references,  as  is  but  natural.  The  French  references  are 
to  be  found  in  Eobert's  or  Eegnier's  Laf ontaine.  the  German 
in  Oesterley's  scattered  references  (chiefly  in  his  edition  of 
Kirchhof ),  and  in  Kurz'  excellent  edition  of  Waldis,  and  the 
Italian,  partly,  in  Ghivizzani. 


1 83  JESOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

worthy  printer's  style  and  literary  attainments. 
These  do  not  reach  a  very  high  standard,  nor 
was  there  much  opportunity  for  the  display  of 
any  great  literary  gifts  in  the  translation  of 
such  mediocre  productions  as  the  mediaeval 
Latin  prose  versions  of  Phsedrus,  Avian,  and 
the  rest.  At  times  he  stumbles  in  his  render- 
ing, at  times  he  calmly  reproduces  a  French 
word  for  which  he  had  no  translation  handy  ; 
most  of  the  words  in  our  glossary  are  Gallicisms 
of  this  sort.  The  important  thing  to  notice 
about  Caxton's  relation  to  our  literature  is  the 
admirable  taste  he  displayed  in  the  selection  of 
English  works  which  he  considered  worthy  of 
being  printed.  A  History  of  the  World  (Higden's 
Polychronicon),  a  History  of  England  (Chronicle), 
a  Geography  (Description  of  Britain),  an 
encyclopaedia  of  science,  such  as  it  was  (Mirrour 
of  the  World),  and  proverbial  philosophy  (Dictes, 
Moral  Proverbs),  were  among  his  contributions 
to  knowledge.  For  practical  life  he  had  to 
offer  manuals  of  behaviour  (Courtesy,  Good 
Manners),  a  family  medicine  (Gouvernal  of 
Health),  the  legal  enactments  of  his  time 
(Statutes  of  Hen.  VII.) ,  the  noble  game  (Chesse), 
a    courtier's   guide    (Curial),    and    a    knight's 


CAXTON'S  CHOICE.  1S9 

(Order  of  Chivalry).  As  "  stuff  o;  the  imagina- 
tion "  he  provided  his  countrymen  with  charac- 
teristic specimens  of  the  three  great  English 
poetic  names — Chaucer,  Grower,  Lydgate  (Can- 
terbury Tales,  Confessio  Amantis,  Chorle  and 
Bird),  and  equally  characteristic  examples  of 
mediaeval  romance,  classical  (Becueil,  Eneydos, 
Jason),  national  (Charles,  Arthur),  allegorical 
(Fame,  Lore),  and  satirical  (Reynard).  In 
ghostly  instruction  his  books  taught  the  Chris- 
tian how  to  pray  (Fifteen  Oes),  how  and  when 
to  be  edified  (Festial,  Four  Sermons),  what  ex- 
amples to  follow  in  life  (Golden  Legend),  how 
to  die  (Art  and  Craft  of  Dying,  Deathbed 
Prayers),  and  what  to  expect  after  death  (Pil- 
grimage of  the  Soul).  Altogether  considering 
Caxton  was  publisher  as  well  as  author  and 
printer,  he  showed  himself  fully  ahead  of  the 
taste  of  his  day  and  went  far  towards  producing 
the  hundred  best  books  in  English  for  his  day 
and  hour. 

Not  least  did  he  show  his  taste  and  insight  in 
selecting  our  iEsop  for  one  of  his  most  am- 
bitious productions.  After  all,  the  books  that 
are  really  European  may  even  at  the  present 
day  be  counted  on  the  fingers  of  one  hand,  and 


i9o  &SOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

iEsop  is  one  of  the  five  if  they  reach  to  so 
many.*  Merely  regarded  from  the  number  of 
editions  it  went  through,!  Caxton's  iEsop  was 
his  most  popular  production.  But  the  popu- 
larity of  such  a  book  as  .ZEsop  is  not  to  be 
judged  by  the  number  of  reprints  any  particular 
version  of  it  goes  through.  To  take  a  modern 
instance,  booksellers  tell  us  that  the  only  book 
of  fairy  tales  that  will  take  with  the  general 
public  is  "  Grimm's  Goblins."  Yet  there  is  no 
particular  version  of  this  that  rules  the  book- 
market,  and  it  is  rather  the  number  of  versions 
that  affords  the  strongest  testimony  to  their 
popularity.  So  with  ^sop ;  it  is  the  number 
of  competing  adaptations  that  speaks  most 
clearly  for  its  hold  on  the  popular  mind.  It  is 
of  course  impossible  for  me  here  to  go  through 
all  these,  and  I  must  content  myself  with  point- 


*  The  Bible  (i.e.,  Genesis,  some  Psalms  and  the  Gospels), 
iEsop  (selections  in  reading-books)  and  Robinson  Crusoe 
are,  so  far  as  I  can  think,  the  only  really  popular  books 
throughout  Europe,  i.e.,  which  every  European  who  can 
read  has  read.  I  would  add  The  Pilgrims  Progress,  but 
fear  that  English  prepossessions  cause  me  to  exaggerate 
its  wide-spread  popularity.  (I  doubt,  e.g.,  whether  it  is 
much  read  in  Russia.) 

f  Six,  the princeps  (1484),  Tynson's  (150x3),  Waley's  (1570), 
Hebb'stwo  (1634,  1647),  and  Roper's  (1658). 


POPULARITY  OF  &SOP.  191 

ins:  out  the  versions  that  found  most  favour 
■with  English  folk  in  the  generations  that  suc- 
ceeded Caxton.* 

The  popularity  of  xEsop  in  the  sixteenth 
century  was  shown  by  a  curious  use  of  them 
made  by  W.  Bullokar,  the  earliest  English 
spelling  reformer.  In  order  to  convince  his 
countrymen  of  the  unwisdom  of  their  ways,  he 
selected  the  most  popular  book  he  could  think 
of  to  exemplify  his  own  more  perfect  way  of 
spelling,  and  published  "^Esop3  Fabrj  in  tru 
Ortography"  (1585).  But  Caxton  had  too 
strong  a  hold  on  English  affection  to  be  re- 
placed, and  he  held  sway  far  into  the  seven- 
teenth century.  Towards  the  end  of  this,  how- 
ever, his  diction  began  to  fail  to  be  under- 
stated of  the  vulgar.  John  Ogilby  offered  the 
English  public  the  additional  attraction  of  verse 
and  of  "  sculptures "  by  Hollar  and  Barlow 
(165 1,  1668).  Sir  Roger  L'Estrange  gave  the 
further  advantage  of  adding  most  of  the  new 
sets  of  fables  that  had  been  edited  abroad,  so 

*  The  British  Museum  publishes  at  a  nominal  price  the 
article  "iEsop"  of  the  printed  catalogue.  This  contains 
some  500  numbers,  of  which  about  120  refer  to  English 
editions.  This,  of  course,  has  to  be  supplemented  by  the 
articles  "Bidpai,"  "Babrius,"  "Fable,"  and  "Phaedrus." 


1 92  &SOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

that  his  collection  (500  numbers  against  the 
160  or  so  of  Caxton's),  is  still  the  most  ex- 
tensive in  existence.*  It  has  besides  some 
place  in  the  European  history  of  the  fable,  as 
1S8  fables  of  it  passed  by  way  of  German  into 
Russian,  and  there  gave  rise,  so  far  as  I  can 
learn,  to  Krilof  and  his  school,  f  A  factitious 
interest  was  given  to  iEsop  in  the  learned 
world  towards  the  end  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  by  its  forming  a  side  issue  of  the 
Phalaris  controversy  J  which  probably  helped 
to  keep  L'Estrange's  bulky  tome  in  demand  to 
the  tune  of  seven  editions.  He  inflicted  on 
iEsop  the  additional  indignity  of  "  applications  " 


*  A  fine  reprint  of  it  was  published  a  few  years  ago  by 
"John  Gray  &  Co."     1879. 

f  On  him  see  the  late  Mr.  Ralston' s  Krilof  and  his  Fables. 
Krilof,  I  may  add,  was  only  the  chief  of  a  whole  school  of 
of  Eussial  fabulists  (Chemnitzer,  Dimitrief,  Glinka,  Gon- 
charof),  who  afford  another  instance  of  the  political  use  of 
fables. 

X  Prof.  Jebb  (Bentley,  pp.  52,  72),  notices  a  curious 
instance  of  this.  All  the  fat  had  originally  been  spilt  on 
the  fire  by  the  young  editors  of  Phalaris  speaking  of  ' '  the 
singular  humanity  "  of  the  King's  Librarian  (Bentley)  in 
refusing  them  the  use  of  a  MS.  of  Phalaris.  In  Alsop's 
collection  of  Greek  fables  with  Latin  translations  (1698) 
there  is  mention  of  "the  singular  humanity"  of  Tlie  Dog 
in  the  Manger.  As  this  is  the  last  fable  of  the  set  it  was 
probably  added  for  the  sake  of  the  sting  in  its  tail. 


ENGLISH  EDITIONS.  193 

in  addition  to  "morals";  these  were  intended 
to  promote  the  Jacobite  cause. 

L'Estrange  was  succeeded  on  the  ^Esopic 
throne  of  England  by  the  Rev.  S.  Croxall, 
whose  reign  lasted  throughout  the  eighteenth 
century,  and  whose  dynasty  still  nourishes 
among  us  in  the  Chandos  Classics.  It  says 
much  for  the  vitality  of  ./Esop  that  he  has  sur- 
vived so  long  under  the  ponderous  morals  and 
<;  applications  " — ^Vhig  against  L'Estrange's 
Jacobitism — with  which  the  reverend  gentle- 
man loaded  his  author.  It  is  probable,  how- 
ever, that  ^Esop  came  to  the  public  with  slighter 
impedimenta  than  these.  Last  century  was 
the  era  of  the  chap-book  and  the  caterers  of 
Aldermary  Churchyard  did  not  omit  specimens 
of  ./Esop  among  their  wares.  I  can  scarcely 
commend  the  selection  they  made.  The  only 
chap-book  iEsop  in  the  British  Museum  (that 
reprinted  by  Mr.  Ashton  in  his  Chajj-loolis), 
seems  to  have  gone  out  of  its  way  to  select  the 
dozen  most  obscure  fables;  three  of  them  in- 
deed I  cannot  even  trace  elsewhere.  Perhaps 
the  compilers  were  looking  for  novelty  rather 
than  familiarity  and  assumed  that  the  fables 
better  known  to  us  would  be  also  known  to 

VOL.   I.  N 


194  &SOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

their  customers  through  reading-books.  For 
it  is  by  means  of  selections  in  reading-books 
that  ^Esop  has  been  most  widely  spread;  I 
myself  must  confess  my  indebtedness  to  the 
venerable  Mavor  for  my  first  introduction  to 
JEsop,  and  many  of  my  readers  will  have  had 
the  same  experience.*  The  spread  of  iEsop's 
Fables  among  the  people  is  proved  by  the 
existence  of  many  popular  proverbs  derived 
from  them.t  But  how  they  got  to  the  people 
and  how  they  are  transmitted  there  is  singularly 
little  evidence  to  show.  The  collectors  of  popu- 
lar tales  and  traditions,  who  have  now  exhausted 
Europe,  have  left  ^Esop's  Fables  aside,  seem- 
ingly of  malice  prepense.  They  seemed  to  have 
thought  that  they  would  be  offering  nothing 
new  in  such  well-known  apologues,  whereas  it 
would  be  of  extreme  interest  to  study  the 
variations  they  underwent  as  they  passed  from 
mouth  to  mouth.! 

*  For  this  reason  I  have  included  Mavor  in  my  biblio- 
graphy. I  have  used  the  322nd  edition,  the  earliest  I  could 
get  access  to. 

f  I  have  given  for  England  a  score  or  so  examples  from 
Mr.  Hazlitt's  collection.  He  omits,  however,  owing  to  his 
plan,  proverbial  expressions  like  dog  in  the  manger,  kc. 

X  Partial  exception  is  afforded  by  Hahn's  Oriech. 
Mahrchen,  which  contains  three  (87,  91,  93).     Curiously 


PICTORIAL  JESOPS.  195 

There  is  still  another  means  by  which  iEsop 
reaches  the  folk,  and  especially  the  little  folk, 
and  that  is  by  pictorial  illustration.  Most  of 
the  iEsops  that  have  been  popular  among  us 
for  the  last  half-century,  have  appealed  to  the 
eye  as  well  as  the  understanding.  The  Rev. 
T.  James,  had  the  luck  to  have  his  new  version 
of  the  fables  (1848),  adorned  by  the  pure  and 
classic  outline  of  John  Tenniel.  This  has 
caused  his  version  to  be  a  favourite  one,  and 
early  impressions  command  a  high  price.  The 
Rev.  G-.  F.  Townsend,  who  edited  no  less  than 
two  entirely  different  ./Esopic  collections  in 
two  years,  one  an  adaptation  of  Croxall  (1S66, 
now  in  the  Ghandos  Classics)  toning  down  his 
ponderosities,  the  other  a  selection  of  300  trans- 
lated from  the  Greek  Prose  iEsop  (1S67),  em- 
bellished the  latter  with  some  very  passable 
designs  of  H.  ^Yeir.  Recently  two  of  the  best 
known  illustrators  of  books  have  applied  their 
skill  to  the  ever  young  iEsop.  If  ever  there 
was  a  man  who  seemed  specially  designed  by 

enough  they  are  all  from  the  Fabulce  extravagantes  (iv. 
v.  x.).  Is  it  possible  that  they  retain  traces  of  a  Middle 
Greek  derivate  of  the  original  of  Alfred's  iEsop  ?  There 
are  also  a  couple  among  the  Nivernais  folk-tales,  collected 
by  M.  A.  Millin  in  Archivio  par  trad.  pop.  iv. 


196  JESOP  IN  ENGLAND. 

every  natural  gift  to  make  ^Esop  live  again  in 
line,  tone,  and  colour,  it  was  Randolph  Calde- 
cott ;  who  that  remembers  his  dog  in  Hie  House 
that  Jack  Built,  will  deny  the  assertion  ?  Yet 
he  denied  it  himself  practically  in  his  own 
attempt,  which  can  scarcely  be  pronounced  a 
success;  perhaps  he  was  too  much  taken  up 
with  his  maladroit  plan  of  accompanying  each 
fable  with  a  modern  instance.'55'  Mr.  Walter 
Crane  has  succeeded  better  in  his  Baby's  Own 
JEsop,  and  has  given  us  65  admirable  decorative 
designs  taken  from  ^Esop.  But  he  suffers  from 
the  malady  of  us  all — over- seriousness,  and  has 
left  out  of  his  ingredients  that  pinch  of  humour 
that  has  savoured  the  fabulist  and  kept  the 
iEsopic  jests  of  the  ancients  sweet  throughout 
the  ages.t 

Their  vitality  and  power  in  England  have 
been  shown  in  various  ways.  They  have  re- 
ceived  the   flattery   of    imitation    from   many 

*  The  plan  may  have  been  suggested  by  a  similar  col- 
lection done  by  Mr.  Charles  Bennet  somewhere  in  the 
"sixties."  Prof.  Kankine  performed  a  curious  tour  de 
force  by  inventing  fables  to  correspond  to  well-known  iun- 
signs,  e.g.,  Pig  and  Whistle,  Goat  and  Compasses,  kc. 

f  I  have  collated  all  the  English  editions  here  mentioned 
for  the  parallels :  they  will  serve  at  least  to  show  the 
relative  popularity  of  each  fable. 


JESOP  STILL  LIVING.  197 

hands;  only  two  of  these  many  attempts  at 
"original"  fables  deserve  notice.  John  Gay 
tried  to  be  the  English  Lafontaine,  but  de- 
parted from  his  model  in  attempting  to  add 
new  fables  instead  of  contenting  himself  with 
adorning  the  old;  he  only  succeeded  in  one 
case,  Tlie  Hare  with  many  Friends.  In  our  own 
days  Lord  Lytton  has  tried  to  allegorise  the 
complexities  and  subtleties  of  modern  life  in 
"  Fables  in  Song,"  but  the  task  was  a  hopeless 
one  from  the  start.  ^Esop's  Fables  have  suf- 
fered too  from  the  parodist*  and  the  caricatu- 
rist, and  in  all  the  curious  ways  in  which  the 
modern  world  shows  an  inverted  respect  for 
things  of  old  iEsop  has  shown  that  he  has 
obtained  a  lasting  hold  on  the  minds  of  men, 

Vivu'  volat  per  ora  virum.t 


*  The  best  of  these  I  have  seen  is  a  little  volume  of 
Fables  out  of  the  [New  York]  World,  by  "G.  Washington 
jEsop  "  but  they  are  poor  fooling  at  the  best. 

f  The  fables  live  yet.  I  have  noticed  a  couple  of  in- 
stances of  effective  use  of  them  in  Mr.  Stevenson's  latest 
masterpiece,  The  Master  of  Ballantrae  (The  Viper  and 
File,  p.  206,  and  The  Goose  with  Golden  Eggs,  p.  300). 


198  FABLIAU. 


Y.— FABLIAU,  FACETIAE,  FABLE. 

AlaioTTLKov  yeXoiov  7}  avfiapiTUibv. 

— Aristoph.  Vesp.  1259. 

©mnc  genus  fabularum  probatur  contra  bomincs.    ©.uis  cnim 
malus  nisi  bomo.    et  quis  bonus  nisi  bomo  ? 

Komoxtjs  II.  ProL 

We  have  now  commented  upon  all  the  sections 
of  our  Caxton  which  contain  Beast-Fables  pure 
and  simple.  There  still  remain  two  others 
which,  interesting  as  they  are  in  their  way, 
have  but  slight  connection  with  our  subject, 
and  must  therefore  be  dismissed  somewhat 
cavalierly.  They  owe  their  place  in  the  Euro- 
pean zEsop  to  Stainhowel,  who  gives  an  elabo- 
rate but  lame  excuse  for  inserting  them.  At 
the  same  time  they  are  both  interesting  in 
themselves,  and  illustrate  a  characteristic  ten- 
dency of  the  fable  which  has  clung  to  it 
throughout  its  history.  For  this  reason  I 
have  retained  them  in  the  present  reprint, 
especially  as  one  of  the  Romulus  fables  has 
got  mixed  among  them. 

The  first  set  of  Fabulce  collectce,  as  Stainhowel 
called  them,  are  a  selection  from  the  Disciplina 
clericalis  of  Petrus  Alphonsus,  a  Spanish  Jew, 


"DISCIPLINA   CLERICALISM  199 

of  the  beginning  of  the  twelfth  century.  All 
that  is  known  of  him  is  that  his  Jewish  name 
was  Moses  Sephardi  (the  Spaniard),  and  that 
he  was  baptized  by  the  name  of  Petrus  Alphon- 
sus  under  the  auspices  of  Alfonso  II.  (Petrus 
Raimundus)  in  11 06.  He  wrote  an  interesting 
set  of  dialogues  between  the  old  Adam  of  Moses 
Sephardi  and  the  new  man  of  Petrus  Alphonsus, 
in  order  to  convert  the  Jews.  But  he  chiefly 
interests  here  as  the  compiler  of  a  collection  of 
tales  from  Jewish  and  Arabic  sources,  intended 
for  seasoning  to  sermons,  and  so  termed  Dis- 
cvplina  elericalis.  There  can  have  been  few 
ladies  attending  service  in  those  days,  for 
few  of  the  tales  admit  of  being  told  "  in  the 
presence  of  Mrs.  Boffin."  They  were  extra- 
ordinarily popular,  however,  and  spread  through- 
out Europe  from  Spain  to  Iceland.*  They  are 
interesting  for  their  early  date,  being  the  first 
set  of  Oriental  tales  to  reach  Europe.  They 
introduced  a  new  genre  into  European  literature, 

*  The  only  edition  accessible  of  them  is  that  appended  to 
Gering's  Islensk  JEventyri.  V.  Schmidt's  edition  is  rare, 
and  that  of  the  Societe  des  bibliophiles  was  almost  "printed 
as  MS.,"  as  the  Germans  say.  Schmidt's  text  was  re- 
printed in  vol.  clvii.  of  that  omnium  gatherum,  Migne's 
Patrologice  Cursus. 


200  FABLIAU. 

for  Alfonso  (Pere  Aunfors)  is  the  father  of  the 
Fabliau,  and  thus  the  grandfather  of  the  Italian 
novel,  and  so  an  ancestor  of  the  Elizabethan 
Drama.  It  is  curious  that  the  esprit  gaulois 
of  the  Fabliaux  is  largely  traceable  to  a  book 
of  translations  from  the  Arabic  originally  in- 
tended for  ghostly  instruction,  and  so  entitled.* 
The  other  set  of  the  Fabulse  Collects  are  a 
selection  of  the  milder  specimens  of  the  Facetiae,  of 
Poggio  Bracciolini  (1381—1459),  apostolic  secre- 
tary to  eight  successive  Popes.  He  is  still  better 
known  as  one  of  the  most  indefatigable  col- 
lectors of  classical  MSS.  :  almost  all  the  editiones 
principes  of  the  classic  authors  were  made  from 
MSS.  collected  by  Poggio.  The  only  MS. 
which  he  left  of  his  own  was  a  collection  of 
anecdotes  grivoises,  which  got  into  print  some 
ten  years  after  his  death.  They  represent  the 
Humanist  reaction  against  the  over-strained 
and  somewhat  sensual  chastity  of  mediaeval 
Christianity.     They  are  mostly  tales  of  a  kind 

*  It  is  probable  that  Alfonso's  collection  was  originally- 
much  larger,  and  that  many  more  of  the  fabliaux  might 
be  traced  to  it.  De  Castro  speaks  of  the  Escurial  copy 
being  in  three  books,  a  division  of  which  there  is  no  trace 
and  for  which  there  is  opportunity  in  the  thirty-nine  tales 
of  the  extant  collection.  I  regret  I  did  not  examine  the 
MS.  on  my  visit  to  the  Escurial  aliud  agens,  last  year. 


POGGIO'S  FACETIM.  201 

which  we  do  not  tell  or  print  now-a-days ;  or 
which,  to  speak  more  frankly,  we  only  tell  when 
we  are  young  and  only  print  privately  in  limited 
editions  of  1000  copies.*  The  few  that  have 
got  into  the  Caxton  have  passed  through  the 
censorship  of  two  Teutons,  of  colder  and  manlier 
mould  than  the  apostolic  secretary  of  eight 
popes,  and  I  have  merely  had  to  omit  one  as 
being  only  suitable  for  the  newspaper  reports 
of  the  Court  of  Probate  and  Divorce. 

The  Falmlx  Collects  represent  a  tendency 
by  which  the  fable  has  been  marked  throughout 
its  history.  Throughout  ancient  times  it  was 
regarded  as  a  species  of  the  Jest,  a  kind  of 
Eeast-Jest,  as  it  were.  This  aspect  is  its  point 
of  contact  with  the  Obscene  Tale  which  has 
always  been  connected  with  it ;  the  Beast-Jest 
and  the  Beastly  Jest  go  together.  And  both 
forms  are  just  the  kind  of  tale  which  passes 
easiest  by  word  of  mouth  from  men  of  one 
nationality  to  those  of  another.  Sir  Robert 
TTalpole  gave  the  brutal  excuse  for  the  freedom 
of  his  talk  that  obscenities  were  the  one  topic 

*  There  is  of  course  a  whole  literature  of  this  kind,  the 
mere  description  of  which  fills  seven  volumes  of  a  Bibiw- 
graphie  de  I'amour,  a  veritable  Cloaca  Maxima  of  biblio- 
graphy. 


202  FACETim. 

in  which  men  of  all  shades  of  political  opinion 
were  interested  after  dinner.  The  folk-lorist 
has  to  recognise  much  the  same  with  regard  to 
the  social  intercourse  of  men  of  different 
nations.  Hahn,  in  the  admirable  introduction 
to  his  collection  of  Griechisclie  und  albanesische 
Mdhrchen  (1864),  makes  it  a  great  point  against 
the  borrowing  theory  of  the  diffusion  of  folk- 
tales, that  the  only  kind  which  he  had  observed 
to  pass  between  men  of  various  nationalities 
during  his  travels  in  the  Levant,  was  the 
Schwank,  Droll  or  Jest.  It  is  accordingly  im- 
portant from  this  point  of  view  to  emphasise 
the  Jest-like  nature  of  the  Fable  which  thus 
becomes  exempt  from  Hahn's  objection  to  the 
borrowing  theory.  Perhaps,  the  secret  of  the 
matter  is,  that  neither  the  Beast  Tale  nor  the 
Obscene  Jest  touch  upon  any  of  the  prejudices, 
local,  national  and  religious,  which  separate  the 
the  various  sections  of  mankind.  They  are 
both  "  universally  human  "  to  use  the  technical 
term  of  folk-lore;  they  both,  let  us  rather  say, 
appeal  to  the  common  animality  of  man. 

Meanwhile  it  is  possible  that  the  collections 
on  which  we  are  commenting  have  a  connec- 
tion, somewhat  closer  than  mere  resemblance, 


SYBARITIC  JESTS.  203 

with  the  "  Sybaritic  Jests,"  which  are  so  closely 
connected  with  ^Esop's  Fables  in  antiquity. 
Alfonso's  Discipline  for  the  Clergy  probably 
represents  the  offscourings  of  Levant  talk 
into  which  some  of  the  Milesian  Tales  of  the 
ancients  may  have  penetrated.*  Poggio  again 
was  likely  to  be  on  the  scent  for  the  more 
malodorous  portions  of  Latin  literature,  and 
his  Facetice  may  preserve  some  that  could  trace 
back  to  the  luxury  and  vice  of  Sybaris.  This 
result  would  at  any  rate  complete  the  repre- 
sentative character  of  our  collection.  The  first 
four  books  of  it  can  be  traced  back  to  Demet- 
rius' Assemblies  of  JEsopian  Tales.  The  selec- 
tions from  Eemicius  and  Avian  preserve  for 
us,  it  is  probable,  parts  of  the  Lybian  Tales  of 
Kybises,  the  Fabulce  Extravagantes  represent 
the  mediaeval  iEsop  of  Alfred.  Is  it  possible 
that  the  Fabliaux  of  Alfonso  and  the  Facetiae  of 
Poggio  are  in  any  way  survivals  of  the  Milesian 
and  Sybaritic  Jests  that  always  went  hand-in- 
hand  with  the  Ancient  Fable  ?  f 

*  The  latest  account  of  these  is  by  E.  Ehode.  Verhandl. 
d.  25,  Phil.-sammlung,  p.  66. 

+  It  was  this  contamination  with  broader  elements  that 
caused  Luther  to  set  about  making-  a  cleaner  collection  of 
the  albtrn,  Kinderbuch  so  Esopus  heisst. 


204  FABLE. 

Having  said  so  much  of  Fables,  it  only 
remains  to  say  something  about  the  Fable. 
For  the  dictionary-maker  we  may  define  it 
as  a  short  humorous  allegorical  tale,  in  which 
animals  act  in  such  a  way  as  to  illustrate  a 
simple  moral  truth  or  inculcate  a  wise  maxim.* 
This  definition,  somewhat  unwieldy,  we  fear,  will 
distinguish  the  Beast- Fable  from  the  Allegory 
proper  by  its  shortness  and  its  use  of  animal 
actors,  and  from  the  Parable  by  the  latter  char- 
acteristic and  its  humorous  tinge. f  Its  anec- 
dotic character  differentiates  the  Fable  from  the 
proverb,  from  which  it  is  often  otherwise  diffi- 
cult to  distinguish  it.  The  Arabic  proverb  about 
the  ostrich,  They  said  to  the  camel-bird,  "  Fly  ;  " 
it  said  "  I  am  a  beast : "  they  said  "  Carry  ;  "  it 

*  Some  fables,  i.e.,  teach  us  an  elementary  lesson  in 
moral  psychology,  others  give  us  some  advice  in  some  of 
the  simpler  relations  of  life.  It  might  be  added  that  a 
literary  comment  in  general  adds  the  truth  or  maxim  in  the 
form  of  a  Moral. 

f  There  are  some  good  remarks  on  the  distinction  between 
the  Fable  and  the  Parable  in  Trench's  Lessons  on  the  Par- 
ables. He  points  out  that  the  use  of  animals  in  the  Fable 
prevents  its  application  to  the  higher  ethical  relations  of 
men  with  which  the  Parable  mainly  deals.  It  is  probable 
that  this  may  account  for  the  Jewish  neglect  of  the  Fable, 
for  which  the  Hebrews  showed  some  aptitude  in  the  earlier 
periods  when  the  best  minds  of  the  nation  were  less  strenu- 
ously occupied  with  the  higher  problems  of  life. 


DEFINITION  OF  FABLE.  205 

said  "lam  a  bird"  is  on  the  border-line  between 
the  two.*  It  is  of  more  importance  to  distinguish 
the  Beast- Fable  from  the  Beast-Tale  in  general, 
and  even  from  the  Beast-Satire.  It  is  a  highly 
specialised  form  of  the  Beast-Tale,  distinguished 
by  its  moral  tendency.  The  Germans  speak  of 
a  certain  kind  of  novels  as  forming  the  class  of 
Tendenz- Roman.  The  Fable,  as  we  use  the 
word,t  is  in  a  similar  way  what  a  German 
might  call  a  Tendenz-Tier-Schivank,  and  may  be 
further  distinguished  from  the  Beast-Satire  by 
the  characteristic  that  its '"  tendency"  is  moral 
and  not  satirical.  I  may  perhaps  render  clearer 
the  distinctions  I  wish  to  make  by  giving  them, 
more  meo,  in  a  genealogical  table,  in  which,  how- 
ever, the  poverty  of  our  folk-lore  terminology 
will  cause  me,  I  fear,  to  use  many  a  term  of 
forbidding  and  Teutonic  description. 


*  Our  proverb,  A  bird  in  the  hand  is  worth  two  in  the  lush. 
is  a  Fable  in  petto.  The  ready  passage  of  fable  into  proverb 
and  vice  versa  shows  the  indistinctness  of  the  border  line 
between  the  two.     Cf.  supra  p.  108. 

f  Modern  English  has  specialised  it  to  apply  only  to  the 
Beast-Fable,  In  earlier  times  it  was  applied  to  any  tale. 
Dryden's  Fables  are  stories  of  men  and  women,  not  of 
beasts. 


2o6  FABLE. 


The  Tale  * 
! 

Anecdcte 

!                                   1                               1 
The  Droll                   Fairy-Tale                   Myth 

1 
Jest 

1                                   ! 
Obscene  Jest               Beast-Tale 

1 

1 
Beast- 
Anecdote 

!                             1 

Animistic            Tendency-Beast- 
Beast-Tale                     Droll 

1                                   1 
Satiric                        Moral 
(e.g.  Reynard,             The  Fable 
Uncle  Remus) 

1                          1 

Greek               Indian 

"iEsopic  "        "  Lybian  " 

The  Fable,  according  to  this  classification,  is 
a  Moral  Tendency-Beast-Droll.  It  is  impor- 
tant to  make  these  somewhat  fine  distinctions, 
as  much  confusion  has  been  caused  in  the 
discussion  of  the  origin  of  the  Fable  by  a 
neglect  of  them.f  Writers  who  desire  to 
make  the  Fable  "universally  human"  point 
to  animistic  beast-tales  or  satiric  beast-drolls 
in  Polynesia,  Caffraria,  Assyria,  and  so  on. 
But  in  so  doing  they  leave  out  the  differentia 
of  the  Fable,  and  forget  that  they  have  failed 
to  find  any  moral  tendency  in  their  so-called 

*  The  classification  is  rough,  and  does  not  profess  to  be 
phylogenetic. 

f  I  must  confess  myself  a  sinner  in  this  regard  in  my  dis- 
cussion on  this  point  in  my  Bidpai,  pp.  xxxix.-xlix. 


DIFFERENTIA  OF  FABLE.  207 

Polynesian,  Assyrian,  or  Hottentot  Fables. 
Of  course  it  is  difficult  to  draw  the  distinction, 
and  many  animistic  Beast-Tales  and  Beast- 
Satires  occur  in  the  collection  of  Fables  we 
have  been  considering.  The  simplest  criterion 
is  perhaps  to  be  found  in  Horace's  line, 

Mutato  nomine  de  te  Fabula  narrator. 

The  best  Greek  and  Indian  Fables  come  home 
to  one  at  once  on  the  mere  statement  of  the 
case,  and  this  "  coming  home"  quality  is  their 
characteristic. 

The  artistic  qualities  needed  to  produce  this 
effect  are  seemingly  simple,  but  they  have  rarely 
been  found  cunningly  mixed  in  the  due  propor- 
tions. The  situation  depicted  in  the  action  should 
be  grotesque ;  its  very  incongruity  is  part  of 
the  convention  of  the  Fable.  A  crane  with  its 
neck  voluntarily  inserted  halfway  down  a  lion's 
throat,  a  jay  bedecked  with  peacock's  plumes, 
a  mouse  nibbling  at  a  lion's  toils ;  these  things 
never  were  on  sea  or  land.  It  is  therefore  this 
un-nature  that  causes  us  to  recognise  that  more 
is  meant  than  meets  the  ear,  that  we  are  not 
merely  going  to  hear  a  Beast- Anecdote  (of 
which  The  Crow  and  Pitcher  mav  be  taken  as 


2o8  FABLE. 

a  type).  It  depends  upon  the  tone  in  which 
the  extra-implication  is  suggested  whether  the 
Beast-Tale  has  become  a  Beast-Satire  or  a 
Beast-Fable.  If  the  narrator  slily  points  the 
finger  of  scorn  at  the  world  as  it  too  often  is — 
the  world  of  self-interest,  greed  and  cunning — 
the  result  is  a  Beast-Satire.  If  what  is  implied 
refers  to  the  world  of  moral  ends,  the  realm  of 
self-abnegation,  of  gratitude,  and  of  affection, 
we  have  a  Beast-Fable.  The  choice  of  beasts 
as  the  medium  of  satire  or  morality  naturally 
restricts  the  motives  which  can  be  depicted. 
The  life  of  animals  as  observed  by  man,  or  at 
least  by  early  man,  is  seemingly  one  monotonous 
round  of  greed,  cruelty,  revenge,  and  self-seek- 
ing, brightened  only  by  parental  joys.  It  is 
accordingly  with  those  vices  and  this  virtue 
that  the  Fable  chiefly  deals.  All  that  is  meant 
by  culture — knowledge,  beauty,  love,  considera- 
tion for  others — is  beyond  its  range.  Hence 
the  adaptation  of  the  fable  to  the  childish 
and  childlike  minds.*  I  may  add  that  as  part 
of  the  convention  of  the  Fable  we  have  types 
of    virtues    and   vices   represented    by  special 

*  Its  lessons,   however,  are  not  very  elevating ;   it  is 
rather  its  humour  that  appeals  most  strongly. 


LIMITATIONS  OF  FABLE.  209 

animals :  courage  by  the  lion,  greed  by  the  wolf, 
cunning  by  the  fox,  brute  strength  by  the  bear, 
innocence  of  the  lamb,  and  so  on.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  it  was  by  this  specialising  of  types 
that  early  man  began  his  lessons  in  moral 
abstraction  ;  to  him  cunning  was  foxiness,  ma?- 
naminity  leonineity,  cruelty  wolfhood.  Even 
to  the  present  day  we  have  no  other  way  of  re- 
ferring to  one  of  the  ruling  motives  in  a  capi- 
talistic society  than  by  speaking  of  The  Dog 
in  the  Manger. 

It  follows  from  all  this  that  the  Fable  is 
a  highly  specialised  form  of  the  universally 
human  tendency  to  tell  a  Tale.  We  should 
not  therefore  be  surprised  if  it  only  occurs  in 
full  vigour  in  one  or  two  of  the  great  civilisa- 
tions. We  have  seen  sporadic  examples  of  the 
Beast-Fable,  or  perhaps  rather  Beast-Satire, 
in  Egypt,  Judsea,  Borne,  and  Arabia,  but  the 
Fable  proper,  in  full  and  free  development,  is 
only  found  in  Greece  and  India.  This  result 
at  first  sight  seems  to  tell  strongly  in  favour 
of  Benfey's  borrowing  theory  of  the  diffusion 
of  folk-tales  and  of  Herr  Gruppe's  "  revela- 
tionist  "  views  as  to  the  origin  of  myths.     But 

the  highly  specialised  character  of  the  Fable 
vol.  1.  o 


210  FABLE. 

prevents  us  from  applying  results  obtained 
from  consideration  of  its  history  to  the  more 
general  question  of  origin,  while  its  Droll 
character  will  explain  its  more  easy  trans- 
mission. These  considerations  minimise  the 
general  bearing  of  our  results,  which  would 
otherwise  be  conclusively  decisive  in  favour 
of  Benfey,  M.  Cosquin,  and  Herr  Gruppe.  * 

The  specialised  character  of  the  Fable  again 
renders  it  difficult  to  speak  of  it  in  any  abstract- 
or general  way.  We  cannot  speak  of  Fable  in 
general  when  we  only  know  of  Greek  and  of 
Indian  Fables  in  particular.  This  suggests 
that  we  may  get  more  easily  at  their  Wesen 
by  studying  their  Werden.  This  is  the  more 
necessary,  as  hitherto  we  have  told  the  tale  of 
the  Fable  backwards  more  in  the  order  of  dis- 
covery f  than  of  development,  more  in  logical 
than   chronological   progression.      The    reader 

*  Another  point  of  difference  is  that  the  transmission  of 
the  Fable,  so  far  as  we  can  trace  it,  has  been  almost  en- 
tirely literary.  It  is  only  in  the  early  "  Libyan  "  Fables 
that  we  seem  to  see  any  evidence  of  oral  tradition  of 
Fables  from  one  nation  to  another. 

j-  It  may  interest  the  reader  to  know  that  most  of  my 
new  points  occurred  to  me  as  I  came  to  examine  and  write 
upon  the  various  divisions  of  my  subject.  This  will  at 
anyrate  be  proof  that  I  did  not  arrive  at  them  a  priori 
ia  the  interest  of  any  particular  theory. 


SHORT  HISTORY  OF  FABLE.         211 

will  probably  be  glad  to  have  the  somewhat 
abstruse  and  complicated  inquiries  on  which  we 
have  been  engaged  summed  up  for  him  in  the 
shape  of  a  Short  History  of  the  Fable.* 

Most  nations  develope  the  Beast-Tale  as  part 
of  their  folk-lore,  some  go  further  and  apply  it 
to  satiric  purposes,  and  a  few  nations  afford 
isolated  examples  of  the  shaping  of  the  Beast 
Tale  to  teach  some  moral  truth  by  means  of  the 
Fable  properly  so-called.  But  only  two  peoples 
— independently — made  this  a  general  practice. 
Both  in  Greece  and  in  India  we  find  in  the 
earliest  literature  such  casual  and  frequent 
mention  of  Fables  as  seems  to  imply  a  body  of 
Folk-Fables  current  among  the  people.  And 
in  both  countries  special  circumstances  raised  the 
Fable  from  folk-lore  into  literature.  In  Greece 
during  the  epoch  of  the  Tyrants,  when  free 
speech  was  dangerous,  the  Fable  was  largely 
used  for  political  purposes.  The  inventor  of 
this  application  or  the  most  prominent  user 
of  it  was  one  -ZEsop,  a  slave  at  Samos  whose 

*  It  is  well  perhaps  to  warn  the  reader  that  two-thirds 
of  the  Short  History  of  the  Fable  he  is  about  to  hear 
consists  of  discoveries  or  hypotheses  of  my  own  which  have 
not  yet  gone  through  the  ordeal  of  specialist  criticism. 


212  FABLE. 

name  has  ever  since  been  connected  with  the 
Fable.  When  free  speech  was  established  in 
the  Greek  democracies,  the  custom  of  using 
Fables  in  harangues  was  continued  and  en- 
couraged by  the  rhetoricians  (Arist.  Rhet.  ii. 
20),  while  the  mirth-producing  qualities  of  the 
Fable  caused  it  to  be  regarded  as  fit  subject 
of  after-dinner  conversation  along  with  other 
jests  of  a  broader  kind  ("Milesian,"  "Sy- 
baritic") This  habit  of  regarding  the  Fable  as 
a  form  of  the  Jest  intensified  the  tendency  to 
connect  it  with  a  well-known  name  as  in  the 
case  of  our  Joe  Miller.  About  300  B.C.  Deme- 
trius Phalereus,  whilom  tyrant  of  Athens  and 
founder  of  the  Alexandria  Library,  collected 
together  all  the  Fables  he  could  find  under  the 
title  of  Assemblies  of  JEsopic  Tales.  This  col- 
lection, running  probably  to  some  200  Fables, 
after  being  interpolated  and  edited  by  the 
Alexandrine  grammarians,  was  turned  into 
neat  Latin  iambics  by  Phssdrus,  a  Greek  freed- 
man  of  Augustus  in  the  early  years  of  the 
Christian  era. 

In  India  the  great  ethical  reformer,  Saky- 
amuni,  initiated  (or  adopted  from  the  Brahmins) 
the  habit  of   usinoj  the   Beast-Tale  for  moral 


IN  GREECE  AND  INDIA.  213 

purposes,  or  in  other  words,  transformed  it  into 
the  Fable  proper.  A  collection  of  these  seems 
to  have  existed  independently  in  which  the 
Fables  were  associated  with  the  name  of  a 
mythical  sage,  Kasyapa.*  These  were  appro- 
priated by  the  early  Buddhists  by  the  simple 
expedient  of  making  Kasyapa  the  preceding 
incarnation  of  the  Buddha.  A  number  of  his 
Uiahdsas  or  Tales  were  included  in  the  sacred 
Buddhistic  work  containing  the  JdtaTcas  or 
previous-births  of  the  Buddha,  in  some  of 
which  the  Bodisat  (or  future  Buddha)  appears 
as  one  of  the  Dramatis  Persona?  of  the  Fables 
(the  Crane,  e.g.,  in  our  Wolf  and  Crane  being 
one  of  the  incarnations  of  the  Buddha).  The 
Fables  of  Kasyapa  or  rather  the  moral  verses 
(pathos)  which  served  as  a  memoria  tecJuiica  to 
them  were  probably  carried  over  to  Ceylon  in 
241  B.C.  along  with  the  Jatakas.  About  300 
years  later  (say  50  a.d.)  some  10c  of  these  were 
brought  by  a  Cingalese  embassy  to  Alexandria, 
where  they  were  translated  under  the  title  of 
"Libyan    Fables,"    which    had    been    earlier 

*  Not  to  be  confounded  with  Buddha's  chief  disciple  of 
the  same  name,  for  whom  see  Mr.  Rhys-Davids'  Buddhism, 
pp.  59,  6i,  189.  The  identity  of  name  may  have  helped 
the  more  easy  appropriation  of  Kasyapa's  Itiahdsas. 


214  FABLE. 

applied  to  similar  stories  that  had  percolated  to 
Hellas  from  India;  they  were  attributed  to 
"  Kybises."  This  collection  seems  to  have  in- 
troduced the  habit  of  summing  up  the  teaching 
of  a  Fable  in  the  Moral,  corresponding  to  the 
gcitha  of  the  Jatakas.  About  the  end  of  the  first 
century  a. d.  the  Libyan  Fables  of  "Kybises" 
became  known  to  the  Rabbinic  school  at 
Jabne  founded  by  R.  Jochanan  ben  Saccai 
and  a  number  of  the  Fables  translated  into 
Aramaic  and  are  still  extant  in  the  Talmud 
and  Midrash. 

In  the  Roman  world  the  two  collections  of 
Demetrius  and  "Kybises"  were  brought  together 
by  Nicostratus,  a  rhetor  attached  to  the  court 
of  Marcus  Aurelius.  In  the  earlier  part  of  the 
next  century  (c.  230  a.d.)  this  Corpus  of  the 
ancient  fable,  .zEsopic  and  Lybian,  amounting 
in  all  to  some  300  members,  was  done  into 
Greek  verse  with  Latin  accentuation  (choli- 
ambics)  by  Valerius  Babrius,  tutor  to  the  young 
son  of  Alexander  Severus.  Still  later,  towards 
the  end  of  the  fourth  century,  forty-two  of 
these,  mainly  of  the  Libyan  section,  were  trans- 
lated into  Latin  by  one  Avian,  with  whom  the 
ancient  history  of  the  Fable  ends. 


IN  THE  MIDDLE  AGES.  215 

In  the  Middle  Ages  it  was  naturally  the 
Latin  Phsedrus  that  represented  the  ^-Esopic 
Fable  to  the  learned  world.  A  selection  of 
some  eighty  fables  was  turned  into  indifferent 
prose  in  the  ninth  century,  probably  at  the 
Schools  of  Charles  the  Great.*  This  was  attri- 
buted to  a  fictitious  Eomulus.  Another  collec- 
tion by  Ademar  of  Chabannes  was  made  before 
1030,  and  still  preserves  some  of  the  lines  of 
the  lost  Fables  of  Phsedrus.  The  Fables  became 
especially  popular  among  the  Normans.  A 
number  of  them  occur  on  the  Bayeux  Tapestry, 
and  in  the  twelfth  century  England,  the  head 
of  the  Angevin  empire,  became  the  home  of  the 
Fable,  all  the  important  adaptations  and  ver- 
sions of  iEsop  being  made  in  this  country.  One 
of  these  done  into  Latin  verse  by  Walter  the 
Englishman  became  the  standard  ^Esop  of 
mediaeval  Christendom.  The  same  history  ap- 
plies in  large  measure  to  the  Fables  of  Avian, 
which  were  done  into  prose,  transferred  back 
into  Latin  verse,  and  sent  forth  through  Europe 
from  England.! 

*  Of.  Ebert,  AUg.  Litt.  d.  Mittelalters,  ii.  32,  54- 
t  I  should  perhaps  have  made  some  reference  to  a  col- 
lection (Speculum  Sapiential)  associated  with  the  name  of 
St.  Cyril,  which  is  the  most  oridnal  of  the  mediaeval  sets 


216  FABLE. 

Meanwhile  Babrius  had  been  suffering  the 
same  fate  as  Phaedrus.  His  scazons  were 
turned  into  poor  Greek  prose,  and  selections  of 
them  passed  as  the  original  Fables  of  iEsop. 
Some  fifty  of  these  were  selected,  and  with  the 
addition  of  a  dozen  Oriental  fables,  were  attri- 
buted to  an  imaginary  Persian  sage,  Syntipas ; 
this  collection  was  translated  into  Syriac,  and 
thence  into  Arabic,  where  they  passed  under 
the  name  of  the  legendary  Loqman  (probably  a 
doublet  of  Balaam).  A  still  larger  collection  of 
the  Greek  prose  versions  got  into  Arabic, 
where  it  was  enriched  by  some  60  fables  from 
the  Arabic  Bidpai  and  other  sources,  but  still 
passed  under  the  name  of  iEsop.  This  collec- 
tion, containing  164  fables,  was  brought  to 
England  after  the  Third  Crusade  of  Richard  I., 
and  translated  into  Latin  by  an  Englishman 
named  Alfred,  with  the  aid  of  an  Oxford  Jew 
named  Berachyah  ha  ISTakdan,  who,  on  his  own 
account,  translated  a  number  of  the  fables  into 
Hebrew  rhymed  prose,  under  the  Talmudic  title 

of  fables.  Graesse  has  shown  that  it  is  of  the  thirteenth 
century.  Why  then  does  he  still  style  it,  with  Nicholas  of 
Perganaus'  Dialogus  Creaturaram,  (of  the  fourteenth)  Die 
beidea  dltesten  latein.  Fabelbiicher  d.  Mittelalters  (Stutt- 
gart, 1880) ? 


THE  MODERN  MSOP.  217 

MisMe  SJutalim  (Fox  Fables).  Part  of  Alfred's 
iEsop  was  translated  into  English  alliterative 
verse,  and  this  again  was  translated  about  1220 
into  French  by  Marie  de  France,  who  attributed 
the  new  fables  to  King  Alfred.  After  her  no 
important  addition  was  made  to  the  mediaeval 
iEsop.  * 

With  the  invention  of  printing  the  European 
book  of  iEsop  was  compiled  by  Heinrich  Stain- 
howel,  who  put  together  the  Eomulus  with 
selections  from  Avian,  some  of  the  Greek  prose 
versions  from  Banuzio's  translation,  and  a  few 
from  Alfred's  iEsop.  To  these  he  added  the 
legendary  life  of  iEsop  and  a  selection  of  some- 
what loose  tales  from  Petrus  Alphonsus  and 
Poggio  Bracciolini,  corresponding  to  the  Milesian 
and  Sybaritic  tales  which  were  associated  with 
the  Fable  in  antiquity.  Stainhowel  translated 
all  this  into  German,  and  within  twenty  years 
his  collection  had  been  turned  into  French, 
English  (by  Caxton,  the  book  before  us),  Italian, 
Dutch,  and  Spanish.     Additions  were  made  to 

*  The  popularity  of  iEsop  in  the  Middle  Ages  was  due  to 
the  general  predilection  for  allegorical  teaching.  This  can 
be  traced  to  the  need  of  symbolical  exegesis  of  the  Old 
Testament.  Cf.  DiesteL  Gesch.  d.  alt.  Test,  in  christl. 
Kirche,  1869. 


218  FABLE. 

it  by  Brandt  and  Waldis  in  Germany,  by 
L' Estrange  in  England,  and  by  Lafontaine  in 
France;  these  were  chiefly  from  the  larger  Greek 
collections  published  after  Stainhowel's  day, 
and,  in  the  case  of  Lafontaine,  from  Bidpai 
and  other  Oriental  sources.  But  these  additions 
have  rarely  taken  hold,  and  the  .ZEsop  of  modern 
Europe  is  in  large  measure  Stainhowel's,  even 
to  the  present  day.  Selections  from  it  passed 
into  spelling  and  reading  books,  and  made  the 
Fables  part  of  modern  European  folk-lore.* 

We  may  conclude  this  history  of  iEsop  with 
a  similar  account  of  the  progress  of  iEsopic  in- 
vestigation. First  came  collection  ;  the  Greek 
iEsop  was  brought  together  by  Neveletus  in 
1610,  the  Latin  by  Nilant  in  1709.  The  main 
truth  about  the  former  was  laid  down  by  the 
master-hand  of  Bentley ;  the  equally  great  critic 
Lessing  began  to  unravel  the  many  knotty  points 
connected  with  the  mediaeval  Latin  iEsop.     His 

*  An  episode  in  the  history  of  the  modern  iEsop  deserves 
record,  if  only  to  illustrate  the  law  that  JEsop  always  begins 
his  career  as  a  political  weapon  in  a  new  home.  When  a 
selection  of  the  Fables  were  translated  into  Chinese  in  1840 
they  became  favourite  reading  with  the  officials,  till  a  high 
dignitary  said,  "This  is  clearly  directed  against  us,"  and 
ordered  iEsop  to  be  included  in  the  Chinese  Index  Expur- 
gatorius  (R.  Morris,  Cont.  Rev.  xxxix.  p.  731). 


JESOPIC  INVESTIGATION.  219 

investigations  have  been  carried  on  and  com- 
pleted by  three  Frenchmen  in  the  present  cen- 
tury, Robert,  Du  Meril,  and  Hervieux;  while 
three  Germans,  Crusius,  Benfey,  and  Mall,  have 
thrown  much  needed  light  on  Babrius,  on  the 
Oriental  ^Esop,  and  on  Marie  de  France.* 
Lastly,  an  Englishman  has  in  the  present  pages 
brought  together  these  various  lines  of  inquiry, 
and  by  adding  a  few  threads  of  his  own.f  has 
been  able  to  weave  them  all  for  the  first  time 
into  a  consistent  pattern,  which,  he  is  painfully 
aware,  is  sadly  wanting  in  grace  and  finish,  but 
which,  he  trusts,  will  not  need  henceforth  to  be 
entirely  unravelled. 

So  much  for  the  past  of  the  Fable.  Has  it 
a  future  as  a  mode  of  literary  expression  ? 
Scarcely ;  its  method  is  at  once  too  simple  and 
too  roundabout.  Too  roundabout;  for  the  truths 
we  have  to  tell  we  prefer  to  speak  out  directly 

*  These  are  the  chief  names  ;  others,  like  Landsberger, 
Wagener,  and  Oesterley,  approach  them  near.  The  Index 
contains,  I  believe,  every  name  that  has  contributed  any 
suggestion  of  importance  to  ^Esopic  research. 

f  For  these  see  Preface,  p.  xvi.  I  might  have  added 
some  hundreds  of  new  parallels  recorded  during  the  course 
of  this  essay  and  in  the  Appendix  and  Synopsis.  But  these 
crop  up  as  part  of  the  day's  work  with  every  serious 
student,  and,  apart  from  their  bearing  on  some  general 
line  of  argument,  are  merely  Curiosities  of  Literature. 


22o  FABLE. 

and  not  by  way  of  allegory.  And  the  truths 
the  Fable  has  to  teach  are  too  simple  to  corre- 
spond to  the  facts  of  our  complex  civilisation ; 
its  rude  graffiti  of  human  nature  cannot  repro- 
duce the  subtle  gradations  of  modern  life.  But 
as  we  all  pass  through  in  our  lives  the  various 
stages  of  ancestral  culture,  there  comes  a  time 
when  these  rough  sketches  of  life  have  their 
appeal  to  us  as  they  had  for  our  forefathers. 
The  allegory  gives  us  a  pleasing  and  not  too 
strenuous  stimulation  of  the  intellectual  powers; 
the  lesson  is  not  too  complicated  for  childlike 
minds.  Indeed,  in  their  grotesque  grace,  in 
their  quaint  humour,  in  their  trust  in  the 
simpler  virtues,  in  their  insight  into  the  cruder 
vices,  in  their  innocence  of  the  fact  of  sex, 
^Esop's  Fables  are  as  little  children.  They  are 
as  little  children,  and  for  that  reason  they  will 
for  ever  find  a  home  in  the  heaven  of  little 
children's  souls. 


APPENDIX.* 


THE  ARABIC  vESOP  (Paris  MS.). 

MS.  Supplemente  Arabe,  No.  1644.  On  Title  page  in 
pencil  "Fables  d'Esope."  Rather  modern  manuscript. 
Headings  in  red.  Each  fable  is  repeated  twice.  The 
story  is  generally  the  same ;  but  the  moral  different. 
The  second  redaction  seems  generally  to  be  shorter 
than  the  first. 

LIST  OF  FABLES. 

1.  Eagle  and  Fox  (Ro.  i.  13,  Synt.  24,  Soph.  25).  2. 
Fox  and  Goat  (Re.  3,  cf.  79).  3.  Eagle  and  Scarabseus 
(?  Ro.  i.  14).  4.  Fox  and  Lion  (?  Ro.  i.  4,  Soph.  26,  cf. 
109).  5.  Nightingale  and  Sparrow-Hawk  (Ro.  iii.  5).  6. 
"Weasel  and  Hen  (?  Re.  4).  7.  Fox  [commences  "A  fox 
was  made  prisoner  in  a  net.  Its  tail  was  cut  off  and  it 
fled  ;  and  on  account  of  its  great  shame  it  made  use  of  a 
stratagem,  &c."]  (Halm,  46).  8.  Fox  and  Hanging-Lamp. 
9.  Hens  and  Partridge  (Halm,  22).  10.  Hunter  of  Birds 
and  the  Yiper  (Halm,  275).    n.  Fox  and  Crocodile  (Halm, 

*  Kindly  communicated  by  Dr.  R.  Gottheil,  who  desires  it  to 
be  understood  that  the  translation  of  the  titles  is  merely  tentative, 
as  he  had  no  time  to  study  the  contents  of  the  MS.  or  revise  the 
translatian.  I  have  added  identifications  of  about  two-thirds  of 
the  Fables,  so  far  as  the  mere  titles  rendered  this  possible. 


222  APPENDIX. 

37).  12.  The  "Writing  Beast  (?  ?).  13.  Fox  [commences 
"A  fox  went  into  the  shop  of  a  certain  man,  &c."]  (?  Ro. 
ii.  14).  14.  Conceited  man  (Halm,  203).  15.  Charcoal- 
burner  and  Fuller  (Halm,  59).  16.  He  who  promised 
that  which  was  impossible.  17.  Frogs  (?  Eo.  ii.  1). 
18.  Two  Hunters  (?  Av.  8).  19.  Old  Man  and  Death 
(Halm,  90,  Synt.  2,  Soph,  3).  20.  Decrepit  Old  Man 
and  Physician  (cf.  30).  21.  Husbandman  and  his 
Children  (?  Ex.  v.  13).  22.  Man  and  Dogs  (?  Halm, 
95).  23.  Widow  and  Hen  (?  Av.  24,  Loq.  12,  Soph. 
61).  24.  Wicked  Man  (Halm,  55).  25.  The  Accidents 
of  Fortune  (?  Halm,  316).  26.  Enemies  (Halm,  144).  27. 
Mouse  and  Cat  (?  Re.  8,  Soph.  39).  28.  Fox  and  Louse  .(? 
iEsop's  Fable,  supra,  p.  28).  29.  Dolphin  and  Fish  (Halm, 
116).  30.  Physician  and  Sick-man  (Halm,  169,  cf.  20,  39). 
31.  Dog  and  Wolf  (Ro.  iii.  15).  32.  Dog  and  Hen  (Halm, 
22S)-  33-  Lion  and  Gift  (or  fetter).  34.  Cook  and  Dog 
(Halm,  232).  35.  Lion,  Ass,  and  Fox  (Ass'  Heart,  xxi.). 
36.  Lion  and  Bear  (?  Halm,  247).  37.  Butcher.  38.  Dove 
and  Ant  (Re.  n).  39.  Sick-man  and  Physician  (cf.  30).  40. 
Ass  and  Husbandman  (Ro.  iii.  18).  41.  Hunter  and  Sparrow. 
42.  Executor  (?).  43.  Young  Man  and  his  Mother  (Re.  14, 
cf.  130).  44.  Tiller  and  the  Sea  (Halm,  94).  45.  Pome- 
granate and  Apple.  46.  Peacock  and  the  Raven  (Ro.  ii. 
15,  Soph.  56).  47.  Sow  and  the  Fox  (?  Ro.  ii.  4).  48. 
Mole  (?  Furia,  177).  49.  Bad  Grapes  and  the  Chamois. 
50.  Swallow  and  the  Bat.  51.  Bird  and  the  Child  (?  Ealila, 
c.  ix.).  52.  Hornets  and  ?.  53.  Hares  and  Frogs  (Ro.  ii. 
8).  54.  Ass  and  Horse  (Ro.  iii.  3).  55.  Tortoise  and 
Eagle  (Av.  2).  56.  Lover  of  Gold  (Halm,  412).  57.  Goose 
and  the  Sparrow-hawk  (?  Halm,  170).  58.  Man  and  the 
Flea  (Re.  15).  59.  Men  and  Stag.  60.  Stag  and  Mortar 
(?  Halm,  227).     61.  Stag  and  Lion  (Halm,  128,  129).     62. 


APPENDIX.  223 

The  Lion,  Ass,  and  the  Hen  (Halm,  323).  63.  Dog  and 
the  Husbandman  (?  Soph.  67).  64.  Sow  and  the  Bitch 
(Halm,  409).  65.  Lion  and  the  Wolf  (?  Halm,  255).  66. 
Serpent  and  the  Lobster  (cf.  144).  67.  Tiller  and  the  "Wolf 
(?  Halm,  2S3).  63.  Eagle  and  the  C4eese.  69.  Lobster  and 
the  Fox  (?  Halm,  36).  70.  Man  and  his  Wife  [commenc- 
ing:  "A  woman  had  a  drunken  husband,  &c."]  (Halm, 
108).  71.  The  Abyssinian  (Loq.  17,  23,  Soph.  i.  59).  72. 
Divining  Woman  (?  Halm,  112).  7^.  Woman  and  her 
Slaves  (?  Halm,  no).  74.  Cricket  (?  Halm,  400).  75. 
Snail  (?  Halm,  214).  76.  Cat  and  the  ?.  77.  Tiller.  78. 
Wolves  and  the  Honey.  79.  Goat  and  the  Wolf  (cf.  2). 
80.  Two  Men  [commences  :  "Two  men  were  walking  on  a 
road  when  one  of  them  found  a  bird.  Then  the  other  one 
turned  to  him,  &c."].  81.  Man  and  the  Dogs.  82.  Singer. 
83.  Eaven  and  Serpent  (Halm,  207).  84.  Eaven  [com- 
mences :  "A  man  seized  a  raven  and  bound  its  foot,  &c."]. 
85.  Man  and  Savage  (Av.  22).  86.  Hermes  (?)  and  Zeus  (?) 
(Furia,  365).  87.  Wolf  and  Darkness.  88.  EobberandHen 
(Halm,  195).  89.  Hares.  90.  Ant  [commences  " In  olden 
times  they  imagined  that  the  ant  was  formerly  a  dissatisfied 
husbandman,  ic."]  91.  Eaven  and  Turtle-dove.  92.  Ass 
and  Fox  (?Eo.  iv.  13).  93.  Ass  and  Eaven  (?Halm,  330). 
94.  Wild  Ass  (Halm,  321).  95.  Hen  and  Swallow.  96.  Ser- 
pent. 97.  Dove.  98.  Eaven  and  its  Mother  (Eo.  i.  19).  99. 
Ass  and?  100.  Ass  and  Frogs  (Halm,  327).  101.  Collec- 
tors^). 102.  Ass  and  Fox  (?Eo.  iv.  13,  cf.  92).  103.  Camel 
and  Men  (?  Halm,  180).  104.  Dove  and  Eaven.  105.  Eich 
Man  and  his  two  Sons.  106.  Tiller.  107.  Eagle  (?  Halm, 
4).  108.  Hunter  and  Fish  (?  Av.  16).  109.  Lion  and 
Fox  (cf.  4,  Soph.  45).  no.  Man  and  Image  (Ee.  6,  Sopb. 
52).  in.  Olive  and  Standard  (or  "boundary-post"'?) 
(?  Halm,    124).       112.     Eye-tooth  (?)    and   Sparrow-Hawk. 


224  APPENDIX. 

113.  Man,  Dog,  and  their  Fellows.  114.  Foolish  Hunter. 
115.  Bulls  and  Lion  (Av.  14,  Synt.  13,  Soph.  17).  116. 
Circle  (?)  and  Fox  (?Ro.  ii.  14).  117.  Man  and  Hen  (Synt. 
27,  Soph.  30).  118.  Cricket  and  Ant  (Ro.  iv.  17,  Synt.  1, 
Soph.  2).  119.  Goat  and  Eye-Tooth  (?).  120.  Plougher 
and  Serpent  (Ro.  i.  10).  121.  Bear  and  Old  Woman. 
122.  Trumpet-blower  (Av. -Ellis,  39).  123.  Mule  (Halm, 
157).  124.  Ass.  125.  Man  and  Woman.  126.  Man  and 
his  Daughter.  127.  Camel  and  Lion.  128.  Lion  and  Pig. 
129.  Lion  and  Mouse  (Ro.  i.  18,  Soph.  27).  130.  Young 
Man  and  his  Mother  (cf.  43).  131.  Fox  and  Thorn-bush 
(Re.  5).  132.  Raven  and  Fox  (Ro.  i.  15).  133.  Two 
Fishes.  134.  Bustard.  135.  Gazelle.  136.  Two  Imbeciles. 
137.  Man  and  Scorpion  (]  Soph.  34).  138.  Camel  (Halm, 
180-2).  139.  Astronomer  (Halm,  72).  140.  Ox.  141.  Ass. 
142.  Dog.  143.  Serpent  and  Plougher  (?  Ro.  ii.  10,  Loq. 
24,  Soph.  12).     144.  Boa  and  Lobster  {cf  66). 


INDEX  OF   FABLES. 


Ro.  =four  books  of  "Romulus;"  Ex.  V.  =  Extra  vagantes,  here 
Book  V.  ;  Re.  =  Remicius  ;  Av.  =  Avian;  Al.  =Alphonse  ; 
Po.  =  Poggio;  asterisks  mark  illustrations;  Arabic  figures 
indicate  pages  of  vol.  ii. 


Axdroclus,    see    Lion    and 

shepherd 
Ant  and  fly,  Ro.  II.,  xvii.  55 
Ant  and  dove,  Re.,  xi.  206 
Ant  and  grasshopper,  Ro.  IV., 

xvii.  123 
Ape  and  fox,  Ro.  III.,  xvii.  94 
Ape  and  son,  Av.,  xi.  229 
Ape  and   two   children,    Av., 

xxv.  246 
Ass  and  boar,  see  Lion  and  ass 
Ass  and  horse,  Ro.  III.,  iii.  67 
Ass  and  lion,  P.O.  IV.,  x.  115 
Ass  and  sick  lion,   see  Lion, 

wild  boar,  &c. 
Ass  and  wolf,  Ro.  IV.,  xiii.  119 
*Ass    and    lap-dog,    Ro.    L, 

xvii.  24 
*Ass  in  lion's  skin,  Av. ,  iv.  219 

Bald  man  and  fly,  Ro.  II., 

xii.  48 
Bat,   birds,   and  beasts,    Ro. 

III.,  iv.  70 
Bawd  and  kitten,  Al.,  xi.  281 
Bee  and  Jupiter,  Re.,  xii.  207 

VOL.  I. 


Belly  and  members,  Ro.  III., 

xvi.  92 
Bitches,  two,  Ro.  I.,  ix.  14 
Blind  man  and  wife,  Al.,  xii. 

285 
Boar  and  wolf,  Ex.V.,  ii.  130 
Bush  and  aubier  tree,  Av.,  xv. 

234  [Fir  and  bramble] 
Butcher  and  wethers,  Ro.  IV., 

vi.  109 


Camel  and  flea,  Ro.  IV.,  xvi. 

122 
Camel  and  Jupiter,   Av.,  vii. 

224  [asking  for  horns] 
Carpenter,  Re.,  xiii.  208 
Cat  and  chicken,  Re.,  iv.  197 
Cat  and  rat,  Re.,  viii. ,  202 
Cock  and  precious  stone,  Ro. 

L,  i.  4 
Crabs,  old  and  young,   Av., 

iii.  218 
Crane  and  peacock,  Av.,  xii. 

230 
*Crow  and  pitcher,  Av. ,  xx.  240 
P 


226 


INDEX  OF  FABLES. 


Debtor,  Po.,  [ix.]  310 
Disciple  and  sheep,  Al.,  viii. 

274 
Dog  and  shadow,  Ro.  I.,  v.  10 
Dog  and  sheep,  Ro.  I.,  iv.  8 
Dog  in  manger,  Ex.V. ,  xi.  165 
Dog,  old,  and  master,  Ro.  II., 

vii.  40 
Dog,  wolf,  and  wether,  Ex.V., 

xv.  180 
Dogs,  two,  Av. ,  vi.  222 
Doves,     kite,     and    sparrow- 
hawk,  Ro.  II.,  ii.  34 
Dragon  and  hart,   Ex.V.,  iv. 

134 
Dream-bread,  Al.,  v.  266 

Eagle  and  fox,  Ro.  I. ,  xiii.  19 
Eagle  and  raven,  Re.,  i.  191 
Eagle  and  weasel,  Re.,  ii.  193 
Eagle  with  nut  and  raven,  Ro. 

I.,  xiv.  20 
Ephesian  widow,  Ro.  III.,  ix. 

79 

Falconer  and  birds,  Ro.  IV., 

vii.  no 
Father  and  bad  son,  Ro.  III., 

xi.  84 
Father  and  three  sons,  Ex.V., 

xiii.  172 
Fellows,  two,  Av.,  viii.  225 
Fir  and  bramble,  see  Bush  and 

aubier 
Fisher,  Re.,  vii.  201 
Fisher  and  little  fish,  Av.,  xvi. 

235 
Flea  and  man,  Re.,  xv.  212 
Fox  and  bush,  Re.,  v.  199 
Fox  and  cat,  Ex.V,  v.  137 
Fox  and  cock,  Ex.V.,  iii.  132 
Fox,  cock,  and  dogs,  Po.,  vii. 

3°7 
Fox  and  crow,  see  Raven  and 

fox 
Fox  and  goat,  Re.,  iii.  195 


*Fox  and  grapes,  Ro.  IV.,  i. 

100 
Fox   and   lion,    Ro.   IV.,   xii. 

117 
Fox  and  mask,  see  Wolf  and 

skull 
*Fox  and  stork,  Ro.  II. ,  xiii.  49 
Fox  and  wolf,  Ro.  III.,  vi.  74 
Fox,  wolf,  and  lion,  Ex.V.,  ix. 

149 
Friendship,  rare,  Al.,  i.  247 
Frog  and  fox,  Av.,  v.  221 
*Frogs  and  Jupiter,  Ro.    II., 

i.  32 

Genoese,  Po.  [x.]  312 
*Goat  and  wolf,  Ex.V.,  vi.  139 
Goose  with  golden  eggs,  Av., 
xxiv.  245 

Hares   and  frogs,   Ro.   II., 

viii.  42 
Hart  and  hunter,  Ro.  III.,  vii. 

76 
Hart  and  ox,  Ro.  III.,  xix.  96 
Hart,  sheep,  and  wolf,  Ro.  II., 

xi.  47 
Hawk  and  birds,  Ro.  IV.,  xi. 

116 
Hedgehog  and  kids,  Ro.  IV., 

xiv.  120 
Horse,  hunter,  and  hart,  Ro. 

IV.,  ix.  113 
Hunter  and   tiger,    Av. ,   xiii. 

231 
Hunting  and  hawking,    Po., 

iv.  297 
*Husband  and  two  wives,  Re., 

xvi.  213 
Husband,   wife,  and  mother- 
in-law,  Al.,  x.  279 

Jay  and  peacock,  Ro.  II.,  xv. 

52 
Juno,    peacock,   and   nightin- 
gale, Ro.  IV.,  iv.  105 


INDEX  OF  FABLES. 


227 


Juno,  Venus,  and  goddesses, 
Ro.  III.,  viii.  78 

King  of  apes,  Ro.  IV.,  viii. 

in 
King  log  and  king  stork,  see 

Frogs  desiring  king 
Knight   and   servant,    Ex.V. , 

xvii.  183 
Knight  and  [Ephesian]widow, 

Ro.  III.,  ix.  79 

Labourer  and  children,  Re., 

xvii.  215 
Labourer     and     nightingale, 

Al. ,  vi.  269 
Labourer  and  pielarg,  Re. ,  ix. 

204 
Lion  and  ape,  Ro.  III.,  xx. 

98 
Lion  and  ass,  Ro.  I.,  xi.  16 
Lion  and  bull,  Av. ,  x.  228 
Lion,   cow,  goat,  and  sheep, 

Ro.  I.,  vi.  11  [Lion's  share] 
Lion  and  goat,  Av. ,  xix.  239 
Lion  and  horse,  Ro.  III.,  ii. 

65 
Lion  and    rat    (mouse),   Ro. 

I.,  xviii.  26 
Lion  and  shepherd,  Ro.  III., 

i.  62  [Androcius] 
Lion  and  statue,  see  Man  and 

lion 
Lion,    wild    bear,    bull,    and 

ass,  Ro.  I.,  xvi.  22 
Lye  of  oil,  Al.,  Hi  259 

Man.  good,  and  serpent,  Ro. 

II.,  x.  45 
Man  and  lion,   Ro.  IV.,   xv. 

121  [statue] 
Man,   lion,    and  son,    Ex.V., 

xvi.  183 
Man  and  serpent,  Ro.  I. ,  x.  15 
Man  and  weasel,  Ro.  II.,  xix. 

59 


Man  and  wood.  Ro.  III.,  xiv. 

89 
Man  and  wood-god,  Re.,  vi. 

200 
Marriage  of  sun.  see  Thief  and 

sun 
Merchant  and  ass,  Ro.    III., 

xviii.  95 
Milvan   and  mother,   Ro.    I., 

xix.  28 
Money  found,  Al.,  iv.  263 
Money  recovered,  Al. ,  ii.  256 
Monsters,  Po. ,  v.  301 
Mountain  in  labour,  Ro.   II., 

v.  38 
Mouse,    town    and    country, 

Ro.  I.,  xii.  17 
Mule,  fox,  and  wolf,  Ex.V.,  i. 

128 
Mule  and  fly,  Ro.  II.,  xvi.  54 

Nightingale  and  sparrow- 
hawk,  Ro.  III.,  v.  72 

Nulla  vestigia,  see  Fox  and 
lion 

Oak  and  reeds,  see  Tree  and 

reeds 
Ox  and  frog,  Ro.  II.,  xx.  61 
Ox  and  rat,  Av. ,  xxiii.  244 
Oxen,    four   (and   lion),    Av., 

xiv.  233 

Palmer  and  satyr  (blow  hot 
and  cold),  Av. ,  xxii.  242 

Panther  and  villains,  Ro.  IV. 
v.  107 

Parson,  dog,  and  bishop,  Po. , 
vi  305 

Phoebus,  avaricious  and  envi- 
ous man,  Av.,  xvii.  236 

Pilgrim  and  sword,  Ro.  IV., 
xviii.  128 

Pillmaker,  Po.,  [xi.]  313 

Piper  turned  fisherman,  see 
Fisher 


228 


INDEX  OF  FABLES. 


Pot,  copper  and  earthen,  Av., 
ix.  227 

Priests,  worldly  and  unworldly, 
Caxton,  315 

Rat  and  frog,  Ro.  I. ,  iii.  7 
Raven  and  fox,  Ro.  J. ,  xv.  21 
Rhetorician    and    crookback, 
Al.,  vii.  272 

Satyr  and  man,  see  Palmer 

and  satyr 
Serpent   and    file,    Ro.    III., 

xii.  86 
Serpent  and  labourer,  Ev.V., 

viii.  144 
Sheep  and  crow,  Ro  IV.,  xix. 

125 
Shepherd  boy  (wolf!),  Re.,  x. 

205 
Sow  and  wolf,  Ro.  II.,  iv.  37 
Stag  in  oxstall,  see  Hart  and 

ox 
Swallow  and  birds,  Ro.  I.,  xx. 

29 

Tailor  and  king,  Al.,  xiii. 

288 
Thief  and  dog,  Ro.  II.,  iii.  35 
Thief  and  mother,   Re.,   xiv. 

210 
Thief  and  sun,  Ro.  I.,  vii.  12 
Thief  and  weeping  child,  Av., 

xviii.  238 
Tortoise  and  birds,  Av.,  ii.  217 
Town  and  country  mouse,  see 

Mouse 
Tree  and  reed,  Ro.  IV.,  xx. 

126 

Villain*  and  young  bull,  Av., 

xxi.  241 
Viper  and  file,  see  Serpent  and 

file 


Weasel  and  rat,  Ro.  IV.,  ii. 

102 
Widow,  Po.,  [xii.]  314 
Wind  and  earthen  pot,  Av., 

xxvi.,  247 
Wolf  and  ass,  Ex.V,  vii.  141 
Wolf  and  crane,  Ro.  I.,  viii. 

J3 
Wolf  and  dog,  Ro.  III.,  xv.  go 
Wolf  and  fox,  Ex.V.,  xiv.  176 
Wolf,  fox,  and  ape,  Ro.  II., 

xviii.  57 
Wolf  and  hungry  dog,  Ex.V., 

xii.  166 
Wolf  and  kid,  Ro.  II.,  ix.  44 
Wolf,      labourer,      fox,     and 

cheese,  Al.,  ix.  276 
*Wolf  and  lamb,  Ro.  I. ,  ii.  5 
Wolf  and  lamb,    Ro.   II.,   vi. 

39  [and  goat] 
Wolf  and  lamb,  Av.,  xxvii., 

248  [kid] 
Wolf  and  nurse,  see  Woman, 

old 
Wolf,  repentant,  Ex.V,  x.  156 
Wolf,  shepherd,   and  hunter, 

Ro.  IV.  iii.,  103 
Wolf  and  skull,  Ro.  II.,  xiv., 

Si 
Wolves  and  sheep,  Ro.  III., 

xiii.  87 
Woman  and  Holy  Ghost,  Po. , 

i.  292 
Woman   and   hypocrite,  Po., 

ii.  294 
Woman,  old,  and  wolf,  Av., 

i.  216 
Women,  two,  Po.,  [viii.]  309 


Young  man  and  whore,  Ro. 

III.,  x.  82 
Young  woman  and  husband, 

Po.,  iii.  296 


SYNOPSIS    OF    PARALLELS. 


"  So  the  tales  were  told  ages  before  AZsoj>;  and  asses  under 
lion's  manes  roared  in  Hebrew  :  and  sly  foxes  flattered  in  Etrus- 
can ;  and  wolves  in  sheet's  clothing  gnashed  their  teeth  in  Sanskrit, 
no  doubt." — Thackeray,  Newcomes,  ch.  i. 

[Unless  otherwise  mentioned,  the  whole  of  the  Fables  are 
found  in  the  same  order  and  with  the  same  enumeration  in 
the  German  of  Stainhowel,  the  Latin  by  Sorg,  the  Dutch 
Esopus,  Spanish  Ysopo,  the  Italian  of  Tuppo,  and  the  French 
of  Machault.  The  same  applies  to  '  Romulus '  for  the  first 
four  books.  The  arrangement  of  Parallels  is— I.  The  Orient ; 
II.  Classical  Antiquity,  including  the  Greek  prose  versions 
("^Esop,"  ed.  Halm)  which  belong  to,  III.  Medieval,  to 
the  invention  of  printing  ;  IV.  Modern  Foreign,  including 
a  few  writers  like  Boccaccio,  who  would  belong  formally 
to  preceding  period  :  my  secondary  sources  are  given  at  the 
end  of  this  section  ;  V.  Modern  English.  The  ancient  and 
mediaeval  parallels  are  given  nearly  in  extenso :  for  later 
appearances  in  Continental  collections  reference  is  made  to 
Oesterley  and  Robert,  who  give  the  Teutonic  and  Romance 
literatures  respectively :  a  few  items  of  literary  interest  are 
sometimes  selected  from  these  sources.  The  English  parallels 
are  mainly  from  the  collections  of  Ogilby  (Og.),  L' Estrange 
(L.),  Croxall  (C),  James  (J.),  Townsend  (T.),  Caldecott 
(Cald.).  and  Crane  (Cr. ) ;  the  last  only  by  page,  the  rest  by 
number.  Mav.  indicates  that  the  Fables  to  which  it  J  is 
appended  occur  in  Mavor's  Spelling  Book.  As  a  specimen 
of  what  I  might  have  inflicted  on  the  reader  I  have  treated 
The  Wolf  and  Crane  (Ro.  I.  viii. )  with  some  fulness,  giving 


23o  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

the  editions  I  have  used.  This  and  the  Index  and  Pedigree 
may  supply  the  place  of  a  bibliographical  list.  Many  of  the 
fables  are  discussed  or  referred  to  in  the  Introduction  :  for 
these  see  Index. 

LIBER     PRIMUS. 

Ro.  I.  Prologue. 

['  Romulus,  son  of  Thybere,'  was  possibly  a  common  noun 
at  the  beginning,  representing  the  tradition  that  some  Roman 
had  translated  the  Fables  from  the  Greek.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  four  books  associated  with  the  name  of  '  Romulus  ' 
are  simply  paraphrases  of  Phaedrus.] 

Ro.  L,  i. — Cock  and  Precious  Stone. 

I.  Bidpai,  ed.  Galland,  iii.  157 ;  Sadi,  ed.  Graf,  101. 
II.  Phsed.,  iii.  12.  III.  Rufus,  v.  6,  7  ;  Ademar,  1  ;  Marie  de 
France,  1 ;  Berachyah  Hanakdan,  Mishle  Shualim  (Heb.), 
4;  Ysopet,  I.  1  (Robert,  i.  82);  Hidoth  Izopiti  (Heb.)  1; 
Galfred,  1  ;  Wright,  i.  1  ;  Vincentius  Bellovacensis,  Specu- 
lum morale,  30  ;  Boner,  Edelstein*  1  ;  Bromyard,  Summa 
Predicant,  A.  26,  32.  IV.  Rabelais,  i.  prol.  ;  Luther, 
Fabeln,  1  ;  Waldis,  Esopus,  i.  1  ;  Kirchhof,  Wendenmuth,  vii. 
3  ;  Lafontaine,  i.  20  ;  Lessing,  Fabeln,  ii.  9  ;  Krilof ,  ii.  18  ; 
Robert,  i.  81  ;  Oesterleyon  Kirchhof;  Steinschneider,  Ysopet, 
361 ;  De  Gubernatis,  Zool.  Myth.,  ii.  291.  V.  Bacon,  Essays 
xiii.  ;  L.  1,  C.  1,  J.  13,  T.  44;  Cald.  13  ;  Cr.  10.  Cf.  W. 
C.  Hazlitt.     Eng.  Proverbs.     A  barleycorn,  &c. 

Ro.  I.,  ii. — The  Wolf  and  the  Lamb. 
I.  Dipt  Jtitaka,  supra  V. ,  p.  62-4;  Kahghur,  iv.  87; 
Schiefner  (tr.  Ralston)  Tibet.  Tales,  xxix.  ;  Bleek,  Reineke 
Fuchs  in  Afrika,  xxv.  (in  Madagascar).  Cf.  Tutinameh, 
ed.  Rosen,  i.  229.  II.  y£sop.  Halm,  274 ;  Babrius,  89 ; 
Phaed.,  i.  1.  III.  Bayeux  Tapestry  (e  Comte),  pi.  iv.  ;  Ruf., 
i.  1 ;  Adem,,  3  ;  Vine.   Bell.,  spec,  hist.,  2,  3  ;  doct.,  4,  114 ; 

*  Boner's  collection  received  its  title  from  this  fable.  Cf.  Carlyle 
Miscell.  ii.  280. 


Ro.  I.,  i.  —  Ro.  I.,  v.  231 

Galf.,  2  ;  Bromyard,  A.,  12,  45  ;  Neckam,  10  ;  Dial  Creat. , 
51;  Odo  de  Cerington,  67  ;  Marie,  2  ;  Berachyah,  3  ;  Ysop. , 
I.  2,  II.  10  (Rob.,  1.  58,  60)  ;  Izopiti  (Heb.),  2;  Gabrias, 
35  ;  Wright,  Latin  Stories  (Percy  Soc),  App.  I.,  i.  2  ;  Boner, 
5.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  i.  5,  p.  485  ;  Geller,  Narrenschiff,  78  ; 
Luther,  2  ;  Waldis,  i.  2  ;  Krilof,  i.  13  ;  Lafontaine,  i.  10 ; 
Robert,  ad.  loc.  ;  Kirchhof,  i.  57  (vii.  37) ;  Oesterley,  ad. 
loc. ;  Kurz,  ad.  loc.  V.  Shakespeare,  Henry  IV.,  i.  8,  L. 
3,  C.  2,  Mavor  6.     J.  27,  T.  1.     Cald.,  2  ;  Cr.  10. 

Ro.  I.,  ill. — Rat  and  Frog. 

I.  Anvari  Suhailitr.  Eastwick,  133  (Benf. ,  i.  223  );  Talmud, 
Nedar,  41a  (Bacher,  Agada  d.  Amor.,  42,  Gaster,  Beitr., 
ix.) ;  Wagener- Weber,  No.  9  [Frog  and  Scorpion]  ;  Bidpai, 
3,  p.  87.  II.  ^Esop.  Halm,  298;  Babrius-Gitlb. ,  182; 
Phaed.,  Burm.  App.,  6;  Dositheus,  6.  III.  Rufus,  i.  3; 
Adem. ,  4;  Vine.  Bell.,  s.  hist.,  iii.  2  ;  doct. ,  iv.  114;  Galf., 
3  ;  Wright,  i.  3  ;  Neckam,  6  ;  Bromyard,  P.  13,  37  ;  Odo, 
19;  Dial.  Creat.,  107;  Sea  la  cell,  73;  Enxemplos,  301; 
Marie,  3  ;  Berachyah,  2  ;  Ysop.,  I.  3,  II.  6  (R.  i.  259,  261)  ; 
Izopiti,  3  ;  Boner,  6 ;   Hita,  397 ;  Deschamps,  podsies,  196. 

IV.  Waldis,  i.  3  ;  Kurz,  ad.  loc.  ;  Kirchhof,  Wendenmuth, 
vii.  71 ;  Oesterley,  ad.  loc.  ;  Luther,  3 ;  Lafontaine,  iv.  11  ; 
Rob.,   ad.   loc;  Steinschneider,    Ysopet,   360;    Mdril,    180. 

V.  L.  4,  T.  53. 

Ro.  I.,  iv. — Dog  and  Sheep. 

II.  Phaed.,  i.  17.  III.  Ruf.,  i.  2;  Adem.,  5;  Wright,  i. 
4;  Marie,  4;  Berachyah,  7;  Izopiti,  4;  Bromyard,  P.  2, 
3  ;  Neckam,  15 ;  Galf.,  4  ;  Boner,  7.  IV.  Luther,  4  ;  Wald., 
i.  48  ;  Oesterley  on  Rom.,  i.  4  ;  Steinschneider,  Ysopet,  360  ; 
Menl,  158.     V.  C.  130,  T.  68. 

Ro.  I.,  v. — Dog  and  Shadow. 

I.  Culladhanuggaha  Jdtaka,  supra  III.  pp.  58-60;  Wag- 
ener-Weber,  No.  4  ;  Avadanas  Julien,  ii.  6,  11  ;  Pantscha- 
tantra,  iv.  8andplls.  ;  Loqman,  41 ;  Sophos,  31  ;  Tutinameh, 


232  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

ii.  4,  117,  265.  II.  JEsop.  H.,  233  ;  Babr.,  79;  Democritus, 
fr.  ed.  Mull.,  169  ;  Syntipas,  26;  Dositheus,  11  ;  Phsed.,  i. 
4;  Aphthon.,  35.  III.  Gab.,  28  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  hist.,  iii.  2; 
doct.,  iv.  115;  Dial.  Creat.,  100;  Bromyard,  A.  27,  14; 
Wright,  i.  5  ;  Neck.,  13  ;  Marie,  5  ;  Ysopet,  i.  5,  ii.  11  ; 
Galf.,  5  ;  Berach.,  5  ;  Izopiti,  5;  Hita,  216.  IV.  Fischart, 
Gargantua,  36  ;  Luther,  5 ;  Lafontaine,  vi.  17  ;  cf.  vii.  4 ; 
Robert,  ad.  loc.  ;  Wald.,  i.  4;  Kirchhof,  ii.  35  (vii.  129); 
Pauli,  Schimpf  und Ernst,  426  ;  Oesterley,  ad.  loc.  ;  Steins., 
Ysopet,  362  ;  Kurz,  ad  loc.  ;  Ogilby,  2 ;  V.  L.  6,  C.  5,  J.  24, 
T.  118;  Mav.  4;  Cr.  37. 

Ro.  I.,  vi. — Lion's  Share. 

I.  Ausland,  1859,  p.  927  (among  Tuaregs  in  North  Africa, 
Benf.  i.  354).  II.  ^Esop,  H.  258  ;  Phsed.,  i.  5;  Babr.,  67  ; 
Abstem.,  186.  III.  Ruf.,  i.  7  ;  Adem.,  9  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  hist., 
3,  2  ;  doct.,  4,  116  ;  Dial.  Creat.,  Marie,  n,  12  ;  Berachyah, 
12,  52  ;  Ysopet,  I.  6,  II.  9  (Rob.  i.  34,  36)  ;  Izop.  (Heb.),  6 ; 
Bromy.,  M.  9,2;  Neck.,  9;  Wright,  i.  6,  7  ;  Galf.,  6; 
Boner,  8.  IV.  Luther,  6  ;  Reineke,  5412-86  ;  Waldis,  i.  5  ; 
Kirch.,  vii.  23  (24)  ;  Oesterley,  ad.  loc.  ;  Lessing,  Fabeln,  ii. 
26;  Goethe,  xl.  182;  Goedeke,  Mittelalter,  641;  Steins., 
Ysop.,  360;  Mgril,  183.  V.  L.  7,  C.  6,  J.  97;  Cald.,  10. 
Cf.  expr.  "  lion's  share." 

Ro.  L,  vii. — Thief  and  Sun. 

II.  ;Esop,  H.  77;  Phsed.,  i.  6;  Babr.,  24.  III.  Ruf.,  i. 
8  ;  Adem.,  10 ;  Bromy.,  D.  12,  21 ;  Scala,  115  ;  Marie,  6  ; 
Berach.,  76;  Ysop.,  i.  7;  ii.  16;  hop.  7;  Gabr.,  20;  Galf., 
7;  Neck.,  17  ;  Boner,  11.  IV.  Luther,  5;  Waldis,  iii.  61  ; 
Pauli,  498;  Lafont.,  vi.  12;  Oest.  Steins,  and  Robert,  ad 
loc.  ;  Ghivizzani,  i.  p.  4  ;  ii.  p.  20;  M6ril,  189.  V.  J.,  103 
(marriage  of  sun). 

Ro.  I.  viii. — Wolf  and  Crane. 

I.  The  Orient  :  Javasakuna  Jdtaka  (Lion  and  Crane), 
supra  I.  pp.  55,  56  (V.  Fausboll,  Five  Jdtakas,  pp.  35-38) ; 


Ro.  I.,  vi.  —  Ro.  I.,  viii.  233 

Schiefner,  Thibetan  Tales  (tr.  Ralston),  No.  xxiii.  The  Un- 
grateful Lion  (and  Woodpecker)  ;  De  la  Loubere,  Royaume 
dt  Siam,  Amsterd. ,  1691,  ii.  20*  {ap.  Grimm,  Reineke  Fuchs , 
cclxxxi.);  Wagener,  M£m.  Bruss.  Acad.,  1854,  No.  xiv.  ; 
Weber,  Ind.  Stud.,  iii.  350;  Bereshith  Rabba,  c.  64,  ad  fin. 
supra,  pp.  117-118  (Lion  for  Wolf)  (Wuensche,  Bibl.  rabb., 
i.  308);  Bochart,  Hieroz.  I.  xii.  ;  Dukes  Isr.  Ann.,  1839, 
p.  244;  Dr.  Back,  ap.  Graetz,  Monatsft.,  1876,  197-204; 
Lewysolm,  Zool.  d.  Talm.,  375;  Hamburger,  Realencycl. 
d.  Talm.,  s.v.  Fab  el ;  Landsberger,  Fabeln  des  Sophos,  p. 
xxx.  ;  Graetz,  Gesch.  d.  Juden.,  iv.2  142;  Steinschneider, 
Jahrb.  rotn.  eng.  Phil,  neue  Folge,  i.  363. 

II.  Classical  Antiquity  :  Phsed.,  i.  8,  ed.  Riese(Wolf) 
supra,  p.  7  ;  Babrius,  ed.  Rutherford,  94,  ed.  Gitlbauer,  ib. 
(Heron) ;  Gk.  prose  JEsop,  ed.  Coraes,  144,  [ter,  cf.  p.  342), 
ed.  Furia,  94,  102,  ed.  Halm,  276b,  Schneider,  153  (H.  276, 
Heron  for  Crane),  Knoell,  84 ';  Aphthonius,  25  [cf.  tradi- 
tion of  crocodile  and  ichneumon,  Herod.,  ii.  68  (Lang, 
Futerpe,  68);  Aristot.,  Hist.  Anim.,  ix.  6;  .'Elian,  iii.  7, 
viii.  25] ;  Gr.  Proverb,  e/c  \vkov  <jt6/jl<xtos  ;  Suidas,  ii.  248. 

III.  Middle  Ages:  Bayeux  Tapestry,  Soc.  Ant.,  pi.  i.  ; 
Bruce,  pi.  i.  ;  J.  Comte,  pi.  vi.  ;  supra,  Frontisp.  (cf.  Du 
Meril,  142) :  Figured  on  portico  St.  Ursin's  Cathedral, 
Bourges  (Du  MeYil,  156)  ;  Gabrias  (Ignatius,  ed.  Mueller) 
36 ;  Rufus,  i.  9  (Hervieux,  p.  236)  ;  Romulus,  i.  8,  ed. 
Oesterley  ;  Ademar,  64  (Herv. ,  144  Anon.  Nilant,  supra,  p. 
8);  Vienna  Lat.  MS.,  305,  8  (Herv.,  250)  ;  L.  MS.,  901,  7 
(H.  287)  ;  Berlin  MS.  Lat.  8vo  87.  8  (H.  306) ;  Berne  MS., 
4  (H.  382) ;  Corp.  Chr.  Coll.  Oxon.,  7  (H.  367)  ;  Romulus 
of  Nilant,  9  (Herv.  334) ;  Romulus  of  Marie,  9  (Herv.  504, 
"LBG"  of  Mall);  Fabulae  rhythmics,  9  {ap.  Wright, 
Latin  Stories,  Percy  Soc,  App.  i.  9,  Herv.  441),  Galfred, 
ed.  W.  Forster,  8  (=  Walter  of  England  :  "Anon.  Neveleti," 
ap.  Nevelet,  Myth,  j&sop.,  p.  471,  Herv.  388)  ;  Walterian,  8 
(Herv.  429)  ;  Neckam,  ed.  Du  Meril,  1  (Herv.  787,  Rob.  i. 


*  Told    of    Sommonacodom    and    Tevitat  =  Sakyamuni   and 
Levadatta. 


234         SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

194) ;  Odo  de  Cerington,  10  (ed.  Herv.  602) ;  John  of  Shep- 
pey,  6  (H.  757) ;  Marie  de  France,  ed.  Roquefort,  7  ;  Berach- 
yahha.-Nakda.n  Miskle  Shuali?n  (Heb.),  8,  p.  32,  ed.  Hanel ; 
Ysopet,  I.  8  (fr.  Galfred ;  Robert,  Fables  incites,  i.  195,  with 
plate) ;  Ysopet,  II.  (fr.  Neckam  ;  Rob.  id.  196) ;  Ysopet  of 
Lyons,  ed.  Foerster,  8  (fr.  Galfred)  ;  Ysopet  of  Clarges,  ed. 
Duplessis,  1  (fr.  Neckam)  ;  Hidoth  Izopiti,  8  {ap.  Steins., 
I.e.)  ;  Libro  de  los  Gatos,  ed.  Guayangos,  2  (fr.  Odo  :  Bib  I. 
autores  Espan.  escritor.  anter  al  Siglo,  xv.  p.  543) ;  Vincent 
of  Beauvais,  Speculum  historiale,  iii.  2  ;  doctrinale,  iv.  116  ; 
Boner,  Edelstein,  11  (Minne  Zinger,  11)  ;  Reineke  Fuchs, 
ed.  Grimm,  p.  346 ;  Hugo  v.  Trimberg,  Renner,  f.  14 
(M£ril)  v.  1976,  sea.  (Kurz)  ;  Nicol.  Pergam.  Dialogus 
Creat.  no. 

IV.  Modern  Foreign — Germ :  Stainhowel,  f.  29b ; 
Luther,  Fabeln,  9,  p.  12,  ed.  Thiele,  1888  ;  H.  Schoppfer, 
Vulpecula,  iii.  n,  ap.  Del.  poet,  germ  ;  Posthius,  126,  ibid.; 
Kirchhof,  Wendenmuth,  vii.  42,  ed.  Oesterley  (Stuttg.  Litt. 
Ver.  Bnd. ,  99)  ;  H.  Sachs,  IV.  iii.  222  ;  Er.  Alberus,  29  ; 
Freitag,  15,  Philathic ;  Waldis,  Esopus,  ed.  Kurz,  i.  6; 
Goethe,  Reineke  Fuchs,  ap.  Werke,  xl.  176.  Fr.  :  Machault, 
E"sope,  i.  8  ;  Mer  d.  Histoires,  1488,  5  ;  Haudent,  1547,  117 ; 
Cognatus,  1567,  Narrat.  sylva,  p.  67 ;  Corrozet,  1587,  6 ; 
Desprez,  Theat.  d.  anim.,  1620,  51 ;  Lafontaine  {Loup  et 
Cicogne),  iii.  9,  ed.  Robert,  No.  51,  i.  193,  ed.  Regnier,  t.  i. , 
p.  228  ;  Benserade,  1676,  7  ;  Faernus,  1697,  17 :  Le  Noble, 
1697,  8.  Ital.  :  Tuppo  Isopo,  8  ;  Accio  Zuccho,  1483,  8  ; 
Pavesio,  Targa,  1576,  52  ;  Guicciardini,  Detti,  1566,  p.  47  ; 
Verdizotti,  Favole,  1577,  54.  Span.  :  Infante  Henrique, 
Ysopo,  i.  8.  Dutch :  Esopus,  i.  8.  Catalan :  Faules  de 
Ysop,  1682,  i.  8.  Russ.  :  Krilof,  vi.  12.  Authorities: 
Grimm,  Steinschneider,  Robert,  Kurz,  Oesterley,  Du  Mgril, 
Regnier,  Ll.cc. 

V.  Modern  English  :  Caxton,  Esope  f.  29b  (here  vol.  ii. 
p.  13),  Reynart  the  Foxe,  ed.  Arber,  88 ;  L' Estrange,  8 ; 
Croxall,  7  ;  James,  3  ;  Townsend- Valentine  (Chand.  Class.), 
121 ;  W.  Crane,  Baby's  s£sop,  p.  52. 


RO.  I.,  ix.  —  RO.  I.,  xii.  235 


Ro.  I.,  ix. — Two  Bitches. 

I.  Cf.  Benf. ,  i.  353.  II.  ^Esop  Camer. ,  191,  333;  Just,, 
xliii.  4  ;  Ph.,  i.  19.  III.  Ruf.,  i.  10  ;  Marie,  8  ;  Berach.,  9  ; 
Ysop.,  I.  9  ;  II.  27  ;  Galf.,  9  ;  Neck.,  28  ;  Wright,  i.  10  ; 
Izop,  9  (Sanbader  in  Alsop  2).  IV.  Luther,  10;  Kirch., 
vii.  42  (wrong  ref.)  ;  Lafontaine,  ii.  7;  Robert,  Steins.,  ad 
loc.     V.  L.  323,  C.  10. 


Ro.  I.,  x.— Man  and  Serpent. 

I.  Mahabharata,  ap.  Holtzmann,  Ind.  Sagen2,  ii.  210 
(Liebr. )  ;  Pantschatantra,  Dubois,  49,  cf.  Benf.,  i.  113-20; 
Tutinameh,  No.  29.  II.  yEsop,  79  ;  Phaed. ,  iv.  19  ;  Babr. — 
Gitb.,215;  Syntipas,25.  III.  Ruf., iv.  1 ;  Adem.,  11  (woman); 
Petr.  Alf. ,  7,  4 ;  Castoiement,  3  ;  Gering  I  si.  ALvent.  ;  Vine. 
Bell.,  spec.  Trior.,  p.  885  ;  Scala,  86  ;  Bromyard,  G.,  4,  17  ; 
Odo.,  33;  Gabr.,  42;  Dial.  Creat.,  24;  Gesta  Rom.,  174; 
Ysop.,  I.  10;  Izop.,  10  ;  Marie  ap.  Legrand  Fabl.,  iv.  193 
(not  in  Roquefort) ;  Galf. ,  10 ;  Enx. ,  246  ;  Hita,  1322  ; 
Rei?iaert,  ed.  Grimm,  14 ;  Boner,  13  ;  Barelata  Sermones, 
43.  IV.  Luther,  Tischreden,  78 ;  Charron,  De  la  sagesce, 
i.  1;  Wald.,  i.  7;  Wendenmuth,  v.  121;  Reismer,  Emblem, 
2,  22,  81;  Lafont. ,  vi.  13;  Hagedorn,  Fabeln,  44;  Robert, 
Oesterley,  ad  loc.  ;  Liebrecht,  JERP,\\\.  147.  V.  L.  9,  J.  18 , 
Og.  16,  Cr.  27. 

Ro.  I.,  xi. — Lion  and  Ass  (Ass  and  Boar). 

II.  Phaed.,  i.  29.  III.  Ruf.,  i.  13;  Adem.,  12;  Marie, 
76;  Ysop.,  I.  11;  Izop.,  11;  Galf.,  11.  IV.  Luther,  12; 
Lafont.,  viii.  15  (Le  rat  et  I 'elephant) ;  Wald.,  i.  8  [cf.  69); 
Wendenmuth,  vii.  147  (wrong  ref. ) ;  Robert,  Steins.,  ad  loc. 
V.  Og.  11,  J.  132,  T.  22. 

Ro.  I.,  xii. — Town  and  Country  Mouse. 

I.  Bidpai- Wolff,  i.  124.  II.  ^Esop,  297;  Horace,  Sat., 
ii.  6,  77  ;  Phaed.,  App.  Burm.,  iv.  9  ;  Babr.,  108  ;  Aphthon., 


236  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

26.  III.  Ruf.,  ii.  1;  Adem.,  13;  Marie,  9;  Berach.,  10 
Ysop.,  I.  12;  Izop.,  12;  Galf.,  12;  Dial.  Great.,  113 
Renard  le  Contrefait  (Rob.  i.  48)  ;  Odo,  15;  Wright,  i.  11 
Gatos,  11.  IV.  Luther,  13;  Fischart,  Flohatz,  1920,  4668 
H.  Sachs,  2,  4,  27;  Wald.,  i.  9;  Kirch.,  i.  62;  Lafont.,  i. 

9  ;  Robert  and  Oesterley,  ad.  loc.  ;  Goedeke,  Mil. ,  635.  V. 
L.  ii,  C.  35,  J.  29,  T.  26,  Pope. 

Ro.  L,  xiii. — Eagle  and  Fox  (Rom.  ii.  8). 

I.  Benf. ,  i.  170 ;  Jacobs,  Bidpai,  Dg  ;  Liebrecht  JERP, 
iii.  155  (in  W.  Afr.);  Vartan,  3;  Sophos,  ed.  Landsberger, 
24.  II,  Archilochus,  ap.  Furia,  p.  ccxiv.,  seq.  i.  ;  Aristoph. , 
Aves,  652  ;  iEsop,  5  ;  Babr.-Gitl.,  177  ;  Phaed.,  i.  28  ;  Synti- 
pas,  24.     III.   Rom.  ii.  8  ;*  Ruf.,  ii.  2;  Adem.,  14;  Marie, 

10  ;  Berach.,  11  ;  Ysop.,  I.  13,  II.  22  ;  Izop.,  15  ;  Galf.,  13  ; 
Bromyard,  N.,  4,4;  Wright,  i.  12;  Neck.,  23.  IV.  H. 
Sachs,  ii.  4,  95  ;  Waldis,  i.  59 ;  Oest.  on  Rom.  Kurz.  V. 
L.  72,  C.  13,  T.  13;  Cald.,  16. 

Ro.  I.,  xiv.— Eagle  and  Raven. 

I.  Benf.,  Pants.,  i.  241.  II.  yEsop.,  415  ;  Phaed.,  ii.  16, 
cf.  Av.,  ii.  III.  Ruf.,  ii.  5  ;  Marie,  13  ;  Berach.,  20  ;  Galf., 
14;  Ysop.,  I.  14;  Izop.,  16;  Odo,  44;  Wright,  i.  13.  IV. 
Waldis,  i.  10 ;  Kirchhof,  Wendenmuth,  vii.  173  ;  Robert, 
Oest.,  and  Steins.,  ad.  loc;  De  Gubernatis,  ii.  197,  369. 
V.  C.  134. 

Ro.  I.,  xv. — Raven  and  Fox  (and  Cheese). 

I.  Jambu  Jdkata,  supra,  VII.  pp.  65-6  ;  'Jami  Beharistan 
(Vienna,  1778),  p.  20  ;  Vartan,  17  ;  Joh.  de  Capua,  i.  4. 
II.  ^Esop. ,  204;  Horace,  Sat. ,  ii.  5,  56;  Epp.,  i.  17,  20; 
Phaed.,  i.  13  ;  Apuleius  Flor.,  23  ;  Babr.,  77  ;  Aphthon.,  29  ; 
Tzetz.,  Chil.,  10,  352.     III.  Gab.,  25;  Ruf.,  ii.  7;  Adem., 

*  Inserted  here  in  Stainhowel  to  make  up  twenty  fables  in  first 
book ;  this  puts  the  numeration  out  by  one  henceforth  in  Bk.  i. 


Ro.  I.,  xiii.  —  Ro.  I.,  xviii.  237 

15  ;  Bayeux,  pi.  iv.,  xvii.  ;  cf.  Alf. ,  ix.  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  hist.,  3, 
3;  doct.,  4,  117;  Marie,  14  (51);  Berach.,  13;  Galf.,  15; 
Neck.,  27;  Dial.  Creat.,  61  ;  Scala,  6  ;  Ysopet,  I.  15,  II. 
26;  Izop.,  17;  Rein.  Fucks,  Grimm,  358;  Lucanor  (W. 
York),  25  ;  Cyril,  Spec,  sap.,  i.  13  ;  Hita,  Cantares,  1411. 
IV.  Luther,  14  ;  Farce  de  Pathelin,  31  ;  Waldis,  i.  11  ; 
Kirch.,  vii.  30  ;  Lafont.,  1,2  ;  Lessing,  ii.  15  ;  Krilof,  i.  1  ; 
Rob.,  Oest. ,  Steins.,  ad.  loc.  ;  De  Gubernatis,  ii.  251.*  V.  L. 
13,  C.  9;  Cald.,  1  ;  Cr.,  17;  Hazlitt,  Prov.,  383,  'The  fox 
praiseth  the  meat  out  of  the  crow's  mouth  ; '  Thackeray, 
Newcomes,  i. 

Ro.  I.,  xvi. — Lion  Sick  (and  Ass). 
II.  Phaed.,  i.  21.  III.  Rums,  ii.  8  ;  Ademar,  16  ;  Vine. 
Bell.,  hist.  3,  3,  doct.  4,  117  ;  Marie,  15  ;  Berach.,  1 ;  Ysop. , 
I.  16;  Izop. ,  i3  ;  Galf.,  16;  Dial.  Creat.,  no;  Bromy.,  H. 
4,  8  ;  s.  5,  3 ;  Wright,  i.  15.  IV.  Alciati,  emblemata,  153 ; 
Wald.,  i.  12;  Kirch.,  vii.  27;  Lafont.,  iii.  14;  Rob.,  Oest., 
Steins.     V.  C.  6,  T.  31. 

Ro.  I.,  xvii. — Ass  and  Lap-dog. 
I.  Benf. ,  Pants.,  i.  no;  Avadanas,  ii.  73;  Weber,  Ind. 
Stud.,  iii.  352.  II.  iEsop. ,  331;  Phasd.  App.  Burm. ,  10; 
Babr. ;  129.  III.  Rufus,  ii.  10;  Ademar,  17;  Vine.  Bell., 
hist.  3,  3;  doct.  4,  117;  Marie,  16;  Berach.,  14;  Ysop.,  I. 
16,  II.  4;  Izop.,  14;  Galf,  17;  Neck.,  5;  Gesta  Rom.,  79; 
Wright,  i.  13;  Holkot,  167;  Boner,  10.  IV.  Lafont,  iv. 
5  ;  Rob.,  Oest.,  Steins.,  Goedeke,  Mitt.,  648  ;  Liebr.,  JERP, 
iii.  146.  V.  L.  15,  C.  124,  J.  56,  T.  119;  Hazlitt,  'An  ass 
was  never  cut  out  for  a  lapdog. ' 

Ro.  I.,  xviii.— Lion  and  Mouse. 
I.    Cf.  Benf.  Pants. ,  i.  324  seq.  ;  Sophos,  25  ;  Raju,  Ind. 
Fab.,  p.  119.     II.  iEsop,,  256;  Phaedrus  App.  Burm.,  4; 

*  'The  fox  (the  spring  aurora)  takes  the  cheese  (the  moon)  from 
the  crow  (the  winter  night)  by  making  it  sing ' ! 


23 3  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Babr.,  107  ;  Julian,  Epist.,  8.  III.  Ruf.,  ii.  11 ;  Adem.,  18  ; 
Vine.  Bell,  hist.  3,  3  ;  diet.  4,  120  ;  Marie,  17  ;  Berach.,  15  ; 
Ysop.,  I.  18,  II.  38;  Galf.,  18;  Dial.  Creat.,  24;  Bromy., 
i.  5,  4;  Wright,  1,  17;  Neck.,  41.  IV.  Clement  Marot ; 
Wald.,  i.  14;  Kirch.,  vii.  20;  Lafont.,  ii.  11  j  Rob.,  Oest. , 
Steins.;  Du  Menl,  210  ;  De  Gub.,  ii.  63,  78.  V.  L.  303,  C. 
31,  J.  31,  T.  32  ;  Cr. ,  14;  Hazlitt,  Prov.,  'A  lion  may  be 
beholden  to  a  mouse.' 

Ro.  I.,  xix. — The  sick  Mylan  and  Mother. 

II.  y£sop,  208;  Phaed.  App.  Burm.  1;  Babr.,  78.  III. 
Marie,  87;  Ysop.,  I.  24;  Izop.,20;  Galf.,  19.  IV.  Pauli, 
288;  Wald.,  i.  15;  Oest.,  Steins.  V.  Cf.  prov.,  The  Devil 
was  sick,  &c. 

Ro.  I.,  xx. — Swallow  and  other  Birds. 

I.  Pants.,  i.  app.  5  (Benf.  ii.  139,  i.  249).  II.  ^Esop., 
416;  A.  Gellius,  ii.  29;  Phaed. ,  App.  Burm.  7;  Babr.,  88; 
Avian,  21  ;  Dio  Chrysost.  Oral.,  12,72.  III.  Adem.,  20; 
Galf.,  20;  Marie,  18;  Berach.,  16;  Ysop.,  I.  25,  II.  27; 
Bayeux,  pi.  x.-xii.  ;  Dial.  Creat.,  119;  Bromy.,  C. ,  11, 
20;  Neck.,  18  ;  Lucanor  (W.  York),  26;  Wright,  i.  18.  IV. 
Wald.,  i.  16;  Kirch.,  vii.  114;  Lafont.,  i.  8;  Rob.,  Oest., 
Benf.  V.  Painter,  Palace  of  Pleasure,  ed.  Jacobs,  i.  86-7; 
I..  18,  C.  157,  T.  27. 


LIBER    SECUNDUS. 

Ro.  II.     Proem. 

[Merely  an  introduction  to  first  Fable,  tracing  it  back  to 
Solon.] 

Ro.  II.,  i. — Frogs  desiring  King. 

I.  Cf  Benf.,  i.  384.  II.  JEsop,  76;  Phaed.,  1,  2;  Ser- 
vius  on  Virg.  Georg.,  i.  378;  Val.  Max.,  ii.  2;  Babr.-Gitl., 
167,  232.     III.  Ruf.,  iii.  7 ;  Adem.,  21 ;  Marie,  26 ;  Berach. , 


Ro.  I.,  xix.  —  Ro.  II.,  v.  239 

24;  Ysop. ,  I.  19;  Reinaert,  ed.  Grimm,  2305-29;  Galf. ,  21; 
Odo,  2;  Wright,  ii.  1;  Dial.  Creat.,  118;  Neckam,  De 
Naturis,  348,  387.  IV.  Luther,  ed.  Altenb. ,  iii.  669  ;  Frei- 
dank,  141,  z^seq.  ;  H.  Sachs,  2,  4,  104  ;  Wald.,  i.  17 ;  Kirch., 
vii.  157;  Lafontaine,  iii.  4;  Lessing,  ii.  13;  Rob.,  Oest. 
V.  L.  19,  C.  3,  J.  116,  T.  56  ;  Cald.,  6  ;  Cr.  12. 

Ro.  II.,  ii. — Doves,  Kite,  and  Hawk. 

II.  Phaed.,  i.  31.  III.  Ruf.,  iii.  8;  Adem.,  22;  Marie, 
27;  Berach. ,  44;  Vine.  Bell.,  mor. ,  1236;  Wright,  ii.  2; 
stories,  52 ;  Bromy. ,  A. ,  14,  6  ;  Odo,  2  ;  Galf. ,  22  ;  Boner, 
26.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  18;  Kirch.,  vii.  146;  Oest.  V.  L.  20, 
C.  16. 

Ro.  II.,  iii. — Thief  and  Dog. 

I.  Cf.  Benf.,  i.  608.  II.  ^sop.,  62  ;  Phasd.,  i.  23  ;  Babr., 
42.  III.  Ruf.,  iii.  9  ;  Adem.,  23  ;  Galf.,  23  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  hist. 
2,  4,  doct.  4,  115;  Marie,  28;  Berach.,  43;  Ysop.,  I.  22; 
Wright,  ii.  3;  Bromyard,  J.,  13,  35;  Boner,  27.  IV.  H. 
Sachs,  4,  3,  235  ;  Waldis,  i.  19  ;  Kirchhof,  vii.  no ;  Oest. 
V.  L.  21,  C.  107,  J.  120,  T.  139. 

Ro.  II.,  iv. — Sow  and  Wolf. 

II.  Phaed.,  App.  Jan.  i.  18  ;  ^Esop.  Cor.,  266.  III.  Ruf., 
iv.  4  ;  Adem.,  54  ;  Marie,  29  ;  Berach.,  40  ;  V 'right,  ii.  41  ; 
Ysop.,  I.  20;  Galf.,  24.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  20;  Kirch.,  vii.  174; 
Oest.     V.  L.  22. 

Ro.  II.,  v. — Mountain  in  Labour. 

II.  Lucian,  Vera  Hist.;  Athen.,  xiv.  1;  Horace,  Ars 
poet.,  139;  Phaed.,  iv.  23  (v.  10).  III.  Ruf.,  iv.  14;  Galf., 
25;  Vine.  Bell.,  hist.  3,  4,  doct.  4,  118;  cf.  Marie,  29; 
Ysop.,  I.  23,  II.  34;  Neck.,  35.  IV.  Erasmus,  Adag.,  i.  9, 
14;  Rabelais,  iii.  24;  Lafont. ,  v.  10;  Boileau,  art  poe~t.,  iii. 
274;  De  Gubern.,  ii.  60.  V.  Og,  8;  L.  23,  C.  26,  J.  9, 
T.  in. 


24o  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Ro.  II.,  vi. — Wolf  and  Lamb  (and  Goat). 

II.  Phaed.,  iii.  15.  III.  Marie,  44  ;  Wright,  ii.  6  ;  Boner, 
30 ;  Galf. ,  26  ;  Oest.  on  Rom. ,  ii.  6. 

Ro.  II.,  vii. — Dog  and  Master. 

II.  Phsed.,  iv.  39.  III.  Ruf.,  v.  1;  Adem.,  62;  Ysop., 
I.  27  ;  Galf. ,  27 ;  Bromy. ,  S. ,  5,  3.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  2,  4, 
106  ;  Kirch. ,  i.  60  (vii.  75) ;  Oest.     V.  L.  25. 

Ro.  II.,  viii. — Hares  and  Frogs  (Rom.,  ii.  9). 

I.  Rbdiger,  Chrest.  syr.,  xxiv.  §  7.  II.  y£sop.,  237; 
Phaedrus,  App.  Burm.,  2;  Babrius,  25  ;  Aphthon.,  23.  III. 
Ruf.,  i.  4  ;  Vine.  Bell,  hist,  3,  4  ;  doct,  4,  118  ;  Marie,  30  ; 
Berach.,  38;  Ysop.,  I.  38,  II.  33;  Galf.,  28;  Neck.,  34; 
Gabr.,  10.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  i.  490  ;  Wald.,  i.  23  ;  Kirch.,  vii. 
158;  Lafont.,  ii.  16;  Rob.,  Oest.  V.  L.  27,  C.  30,  J.  70, 
T.  66. 

Ro.  II.,  ix. — Wolf  and  Kid. 

I.  Sophos,  26.  II.  y£sop.,  Cam.,  206;  Phsed.,  App. 
Burm.,  27,  32.  III.  Rufus,  i.  5;  Ademar,  61  ;  Marie,  90; 
Berach.,  21;  Galf.,  29;  Ysop.,  I.  29,  II.  40;  Rein.  Fucks, 
346  ;  Neck. ,  42  ;  Boner,  33.  IV.  Wald. ,  i.  24  ;  Kirch. ,  vii. 
40  ;  Lafont.,  iv.  5  ;  Grimm,  K.M. ,  5  ;  Rob.,  Oest.,  Grimm. 
V.  Og.  72,  L.  74,  C.  119,  J.  8  ;  Mav.,  5. 


Ro.  II.,  x. — Good  Man  and  Serpent. 

I.  Pants.,  iii.  5  (Benf. ,  ii.  244,  i.  359);  cf.  XX.  supra, 
pp.  92-4;  Bleek,  RF  in  Afr.,  5-6.  II.  yEsop. ,  96;  Phaed., 
App.  Burm.,  33  ;  Gabr.  45  (not  extant  in  Babrius)  ;  Babr.- 
Gitl. ,  160.  III.  Rufus,  i.  12;  Ademar,  65;  Marie,  63; 
Berach. ,  22  ;  Ysop. ,  I.  39  ;  Dial.  Creat. ,  108  ;  Galf. ,  30  ; 
Gesta  Rom.,  141;  Enx.,  134;  Bromy.,  B. ,  4,  15;  Mapes, 
De  Nugis,  ii.  6.     IV.  H.  Sachs,  2,  4,  42  b.  ;  Wald.,  i.  16  ; 


Ro.  II.,  vi.  —  Ro.  II.,  xv.  241 

Lafont.,  x.  12  ;  Kirch.,  vii.  91  ;  Morlini,  Nov.,  50  ;  Grimm., 
K.M.,  105  ;  deutsche  Sagen,  i.  220;  Woyciki,  Poln.  Alclhr., 
105  ;  Gering  Islensk  Advent. ,  59  ;  Rob. ,  Oest.  ;  Loeseleur 
essai,  47  ;  Du  Menl,  160  n.  ;  Liebr.  Z  V,  29.  V.  Og.  25, 
L.  30,  J.  18. 

Ro.  II.,  xL — Hart,  Sheep,  and  Wolf. 

II.  Ph.,  i.  16.  IV.  Rufus,  i.  13;  Ysop.,  I.  31,  II.  14; 
cf.  Marie,  4;  Galf. ,  31.  IV.  Luther,  iv.  p.  271;  Wald.,  i. 
25;  Kirch.,  vii.  38;  OesL 

Ro.  II.  xii. — Bald  Man  and  Fly. 

I.  Makasa  Jdtaka,  supra  VI.  p.  64;  cf.  Benf.,  i.  293. 
II.  Ph.,  iv.  31.  III.  Rufus,  i.  14  ;  Ademar,  66  ;  Galf.,  32; 
Neck.,  19  ;  Boner,  36.  IV.  Morlini,  21  ;  Straparola,  xiii.  4  ; 
Waldis,  ii.  99 — Kurz,  Mdril,  De  Gub. ,  ii.  222.  V.  Clouston, 
Pop.  Tales,  i.  55-7. 

Ro.  II.,  xiii. — Fox  and  Stork. 

I.  Cf.  Bidpai- Wolff,  ii.  21.  II.  Plut,  symp.  quest.,  I.  v.  ; 
JEsop.,  34;  Phaed.,  i.  26.  III.  Rufus,  ii.  3;  Ademar,  63; 
Ysop.  I.  33  ;  Galf. ,  33.  IV.  Kirch. ,  vii.  29  ;  Waldis,  i.  27  ; 
Lafont..  i.  18;  Rob.,  Oest.  V.  L.  31,  C.  12,  J.  146, 
T.  126  ;  Cald.,  11  ;  Cr.,  19  (F.  and  Crane). 

Ro.  II.,  xiv. — Wolf  and  Skull  (Fox  and  Mask). 

I.  Cf.  Bidpai- Wolff,  i.  22.  II.  JEsop.,  47;  Phaed.,  i.  7  ; 
Babr.-Gitl.,  291.  III.  Rufus,  iii.  6;  Ysop.,  I.  60;  Galf., 
34.  IV.  Erasmus,  Adag.,8,  95;  Waldis,  i.  28;  Kirchhof, 
vii  51;  Lafontaine,  iv.  14;  Lessing,  ii.  14;  Rob.,  Oest.  ; 
Kurz.     V.  L.  32,  C.  77,  J.  137  ;  Cr.,  28.     [Fox  and  Mask.] 

Ro.  II.,  xv.— Jay  and  Peacock. 

I.  Nacca  Jdtaka,  supra  XI.  pp.  70-1  ;  Bidpai,  Card.,  iii. 
323;   Tutin.,  ii.  146.     II.  ^Esop. ,  200;   Plaut. ,  Aid. ,  2,  1; 
VOL.  L  Q 


242         SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Hor.,Epp.,  i.  3, 18  ;  Ph.,  i.  3  ;  Babr.,  72 ;  Niceph.,  BasiL,  5  ; 
Theon  Soph. ,  Prag. ,  3  ;  cf.  A  v. ,  15.  III.  Rufus,  ii.  4 ; 
Ademar,  26;  Vine.  Bell.,  h.  3,  4,  d.  4,  119;  Marie,  58; 
Berach.,  27  (Raven);  Dial.  Creat.,  54;  Odo. ,  37;  Neck., 
12;  Renard  le  contref.,  129;  Bromy.,  A.,  12,  35;  Scala, 
80  b  ;  Hita,  p.  275  ;  Trimberg,  1768  seq.  IV.  Kirch. ,  vii. 
52  ;  Lafontaine,  iv.  9  ;  Waldis,  i.  29  ;  Lessing,  ii.  6  ;  Rob. , 
Oest.  ;  Menl,  186;  De  Gub.,  ii.  246;  Crane,  Ital.  F.T. 
353 ;  M.  Fuchs,  Die  Krahe  die  sick  m.  fremd.  Fed.  sick 
schmuckt,  1886.  V.  L.  33,  C.  4,  J.  7,  T.  72  [Daw].  Cald., 
4;  Cr.,  32,  Chapbook  7  (Pigeons)  ;  Thackeray,  Newcomes, 
j.  ;  cf  expr. '  borrowed  plumes,'  and  Prov. ,  'If  every  bird 
takes  back  its  own  feathers  you'd  be  naked.' 

Ro.  II.,  xvi. — Mule  and  Fly. 

I.  Loqman,  13.     II.  Ph.,  iii.  6;  JEso^>,  235;  Babr.,  84. 

III.  Gab.,  29;  Galf.,  36;  Marie  ap  Legrand,  iv.  317; 
Boner,  40.     IV.  Wald. ,  iii.  84  ;  Lafont.,  vii.  9  ;  Kurz. 

Ro.  II.,  xvii. — Ant  and  Fly. 

II.  Ph.,  iv.  24.  III.  Adem. ,  27  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  d.  4,  119; 
Marie,  86;    Ysop.,    I.   36;    Galf.,  37;    Brom.,   M.,  8,    30. 

IV,  H.  Sachs,  ii.  4,  74;  Kirch.,  vi.  275;  Wald.  i.  30; 
Lafont. ,  iv.  3 ;  Rob. ,  Oest.     V.  L.  34,  C.  27,  T.  72. 

Ro.  II.,  xviii.— Wolf,  Fox,  and  Ape. 
II.  Ph.,  i.  10.     III.  Adem.,  28  ;  Galf.,  38  ;  Marie,  89. 

Ro.  II.  xix. — Man  and  Weasel. 

II.  Ph.,  i.  22;  cf.  y£sop.,  100;  Babr.,  33.  III.  Ruf., 
ii.  9  ;  Adem.,  29  ;  Galf.,  39  ;  Boner,  45  ;  Brom.,  A.,  12,  15. 
IV.  Kirch.,  vii.  92,  cf.  93;  Oest.     V.  C.  169. 

Ro.  II.,  xx. — Ox  and  Frog. 

I.  Bidpai  Card.,  iii.  323  ;  II.  JEsop. ,  84  ;  Ph. ,  i.  24 ;  Babr. , 
28 ;  Hor. ,  Sat. ,  ii.  3,  314 ;  Mart. ,  x.  79  ;  Theon.  Soph. ,  3  ; 


Ro.  II.,  xvi.  —  Ro.  III.,  iii.  243 

Aphthon.,  31.  III.  Adem.,  33;  Marie,  65;  Ysop.,  I.  39; 
Dial.  Creat.,  42;  Galf.,  40;  Renard  le  contr.,  129;  Vine. 
BelL,  h.  3,  5,  d.  4,  119;  Hita,  275.  IV.  Luther,  vi.  208; 
Sat.  minip.,  109 ;  Wald.,  i.  31  ;  Kirch.,  vii.  53  {cf.  ii.  137) ; 
Lafont.,  i.  3;  Rob.,  Kurz.  V.  C.  11,  J.  34,  T.  38  ;  Cald., 
19  ;  Cr.,  18  ;  Carlyle,  Mise,  ii.  283  {fr.  Boner).  Thackeray, 
Newcomes,  i. 

LIBER  TERTIUS. 
Ro.  III.,  i.— Lion  and  Shepherd  (Androclus). 

I.  Cf.  Benf. ,  i.  211;  Hiouen  Tsiang  ed.  Julien,  i.  181. 
II.  Appian,  sEgypt,  5;  A.  Gellius,  v.  14,  10;  Phasd.,  App. 
Burm.,  15;  Seneca,  De  Benef,  ii.  19.  III.  Ruf.,  iii.  1: 
Adem. ,  35  ;  Galf. ,  41 ;  Vine.  Bell. ,  mor. ,  1554  ;  Ysop. ,  I.  40  ; 
Dial.  Creat.,  111 ;  Neck.,  20;  John  Sarisb. ,  v.  17;  Enx., 
115;  Gesta  Rom.,  104;  Brom.,  P.,  2,  32.  IV.  Kirch.,  i. 
203;  Oest.  V.  Painter,  Pal.  Pleas,  ed.  Jacobs,  i.  89-90 
(Androfifus)  ;  W.  Day,  Sandford  and  Merton  (Androctes)  ; 
Warton,  i. ,  clxvij. 

Ro.  III.,  ii. — Lion  and  Horse. 

II.  ^Esop.,  334;  Phaed.,  App.  Dressier,  viii.  3;  Babr. , 
122.  III.  P.  Alf.,  v.  ;  Ruf.,  iii.  2;  Ysop.,  I.  41,  II.  23; 
Rom.  du  Renard,  ap.  Rob.  ;  Galf. ,  42 ;  Neck. ,  24 ;  Rein. 
Fucks,  423,  429  ;  Baldo,  27  ;  Hita,  288  ;  Boner,  50  {cf.  Ex. 
V.  1).  IV.  H.  Sachs,  4,  3,  224;  C.  Nov.  ant.,  91  ;  Wald., 
i.  32;  Kirch.,  vii.,  43  [cf.  iv.  138);  Lafont.,  v.  8;  Goethe, 
xL  128;  Rob.,  Oest.  ;  Kurz,  Schmidt  Beitr.,  181;  Menl, 
193,  257.  V.  Og.  64,  T.  81.  Campbell  Tales,  W.  Higkl, 
iii.  99. 

Ro.  III.,  iii.— Ass  and  Horse. 
I.  Synt.,  29;  Soph.,  32.  II.  ^Esop.,  328;  Plut.,  De 
Sanit.,  25;  Phaed.,  App.  Burm.,  17;  Babr.  GitL,  220; 
Gabr.,  37;  Abstem.,  45.  III.  Ruf.,  iii.  8;  Adem.,  37; 
Galf.,  43  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  h.  3,  5,  d.  4, 120;  Scala,  186  ;  Brom., 
J. ,4,  4.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  4,  3,203;  Wald.,  i.  33:  Kirch., 
vii.  54  [cf.  56);  Oest.     V.  L.  63,  T.  146,  Cr.  55. 


544  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 


Ro.  III.,  iv. — Bat,  Birds,  and  Beasts. 

I.  Avaddnas,  Julien,  i.  154.  II.  Ph.,  App.  Burm.,  18  ; 
Varro  Agatho ;  Non.  Marcell,  i.  32;  Pandects,  xxi.,  title 
De  evict.  III.  Adem.,  38  ;  Galf.,  44  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  d.  4,  121, 
h.  35;  Scala,  73  ;  Marie,  31;  Brom.,  A.,  15,  31;  Wright, 
ii.  10.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  34;  Kurz,  Meril,  177.  V.  L.  40,  J. 
124,  T.  48,  Cr.  43. 

Ro.  III.,  v. — Nightingale  and  Hawk. 

II.  Ph.,  App.  Burm.,  19.  III.  Ruf.,  iii.  4  ;  Adem.,  39; 
Galf.,  45  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  h.  3,  5,  d.  4,  114 ;  Marie,  57  ;  Scala, 
73;  Odo,  Wright,  ii.  11;  Bromy.,  N.,  4,  1.  IV.  Wald., 
iii.  18.     V.   L.  343. 

Ro.  III.,  vi. — Fox  and  Wolf. 

I.  Tutinameh,  ii.  125.  II.  Ph.,  App.  Burm.,  20.  III. 
Ruf.,  iii.  5;  Adem.,  40;  Galf.,  46;  Grimm,  R.  F.,  354; 
Boner,  55 ;  Brom. ,  J. ,  6,  29.  IV.  Wald. ,  i.  35.  V.  L. 
410. 

Ro.  Ill,  vii. — Hart  and  Hunter. 

I.  Syntip.,  15;  Soph.,  17;  Loqman,  2.  II.  ^Fsop,  128; 
Ph.,  i.  12;  Babr. ,  43.  III.  Ruf.,  iii.  10;  Adem.,  41  ;  Vine. 
Bell.,  h.  3,  4,  d.  4,  116;  Scala,  76;  Marie,  32;  Berach. , 
74;  Ysopet,  I.  44,  II.  32.  ;  Neck.,  33  ;  Wright,  ii.  12;  Galf., 
47;  Bromy.,  D. ,  9,  20.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  36;  Lafont.,  vi.  9; 
Rob.,  Kurz.     V.  Og.,  28  ;  Cald.,  8. 

Ro.  III.,  viii. — Juno,  Venus,  and  other  Women. 

II.  Ph.,  App.  Jan.  i.  10.  III.  Rufus,  iii.  11;  Marie, 
103 ;  Berachyah,  86.  IV.  Waldis,  iv.  92 ;  Kurz.  [The 
"  glose  of  the  sayd  Esope  "  continues  as  follows: — "Cum 
interrogaret  [Venus]  patientem  et  taciturnam  domesti- 
cam  suam  gallinam  quanto  posset  satiari  cibo?  ilia  dixit. 
Quodcunque  accipero  habundat  mihi .  et  e  contra  scalpo. 


Ko.  III.,  iv.  —  Ro.  III.,  ix.  245 

Venus  contra  huic  galline  dicitur  coram  ipsis  dixisse?  Ne 
scalpas  .  do  modium  tritici  .  et  galiina  sic  ait  ueneri.  Si  hor- 
reum  mihi  patefacias  .  tamen  scalpam.  Vbi  risisse  dicitur 
iuno  dictum  veneris  a  galiina  .  per  quae  agnouerunt  dii  femi- 
nis  fieri  similia.  Sic  deinde  iuppiter  coepit  multa  addere  et 
dicere.  Femina  nulla  .  se  importuno  negabit.  Deinde  et 
uenus  cum  marte  .  inde  et  cum  uulcano  .  et  ut  potuerunt 
cetere  multe.  Sic  et  hodie  plures  femine  dedicerunt  maritis 
imponere."] 

Ro.  III.,  ix. — Knight  and  [Ephesian]  Widow. 

I.  Kin-ku-k' e-kwan  (Chinese  1001  Nights),  cf.  Asiat. 
Journ.,  1843;  Forty  Viziers,  ed  Gibb,  11;  Pants.,  Benf. , 
ii.  303  (i.  436)  ;  Talmud,  Aboda  sara,  1  (?)  II.  Petr.  Arb. 
Satyr,  cc.  in,  112  (figured  inBardon,  Coutumesd.es  anciens, 
ij-jz,  pi.  xii.);  Phasd.,  App.,  13.  III.  Keller,  VII.,  Sages, 
clvii-clxiii.  ;  Dolopathos  prose,  p.  22 ;  Barbazan-M6on ; 
Sevyn  Sages,  ed.  Weber,  12  ;  Diocletianus,  49  ;  Boner,  57  ; 
(Heb.)  Tosafoth  on  Kidd,  80  ;  Joseph  Sebara  (ap.  Sulzbach, 
Dichter  Klange,  78) ;  Berachyah,  80. 

IV.  Fr. :  Brantome,  Dames  gal.  2dpt.,  disc.  iv. ;  P.  Brisson, 
L  Ephi'sienne ;  Lafont.,  ad  fin  (Rob.  ii.  424^.);  St.  Evre- 
mond,  CEiivres  mdslies,  1678  ;  Fatouville,  Arlequin  Gra- 
prignan,  1682  (com^die) ;  Houdar  de  la  Motte,  Matrone 
d  Eph'ese,  1702  (com.) ;  Freselier,  1714  (op.  com.)  ;  Voltaire, 
Zadig,  1747;  Retif  de  la  Bretonne,  Contemporaines ;  A.  de 
Musset,  La  coupe  et  les  levres,  1832  ||  Ital.  :  Cento  nov.  ant., 
56  ;  Sercambi,  16  ;  Campeggi ;  E.  Manfredi,  Rime,  1760  ; 
Carleromaco,  //  ricciardetto ,  1738  |)  Span. :  Erasto,  1538  j| 
Germ.  :  Syben  meystern,  1473 ;  Kirch.  ;  Gellert,  holzerne 
Johannes ;  Lessing,  Matrone  von  Ephesus  (frag.  8  scenes); 
Wieland,  Hann  u.  Gulpenleh  (Werke,  xxii.  270-84) ;  Mu- 
sceus  in  Volksmarch,  1782 ;  W.  Heinse,  Enkopp,  1773 ; 
Chamisso,  Ged.,  1832,  pp.  208-14;  cf-  Grimm,  K.M.,  38 — 
E.  Grisebach,  Die  treulose  Wittive,  4te  Ausg.,  1883; 
Steinschneider,  Heb.  Bibl.,  xiii.  78. 

V.  J.  Rolland  (Scotch1!,  Seven  Sages,  1576;  G.  Chapman, 
Widow's  Tea  res ;  B.   Harris,  Matrona  Ephesia,  1665  (fr. 


246  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Eng.,  of  W.  Charleton) ;  Jeremy  Taylor,  Holy  Dying,  c.  v.  ; 
Og.  ;  C.  Johnson,  The  Ephesian  Widow,  1730  (farce) ;  O. 
Goldsmith,  Citizen  of  World,  xviii.  ;  Bickerstaff,  The 
Ephesian  Matron,  1769  ;  Galton,  South  Africa,  p.  53 ;  * 
Clouston,  Pop.  Tales,  i.  29-35. 

Ro.  III.,  x. — Young  Man  and  Whore. 
II.  Ph.,  App.  Jan.,  i.  28.     III.  Ruf.,  iv.  1;  Galf.,  49. 

Ro.  III.,  xi. — Father  and  Bad  Son. 

II.  Ph.,  App.  Jan.,  i.  11.  III.  Ruf.,  iv.  15;  Galf.,  50; 
Ysop.,  I.  4,  s.     IV.  Wald.,  iv.  85. 

Ro.  III.,  xii.— Serpent  and  File. 

I.  Synt.,  6;  Soph.,  5;  Loqman,  28  (cat).  II.  ^Esop. 
146;  Phaed.,  iv.  8.  III.  Ruf.,  iv.  8;  Adem.,  42;  Galf., 
51  ;  Marie,  83;  Ysop.,  I.  48,  II.  15;  Neck.,  16;  Galf.,  52. 
IV.  Wald.,  i.  37  ;  Lafont.,  v.  16,  Rob.,  M6r.  V.  Og.,  27; 
C.  43,  J.  91,  T.  70,  Cr.  17. 

Ro.  III.,  xiii.— Wolves  and  Sheep. 

II.  ^Esop.  268;  Plut.,  Demosth.,  33;  Ph.,  App.  Dressier, 
vii.  21;  Babr. ,  93;  Aphthon.,  21;  Theon,  2;  Isidor,  orig. , 
1,  39,  7.  III.  Ruf.,  iv.  9;  Adem.,  43;  Galf.,  52;  Ysop., 
I.  49,  II.  5;  Galf.,  53;  Neck.,  4;  Dial.  Creat.,  8;  Holkot, 
55;  Brom.,  F.,  i.  18;  Enx.,  354;  Boner,  93;  Book  of 
Leinster,  f.  382.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  38  {cf.  i.  26) ;  Kirch.,  vii.  39 ; 
Pauli,  447;  Lafont.,  hi.  13— Rob.,  Oest.  V.  L.  186,  C. 
33-  J-  62. 

Ro.  III.,  xiv. — Man  and  Wood  (Trees). 

I.  Talm.  Sanh. ,  sgb  ;  Ber.  Rab. ,  §  5;  Jellinek,  Beth. 
Ham. ,  ii.  25  ;  Joh.  de  Capua,  c.  16 ;  Raju,  Indian  Fables, 

*  "After  one  of  the  flashes  the  fourth  savage  was  struck  dead. 
.  .  .  His  widow  howled  all  night ;  and  was  engaged  to  be  married 
again  the  succeeding  day." 


Ro.  III.,  ix.  —  Ro.  III.,  xvi.  247 

p.  47.  II.  /Esop. ,  123;  Ph.,  App.  Burm.,  5;  Babr.,  2. 
III.  Ruf.,  iv.  10;  Adem.,  44;  Vine.  Bell.,  h.  3,  20,  d.  4, 
116;  Marie,  23;  Berach. ,  42;  Ysop.,  I.  50;  Galf. ,  53; 
Wright,  ii.  16.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  39  {cf.  iii.  77)  ;  Kirch.,  i.  23, 
'•ii.  103  ;  Lafont.,  xii.  16  ;  Rob.,  Oest. ;  Biumenthal,  R.  Afeir, 
p.  106.     V.  Og.,  36  ;  C.  33,  J.  58,  T.  143,  Cr.  25. 


Ro.  III.,  xv.— Wolf  and  Dog. 

I.  Soph.,  46.  II.  yEsop.,  321;  Ph.,  iii.  7;  Babr.,  100; 
Avian,  37  (Lion).  III.  Ruf.,  iv.  7;  Adem.,  45;  Galf.,  54; 
Vine.  Bell.,  h.  3,  6,  d.  3,  313;  Marie,  34;  Berach.,  61 
(Lion);  Ysop.,  I.  51,  II.  37;  Enxemplos,  176;  Bronx,  M., 
8,  32;  Neck.,  39.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  56  [cf.  ii.  18)  ;  Pauli,  433 ; 
Morlini,  Nov.  13;  Lafont.,  i.  5— Rob.,  Oest.  V.  L.  68, 
C.  19. 

Ro.  III.,  xvi.— Belly  and  Members. 

I.  Egyptian  'ap.  Acad.  Inscr.,  1883,  p.  5  {supra,  p.  82); 
Mahabharata,  xiv.  688  (Weber,  Ind.  Stud.,  iii.  369)  ;  Up- 
anishads  :  Burnouf,  Sur  le  Yacna,  notes,  p.  clxxii.  sea.  ; 
Schocher  Tob  (Heb.)  on  Ps.,  39  ;  1  Cor.  xii.  11-27  '<  Pant- 
schatantra,  ii.  360  (Benf.,  i.  §  116) ;  Avadanas,  i.  152,  ii.  100; 
Loqman,  32;  Syntipas,  35.  II.  Plut.,  Coriol.  6;  Agis ; 
yEsop.,  197;  Max  Tyr.,  5;  Ph.,  App.  Dressier,  viii.  4; 
Livy,  i.  30,  3,  ii.  32  ;  Quintil. ,  v.  11 ;  Seneca,  ad  Helviam, 
12;  Dio  Chrys,  2,7;  Dio.  Halic.,  vi.  76.  III.  Ruf., 
iv.  11  ;  Adem.,  46  ;  Galf.,  55  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  mor.  1504,  h.  3, 
7,  d.  4,  122;  Marie,  35;  Ysop.,  I.  52,  II.  36;  Neck.,  37; 
Wright,  ii.  17 ;  Joh.  Sarisb. ,  ii.  6,  24 ;  Abr.  ibn  Ezra,  Ker. 
Chem.,  iv.  143  (Geiger,  /.  D.,  33-5)  ;  Keller,  Erzahl.,  589  ; 
Migne,  Mysteres,  s.  v.  J/embres.  IV.  Rabelais,  iii.  3  ;  Pauli, 
399;  Wald.,  i.  40;  Kirch.,  v.  122;  Lafont.,  iii.  2;  Cinq 
Sens,  1545  ;  Allione,  Commedie,  15-54  ;  Miranda,  Contos,  69  ; 
Rob.,  Oest.  ;  Prato  ap.  Archiv.  por.  trad,  pop.,  iv.  25-40. 
V.  North,  Bidpai,  ed.  Jacobs,  64  ;  North,  Plut.,  ed.  Skeat, 
6  ;  Shakspeare,  Coriol.,  i.  2  ;  L.  50,  C.  37,  J,  64,  T.  80  ; 
Pope,  Essay,  ix. 


248         SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Ro.  III.,  xvii. — Ape  and  Fox. 

II.  Phaed.,  App.  Burm.,  12.  III.  Ruf.,  iv.  12;  Adem., 
46  ;  Galf.,  56  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  h.  3,  7,  d.  4,  115  ;  Marie,  36  ; 
Berach.,  79  ;  Scala,  19  ;  Wright,  ii.  19.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  81. 
V.  L.  116,  C.  123. 

Ro.  III.,  xviii. — Merchant  and  Ass. 

II.  Ph.,  iv.  1.  III.  Ruf.,  iv.  5,  13  ;  Adem.,  47  ;  Galf., 
57  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  h.  3,  7,  d.  4,  118  ;  Scala,  53. 

Ro.  III.,  xix. — Hart  in  Ox  Stall. 

II.  ^Esop,  Gall.  can.  aug.  (Rob.),  42;  Ph. ,  ii.  8.  III. 
Ruf.,  iv.  6,  16  ;  Adem.,  48  ;  Ysop.,  I.  55  ;  Galf.,  58  ;  Brom., 
I.  3,  5  ;  W.  Mapes,  De  Nugis.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  62  ;  Kirch., 
vii.  106;  Lafont.,  iv.  21;  Rob.,  Oest.  ;  Liebr.,  V.  K.y  53. 
V.  Og.,  37.  L-  53.  C.  18,  Cr.  44. 

Ro.  III.,  xx. — Lion  Sick. 

I.  Rig  Veda,  x.  28,  4  (De  Gub.)  ;  Benf.,  i.  382  ;  Loqman. 
6.  II.  Phsed.,  vi.  13.  III.  Ruf.,  v.  2  ;  Adem,  49  ;  cf. 
Gesta,  283  (Fridolin) ;  Marie,  37;  Izop.  (Heb.),  13.  IV. 
Wald.,  i.  43;  Steinschneider,  Ysopet,  364;  Ghivizzani,  ii. 
186;  De  Gubern.,  ii.  78. 


LIBER  QUARTUS. 
Ro.  IV.,  i. — Fox  and  Grapes. 

I.  Leitner,  Darbistan,  iii.  No.  23  (F.  and  pomegranates) ; 
cf.  Benf.,  i.  323.  II.  JEsop.,  33;  Phaed.,  iv.  3;  Babr.,  19; 
Abstem.,  141.  III.  Ps.  Abelard,  Epist.  iv.  ;  Rufus,  v.  3; 
Vine.  Bell.,  h.  3,  7,  d.  4,  123;  Amis  et  Amiles,  571.  IV. 
Bebel,  fac.  10  ;  Waldis,  iii.  73  ;  Lafontaine,  iii.  11 ;  Sat. 
mtnip.,  105  ;  Krilof,  vi.  17  ;  Rob.  ;  Menl,  141-2  ;  Lieb.  ZV. 
103.  V.  L.  129,  C.  12,  J.  i.  T.  136;  Cr.,9;  Mavor,  1; 
Hazlitt,  Prov.  146.  . 


Ro.  III.,  xvii.  —  Ro.  IV.,  viii.  249 

Ro.  IV.,  ii. — Weasel  (Cat),  and  Rats. 

I.  Cf.  Benf.,  i.  225;  Sophos,  39;  Vartan,  15.  II.  Ph., 
iv.  2.  IV.  Waldis,  i.  67;  Lafont.,  iii.  18;  Rob.,  Kurz. 
V.  [variants  have  cat].     L.  115,  C.  88. 

Ro.  IV.,  iii. — Wolf,  Shepherd,  and  Hunter. 

I.  Cf.  Benf.  i.  §  71.  II.  Ph.,  App.  Burm.,  23;  ^Esop, 
35;  Babr. ,  50;  Max  Tyr.,  33.  III.  Ademar;  50;  Marie, 
42;  Berach. ,  75;  Neck.,  22;  Wright,  ii.  21;  Brom.,  C. ,  6, 
13.  IV.  Menl,  193.  V.  L.  104  (Fox),  C.  89  (F.),  Chap- 
book,  11  (Fox). 

Ro.  IV.,  iv. — Peacock  and  Juno. 

II.  Phaed.,  iii.  18;  cf  ^Esop.,  18  (Camel);  Babr.-Gitl., 
145;  Avian,  8  (vii.).  III.  Rufus,  v.  4;  Marie,  43;  Ysop., 
II.  39.  IV.  Kirch.,  iv.  274;  Lafont.,  ii.  17;  Rob.  V.  L. 
80,  C.  2i,  T.  97  ;  Cr.,  33. 

Ro.  IV.,  v. — Panther  and  Villains. 
II.   Ph.  iii.  2.     III.  Rufus,  v.  5. 

Ro.  IV.,  vi. — Butchers  and  Wethers. 

I.  Synt.,  13;  Loqm.,  1.  II.  Ph.,  App.  Dressier,  viii.  5; 
Babrius,  44;  Aphth.,  16;  Av.,  18.  III.  Gab.,  30;  Marie, 
45  ;  Neck. ,  30  ;  Boner,  84  ;  Wright,  ii.  23.     IV.  Mer. ,  200. 

Ro.  IV.,  vii.— Falconer  and  Birds. 

II.  Ph.,  App.  Dressier,  viii.  6.  III.  Odo ;  Wright,  ii. 
24 ;  Gatos,  4  ;  Lucanor,  13. 

Ro.  IV.,  viii.  [King  of  Apes]. 

II.  Ph.,  App.  Burm.,  24.  III.  Ademar,  51  ;  Marie,  66; 
Berach.,  78  ;  Ysop.,  II.  30  ;  Vine.   Bell.,  h.  3,  7,  d.  4,  121, 


250  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

m.  1044  ;  Wright,  ii.  25;  stories,  60;  Odo ;  Bromyard,  A., 
15,  21;  Gatos,  28.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  2,  4,  85;  Pauli,  381; 
Waldis,  iv.  75  ;  Oest.  ;  M6ril,  201. 

Ro.  IV.,  ix. — Horse,  Hunter,  and  Stag. 

II.  Arist.,  Rhet.,  ii.  20;  Plut.,  Arat.,  38;  ;£sop.,  175; 
Phaed.,  iv.  4;  Hor.,  Epp.,  i.  10,  34;  Gabr.,  3  (not  in 
Babr.);  Niceph.  Basil.,  Myth.,  2;  Konon,  Diegmata,  42. 
III.  Ysop.,  I.  43,  II.  25;  Galf.,  46  ;  Neck.,  26;  Reineke,  3,  8; 
Baldo,  26  ;  Boner,  56.  IV.  Waldis,  i.  45  ;  Kirchhof,  vii. 
128;  Sat.  mdnip.,  225;  Leo  Allat.,  107;  Doni,  2,  1; 
Lafont.,  iv.  13  ;  Goethe,  xl.  172;  Rob.,  Oest.  ;  Kurz,  M£r. , 
197.  V.  North  Bidpai,  ed.  Jacobs,  p.  65  ;  C.  34,  J.  86,  T. 
137  ;  Cald. ,  12  ;  Cr. ,  20. 

Ro.  IV.,  x. — Ass  and  Lion. 

II.  ^Esop.,259;  cf.  Ph.,i.  11.  III.  Marie,  67;  Berach., 
65;  Ysop.,  II.  8;  Vine.  Bell.,  h.  3,  8,  d.  4,  123;  Wright, 
ii.  26;  Neck.,  8.  IV.  Morlini,  Nov.,  4;  Lafont.,  ii.  19; 
Rob.  ;  Meril,  182.     V.  L.  7,  C.  72. 


Ro.  IV.,  xi.— Hawk  and  other  Birds. 

II.  Ph.,  App.  Dress.,  viii.  7.  IV.  Waldis,  i.  79  ;  Kirch., 
vii.  117. 

Ro.  IV.,  xii. — Fox  and  Lion  [Nulla  Vestigia\ 

I.  Pants.,  iii.  14  (Benf.,  ii.  264,  i.  382);  Syntipas,  38; 
Loqman,  38 ;  Sadi,  16;  Vartan,  3;  Tutinameh  (Rosen),  ii. 
125  ;  Bleek,  RF.  Afr. ,  xxv.  II.  Plato,  Alcib. ,  i.  503  ;  Plut. , 
De  Virt.,  329;  ^Esop.,  246;  Ph.,  App.  Burm.,  30;  Babr., 
103;  Hor.,  Ep.  I.,  i.  73;  Aphthon.,  8.  III.  Ademar,  59; 
Marie,  58;  Berachyah,  29;  Vine.  Bell.,  Doct.,  4,  123; 
Dial.  Creat.,  44,  no.  IV.  Fischart,  Garg.,36;  Waldis,  i. 
43 ;  Kirch.,  vii.  25 ;  Lafontaine,  vi.  14 ;  Rob.  (cf.  ii.  548) ; 
Oest.     V.  Og.  38,  T.  40 ;  Chapbook,  1. 


Ro.  IV.,  ix.  —  Ro.  IV.,  xviii.  251 

Ro.  IV.,  xiii. — Ass  and  Wolf  [Rom.  iv.  15]. 

II.  Plut.,  de  fratr.  amic,  19;  .Esop.,  16;  Babr.-Gitl., 
226;  Ph.,  App.  Dressier,  viii.  9 ;  Dositheus,  13;  Gab.,  42. 
III.  Neckam,  21.     IV.  Du  Meril,  192. 

Ro.  IV.,  xiv. — Hedgehog  and  Kids. 
II.  Ph.,  App.  Dressier,  viii.  10. 

Ro.  IV.,  xv.— Man  and  Lion  (Statue). 

I.  Loqman,  7  ;  Sophos,  58.  II.  Plut.,  Apopth.  Laced., 
69;  Scol.  Eurip.  Kor. ,  103  ;  Aphth.,  38  ;  Ph.,  App.  Burm., 
p.  20;  Gabr. ,  i.  (not  in  Babr.)  ;  Avian,  24.  III.  Ademar, 
52 ;  Marie,  69  ;  Berach. ,  56  ;  Wright,  ii.  28.  IV.  Kirch. , 
i.  80;  Lafont.,  hi.  10;  Rob.,  Oest.  V.  Spectator,  No.  11  ; 
L.  100,  J.  84  ;  Cr. ,  30  (Lion  and  Statue). 

Ro.  IV.,  xvi.— Camel  and  Flea. 

I.  Synt.,  47.  II.  /Esop.,  235;  Phaed.  App.  Burm.,  31  ; 
Babr.,  84.  III.  Ademar,  60;  Marie,  70;  Berachyah,  73; 
Wright,  ii  29.     IV.  Meril,  205. 

Ro.  IV.,  xvii. — Ant  and  Grasshopper. 

I.  Cf.  Prov.  vi.  6  ;  Sophos,  35.  II.  iEsop.  401 ;  Dosith., 
17  ;  Ph.  App.  Burm.,  28  ;  Aphthon.,  31 ;  Babr.,  136  ;  Avian, 
34;  Salvianus  De gub.  Dei,  iv.  43.  III.  Adem.,  56;  Vine. 
Bell.,  h.,  3,  8,  d.,  4,  122;  Marie,  29  {cf.  86)  ;  Berach.,  40; 
Ysopet,  II.  28;  Dial.  Creat.,  13;  Neckam,  29;  Gab.,  41; 
Boner,  42  ;  Cyril,  i.  4.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  i.  4,  977 ;  Krilof, 
ii.  12;  Pitre'  Fiabe,  280;  Lafont.,  i.  1;  Rob.,  Meril,  199; 
De  Gub.,  ii  222.     V.  L.  217,  C.  121,  J.  12,  T.  14. 

Ro.  IV.,  xviii.— Pilgrim  and  Sword. 

II,  Ph.  App.  Dress.,  v.  11. 


252  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 


Ro.  IV.,  xix.— Sheep  and  Crow. 

II.  Ph.  App.  Burm.,  29.     III.  Ademar,  55;  Marie,  20; 
Berach.,  18  ;  Wright,  ii.  31.     IV.  Wald.,  i.  65.     V.  L.  77. 


Ro.  IV.,  xx. — Tree  and  Reed  [Not  in  Rom.]. 

I.  Mahabharata,  xii.  4198 — Weber,  Ind.  Studien,  iii.  ; 
Talm.  Taanith,  20b.  II.  iEsop.,  125  (cf.  F.,  59);  Babrius, 
64  (cf.  36);  Avian,  19  (cf.  16).  III.  Boner,  83;  Berach., 
27,  54.  IV.  Florian,  i.  15;  Wald.,  i.  100  (cf.  82)  ;  Kirch., 
vii.  58,  59 ;  Pauli,  174 ;  Krilof,  i.  2  ;  cf.  Lafontaine,  i.  22 — 
Rob.  ;  Kurz.     V.   C.  50,  J.  92,  T.  51  (Oak) ;  Cr.,  34. 


LIBER  QUINTUS. 

[In  Stainhowel  these  are  known  as  "  Fabulse  Extrava- 
gantes"  :  the  majority  of  them  find  parallels  in  Marie  or 
Berachyah  or  the  LBG  Fables  contained  in  Oesterley's 
Appendix  to  Romulus.  All  these  we  have  seen  reason  to 
connect  with  the  ^Esop  of  Alfred,  which  may  therefore  be 
regarded  as  the  source  of  the  collection.  The  only  MS. 
known  to  contain  them  is  the  Breslau  one  of  the  Disciplina 
Clericalis,  the  only  discussion  of  them  that  by  Robert,  I. 
xcv.-viii.] 

Ex.  V.,  i.-— Mule,  Fox  and  Wolf. 

I.  Petr.  Alfonsus,  5,  4  ;  cf.  Benf.,  §  181.  II.  ;£sop.,  334; 
Babr. ,  122 ;  Aphthon.,  9.  III.  Gabr.,  37;  Bromy. ,  F.,  7, 
2;  Renard,  7521;  Reineke  (Grimm),  lxxv.,  ccLxxii. ,  423 
(Caxton,  ed.  Arber,  61) ;  Castoiement,  71 ;  Gab.,  38  ;  Enx., 
128 ;  Baldo,  27.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  2,  4,  34 ;  Kirch. ,  iv.  138 
(cf.  vii.  43) ;  Lafontaine,  xii.  17  (cf.  vi.  7) ;  Kiihn  Mark. 
Sagen  '  Der  dumme  Wulf — Schmidt  Beitr.,  181;  Rob., 
Oest.     V.  Dunlop.  Lieb.,  214. 


Ro.  IV.,  xix.  —  Ex.  V.,  v.  253 

Ex.  V.,  ii. — Boar  and  Wolf. 

III.  Berach. ,  105  :  Marie,  78  ;  Rom.  App. ,  63  ;  Came- 
rarius,  200. 

Ex.  V.,  iii.— Fox  and  Cock. 

I.  Benf.,  i.  610  ;  Katha-Sarit-Sagara,  ed.  Tawney,  ii.  685  ; 
Vartan,  12,  13  ;  Bleek,  Rein.  Fucks  in  Africa,  23  ;  Harris, 
Nights  with  Remus,  xxvii.  (Brer  Wolf  says  grace).  II. 
Phaedr.  Burm.  App. ,  13.  III.  Adem.,30;  Marie,  51 ;  Rom. 
App.,  45  ;  Brom.,  A.,  n,  9  ;  J.,  13,  28  ;  Baldo,  23  ;  Lucanor 
(York),  31;  Sermond,  Op.,  ii.  1075;  Alcuin,  Op.,  ii.  238; 
Barbazan,  iii.  55.  IV.  Coilho,  Cont.  port.,  p.  15  ;  Du  Meril, 
138,  253  ;  De  Gub.,  ii.  137,  Tawney.  V.  Chaucer,  Nonne 
Prestes  Tale,  Campbell,  W.  Highl,  Tales,  63  (iii.  93). 

Ex.  V.,  iv. — Dragon  and  Hart. 

I.  Benf.,  i.  113-120;  Tutinameh,  129;  Temple,  Wide- 
awake Stories,  116 ;  Harris  Nights,  xlvi.  ;  Weber,  Vier 
Jahre  in  Afrika  (among  Basutos).  II.  ^Esop.,  97;  Ph., 
iv.  18;  Babrius,  4;  Syntip.,  25;  Abstem.,  136.  III.  Gab., 
44;  Marie  ap.  Legrand,  iv.  193  (not  in  Roquefort);  Ysop. , 
I.  10  ;  Gesta  Ro?n. ,  178  ;  Dial.  Creat. ,  24  ;  Reineke,  Grimm. , 
cliii.  14 ;  Scala  celi,  86  ;  Bromy. ,  G. ,  4, 17  ;  Enx.  246.  IV. 
Waldis,  iv.  99;  Luther,  Tisch.,  78  b.  ;  Kirchhof,  v.  121  ; 
Charron  de  la  sagesse,  i.  1  ;  Lafontaine,  iv.  13 ;  Hahn,  gr. 
Mdhr,  87  ;  Grundvig,  ii.  124  ;  Maassebuch  (Jew-Germ.),  144  ; 
Gonzenbach,  sic. ,  Mdhr. — Rob. ,Oest. .Schmidt,  118;  Temple, 
324,  408  ;  Rev.  trad,  pop.,  i.  30  ;  Arch,  slav.phil.,  1876,  p. 
279  ;  R.  Kdhler  in  Gonzenbach,  p.  247 ;  Carnoy,  Conies 
dAnimaux,  pp.  viii.-ix.  V.  Og.,  16;  Clouston,  Pop. 
Tales,  i.  262-5. 

Ex.  V.,  v. — Fox  and  Cat. 

I.  Cf.  Benf.,  i.  312.  II.  Gr.  prov.  (Leutsch.  i.  147,  Ion) ; 
Ps.  Homer  ap.  Zenob.,  v.  68.    III.  Rom.,  App.  20 ;  Camerar, 


254         SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

202 ;  Marie,  98 ;  Berachyah,  94 ;  Rom.  du  Renard,  f.  99 ; 
Gatos,  40;  Brom.,  S.  3,  15;  Joh.  Gers.  Par.  sup.  magnif., 
iv.  4.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  ii.  4,  77;  Waldis,  ii.  21 ;  Lafont.,  ix. 
14;  Grimm,  KM,  75;  Hahn  GAM,  91.  V.  Og.,  57;  L. 
394,  C.  60,  T.  29  ;  Cr. ,  47. 

Ex.  V.,  vi.— Hegoat  and  Wolf. 

II.  .Esop.,  135;  Babr.,  96;  Avian,  26.  III.  Marie,  49; 
Rom.,  App.,  43  ;  Baldo,  22.     IV.  Kirch.,  vii.  118. — Oest. 

Ex.  V.,  vii. — Wolf  and  Ass. 

III.  Marie,  62  ;  Rom.  App.,  50  ;  Reineke  Fucks.,  Grimm, 
424;  Camerar,  203.     IV.  Grimm,  KM,  132. 

Ex.,  V.  viii. — Serpent  and  Labourer. 

I.  Benf. ,  i.  359.  II.  Berach. ,  22  ;  Marie,  63.  IV.  Gritsch. 
Quadragesimale ,  1484,  37,  76;  Roman  du  Renard  (Rob.). 
V.  Chaucer,  Tale  of  Melib&us. 

Ex.  V.,  ix. — Fox,  Wolf  and  Lion. 

I.  Mesnevi,  i.  100,  p.  263.  II.  .Esop.,255.  III.  Marie, 
59;  Berach.,  85;  Vine.  Bell.,  m. ,  3,  3,  11;  Reineke, 
Grimm.,  425;  Reinardus,  2,  311;  Grimm,  Lat.  Ged.  d. 
Mittelalters,  200;  Wright,  58;  Odo ;  Brom.,  A.,  11,  8; 
cf.  D.  12,  26,  E.  8,  25.  IV.  Wald. ,  iii.  91;  Pauli,  494; 
Lafont.,  viii  3;  Goethe,  40,  175. — Oest. 

Ex.  V.,  x. — Penitent  Wolf. 

I.  Butting  goats  from  Bidpai  {cf.  Jacobs,  D.  7*.).  III. 
Reineke,  Grimm,  429.  IV.  Camerar,  371;  cf.  Wald.,  ii. 
73  ;  Wolf,  Deutsck.  Hausm.,  419  ;  Hahn,  GAM,  93  ;  Leger, 
Contes  slaves,  18  (Little  Russ.  fr.  Rutchenko).  V.  Hazlitt, 
Prov.  Hear  news,  &c 


Ex.  V.,  vi.  —  Ex.  V.,  xvii.  255 


Ex.  V.,  xi. — Dog  in  Manger. 

II.  Lucian  Tim.,  i.  14 ;  draid.,  30 ;  ^Esop.,  228  ;  Abstem. 
ap.  Nevelet,  604.  IV.  Kirch.,  vii.  130;  Wald.,  i.  64; 
Bartol.  a  Saxo-ferrato  Tract,  quest,  inter  virg.  Mariam 
et  Diabolum  Hanov.,  1611,  3.—  Oest.  V.  C.  127,  J.  79,  T. 
46,  Cr.  18,  Mav.  4,  R.  C.  jebb,  Bent  ley,  52,  62. 


Ex.  V.,  xii. — Wolf  and  Hungry  Dog. 
IV.   Cf.  Grimm.,  KM.,  hi.  80. 

Ex.  V.,  xiii. — Father  and  Three  Sons. 

II.  Seneca,  Controv.  exc,  6,  3.  III.  Gesta  Rom.,  90; 
Renard  le  Contrefait ;  Judgment  de  Salomon. — Rob. 

Ex.  V.,  xiv. — Wolf  and  Fox. 

III.  Rom.  Apf.,  52;  Reineke,  Grimm.,  427. 

Ex.  V.,  xv. — Dog,  Wolf  and  Wether. 
III.  Baldo,  21  [cf.  contra,  Wolf  in  sheep's  clothing). 

Ex.  V.,  xvi. — Man,  Lion  and  Son. 

I.  Kblle,  African  nat.  lit.,  No.  9;  Bleek,  RF.  in  Afr., 
23  ;  Harris,  Nights  with  Remus,  vii.  (Lion  hunts  for  man). 
III.  Berach.,  106;  Dial.  Creat.,  86.  IV.  Pauii,  20  {cf. 
18)  ;  Scherz  mit  d.  Warheyt,  50^.  ;  Geiler  Narrenschiff,  70  ; 
Grimm,  KM.,  72;  cf.  48.— Oest 

Ex.  V.,  xvii.— Knight  and  Servant. 
III.  Rom.  Afp.,  59.     IV.  Waldis,  iii.  29. 


256         SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 


REMICIUS. 

[Selected  by  Stainhbwel  from  the  hundred  Latin  prose  ver- 
sions of  Greek  fables,  translated  by  Ranutio  d'Arezzo, 
and  published  in  1476.  All  are  in  the  Greek  prose 
iEsop,  most  in  Babrius,  either  in  the  vulgate  or  in 
Gitlbauer's  edition.] 

Re.  i.— Eagle  and  Raven. 
I,  Benf.,  i.  602  ;  Somadeva,  70,  ed.  Tawney,  ii.  41.     II. 
iEsop,  8;  Babr.-Gitl.,  186;  Aphthon. ,  19  ;  Aristoph. ,  Aves, 
652.     III.  Gab.,  1.     IV.   Rim.,  2;  Dorp.,  374;  Wald.,  i. 
63;  Lafont.,  ii.  16. — Kurz,  Tawney. 

Re.  ii. — Eagle  and  Weasel. 
I.   Cf.  Pants.,  ii.  170.     II.  /Esop,  7  ;  Cf.  Aristoph.,  Pax, 
126,  and   Scholiast,   ad  loc.      IV.    Rim.,   3;    Dorp.,   375; 
Lafont.,  ii.  8  ;  Wald.,  ii.  26. — Kurz,  Rutherford. 

Re.  iii.— Fox  and  Goat. 

I.  Cf.  Benf.,  i.  320.  II.  Ph.,  iv.  9;  yEsop,  45;  Babr.- 
Gitl.,  174.  III.  Alf.,  24;  Renart,  7383,  seq.  ;  Barbazon- 
Meon,  iv.  175.  IV.  Rim.,  5;  Dorp.,  377;  Wald.,  iii.  27; 
Lafont.,  iii.  5  ;  Goethe,  xl.  195. 

Re.  iv. — Cat  and  Chicken. 

II.  JEsop,  14;  Babr.,  17.  IV.  Rim.,  7;  Dorp.,  379; 
Wald.,  i.  61.— Kurz. 

Re.  v.— Fox  and  Bush. 
II.  ^Esop,  32;  Babr.-Gitl.,  187.     III.  Gabr.,  4,  6.     IV. 
Rim.,  10;  Dorp.  382;  Wald.,  iii.  42. — Kurz. 

Re.  vi. — Man  and  Wooden  God. 
I.  Benf.,  Pants.,  i.  478  ;  Sophos,  52  ;  Vartan,  41 ;  cf.  Is., 
xl.  ;  1001   Tag  (Xailun),  5.      II.  y£sop.,  66;    Babr.,  119. 


Re.  i.  —  Re.  xiii.  257 

IV.  Rim.,  15;  Dorp. ,387;  Kirch.,  i.  104  ;  Basile ,  Pen t am., 
4  (Liebr.,  i.  63) ;  Gesammt,  2,  525  ;  Wald.,  iii.  45  ;  Lafont., 
iv.  8.—  Oest. 

Re.  vii. — Fisher. 
II.  Herod.,  i.  141  ;  ^Esop,  39  ;  Babr.,  9  ;  Ennius  (Vahlen), 
p.  151  ;  Aristasn.,  ep.  i.  27.     III.   Gab.,  16.     IV.   Rim.,  18  ; 
Dorp.  390;  Wald.,  iii.  49  ;  Lafont.,  x.   11. — Kurz,   Ruther- 
ford.    V.  Hazlitt,  Prav.,  142. 

Re.  vii:. — Cat  and  Rat. 
II.  .Esop.,  16  ;  Ph.,  iii.  2  ;  Babr. -Girl.,  226.     III.  Gabr., 
42.     IV.   Rim.,  21  ;   Dorp.,  393  ;  Wald.,  iii.  57  (cf  i.  67)  ; 
Lafont.,  iii.  18. — Kurz. 

Re.  ix. — Labourer  and  Pyelarge. 
II.  ^Esop.,  100;  Babr.,   13.     III.   Gab.,  13.     IV.   Rim., 
43;  Dorp,  415;  Kirch.,  vii.,  92;  cf.  93 — Oest. 

Re.  x. — Shepherd  Boy  (Wolf  !) 
II.  iEsop.,166;  Babr. -Gitl.,  199.     IV.   Rim.,  53;  Dorp., 
425;  Kirch.,  vii.  136;  Goedeke,  Deutsche  Dicht.,  i.  286^. — 
Oest.     V.   L.  74,  C.  155,  J.  40,  T.  90,  Cald.,  7,  Mav.,  3. 
Cf.  expr.  "  to  cry  wolf." 

Re.  xi.— Ant  and  Dove. 
II.  /Esop. ,  296.     IV.  Rim.,  68;  Dorp.,  440;  Lafont.,  ii. 
12;  Wald.,  i.  70.— Rob.,  Oest.     V.  L.  203,  C.  133,  J.  156, 
T.  156. 

Re.  xii. — Bee  and  Jupiter. 
II.  JEsop.,  287;  Babr. -Gitl.,  175.     IV.  Rim.,  70;  Dorp., 
442  ;  Wald.,  iii.  69. — Kurz. 

Re.  xiii.— Carpenter. 
I.  Cf  II.  Kings,  vi.  4-8.     II.  ^Esop.,   308;  Babr. -Gitl, 
276;    Gr.  Prov.  (Leutsch.,  ii.  197).      IV.   Rim.,  74;  Dorp,, 
446;  Kirch.,  vii.  15,  16;  Rabel.,  iv.  prol.  ;  Lafont.,  v.  1 — 
Rob.,  Oest. 

YOL.  I.  R 


258  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Re.  xiv.— Young  Thief  and  Mother. 

II.  iEsop.,  351;  Babr.-Gitl.,  247;  Boethius  De  discip. 
schol.  III.  Vine.  Bell. ,  in.,  3, 2, 7 ;  Gesta  Rom. ,  ed.  Graesse, 
ii.  p.  186;  Enxemp. ,  273  ;  Brom.,  A.,  3,  19.  IV.  Rim.,  go; 
Dorp.,  462;  Pauii,  19;  Wald.,  iii.  19;  Kirch.,  vii.  183. — 
Oest.     V.   Conceyts  and  Jests,  26;  C.  119,  J.  101,  T.  10. 

Re.  xv. — Flea  and  Man. 

II.  ^Esop.,  425;  Babr.-Gitl.,  283.  IV.  Rim.,  97;  Dorp., 
469;  Wald.,  iii.  82.     V.  L.  139,  C.  190. 

Re.  xvi. — Man  with  two  Wives. 

I.  Benf.  Pants. ,  i.  602,  ii.  552 ;  Avaddnas,  ii.  138  ;  Diod. 
Sic,  xxxiii.,  10  ;  Talm.,  Baba  Kama,  60b.  II.  yEsop.,  56; 
Phasd. ,  ii.  2  ;  Babr. ,  22.  IV.  Rim. ,  ico ;  Dorp. ,  472 ;  Kirch. , 
vii.  67;  H.  Sachs,  2,  4,  214;  Wald.,  iii.  83  ;  Lafont.,  i.  17. 
—  Rob.,  Oest.,  Roth.,  Held.  Jahrb.,  i860,  p.  52;  Liebr., 
ZV.,  120.  V.  L.  141,  C.  i7,,l.  I79i  Cald.,  16,  Clouston, 
Pop.  Tales,  i.  16. 

Re.  xvii. — Labourer  and  Children. 

II.  yEsop.,98;  Babr.-Gitl.,  230.  III.  Dial.  Creat.,  13. 
IV.  Kirch. ,  i.  172 ;  Lafont. ,  v.  9. 


AVIAN. 

[The  original  consists  of  forty-two  fables  :  of  these  some 
are  parallels  to  Phasdrine  fables,  and  are  accordingly  in- 
cluded in  the  preceding  books.  Cf.  Ro. ,  i.  20,  iii.  15,  iv.  4, 
6,  15,  i7i  20;  Ex.,  V.  6.] 

Av.  i. — Nurse  and  Wolf. 

I.  Alf.  Disc.  Cler.,  24.  II.  Av.,  1;  ^Esop.,  275;  Babr., 
16;  Apththon.,  39.     III.  Marie,  49;  Wright,  77;  Reineke, 


Re.  xiv.  —  Av.  iv.  259 

Grimm.,  330;  Ncrvus  Avianus,  Du  Mdril,  262,  268;  Scala, 
77;  Bronx,  A.,  21,  26;  S.,  10,  3.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  2,  4,  33; 
Pauli,  90  {cf  81) ;  Eulenspiegel,  96;  Gesammt.,  69;  Wald., 
i.  86  ;  Lafont. ,  iv.  16  ;  Rob. ,  Oest.  ;  Goed.  Mittel. ,  626. 
V.  Cf.  Chaucer,  Freres  Tale,  6957. 

Av.  ii. — Tortoise  and  Birds. 

I.  Kacchapa  Jdtaka,  supra,  IV.,  p.  81-2;  Wagener 
Weber,  No.  5  {Ind.  Stud.,  iii.  339)  ;  Somadeva,  ed.  Tawney, 
ii.  685.  II.  Av.  2;  JEsop.,  419;  Babr. ,  115.  Cf.  yElian, 
vii.  17  (JEschylus'  death).  III.  Gab.,  53;  Bayeux  Tap., 
pi.  vi.  (see  frontispiece)  ;  Joh.  Sarisb. ,  Polycrat. ,  p.  4  ;  Boner 
64.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  87  ;  Mer.,  139.  V.  North,  Bidpai,  p, 
259  ;  Gosson,  School  of  Abuse,  ed.  Arber,  p.  43. 

Av.  iii. — Two  Crabs. 

II.  Aristoph.  Pax. ,  1083  ;  Schol  on  Athen. ,  695  ;  Apolod. , 
ix.  50;  Av. ,  3;  Babr.,  109;  yEsop. ,  187;  Petronius  Sat, 
42.— Ellis.  III.  Boner,  65.  IV.  Wald.,  i.  S8  ;  Lafont., 
xii.  10. 

Av.  iv. — Ass  in  Lion's  Skin. 

I.  Siha-Cama-Jdtaka,  supra,  II.,  pp.  57-8;  Pants.,  iv. 
7,  v.  7  (Benf. ,  ii.  309,  339,  i.  462,  494) ;  Somadeva,  ii.  65  ; 
Tutinameh,  Rosen,  ii.  149,  218  ;  Hitopadesa,  iii.  4;  Weber, 
Ind.  Stud.,  iii.  338;  Bieek,  RF  in  Afr.,  79  (Hare).  II. 
yEsop. ,  333;  Plato,  Cratyl.,  411a.;  Lucian,  Fiscal.,  32; 
Pseudol,  3;  Drapet.,  13;  Babr.-GitL,  218;  Avian,  5; 
Tzetzes,  9,  321;  M.  Tatius,  Progym.,  f.  8.  III.  Berach., 
47  ;  Reineke,  Grimm.,  354  ;  Dial.  Creat.,  108  ;  Holkot,  mor., 
35;  Mapes,  Poems,  p.  36;  Odo.,35;  Gatos,  22;  Brom. ,  P., 
12,  16,  R.  5,  5  ;  Boner,  66.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  i.  5,  587;  Eras- 
mus, Adag,  '  Asinus  ap.  Cumam  '  ;  Geiler,  Narrenschiff,  593  ; 
Wald.,  i.  90;  Kirch.,  i.  165;  Lafont.,  v.  21 — Rob.,  Oest.  ; 
Meril,  140;  Liebr. ,  VK.,  119;  De  Gub.,  i,  378. — Tawney. 
V.  Og.  70,  L.  224,  C.  42,  J.  157,  T.  109,  Cald.  2,  Cr.  49 ; 
R.  C.  Jebb,  Bentley,  p.  73.     Thackeray,  Newcomes,  i. 


260  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Av.  v. — Frog  and  Fox. 

II.  Av.,  6;  JEsop.,  78;  Babr.,  120.  III.  Boner,  68; 
Albertus,  49.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  i.  4,  981  ;  Fischart,  Frosch- 
gosch  ;  Wald.,  i.  91.     V.  C.  43,  T.  4. 

Av.  vi. — Two  Dogs."1 

II.  Av.,  7;  y£sop.,  224  (Nevel,  214);  Babr.,  104.  III. 
Boner,  69  ;  Berach.,  31.     IV.  Wald.,  i.  92,  ii.  98. 

Av.  vii. — Camel  and  Jupiter. 

I.  Mahabharata,  xii.  4175  (Weber,  IS.,  iii.  355)  ;  Talm. 
Scathed.,  106b  ;  Rodiger,  Chrest.  syr.,  xxiv.  §  5  ;  Benf., 
Pants.,  i.  302.  II.  Av.,  8;  ^Esop.,  184;  Babr.-Gitl.,  282  ; 
Gab.,  34;  Syntip.,  59;  Aphthon.,  15.  IV.  Basile,  Pentam., 
ed.  Lieb. ,  ii.  166;  Erasmus,  Chil.,  iii.  5,  8;  Wald.,  i.  93. 
V.  L.  78,  C.  45.  J-  49.  T.  96. 

'  Av.  viii.— Two  Fellows  and  Bear. 

II.  Av.,  9  ;  Babr.,  140  ;  ^Esop. ,  311  ;  cf.  Ph.,  v.  2.  III. 
Dial.  Creat.,  108;  Abstem.,  209;  Nov.  Av.,  Meril,  271; 
Brom.,  A.,  21,  20.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  2,  4,  86 ;  Luther,  Tischr.  ; 
Fischart,  Garg.,  36;  Lafont.,  v.  20;  Pauli,  422;  Kirch.,  i. 
87 ;  Rob. ,  Oest.     V.  L.  227,  C.  46,  J.  52,  T.  120. 

Av.  ix. — Two  Pots. 

I.  Ecclesiastiais,  xiii.  2  ;  Benf. ,  i.  346  ;  Pants. ,  ii. ,  str.  13, 
14,  Dukes  Blum.  §  530.  II.  Av.,  11 ;  /Esop.,  422  ;  Babr.- 
Gitl.,  184.  III.  Berach.,  33;  Brom.,  A.,  14,38.  IV.  Kirch., 
vii.  117a;  Alciati,  emblem,  166;  Wald.,  i.  96;  Lafont.,  v. 
2— Rob.,  Oest.     V.  L.  229,  C.  48,  J.  125,  T.  124. 

Av.  x. — Lion  and  Bull. 
I.  Rodiger,  Chryst.  syr.,  §  8.    II.  Av.,  13  [Goat] ;  ^Esop., 
396;  Babr.,  91.      III.  Boner,  78.     IV.  Wald.,  i,  85;   De 
Gub.,  i,  378. 


Av.  v.  —  Av.  xvi.  261 


Av.  xi. — Ape  and  Son. 

II.  Av,i4;  Babr. ,  56;  JEsop.,  364.  III.  Rom.,  App., 
36  ;  Marie,  74  ;  Berach. ,  50  ;  Boner,  79. 

Av.  xii. — Crane  and  Peacock. 

II.  JEsop.,  397(Xevel) ;  Av.,15;  Babr.,  65.  III.  Boner, 
81  ;  Berach.,  41.     V.   C.  49,  T.  69. 

Av.  xiii. — Hunter  and  Tiger. 

I.  Kolle,  Afric.  nat.  lit.,  9;  Baldo,  28.  II.  Av.,  17; 
^Esop. ,  403  ;  Babr. ,  1.  III.  Gabr. ,  34  ;  Boner,  3.  IV. 
Wald.,  ii.  2  ;  Kirch.,  vii.  97;  Grimm,  KM.,  72. — Oest. 

Av.  xiv. — Four  Oxen  and  Liox. 

I.  Loqman,  1.  II.  Av. ,  18;  .Esop. ,  394;  Babr.,  44; 
figured  Helbig,  Untersuch. ,  93  (Crusius,  Leipz.  Stud.  ,ii.  248). 
III.  Boner,  84  ;  Berach.,  51.  IV.  Morlini,  12  ;  H.  Sachs,  iv. 
3,  229;  Wald.,  ii.  1. — Kurz.     V.   C.  52,  J.  187,  T.  3. 

Av.  xv.— Bush  and  Bramble. 

I.  Shemoth  Rabba  ap.  Dukes'  Blumenlese,  §  505.  II. 
Av.,  19;  iEsop.,  125;  Babr.,  64.  III.  Berach.,  54;  Nov. 
Av.,  ed.  Meril,  275  ;  Boner,  86.  IV.  Waldis,  ii.  3  ;  Kirch., 
vii.  59  ;  Florian,  i.  15 — Oest.     V.  L.  237,  C.  83. 

Av.  xvi.— Fisher  and  Little  Fish. 

I.  Cf.  Benf.,  i.  427.  II.  Av.,  20;  ^Esop.,  2%,  cf.  231; 
Babr. ,  6.  III.  Berachyah,  55 ;  Dial.  Creat. ,  48 ;  Ysopet- 
Avionnet,  12.  IV.  Waldis,  i.  83  ;  Kirchhof,  vii.  119 ; 
LafonL,  v.  3— Rob.,  Oest  V.  L.  216,  C.  71,  J.  72;  Cr., 
54  ;  cf.  prov.,  A  bird  in  hand,  &c. 


262         SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

A  v.  xvii. — Phcebus,  Avaricious  and  Envious. 

I.  Benf.,  Pants.,  i.  498,  304;  1001,  Tag.,  9,  84;  Wide- 
awake stories,  215,  cf.  409.  II.  Av.,  22.  III.  Berachyah, 
107;  Joh.  Sarisb.,  Polycrat.,  7,  24;  Holkot.,  29;  Ysopet- 
Avionnet,  13 ;  Meon,  Fabliaux,  i.  91 ;  Boner,  88  ;  Scala, 
106  b.  ;  E?ixemp.,  146;  Bromy. ,  J.,  6,  19.  IV.  H.  Sachs, 
1,  489;  Pauli,  647;  Waldis,  ii.  5;  Chamisso,  Abdullah — 
Oest.,  Rob.,  Temple,  G.  Paris,  Lit.  franc.,  §  76;  Liebr. 
Germ.,  ii.  245,  ZV.  117.  V.  Gower,  Conf.  Amant,  II.  ii.  ; 
L.  238,  C.  133,  T.  122. 

Av.  xviii.— Thief  and  Weeping  Child. 

I.  Cf  Pants.,  iii.  3  and  plls.  (Benf.,  i.  357).  II.  Avian, 
25  ;  cf.  Philogelos,  33.  III.  YsopetAvionnet,  14.  IV. 
Waldis,  ii.  9  ;  Kirch.,  vii.  132.     V.   C.  Merry  Tales,  91. 

Av.  xix.— Lion  and  Goat. 

II.  Av.,26;  J£ sop.,  270.  III.  Boner,  90.  IV.  Waldis, 
i.  78;  Kirch.,  vii.  118.     V.  L.  210,  J.  126. 

Av.  xx. — Crow  and  Pitcher. 

I.  Talm.  Ab.  sara,  30*;  Synt.,  8;  Sophos,  8.  II.  Av., 
27;  Dositheus,  8;  ^Esop. ,  357;  iElian,  hist,  nat.,  ii.  48; 
Plut.,  Terrestriana ;  Syntip. ,  8.  III.  Cf.  Rom.,  Oest.,  iv. 
13;  Ysop. -Avion.,  15  ;  Berach. ,  88.  IV.  Simplicissimus,  2, 
12;  Waldis,  ii.  7;  Kirch.,  vii.  121  {cf  29) — Oest.  V.  L. 
239»  C.  S3'  J-  47.  T.  62  ;  Cr.  38. 

Av.  xxi. — Villein  and  Young  Bull. 

II.  Av.,  28.     IV.  Waldis,  ii.  10. 

Av.  xxii. — Man  and  Satyr. 

II.  Av.,  29;  ^Esop.,  64;  Babr.-Gitl.,  183.  III.  Boner, 
91 ;  Berach.,  58.  IV.  H.  Sachs,  ii.  4,  48  ;  Waldis,  ii.  11 ; 
Lafont.,  v.  7.    V.  L.  243,  C.  55,  T.  113  ;  Cr.  42. 


Av.  xvii.  —  Al.  i.  263 

Av.  xxiii. — Ox  and  Rat. 
II.  Av.,  31 ;  Babr.,  112  ;  .Esop.,  299.     IV.  Wald.,  ii.  13. 

Av.  xxiv. — Goose  with  Golden  Eggs. 

I.  Suvannaha?nsa  Jtitaka,  supra VIII.  p.  67  ;  Pants.,  3,  5 
(Benf.,  i.  361)  ;  Wagener- Weber,  No.  4  ;  Sophos,  61  ;  Loq- 
man,  12.  II.  Avian,  33;  Babrius,  123;  sEsop.,  343.  IV. 
Waldis,  ii.  15  [cf.  iii.  32) ;  Pauli,  53  ;  Lafont. ,  v.  13 — Oest. 

V.  L.  247  (Hen),  C.  57,  J.   no;  Cr.,  22;  Clouston,  Pop. 
Tales,  i.  123,  seq. 

Av.  xxv. — Ape  and  Two  Children. 

II.  Av. ,  35;  ^Esop. ,  366  (Xevel) ;  Babr.,  35;  Oppian, 
Cyneg,  it  605.  III.  Ysop.-Av.  (Rob.  ii.  514);  Berachyah, 
67,  104.     IV.  Waldis,  ii.  16 — Kurz.     V.   L.  248,  C.  186. 

Av.  xxvi. — Wind  and  Pot. 
II.  Av.,  41;  iEsop.,  381  ;  Babr.-Gitl.,  165. 

Av.  xxvii. — Wolf  and  Lamb. 
II.  Av.,  42  [Kid];  ^Esop.,  273;  Babr-GitL,  132.     III. 
Boner,  30.     IV.  Waldis,  i.  49. 

ALFONCE.* 

[From  the  Disciplina  Clericalis  of  Moses  Sephardi,  a 
Spanish  Jew,  christened  Petrus  Alphonsus,  1106.] 

Alf.  i. — A.  Trial  of  Friendship.     B.  Egypt  and 
Baldach. 

A. — I.  Cardonne  Mil.  asiat.,  i.  78  ;  Jellinek,  Beth  Ham., 

VI.  xiv.  10.     II.   Polyan.  Stratig. ,  i.  40,  1.     III.  Alf.  ii.  8  ; 
Mart.  Polon.  Serm.  ;  Ex.,  9,  C.  ;  Scala  cell,  n  b.  ;  Dial. 

*  As  the  remaining  Tales  are  of  a  different  genre  to  the  Fable 
proper,  I  have  not  attempted  any  thoroughness  in  the  parallels, 
though  the  Disciplina  Clericalis  would  well  repay  complete  inves- 
tigation. 


264         SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Great.,  56;  Lucanor,  48  (York,  36);  Castoiement  (Mdon, 
ii.  39;  Legr.,  ii.  379);  Gesta,  129;  Boner,  app.,  6.  IV. 
H.  Sachs,  107  ;  2,  2,  39 ;  Goedeke,  Every  Man,  1-7  ;  Radloff, 
i.  191  ;  Gering,  Islensk  sEventyri,  50. 

B. — I.  1001  Nights  (Hagen,  9,  1 ;  Caussin  de  Percival,  9, 
1,  55) ;  Scott,  Tales,  253  ;  Hammer,  Rosenol,  2,  262  ;  Kblle, 
Afric.  nat.  lit.,  p.  122.  III.  Alf.,  iii.  2-14;  Scala,  11; 
Dial.  Creat.,  56;  Brom.,  A.,  21,  11;  Gesta,  171;  Liber 
opium,  2,  20,  2;  Enxempl.,  92;  Castoiem.  (M£on),  2.  52 
(Legr.,  2,  385);  Altris  zc.  Profilias  (ed.  Grimm,  1846). 
IV.  Bocc. ,  x.  8;  Hardi,  Gesippe ;  Cecat.  nouv.  nouv.,  v. 
28  ;  Chevreau,  Gesippe  et  Tite,  1658 ;  H.  Sachs,  i.  2,  181, 
iii.  2,  4;  Der  matin  der  seine  frau  nicht  kennt,  1781  ;  Ger., 
Islensk  sEventyri,  51 — Schmidt,  Beitr.  111,  on  Alf.,  p. 
98.  V.  Lydgate,  Tale  of  Two  Merc haunts ;  R.  Edwards 
Tragedy,  1582 ;  G.  Griffin,  Gesippus,  a  Tragedy,  1841 — 
Warton,  I.,  clxxxvii. 

Alf.  ii. — Money  Trusted. 
I.  Sindibad,  25;  Syntipas,  22;  Cardonne,  mil.,  i.  61; 
1001  Nacht,  Bresl.,  386  (Loiseleur,  652) ;  Scott,  Tales,  207 
— Loiseleur essai,  119.  III.  Alf.,  16,  1-10  ;  Castoiem.  (M£on, 
ii.  107;  Legr.,  ii.  403);  Gesta,  118;  Brom.,  R. ,  6,  1; 
Enxempl. ,  92.  IV.  Bocc. ,  viii.  10 ;  C.  nov.  ant. ,  74 ; 
Gering,  69 — Schmidt,  Beitr.,  91-95 — Oest.  V.  Jack  of 
Dover,  14. 

Alf.  iii. — Lye  of  Oil. 
III.  Alf.,  17,  1-12 ;  Vine.  Bell.,  m.,  i.  1,  26;  Enx.,  334; 
Castoiem.  (M.  Legr.,  iii.  62),  ii.  113;  Gesta,  246  (Grasse,  ii. 
151).     IV.  Pauli;  Gering,  Isl.  sEv.,  70— Oest. 

Alf.  iv. — Money  Recovered. 
I.  D'Herbelot  (suppl.  Galland),  225  b.  III.  Alf.,  18; 
Vine.  Bell.,  m.,  1,  1,  27;  Scala,  21  b.  ;  Enxemp.,  311.  IV. 
Timoneda,  Patranas,  6  ;  Cinthio,  i.  9  ;  Doni,  Marini,  c.  80  ; 
Pauli,  115;  Kirch.,  vii.  13;  Ger.,  71.  V.  Merry  Tales  and 
Answers,  16;  Pasquil's  Jests,  p.  17;   Old  Hobson,  20. 


Al.  ii.  —  Al.  viii.  265 

Alf.  v. — Dream-bread. 
I.  Sindibad-nameh,  35,  p.  175 ;  Hammer,  Rosenol,  No. 
180,  ii.  303 ;  Mesnevi,  2,  288  ;  Toldoth  Jesu,  ed.  1705,  p. 
51 ;  Benf. ,  Pants.,  i.  493.  III.  Alf.,  20,  1-8  ;  Cast. ,  p.  127  ; 
Vine.  Bell.,  m.,  1,  i,  26;  Brom.,  E.,  8,  14;  Gesta,  106; 
Scala,  73  b.  ;  Enxempl. ,  27 ;  Boner,  74.  IV.  Cinthio,  i. 
3;  Gering,  72;  Pitre  Fiabi,  173.  V.  Dunlop-Liebr.,  280; 
Clouston,  Pop.  Tales,  ii.  86-95';  Crane,  Ital.  Folk  Tales, 
154.  356. 

Alf.  vi. — Labourer  and  Nightingale. 
I.  Benf.,  Pants.,  i.  381;  Vartan,  13;  Simchot  hanefesk 
(Heb.),  42  b.  ;  Barlaam,  iv.  29  ;  Loiseleur,  p.  171.  III.  Alf., 
23,  1-6;  Cast.;  cf.  Schm.,  p.  150;  Dial.  Creat.,  100; 
Scala,  7  b.  ;  Wright,  p.  170 ;  Legenda  aurea,  c.  175 ;  Enx- 
emp.,  53;  Legrand,  iii.  113;  Gesta,  167;  Mystere  du  roi 
Advents,  ap.  Parf. ,  hist,  du  theat.  franc.,  2,  475;  Marie, 
i.  314,  ii.  324 ;  Du  Meril,  144 ;  Hist.  Litt.  de  la  France, 
xxiii.  76.  IV.  Kirch.,  iv.  34;  H.  Sachs,  i.  4,  428;  Luther, 
Tischr.,  612  ;  Wieland,  Vogelgesang  (Werke,  18,  315)  ;  Ger., 
Isl.  sEv.,  75;  Uhland  ap.  Germ.,  iii.  140.  V.  Lydgate, 
Chorle  and  Bird ;  Way,  Lay  of  Little  Bird,  ap.  Swan 
Gesta,  2,  507-13  ;  Caxton,  Golden  Legend,  392  b.  ;  Dunlop- 
Lieb.,  p.  484,  n.  84. 

Alf.  vii. — Crookback. 
I.    Vikram,  tr.  Burton,  p.  108  *  (proverb).    III.  Alf. ,  viii.  2  ; 
Cast.,  75;  Enxem.,  13;  Legr.,  ii.  376;   Gesta,  157;  Boner, 
76.     IV.   C.  nov.  ant. ,  50 ;  Pauli,  285 ;  Gering,  60. 

Alf.  viii. — Disciple  and  Sheep. 
III.  Alf. ,  iii.  3  ;  Gering,  66  ;  C.  nov.  ant. ,  31 ;  Enx. ,  85. 

IV.  Don  Quix.,  i.  20  ;  Pitre,  Fiabi,  138  ;  Grimm,  KM.,  86. 

V.  Crane,  Ital.  FT,  156,  356. 

*  "  Expect  thirty-two  villanies  from  the  limping, 
And  eighty  from  the  one-eyed  man, 
But  when  the  hunchback  comes. 
Say,  '  Lord  defend  us.' " 


266         SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Alf.  ix.— Wolf,  Labourer,  Fox  and  Cheese. 

I.  Cf.  Benf.,  i.  349;  Blumenthal,  JR.  Meir,  165  ;  Vartan, 
17.     III.  Alf.,  24.     IV.  Gering,  Isl.  /Ev.t  76. 

Alf.  x. — Husband,  Wife,  and  Mother-in-Law. 
III.  Alf. ,  12 ;   Gesta.     IV.  Gering,  64. 

Alf.  xi. — The  Bawd. 

I.  Sindibad-nameh,  11 ;  Syntipas,  11 ;  Mishle  Sandebar 
(Heb.)  ed.  Cassel,  98-104;  Scott,  Tales,  p.  100;  Habicht 
15,  117;  Tutinameh,  p.  24;  Vrihai  Katha,  ap.  Quart, 
0?'ient.  Mag.,  1824,  ii.  102;  Somadeva,  ed.  1829,  p.  56 
Loiseleur,  106-7.  HI.  Alf.,  141-8  ;  Vine.  Bell.,  m.  3,  9,  5 
Scala,  87 ;  Gesta,  28 ;  Wright,  13  (p.  16,  cf.  p.  218) 
Enxem.,  234;  Castoiem.,  292;  Adolphus,  ap.  Wright,  178 
IV  Bocc. ,  v.  8  ;  H.  Sachs,  4,  3,  28  ;  Schmidt,  Beitr.,  106-8 
Keller,  VII.  Sages,  cxlv.  ;  Gering,  67 ;  Oest.  V.  English 
Fabliau,  Daine  Siriz  ap.  Wright,  Anecd.  Lit.,  1-13. 

Alf.  xii. — Blind  Man  and  Wife. 
III. '  Cf.  Schm.,  43  ;  Keller,  VII.  Sages,  ccii.  ;  Gering,  63. 

Alf.  xiii. — Tailor,  King,  and  Servant. 

III.  Alf.,  21.  [In  Stainhowel,  this  is  preceded  by  two 
others,  Alf.,  10,  6;  11,  1  =  Gesta,  122,  123.]  IV  Pitre 
Fiabi,  186;  Kirch.,  i.  243;  Gering,  73.     V.  Crane,  357. 


• 


POGGIO. 


[From    the   Facetice   of   Poggio    Bracciolini,    first   printed 
about  1470.] 

Po.  i. — A  too  Holy  Gift. 

IV.  Pog.,  1;  Lessing  Werke,  1827,  xviii.  9;  Bebelius, 
fac,  ed.  1660,  p.  279  ;  Diet,  danecd. ,  i.  192.  [Preceded  in 
Stainhowel  by  Pog.  10.] 


AL.  ix.  —  Po.  viii.  267 

Po.  ii. — Hypocrite. 

IV.  Pog. ,  6 ;  Bebelius,  282  ;  Montaigne,  ii.  3  ;  Mayen  de 
Parvenir,  ii.  121  ;  B.  Rousseau,  Epigr. 

Po.  iii. — Disappointed  (Omitted). 
IV.   Pog.,  45  ;  Kirch.,  i.  339  ;  Cent.  nouv.  nouv.,  80. 

Po.  iv.— Hunting  does  not  pay. 

IV.  Pog.,  2  :  Rim.,  18  ;  Morlini,  77  ;  NugeB  Docttz,  56  ; 
Straparola,  xiii.  1  ;  Geiler,  Narrenschiff,  148^  ;  Kirch.,  i.  425. 
— Oest.  in  Hannover,  Tagespost,  Feb.  7,  14, 1867.  V.  Merry 
Tales  and  Answers,  52  ;  Pasquils,  62. 

Po.  v. — Monstrosities. 
IV.  Pog.,  31-4  ;  Licetus,  De  Monstris. 

Po.  vi. — Buried  Dog. 

III.  Brom.,  D. ,  7,  13;  Meon,  iii.  70.  IV.  Pog.,  36; 
Pauli,  72  ;  Malespini,  59  ;  C.  nouv.  nouv.,  96  ;  Guccelette, 
iv.  22  ;  Brenta,  Arcadia,  525  ;  Conv.  Serm,,  i.  154  ;  Diet, 
danecd.,  ii.  451  ;  Gil  Bias,  v.  1.     V.   Dunlop-Liebr.,  297. 

Po.  vii. —  Fox,  Cock,  and  Dog  (Rom.  iv.  18). 

I.  Kukkuta  Jataka,  supra,  XIV.,  pp.  75-7.  II.  iEsop. , 
225.  III.  Marie,  52;  Brom.,  7,  8;  Grimm,  RF.,  exxii.  ; 
Reinhartus,  ii.  1175.  IV.  Pog.,  79;  H.  Sachs,  ii.  4,  75; 
Luther,  Tischr.  ;  Kirch.,  iii.  128  ;  Lafont.,  xii.  15  ;  Goethe, 
xl.  14. — Oest.  [Inserted  here  by  Stainhowel  from  his  Rom. 
iv.  18  to  end  the  book.  What  follows  is  from  Machault's 
and  Caxton's  additions]. 

Po.  viii. — Women  Disputing. 

IV.  Pog.,  78. 


268  SYNOPSIS  OF  PARALLELS. 

Po.  ix. — Debtor. 
IV.  Pog.,  164. 

Po.  x. — Genoese. 

IV.  Pog.,  202;  Guicciard,  175;  Democr.  ridens,  p.  66  ; 
Roger  Bo7itemps,  p.  40  ;  Past,  agrdables,  209. 

PO.  XL — PlLLMAKER.      Po.  xii. — WlDOW. 

[Neither  in  Poggio.] 

Caxton. — Worldly  and  Unworldly  Priest. 

[Added  by  Caxton  to  clear  out,  as  it  were,  the  bad  taste 
of  the  Poggiana  from  our  mouth  ;  probably  a  true  anecdote 
of  his  time.] 


INDEX. 


[Including  a  reversed  Index  to  the  chief  collections  collated  in 
the  Synopsis  of  Parallels.  Such  items  are  preceded  by  cf.,  and 
the  books  of  the  Romulus  and  the  Extravagantes  are  indicated 
by  the  Roman  numerals  i.-v.  Titles  in  italics  refer  to  fables 
mentioned.  A  few  addenda  and  corrigenda  are  also  given. 
See  Democritus,  Fox,  Cat,  and  Dog,  Misprints,  Romulus  of 
Nilant,  Theognis.] 


Abraham  ibn  Ezra,  174,  cf. 
iii.  16. 

Abstemius,  8o«,  170;?. 

Accursius,  ijn. 

Adelard,  175. 

Ademar,  xx.  5,  7,  8,  9,  10, 
139,  182,  183^,  215,  cf.  i.  1, 
3,  4,  6-8,  10-13,  15-18,  20, 
ii.  1-4,  7,  9,  10,  12,  13,  15, 
17-20,  iii.  1,  2-7,  12-20,  iv. 
3,  8,  12,  15-17,  19,  v.  3,  see 
'  Anonymus  Nilanti.' 

Adrian  IV.,  184. 

^Elian,  62,  cf.  i.  8,  Av.  2,  20. 

-Eschylus,  26,  127. 

zEsop,  legendary  life  of,  xiv. 
xx.  4,  217 ;  who  wrote,  xvi. 
36  ;  an  authentic  fable  of, 
27  ;  why  his  name  connected 
with  Fable,  30,  211  ;  himself 
a  Fable  ?  37 ;  Herodotus' 
account  of,  37;  life,  epoch, 
master,   birthplace  of,   38  ; 


a  barbarian  slave,  41,  211 ; 

name    un-Greek,    41,    148 ; 

similar  in  sound  to  Kasyapa, 

148. 
yEsop,     Greek.       See    Greek 

prose    yEsop    (and    so    for 

other  languages). 
"/Esopus   ad   Rufum."      See 

Rufus. 
African  origin  of  fable,  theory 

of,  92. 
African  Fables  (Bleek,  Kolle, 

&c),  cf.  i.  2,  6,  ii.  10,  iv.  12, 

v.  3,  4,  16,  Av.  4,  13,  Al.  ib. 
Agur,     proverbs     of,     Indian 

origin  of,  132-4. 
Alcaeus,  28. 
Alexis,  100. 

Alexandria  Library,  34,  212. 
Alfonso,  Fables  of,  xiv.  15472, 

198-200,  217,  cf.  i.  9,  iii.  2, 

v.    1,    Re.    3,    Av.    1,    Al. 


270 


INDEX. 


Alfred,    King,    Fables    attri- 
buted to,  160,  162,  165. 

Alfred  of  England,  xvi.,  xx. 
source  of  Marie  de  France 
163,    167 ;    identified,    167 
helped  by  Berachyah  Nak 
dan,  177,  216  ;  date  of,  168 
mentioned,    171,    177,    179, 
186,    19572,    216,    217.      See 
Appendix,      LBG,      Marie, 
Romulus  of  Marie. 

Allegory,  148,  204,  21772,  220. 

Alsop,  19222. 

Ambition,     symbols      of,     97 
and  n. 

Anacharsis  the  Scythian,  143, 
144. 

Androclus  (iii.  1),  II,  52,  140, 

153. 
Angevin    Empire,    xvii.    180, 

215. 
Animism,  46  and  n,  206,  207. 
Anonymity  of  Folk-lore,  30  ; 

yEsop's  Fables  exception,  30. 
'  Anonymous   Neveleti.'      See 

Galfred,  Walter. 
'Anonymous  Nilanti,'  xx.   5. 

See  Ademar. 
Anta  Jdtaka,  66. 
Ape  and  Fox,  13,  26,  14072. 
Apes,  Fables  about,  126,  140  ; 

etymology,  14822. 
Aphthonius,  73,  cf  i.  5,  12,  ii. 

8,  20,  iii.  13,  iv.  6,  12,  15, 

17,  v.  1,  Re.  1,  Av.  1,  7,  17. 
Appendices   to  Phsedrus,    xx. 

"13,    1422,   139,  cf.  i.   3,    12, 

17-20,  ii.  4,  8-10,  iii.   1-6, 

8-1 1,   13,   14,  16,  17,  iv.  3, 

6-8,  11- 19. 
Appendix  to  Romulus,  cf.  v.  2, 

3,  5,  6,  7,  14,  17.     See  LBG, 

Romulus  of  Marie. 
Arabian  Nights,  cf.  Re.  6,  Av. 

17,  Al.  1,  2. 
Arabic  iEsop,  larger  recension 


of,  xvi.  156-8;  Paris  MS., 

contents  of,  221-4. 
Arabic  numerals,  12822. 
Arabic  translations,  166-7. 
Archilochus,  26,  2972,  14022,  cf. 

i.  13. 
Aristophanes,   28,   30   and   n, 

12372,  198,  cf.  i.  13,  Re.  i,  2, 

Av.  3. 
Aristotle,  27,  128,  212,  cf.  i.  8, 

iv.  9. 
Armenian    Fable,   xvi.    15672, 

177  and  n,  18472.     See  Ere- 

mia,  Vartan. 
Ashton,  J,  193. 
Ass'  Heart,  94,  95,  88,  10172, 

166,  169. 
Ass  a?id  Lapdog,  (i.  17)  6,  11, 

9722. 
Ass    and  Suckling  Pig,   70, 

139.  153. 
Ass  and  Watchdog,  50. 
Ass  in  Lions  Skin  (A v.  4),  28, 

52  ;  Indian,  58-60,  106,  126, 

129,  142,  153,  18272. 
Assyrian  Fable,  41,  206,  207, 

209. 
Athoan  Codex  of  Babrius,  20. 
"Avadanas,"  84,  88,  10172,  cf. 

i.  5,  19,  iii.  4,  16,  Re.  16. 
Avaricious  and  Envious  (Av. 

17),  50,  126,  153. 
Avian,  xiv.,  xx.  ;  date,  16  and 

n,  214  ;  mentioned,  4972,  50, 

52,  61,  159,  16972,  186,  215  ; 

Indian   elements  of,  125-8, 

153,    214 ;     interpolated    in 

Romulus,  18572 ;  in  Bayeux 

Tapestry,  185  ;  cf.  i.  20,  iii. 

15,  iv,  4,  6,  15,  17,  20,  v.  6, 

Av.  1-27. 

Babrius,  xx.  18-24 ;  a  Ro- 
man, 1972,  21,  214 ;  date, 
22 ;  source  of  Gk.  prose 
iEsop,  23,  24;    Gitlbauer's 


INDEX. 


271 


edition  of,  23  ;  his  source, 
22,  214 ;  compared  with 
Phaedrus,  34,  36  ;  morals  in, 
156  and  n  ;  source  of  Synti- 
pas,  Syriac,  Armenian,  and 
Loqman,  156ft  ;  mentioned, 
51ft,  94,  104,  114,  122,  128, 
147,  214,  216,  219,  cf.  i.  2,  3 
(Gitlbauer),  5-8,  10  (G.).  12, 
x3  (G.),  x5-  17-20.  ii-  1  (G.). 
3,  8,10  (G.),  14  (G.),  15,16, 
19,  20,  111.  2,  3  (G.),  7,   13- 

15.  iv.  1,  3,  4  (G.),  5,  9 
(Gabrias),  13  (G.),  15  (Gabr.) 

16,  17,  20,  v.  i,  4,  6,  Re.   1 

(G),  3  (G.))4-7-  8  (G.),9. 
10  (G.)f  12-15  (ah  G),  16, 
i7(G),Av.  1-3,  4(G),  5, 
6,  7  (G.),  8,  9  (G.),  10-16, 
22  (G.),  23-25,  26  (G.),  27 
(G.).    See  Gabrias,  Ignatius. 

Bacher,  W. ,  in,  120ft. 

Back,  Dr.,  noft,  113. 

Bacon,  F.,  170  and  n,  cf  i.  1. 

Bacon,  R.,  167,  168,  177. 

Balaam,  154ft. 

Bald  Man  and  Fly  (ii.  12),  52  ; 
Indian,  64,  65,  139,  153. 

Baldo  (Latin  verse  trans,  of 
Bidpai),  cf.  hi.  2,  iv.  9,  v.  1, 
3.  6,  15. 

Banyan-Deer  Jataka,  113. 

"  Barlaam  and  Josaphat," 
170ft. 

Bat,  Birds,  and  Beasts  (hi.  4), 
140,  153- 

Bavdru  Jataka,  jjn. 

Bayeux  Tapestry,  181-3,  215, 
cf.  i.  2,  8,  15,  20,  Av.  2 
[Frontispiece]. 

Beast-Anecdote,  103,  207. 

Beast-Satire,  159, 205,  206,  208. 

Beast-Tale,  159,  205,  206,  208. 

Belly  and  Members  (hi.  16),  6  ; 
Egyptian,  Indian,  Chinese, 
Persian,  Roman,  Jewish,  in 


New  Test.,  82-8,  117,  161, 

183. 

Benares,  146  and  n. 

Benedictus  le  Puncteur,  176 
and  n,  177.    See  Berachyah. 

Benfey,  T.,  xv.  46,  51,  52,  60 
and  n,  70ft,  72.71,  73,  95,  98, 
126,  152/2,  18472,  209,  219 ; 
views  on  Indian  origin,  102- 
4;  cf.  plls.  pass.,  and  see 
Bidpai. 

Bennet,  C. ,  196ft. 

Bentley,  xvii. ,  18  and  n,  218  ; 
Jebb's  Life  of,  28,  192ft. 

Berachyah  ha-Nakdan,  xvi., 
xx.,  123ft,  168-78,  180,  216  ; 
an  English  Jew,  175-6 ; 
assists  Alfred,  177 ;  cf  i. 
1-9,  12-18,  20,  ii.  1-4,  8-io, 
15,  hi.  7-9,  14,  15,  17,  iv.  3, 
8,  10,  12,  15-17,  19,  20,  v. 
2,  5,  8,  9,  16,  Av.  4,  6,  9, 
n,  12,  14-17,  20,  22,  25. 
See  Benedictus. 

Bharhut,  stupa  of,  Jatakas 
figured  on,  75,  79. 

Bibliography,  187  and  n,  201ft. 

Bickell,  132ft. 

Bidpai,  xx.  25,  41ft,  50-54, 
104,  153,  216,  218  ;  parallels 
from,  90-101  ;  date  of,  103  ; 
late,  107 ;  Jataka  elements 
in  origin  of,  146  ;  cf.  i.  i,  3 
5,  9,  10,  12-14,  I5  (Capua), 
17,  18,  20,  ii.  1,  3,  10,  12, 
13-15,  29,  hi.  1,  2  (Baldo),  g, 
14  (Capua),  16,  20,  iv.  1-3, 
9  (Baldo),  12,  v.  i,  3-5,  6 
(Baldo),  8,  10,  15  (Baldo), 
Re.  1-3,  6,  16,  Av.  4,  7,  9, 
16-18,  24,  Al,  5,  6,  9.  See 
Baldo,  Benfey,  Pantscha- 
tantra. 

Bird  Caged,  115. 

Bird  and  Waves,  113,  130. 

Bird  with  Two  Heads,  84,  88. 


272 


INDEX. 


Blades,  W.,  xi. 

Bleek,  13772.  See  African  Fable. 

Blind  Doe,  14972. 

Boccaccio,  229,  cf.  Al.  1.  2,  11. 

Blumenthal,  A.,  12072,  cf.  iii. 

14,  Al.  9. 
Boethius,  cf.  Re.  14. 
Boner,  185, 23072,  cf.  i.  1-4, 6-8, 

10,  ii.  2,  3,  6,  9,  12,  16,  19, 
20,  iii.  2,  6,  13,  iv.  6,  9,  17, 
20,  Av.  2-4,  6,  10-15,  J7» 
19,  22,  27.     See  Carlyle. 

Borrowing  Theory,  44-6,  97, 
202,  209. 

Boy  and  Thief  (Av.  18),  126, 

153- 

Bozon,  N.,  185. 
Brahmadatta  in  Benares,   55, 

69  ;  significance  of,  147. 
Brahman,  Tiger  and  Jackal, 

50,  cf  v.  4. 
Brer    Rabbit    identified    with 

Buddha,  11372, 136  ;  his  foot, 

i37- 
Brandt,  S.,  218. 
British    Museum,    xiv.    19172  ; 

Burneian  MS.  at,  5. 
Bromyard,   185,  cf.  i.  1,  3-7, 

10,  13,  16,  18,  20,  ii.  2,  3,  7, 

10,  15,  17,  19,  iii.  1,  4-7,  13, 

15,  19,  iv.  3,  8,  v.  3-s,  9, 
Re.  14,  Av.  1,  4,  8,  9,  17, 
Al.  id,  5. 

Buddha,  53  and  72,  58,  61,  69, 
79,  113,  129,  147,  212,  213, 
23372  ;  identified  with  Brer 
Rabbit,  11372,  137;  his  foot, 

137- 

Buddhism,  influence  of,  on 
negroes,  136  ;  on  Neopytha- 
goreanism,  Essenes,  Chris- 
tianity, 138. 

Bullokar,  W.,  191. 

Burmann,  12,  13,  1472. 

Burneian  MS.  of  "  Romulus," 
5.  18372. 


Burton,  Sir  R.  F.,  92,  15472., 

267  and  72. 
Butting  Goats,  52,  cf  v.  10. 

Cainozoic  stratum  of  Bidpai, 
51,  104,  157. 

Caldecott,  R.,  196,  229. 

Camel  and  Jupiter  (Av.  7)  ; 
Indian,  81  and  72,  in,  226, 
142,  153- 

Camel-bird  (ostrich),  204. 

Campbell,  "Tales,  W.  High- 
lands," cf.  iii.  2,  v.  3. 

Carlyle,  23072,  cf.  ii.  20. 

Calf  and  Ox,  70. 

Cat  and  Chicken  (Re.  4),  63. 

Cat  and  Parrot,  2872. 

Cat  and  Weasel,  zi6n. 

Catalan  ^sop,  18772,  cf  i.  8. 

Caxton,  W.,  xi.-xiii.,  xx.  4,  9 
and  n,  13,  15,  16,  25,  38,  47 
and  72,  51,  67,  71,  15272,  158, 
186,  187-92,  189,  190,  217, 
cf  i.  8,  v.  1,  Al.  6,  p.  268. 

Ceylon,  54 ;  home  of  Indian 
Fable,  144,  145,  213. 

Chaff,  straw,  and  wheat,  115. 

Chain  of  tradition,  strength 
of,  97. 

Chapbook,  193,  cf.  ii.   15,  iv. 

3.  I2- 

Charlemagne,  215. 

Chaucer,  185- and  n,  cf.  v.  3, 
8,  Av.  1. 

Chemnitzer,  19272. 

Cheyne,  Prof.,  13272,  13372. 

Chicken  and  Fox,  170. 

Chinese  iEsop,  21972. 

Chinese  Fable.  See  Avadanas, 
Hiouen. 

Choliambics,  21,  22,  23,  214. 

Christianity,  influence  of  Bud- 
dhism on,  138  ;  sensual  chas- 
tity of  mediaeval,  200. 

Church,  visible,  doctrine  of, 
founded  on  fable,  87. 


INDEX. 


273 


Classical  scholars  neglect  lite- 
rary history,  3472. 

Clodd,  E.,  13772. 

Clouston,  W.  C,  126,  cf.  ii. 
12,  iii.  9,  v.  4,  Av.  24,  Al.  5. 

Cobet,  12172,  15072. 

Cock  and  Bat,  115. 

Colombo,  Bishop  of,  64,  10672. 

Comet  Fables,  159.  See  Fa- 
bulai  extravagantes. 

ComTe,  J.,  18272,  cf.  i.  2,  8. 
See  Bayeux  Tapestry. 

Conceited  Jackal,  73,  777?,  in, 
129. 

Conventions  of  fable,  208,  209. 

Coraes,  ijn,  ign,  2472. 

Cosquin,  210. 

Countryman  and  Snake  (i.  10). 
28  ;  Indian,  81, 128,  139, 143, 

153- 
Country?nan,  Son  and  Snake 

(ii.  20)  ;  Indian,  92-4,  139, 

153,  166. 
Crabs,  Two  (Av.  3),  28. 
Crane  and  Peacock  (Av.   12), 

71,  127,  (Crow  by  mistake) 

J53- 
Crane,  T.  F.,  cf.  ii.  15,  Al.  5, 

8,  13- 
Crane,  W.,  bad  "morals"  of, 

14972  ;  designs  of,  196,  229. 
Crocodile,   fable    about,    pro- 
bably Indian,  140,  153. 
Crow  and  Fox  (i.  15),  2972,  52  ; 

Indian,  65,  139,  153,  182. 
Crow   and  Pitcher   (A v.  20), 

114,  127,  153,  209. 
Croxall,  S.,  193,  195,  229. 
Crusius,  O.,  xv.  21,  122,  219, 

cf.  Av.  14. 
Culladhanuggaha  Jdtaka,  ^9- 

60. 
Culture  beyond  Fable,  208. 
Cunningham,     Sir    A.,    7172, 

73".  77- 
Cyprian  Fable,  zzjn. 

VOL.  I. 


Cyril,  21572,  cf.  i.  15,  iv.  17. 
Cyrus,  Fable  of,  26.  88.     See 
Piper  turned  Fisherman. 

"Daniel  Derond  a,  "quoted 

11772. 
Dates,  importance  of,  47 ;  of 

Gk.  Fable,  47.     See  JEsop, 

Babrius,  Berachyah,  Marie. 
De  Gubernatis,  4572  ;  specimen 

of  his  theory,  23772,  cf.  plls. 
.       pass. 
Delphian  Oracle,  38,  39. 
Demetrius  Phalereus,  xx.  33- 

6,  123,  124,  13972,  143,  203, 

212,  214. 

Democritus,  28,  129  (Theognis 

by  mistake). 
I    Derenbourg,  J.,  15472. 
I    Derivates  of  Phaedrus,  xv. ,  xx. ; 

of   Ademar   and    Romulus, 

1572,  178-9. 
Devadatta,  56,  23372. 
D'Herbelot,  41,  cf  Al.  4. 
Dimitrief,  19272. 
Diogenes  Laertius,  28. 
Dipi  Jdtaka,  62. 
Dispute  of  Senses,  84,  8672. 
Dog  and  Shadow  (i.  5),  6,  28, 

51  ;  Indian,  58-60,  101,  129, 

153.  165. 
Dog  in  Manger  (v.  n),  18672, 

19272,  19472,  209. 
Dogs  and  Hide,   Indian,   72, 

139,  142,  153. 
"  Don  Quixote,"  cf.  Al.  8. 
Dragon  and  Hart  (v.  4),   52, 

13772. 
Dramatis   personae  of  Fables 

changed,  142. 
Dressier,  xx. ,  13,  1472. 
Droll,  202,  206. 
Dukes,  L.,  96,  ii072,   114,  cf. 

i.  8,  Av.  9,  15. 
Du  Meriil,  xv.,  xx.,    1,   16472, 

165,  17772,  219,  cf.  plls.  pass. 
S 


274 


INDEX. 


Duplessis,  xx. 

Dutch   y^Esop,   xx.    179,    187, 
217,  229. 

Eagle  and  Fox  (i.  13),  28,  30^. 
Eagle  and  Raven  (i.   14),  51, 

61,  139,  153. 
Eagle  and    Tortoise   (Av.   2), 

Indian,    61,   126,   127,    153, 

182,  183. 
Eagle  and  Weasel,  62. 
Eagle  hoist  with  own  Petard, 

26,  127,  and  n. 
Eberhard,  15522. 
Ebert,  215^. 
Egyptian  Fable,   42,   82,   88, 

209. 
"  Ecclesiasticus,"     13472,     cf. 

A  v.  9. 
"Eliot,     George,"     31,    3372, 

11772,  14972. 
Ellis,  R. ,  1372,  16,  6472,  12572. 
England,  home  of  Fable,  xvii., 

178-85  ;  nidus  of  Romance, 

xvii.  181. 
English  words  in  Marie,  162-4. 
Ennius,  8872,  cf.  Re.  7. 
Ephesian    Widow  (iii.  9),  13, 

52,  140,  153,  183?*. 
Erasmus,  cf.  ii.  15,  Av.  4. 
Eremia,  xx.  ;   Fables  of,   177 

and  n. 
Erythraean  Sea,  6172,  127,  144. 
Escurial,  20072. 
Essenes,  138. 
European  ^Esop,  186,  187. 

Fable,  of  ^Esop,  27 ;  oldest, 
82  ;  definition  of,  204  ;  dif- 
ferentia of,  206 ;  future  of, 
220 ;  morality  of,  20872. 

Fabliau,  200 ;  an  English,  cf. 
Al.  11. 

Fabliaux  (Barbazon,  Le  grand, 
Meon),  cf.  iii.  9,  v.  3,  Av. 
17,  Al.  6. 


t5). 


170 


Fabricius,  1972. 

Fabula  extravagantes,  xx.  43, 

159,  186  and  n,  195,  252. 
Fabulce  rhythmicce,  xx.  178. 
Facetiae,  200-2,  cf.  Po.  1-12. 
Fairy    Tale,     190,    206.      See 

Folk  Tale. 
Fallacy  of  Priest  of  Neptune, 

109. 
Farmer  and  Moneylender,  50. 
Fausbbll,  xv.  55  and  n,  59,  61, 

62,  65,   66,   67,  6g,  71,  72, 

73.  75- 

Fedde,  1772. 

Feer,  L.,  146,  14772. 

Fir    and   Bramble  (Av. 
114,  126,  153. 

Fly    on     Chariot-wheel, 
and  n. 

Folk-etymology,  mythology  re- 
garded as,  25. 

Folk-lore,  Gk.  Fable  part  of, 
40  ;  theories  of  resemblances 
in,  44  ;  terminology  of,  206. 
See  Borrowing  Theory. 

Folk-tales,  194  and  n,  cf.  ii.  9, 
10,  15,  iii.  2,  9,  v.  i,  4,  5,  7, 
10,  12,  16,  Av.  13,  17,  Al. 
1-13.  See  Campbell,  Crane, 
Gering,  Grimm,  Temple. 

Fox  and  Cat  (v.  5),  52,  i86n. 

Fox,  Cat  and  Dog,  139,  mis- 
take for  Fox,  Cock  and  Dog. 

Fox  and  Ape,  13,  42. 

Fox  a?id  Crabs,  4972. 

Fox,  Cock  and  Dog  (Po.  7), 
75-  139.  153- 

Fox  and  Crow  (i.  15),  2872,  52  ; 
Indian,  65,  139,  153,  182. 

Fox  and  Fishes,  113,  130,  170. 

Fox  and  Goat  (Re.  3),  52,  6o«, 
18272. 

Fox  and  Grapes  (iv.  i),  52, 
140,  153,  18272. 

Fox  a?id  Hedgehog,  28. 

Fox,    Hedgehog,    and    Ticks, 


INDEX. 


*75 


/Esop's  Fable,  27,  30,  7477., 

170. 
Fox  and  Lion,  26,  in. 
Fox  and  Stork  (ii.  13),  46,  140, 

153- 
Fox  and    Wolf  (iii.   6),  28/z, 

140.  153- 

Fox  as  Singer,  n  5-6. 

Freeman,  Prof.,  1837?. 

French,  iEsop,  xx.  187,  see 
Machault ;  language  used 
by  mediaeval  English  Jews, 
176  ;  scholarship,  1,  14. 

Frohner,  xx. 

Frogs  desiring  King  (ii.  1),  6, 
52. 

Fuchs,  165  and  ?i,  cf.  ii.  15. 

Furia,  17/2,  1977,  2977,  79. 

Gabrias,  xx.  18,  2i«,  24/z,  cf. 
i.  2,  5,  7,  8,  10,  15,  ii.  10, 

16,  iii.  3,  iv.  6,  9,  13,  15,  17, 
v.  1, 4,  Re.  1,  5, 7-9,  Av.  2,  13. 

Gaidoz,  H.,  131,  135  and  n. 

Galfred,  178  and  n.  See 
Walter  of  England ;  cf  i. 
1-20,  ii.  1-20,  iii.  1 -17. 

Gatha,  57,  58,  59,  60,  62,  63, 
64,  66,  67,  69,  71,  72,  73,  75, 
78,  149,  213,  214. 

Gay,  J.,  197. 

Ge'llert  in  Midrash,  113  ;  Bud- 
dhistic, 113,  130. 

Gerard,  xx.  179. 

Gering,  19972,  cf.  i.  10,  ii.  10, 
Al.  1-13. 

German  ^Esop,  xx.  174,  186, 
187 ;  scholarship,  3,  14,  161 
and  n.     See  Stainhowel. 

"  Gesta   Romanorum,"    cf.    i. 

17,  ii.  10,  iii.  1,  20,  v.  4,  13, 
Re.  14. 

Ghivizzani,  xx.  187/z. 
"Gil  Bias,"  cf.  Po.  6. 
Gitlbauer,    23,    25,    132.     See 
Babrius. 


Glinka,  19277. 

Glossary,  xix. 

Goat  and  Compasses,  17677,. 

Goethe,  cf.  i.  6,  8,  iv.  9.  See 
' '  Reynard  the  Fox. ' ' 

Goncharof,  19272. 

Goodman  and  Serpent  (i.  10), 
52;  Indian,  81  and  ?i,  139, 
153.     See  Countryman. 

Goodman,  Son  and  Serpent 
(ii.  10),  52  ;  Indian,  92,  106, 
139,  153.     See  Countryman. 

Goose  with  Golden  Eggs  (Av. 
24),  52;  Indian,  67,  126,  129, 

*S3>  197n.  *99«- 

Gottheil,  R. ,  xix.  157/2,  22i«, 

Gow,  J.,  xix. 

Gower,  184^,  185,  cf  Av.  17. 

Graesse,  21677. 

Graetz,  H.,  118,  13277,  133. 

Grasshoppers,  26n. 

Greek  Fables,  source  of  Latin, 
17  ;  ancient  enumerated, 
26-28  ;  part  of  folk-lore, 
29,  30  ;  Indian  elements  of, 
15277.  See  Demetrius,  Nico- 
stratus. 

Greek  prose  ^Esop,  xx.  17 ; 
editions  of,  xjn  ;  derived  from 
Babrius,  24  :  differences 
from  Phasdrus,  166,  169 ; 
translated  by  L'Estrange, 
191 ;  by  Townsend,  195  ;  cf 
i.  2,  3,  5-10,  12,  13,  15,  17- 
20,  ii.  1,  3,  4,  8-io,  13,  15, 
16,  19,  iii.  2,  3,  7,  12-15,  I9> 
iv.  3,  4,  9,  10,  12,  13,  16,  17, 
v.  1,  4,  6,  9,  n,  Re.  1-17, 
Av.  1-20,  22-26. 

Grimm,  3177,  44,  45,  190, 
"  Kindermarchen,"  cf  ii. 
9,  10,  iii.  9,  v.  5,  12,  16,  Av. 
13,  Al.  8. 

Grisebach,  cf  iii.  9. 

Grote,  337?. 

Gruppe,  209,  210. 


276 


INDEX. 


Hahn,  19472,  202,  cf.  v.  4,  5, 

10. 
Halm,  17,  77,  126-7,  I7°«    See 

Gk.  prose  JEsop. 
Hamburger,  no//,  119//,  112/2, 

116/2,  5^  i.  8. 
Hardy,  54/2,  72. 
Hare  and  Elephant,  60/2. 
i7<2/-£  and  Hound,  28. 
Harris,  137,  cf.  v.  3,  4,  16. 
Hare    in    African     Folk-lore, 

137/2. 
Hare  with  many  Friends,  197. 
Hartung,  121. 
Hazlitt,  W.  C,  32,   194.     See 

Proverbs,  English. 
Head  and   Tail  of  Serpent, 

T.xyi. 
Heart,  seat  of  sense,  94,  95/2, 

126  and  n. 
Hebraisms  in  Greek  .<Esop,  18. 
Hecataeus,  79^2. 
Henrique,  Infante,  xx.  187. 
Herodotus,  26,  37,  38,  88/2,  cf. 

Re.  7. 
Heron  and  Eel,  28. 
Hervieux,    L. ,    xv.,    xx.  ;    re- 
searches on  Phaedrus,   1-3, 

5/2,  181/2,  219,  cf.  i.  8,  pass. 

(III.). 
Hesiod,  26. 
Hesychius,  121. 
Heusinger,  17/2.  ; 

Heydenreich,  E. ,  5/2,  14. 
Hiouen  Tsiang,  72,  cf.  iii.  1. 
Hipporus  in  Ceylon,  144. 
"  Hitopadesa,"  132/2,  133. 
Holkot,  185,  cf.  i.  17, 
Horace,  99,  101,  207,  cf.  i.  12, 

15,  ii.  5,  15,  iv.  12. 
Horse  and  Ass,  iii.  3,  n. 
Horse,      Hunter     and     Stag 

(iv.  9). 
Howell,  J.,  160/2. 
Hunter  and  Lion,  126,  153. 
Hunter,  Sir  W.,  152/2. 


"hus"  in  Marie,  162/2. 
Huschke,  19/2. 

Iadmon,  ^Esop's  master,  38. 

Iambies  in  Ademar,  10,  n. 

Ibycus,  28. 

Iceland,  164,  199. 

Ignatius,  tetrastichs  of,  from 
Babrius,  24,  136/2.  See 
Gabrius. 

Illustrations,  xiii.,  xix.,  182, 
195,  cf.  i.  8  (III.),  iii.  9, 
Av.  14. 

Indra,  59,  113. 

India  Office  MS.,  xx.  156, 
157  and  n,  178. 

Indian  Fable,  45,  48,  209  ;  ex- 
aggerations of,  66,  67 ;  in 
Latin  Fable,  139  ;  Table  of, 

i53- 
Initial    letters    first    used    in 

Caxton's  "Esope,"  xiii. 
Interpolations,  35,  48,  80,  151, 

183  and  n. 
Ion,  28. 
Islam    intermediary    between 

Greece  and  India,  152. 
Italian  iEsop,    xx.    187,  217, 

229. 
"  Itiahasa  Kasyapa,"  xx.  147, 

215- 
"  Izopiti,"  xx.,  cf.  i.  1-17,  19, 

iii.  20. 

Jack  and  Beanstalk,  29. 

Jacobs,  J.,  xv.,  xvi.,  46/2,  51/2, 
6i,  104,  113/2,  152/2,  160/2, 
169/2,  170/2,  206/2,  175/2, 
2C0/2,  219  and  n,  cf.  i.  13, 
20,  iii.  1,  16,  v.  10,  Av.  2. 

"  Jalkut,"  95,  114. 

Jambukhadaka  Jdtaka,  68,  cf. 

Jannelli,  xx.  23. 
Jatakas,   xvi.,   xx.   53-79,    89, 
103,    104,    129,    174,    184 ; 


INDEX. 


277 


source  of,  xvi.   145-7,  215 ; 

cf.  i.  2,  5,  8,  15,  ii.  12,  15, 

Av.  2,  4,  24. 
Jdvasakuna  Jdtaka,  55-6. 
/<zy  in  Peacocks  Feathers  (ii. 

15),  6,  52,  114,124,  153,  165. 
J  ebb,   R.   C. ,  28/z,  3371,   19272, 

cf.  v.  11,  Av.  4. 
Jest-books,  Elizabethan,  32. 
Jests  associated  with  a  name, 

31-2,  214  ;  obscene,  200-3. 
Jewish    evidence,    95  ;    fable, 

earliest,  117-9  ;  from  India, 

116,    117,    119,   20472.      See 

Midrash,  Talmud. 
Joaz,  Fable  of,  88. 
Jochanan     ben    Saccai,    120, 

122,  123,  144,  214. 
Joseph's  plan,  3972. 
Joshua  ben   Chananyah,    117 

and  n,  118,  119. 
Jotham's   fable,    2.6/1,   39,   41, 

88. 
Juno,  Venus  and  Hen  (hi.  8),    | 

13- 

Julian  the  Apostate,  128,  cf.  \. 
18. 

Kdka  Jdtaka,  72. 

Karjna  Jdtaka,  184. 

Kasyapa,  146-8,  213  and  n. 
See  Kybises. 

Keller,  O.,  102. 

Kirchhof,  cf.  i.  1-3,  5,  6,  8,  9, 
12,  14-16,  18,  20,  ii.  1-4,  7- 
11,  13,  15,  17,  19,  20,  hi.  1- 

3,  9,  13,  14,  16,  19,  iv.  4,  9, 
11,  12,  15,  20,  v.  1,  4,  6,  11, 
Re.  6,  9,  10,  13,  14,  17,  Av. 

4,  8,  9,  13,  15,  16,  18-20, 
Al.  4,  6,  13,  Po.  3,  4,  7. 

Knoell,  1772,  18. 
Kohler,  R. ,  16072,  cf,  v.  4. 
Koile,  49,  cf  v.  16,  Av.  13. 
Krilof,  192  and  n,  cf.  i.  1,  2, 
8,  15,  iv.  17,  20. 


"Kubsis."     See  Kybises. 

Kuhn,  44. 

Kurz,  18772.     See  Waldis. 

Kybises,  xvi.,  xx.  ;  ^Esop  of 
Libyan  Fable,  121  ;  in  Tal- 
mud, 122,  123,  124,  125, 
128,  136,  138,  142,  144,  149, 
150,  203,  214.    See  Kasyapa. 

Lafontaine,  i,  218,  cf.  i.  1- 
3,  s,  7-12,  15-18,  20,  ii.  1, 
5,  8-io,  13-17,  20,  iii.  7,  9, 
12-16,  19,  iv.  1,  2,  4,  9,  10, 
12,  15,  17,  20,  v.  1,  4,  5,  9, 
Re.  1-3,  6-8,  11,  13,  16,  17, 
Av.'  1,  3,  4,  8,  9,  16,  22,  24, 
Po.  7. 

"  Lais"  of  Marie,  160  and  n, 
164. 

Landsberger,  J.,  xx.  "41,  yon, 
74/z,  non,  in,  113,  114, 
14972,  155. 

Lang,  A.,  poem  by.  ix.,  x.  ; 
referred  to,  xix.  44,  45,  4672, 
11372,  141,  cf  i.  8  (II.). 

Latin,  canine,  8,  13  ;  accent 
in  choliambics,  21  ;  Fable, 
Indian  elements  in,  153. 

Lauth,  91  and  n. 

"LBG"  Fables,  xx.  161,  163, 
178. 

Lean  Fox,  11 1. 

Leopard  and  Fox,  126,  153. 

Lessing,  an  .Esop  scholar, 
25n>  ^ll11'  2I8,  cf.  i.  1,  6, 
15,  ii.  1,  14,  15,  iii.  9,  Po.  1. 

L' Estrange,  191  ;  source  of 
Russian  Fable  (?)  192,  193 ; 
mentioned,  218,  229, 

Libyan  Fable,  xvi.  121,  124, 
125,  127,  20972  ;  true  mean- 
ing of,  128  and  n. 

Liebrecht,  80,  81,  10072,  cf.  i. 
10,  17,  iv.  1,  Av.  4,  17,  Al. 
5,  6,  Po.  6. 

Lightfoot,  Bp.,  13872. 


278 


INDEX. 


Lion  and  Ass  (iv.  io),  74. 
Lion   and   Crane.     See    Wolf 

and  Crane. 
Lion  and  Man  (iv.  15),  21  and 

n,  14972. 
Lion  and  Mouse,  6,  11,  52;  in 

India  and  Egypt,  90-2,  139. 

142,  153- 
Lion  and  Oxen  (Av.  17),  7772, 

115,  126,  153. 
Lion  reanimated,  113. 
Lion's  share  (i.  6),  6,  7472,  166  ; 

two  versions,  166,  169,  i82n. 
Lion's  Traces,  170. 
Livy,  88,  cf.  iii.  16. 
Longperier,  135. 
Loqman,  xx.  41,  48,  50,  154, 

155 ;     doublet   of    Balaam, 

154a,  216 ;  cf.  iii.  16,  iv.  6, 

12,     15,    Av.     14,    24.     See 

Appendix. 
Losaka  Jdtaka,  io6n. 
Loth,  156. 

Lueanor,  cf.  i.  15,  20. 
Lucian,  29,  cf.  ii.  5. 
Luther,  1,  15,  20372,  cf.  i.  1-12, 

15,  ii.  1,  2,  20,  v.  4,  Av.  8, 

Al.  6,  Po.  7. 
Lydgate,  185,  r/".  Al.  1,  6. 
Lytton,  Lord,  199. 


Machault,  J.,  xx.  4.  9,  186, 
229,  267. 

Macrobius,  16. 
Mahabharata,    80 ;     parallels 

from,  81,  82,  104,  153,  cf.  i. 

10,  iii.  16,  iv.  20,  Av.  7. 
Mahaffy,  Prof.,  92. 
Mahosadha  Jdtaka,  io6n,  130, 

131. 
Makasa  Jdtaka,  64  and  n. 
Mall,  E. ,  xv.  160  and  n,  161- 

164,  219. 
Man  and  Idol,  52,  169  and  n, 
Man  and  Pit,  169  and  n. 


Man  and  Serpent.  See  Country- 
man. 

Man  and  Tiger,  50,  in,  120 
and  n. 

Man,  Lion,  and  Serpent,  184. 

Man  with  Two  Wives  (Re.  16), 
in,  139,  140,  153. 

Mapes.W. ,  185,  cf.  iii.  19,  Av.  4. 

Marcus  Aurelius,  22. 

Marie  de  France,  xv.  xx.  158, 
159-167,  179,  217,  219,  cf. 
i.  1-20,  ii.  i-ii,  15-18,  20, 
iii.  4,  5,  7,  8,  12,  14,  15,  16, 
17,  20,  iv.  3,  4,  6,  8,  10,  12, 
15,  16,  17,  19,  v.  23-9,  Av. 
1,  11,  Al.  6. 

Martial,  31,  cf.  ii.  20. 

Maspero,  82  and  n. 

Mavor,  194  and  n,  229. 

Meir,  Rabbi,  xx.  in,  112,  120 
and  n,  X22,  12372. 

Menander,  33,  35. 

Menas,  M.,  discovers  Babrius, 
20,  22. 

Mercury  and  Statue    Seller, 

3i- 
Mercury  and    Two    Women, 

140-1,     153.        See     Three 

Wishes. 
Meril.     See  Du  Menl. 
Mesnevi,  49,  cf.  v.  9,  Al.  5. 
Mesozoic  stratum   of  Bidpai, 

54*,  89,  104. 
Metempsychosis,  89. 
"  Midrash    Rabba,"    70,    72, 

8572,  96,  11172,  115. 
Middle    English    derivate    of 

Marie,  163 ;  translations  of, 

164. 
Migne,  8872,  19972. 
Migration  of  illustrations,  7672. 
Milesian  Fable,  12772,  203,  212, 

217. 
Miller,  Joe,  32  and  n,  33  and 

72,  214. 
"Mishle  Kobsim,"  120,  121. 


INDEX. 


279 


"  Mishle  Kubsis,"  122,  136. 

"  Mishle  Shu'alim,"  120,  122, 
123,  13972,  168,  217. 

Misprints  in  Caxton,  x.,  xi.  ;  in 
Talmud,  121  ;  in  Introduc- 
tion, p.  127,  Crow  (Crane)  ; 
131,  in  (on);  143,  Phoedrus 
(Phaedrus)  ;  148,  Afcrwros 
{Atauiros)  ;  164,  athcle 
(athele)  ;  19272,  Russial 
(Russian);  19672,  iun  (inn). 

Mistranslation,  74,  162,  163. 

Morality  of  Fable,  20872. 

Morals  of  Fable,  their  origin, 
xvi.  148-50,  20472,  214, 

Morris,   R.,  58,  62,  66,  67,  72, 

73.  75-  78,  113.  174.  2l8«- 
Mountain   in   Labour   (ii.   5), 

101. 
Mouse-Maiden,  11,  28  ;  Indian, 

98-101,  139,  142,  153,  162, 

166, 169.  See  Vixen-Maiden. 
Mouse  and  Frog  (i.   3),   in, 

139.  153- 
Mouse  and  Ox  (Av.  23),  114, 

126,  153. 
Mulier,  C.  F.,  24. 
Mulier,  L.  5,  14. 
Mulier,  M.,  14,  44. 
Mules  Pedigree,  170. 
Munchausen.  5072. 
Munika  Jdtaka,  69,  115. 
Musset,  A.  de,  cf.  iii.  9. 

Nacca  Jdtaka,  71  and  n. 
"  Xakdan,"  168,  175. 
Neckam,  179  and  n,  185,  cf.  i. 
2-9,  13,  15,  17,  18,  20,  ii.  1, 

5,  8,  9,   12,  iii.  1,  7,  12,  13, 
15,   16,   iv.  3,  6,  9,   10,  13, 

Neubauer,  A.,  174,  176. 
Neveiet,  2672,  27.  218. 
Nicholas  of  Pergamus,  21672, 
cf  (Dial.   Creat.)  i.  2,  3,  5, 

6,  10,  12,  15,  16,  18,  20,  ii. 


1,   10,   15,  20,  111.  1,   13,  iv. 
12,   17,  v.   4,  Av.  4,  8,  Al. 
1  a. 
Nicostratus,  source  of  Babrius, 

XX.  22,   24,   36,   122,  I23,  I24, 

214. 

A  ightingale  and  Hawk,  earliest 
fable,  26  and  n. 

"Nights  with  Uncle  Remus," 
7272,  137. 

Nilant,  xx.  5,  218.  See  Ro- 
mulus of  Nilant. 

Norman  love  of  Fable,  181. 

North  Wind  and  Sun,  28. 

Nutt,  A, ,  xix. 

Oak  and  Reeds  (iv.  20),  Indian, 
81,  in,  126.  142,  153;  from 
Avian  not  Phaedrus,  1837?. 

Obscene  Jest,  200-3. 

Odo  of  Sherington,  185,  cf.  i. 
3,  8,  12,  ii.  1,  2,  15,  iii.  5,  iv. 
7,  8,  v.  9,  Av.  4. 

Oesterley,  xv.,  xviii. ,  xx.,  itz, 
5,  972,  11,  17872,  18672,  18772, 
21972,  229.     See  plls.  pass. 

Ogiiby,  191,  229. 

Old  Testament,  Indian  ele- 
ments in,  134  ;  foreign 
elements,  13472  ;  cf  iv.  17, 
Re.  6,  13. 

Ophir,  10672,  131,  160. 

"Oriental  LXX.,"44, 150, 152. 

Original  Fables,  143  and  72. 

Origins,  interest  of,  15. 

Ovid,  21. 

Ox  and  Heifer,  in,  126,  153. 

Oxen  and  Pig,  ill,  129. 

Paleozoic  stratum  of  Bidpai, 
54,  60,  104. 

Papyrus,  age  of,  92. 

"  Pantschatantra,"  Benfey's  in- 
troduction to,  46,  6o».  See 
Bidpai. 

Pandects,  cf  iii.  4. 


28o 


INDEX. 


Panther,  fable  about,  Indian, 
140. 

Parable,  204  and  n. 

Parallels,  xviii.  27 ;  of  Indian 
and  Greek  fable,  46,  48 ; 
Synopsis  of,  229-68. 

Paris,  G.,  372,  522,  14,  83,  151, 
18022,  cf.  Av.  17. 

Paris,  Matthew,  18472. 

Paris  MS.  of  Arabic  .Esop,  xx. 
157,  221-4. 

Parodies,  197. 

Partington,  Mrs.,  Indian,  72. 

Partridge,  Monkey,  and  Ele- 
phant, 170. 

Paul,  St.,  Fable  of,  86,  88,  cf. 
iii.  16. 

Pauli,  cf.  i.  4,  7,  19,  iii.  15,  v. 
16,  Av.  8,  17,  24,  Al.  3,  4,  7, 
Po.  6. 

Peacock  and  Nightingale,  71. 

Peacock,  fables  about,  Indian, 
71,  139,  140,  153. 

Pedigree  of  Caxton's  JEsop, 
xviii.  xx.,  230. 

"Pentamerone,"£/".Re.  6,  Av.  7. 

Perotti,  xx.  13. 

Phsedrus,  literary  source  of, 
xvi.  16,  35,  212 ;  is  our 
./Esop,  i,  158 ;  derivates  of, 
xx.  6  ;  M.  Hervieux  on,  2, 
3  ;  missing  fables  of,  6  ;  one 
restored,  13 ;  date  and  birth- 
place, 1772;  "jests  of,"  31 
and  ?z ;  parallel  with  Babrius, 
35,  36 ;  Indian  elements  of, 
139-141,  153 ;  mentioned, 
71,  74,  80,  io8n,  124,  13972  ; 
cf.  i.  1-20,  ii.  1-20,  iii.  1-20, 
iv.  1-19,  v.  4,  Av.  8.  See 
Appendices  to  Phaedrus. 

Phalaris,  1822,  19272. 

Pictorial  yEsops,  195-6. 

Pig  and  Whistle,  196/2. 

Piper  turned  Fisher  (Re.  7), 
26,  88.     See  Cyrus. 


Pithoean  Codex  of  Phaedrus, 
7«. 

Planudes,  xiv.  18,  1972. 
Plato,  2622,  28,  cf.  iv.  12,  Av. 

4(?)- 
Plautus,  cf.  ii.  15. 
Pliny,  145. 
Plocanus,  144-5. 
Plutarch,  29,  39,  cf.  ii.  13,  iii. 

3,  16,  iv.  9,  13,  15,  Av.  20. 
Poggio  Bracciolini,  xiv.  4,  32, 

1397?,  200-1, 217,  cf.  Po.  1-10. 
Political  use  of  Fable,  39,  40, 

184,   I927Z,    2l8/2. 

Polynesian  Fable,  206,  207. 

Pope,  cf.  i.  12,  iii.  16. 

Pots,  Two  (Av.  9),  52  ;  Indian, 
96-7,  in,  134%,  14922,  153. 

Prato  on  Belly  and  Members, 
8422,  cf.  iii.  16. 

Priaulx,  O.,  14472. 

Proverbs  of  Agur,  Indian, 
132-4. 

Proverbs  related  to  Fable,  108 
and  n,  205  and  n  ;  Arabic, 
205  ;  Greek,  cf.  i.  8,  Re.  13  ; 
Indian,  cf.  Al.  7  ;  English, 
cf.  i.  i,  6,  15,  17-19,  ii.  15, 
v.  10,  Re.  7,  10,  Av.  16. 

Pythagoreanism,  138,  1477?. 

Quatrains  of  thought,  an  In- 
dian literary  artifice,  133 
and  n. 

Queen's  Library,  copy  of  Cax- 
ton  at,  xiv. 

Rabelais,  cf.  i.  1,  ii.  5,  iii. 

16. 
Raju,  R.,  49  and  n,  cf.  i.  18, 

iii.  14. 
Ralston,  64,  19272. 
Rankine,  Prof.,  19672. 
Ranutio  d'  Arezzo,  xx.  25,  186. 

See  Remicius. 
Rawlinson,  41. 


INDEX. 


281 


Regnier,  1897?,  cf.  i.  8  (IV.)- 
Remicius,  xx.  25, 125,  159,  203. 

See  Ranutio,  cf.  Re.  1-17. 
"  Reineke  Fuchs,"  171  and  n. 
Reynard  the  Fox,  159,  171  and 

n,  cf.  i.  6,  8,  io,  12,  15,  ii.  1, 

15,  20,  iii.  6,  v.  1,  4,  5,  7-10, 

13,  14,  Re.  6,  Po.  7. 
Rhode,  E. ,  20372. 
Rhodopis,  37,  141. 
Rhys-Davids,  T. ,  56,  57, 65,  69, 

7072,  71,  113,  130,  146,  147, 

215  ;  views  on  Indian  fable, 

107-9. 
Richard  I.,  176,  179,  184  and 

n,  216. 
Richard  III,  xi. 
Riese,  A.,  iitz,  12,  1437?. 
Rig  Veda,  132-3,  cf  iii.  20. 
Robert,  xx.   1,   187,  219,  229, 

252.     See  plls.  pass. 
Rbdiger,  15772,  cf.  ii.  8,  Av.  7, 

10. 
Rohini  Jataka,  54. 
Roman  Fable,  88. 
Romance,  England,  the  nidus 

of,  xvii.  181. 
Romulus,  xx.  4,  5,  125,   139, 

169,  186,  198,  cf.  i.  1-20,  ii. 

1-20,  iii.  1-20,  iv.  1-19,  Po.  7. 
Romulus  of  Marie,  161.     See 

Appendix  to  Romulus. 
Romulus  of  Nilant,   572,   i6t, 

178  ;  Collation  (accidentally 

omitted      from      Synopsis), 

Rom.  Nil.  1-17=1.  1-9,  12- 

18,    20:   i8-24=ii.    1-6,    8: 

25-37=™-  1.  2,  4.  5.  7.  9> 
10,  13-17,  20  :  38-45  =  ™.  3, 
4,  6,  8,  10,  12,  17,  19. 

Roth,   122??. 

"Rufus,"  5,  18372,  cf  i.  1-4, 
6-18,  ii.  1-5,  7-15,  19,,  hi. 
I~3>  5_8,  10-20,  iv.  1,  4,  5. 

Russian  Fable,  source  of,  192. 
See  Krilof. 


Rutherford,  W.  G.,  1372,  23 
and  n,  2972,  41,  105-6,  10872, 
12m,  12372,  15072. 

Ryland,  H.,  xix. 

Sachs,  Hans,  cf  i.  2,  8,  12, 
13,  ii.  1,  3,  7,  8,  10,  17,  iii. 
2,  3,  iv.  8,  17,  v.  1-5,  Re. 
16,  Av.  1,  4,  5,  8,  14,  17,  22, 
Al.  1,  6,  11,  Po.  7. 

Sakuna  Jataka,  jjn. 

Sakvamuni,  53,  212.  See  Bud- 
dha. 

Salisbury,  John  of,  184,  185, 
cf.  iii.  1,  16,  Av.  2. 

Salmon,  Lamb  mistaken  for, 

193. 

Samos,  home  of  yEsop,  38. 
Sanjivata  Jataka,  114. 
Sausages  the  Pig,  69. 
Schakama  Jataka,  57-8. 
Schechter,  S. ,  xix. 
Schiefner,  64,  cf  i.  8  (I.). 
Schmidt,  V.,  154^,   19972,   cf. 

Al.  1.-13. 
Schneider,  xjn,  ign. 
Scorpion  and  Camel,  114. 
Seneca,  cf  v.  13. 
"  Sepande"  clue  in  Marie,  163. 
Serpent  and  Ass,  28. 
Serpent  and  Crab,  28. 
Serpent  and  Eagle,  28. 
Shah's  justice,  131^. 
Shakespeare,  2>jn,  11472,  cf.  i. 

2,  iii.  16. 
Sheep  and  Cow  (iv.  19),  13. 
Sheep  and  Dog,  27. 
Shepherd  and  Wolf,  114. 
Sheppev,  John  of,  xx.  185,  cf 

i.  8  (in.). 

Simon  bar  Kappara,  122/2. 
Simonides,  28  and  72. 
Sindibad,  cf.  Al.  2,  5,  11. 
Smith,  Sydney,  32,  7272. 
Socrates,  30,  129. 
Solomon's  judgment,  probably 


282 


INDEX. 


Indian,  130-4  ;  at  Pompeii, 

Solon,  28,  39,  £/.  11.  proem. 
Somadeva,   cf.    v.    3,    Re.    i, 
Av.  2. 

Sophocles,  28. 

Sophos,  49,  155,  156,  </.  i.  5, 
13,  18,  iii.  3,  12,  15,  iv.  2, 
15,  17,  Re.  6,  Av.  20,  24. 

Sorg,  229. 

Sow  and  Lord,  126,  153. 

Spanish  JEsop,  187  and  n, 
217,  229. 

Spelling  book  ^Esop,  194  and 
n,  218.     SeeMavor. 

Stainhowel,  Asop  of,  xx.  4, 
25,  67,  139^,  182,  185,  186, 
187^,   198,  217,    229,  236//, 

r      252,   256,   cf.  Al.  13,   PO.    I,  7. 

Steinschneider,  Dr.,  169/z,  170, 
174  and  K.     5^  "  Izopiti. " 
Stephanus,  ijn. 
Stesichorus,  27,  28. 
Stevenson,  R.  L. ,  1977?. 
Story  of  the  Past,  6j,  146. 
Story  of  the  Present,  57,  70^. 
Strattis,  28,  100,  129. 
Strong,    Stronger,    St?-ongest, 

113. 

Survivals,  x$n,  23,  46. 
Susa  Jdtaka,  112  and  n. 
Suvawwahamsa  Jdtaka,  67. 
Suvaxmakakkata  Jdtaka,  67. 
Swallow   and   Birds   (i.    20), 

77«,  126,  153,  i82«,  183^. 
Sybaritic    Fables,     127,    203, 

212,  217. 
Syntipas,  xx.   155,  216,  cf.  i. 

5,   10,  iii.   3,  12,  16,  iv.  12, 

16,  v.  4,  Av.  20,  Al.  2,  11. 
Syriac  yEsop,   154,   155.     See 

Sophos. 

Talmud,  xx.  74,  8i» ;  gives 
clue,  no,  120  ;  fables  from, 
111-5,  141,  142,  151,  214. 


Tar-Baby,  H3«,  136. 
Temple,    Capt.,   48    and    n., 

126,  cf.  v.  4,  Av.  17. 
Temple,  Sir  W.,  18. 
"Tendency,"  205,  207. 
Tenniel,  J.  195. 
Tettira  Jdtaka,  170. 
Thackeray,  229,  cf.  ii.   15,  20, 

Av.  4. 
Theognis,  28,  129  (mistake  for 

Democritus). 
Theon,  121,  cf.  ii.  15. 
Three  Wishes,  141,  167. 
Tibet,  64.    See  Schiefner. 
Tiger,  fable  about,  126. 
Tiger,  Stag,  and  Crocodile,  $on. 
Tongue  and  Members,  85,  88, 

J34- 
Topes,     Buddhist,    53.       See 

Bharhut. 
Tortoise  and  Birds  (Av.    2), 

52,  61,  153. 
Town  and  Country  Mouse  (i. 

12),  6,  7. 
Townsend,  G.  F.,  195,  229. 
Trench,  204/2. 
Tuppo,  xx.  187,  229. 
Tutinameh,  49,  cf.  i.  2,  5,  10, 

ii.  15,  iii.  6,  iv.  2,  Al.  11. 
Tychon,  33^. 
Tylor,  E.  B.,  15^,  44,  45. 
Tyrant,  39,  211. 
Tyrwhitt,  19  and  n. 

"  Uncle  Remus,"  113^,  136. 
"  Universally    human,"    202, 

206,  209. 
Upanishads,  83,  cf.  iii.  16. 
Upham,  54#. 

Vaca  Jdtaka,  174. 

Vartan,  156,  cf.  i.  13,  15,  iv.  2, 

12,  Al.  6. 
Vesali,  Council  of,  79. 
Vincent  of  Beauvais,  $n,  cf.  i. 

ii  2,  3,  5,  6,  8,  10,  17,  18, 


INDEX. 


283 


ii.  2,   5,  8,  15,  20,  iii.'i,  3, 
14-18,  iv.  i,  8,  12,  17,  Re. 

Fzjzter  a?z^  File  (iii.  12),  197/2. 
Virocana  Jdtaka,  73. 
Vixen-Maiden,   11,    139,    142, 
143,153.  See  Mouse-Maiden. 
Voltaire,  ^/".  iii.  9. 

Wagener,  287?,  101  and  n, 
129,  219/2. 

Waldis,  1877? ,  218 ,  cf.  i.  1-3, 
5-10,  12-16,  18-20,  ii.  1-4, 
8-17,  20,  iii  2-8,  11-17,  19, 
20,  iv.  i,  2,  8,  9,  11,  12,  19, 
20,  v.  4,  5,  10,  11,  17,  Re. 
1-8,  11,  12,  14-16,  Av.  1-7, 
g,  10,  13-25,  27. 

Walrus  and  Carpenter,  50/2. 

Walter  of  England,  xx.  178  and 
n,  179,  215.     See  Galfred. 

Weasel,  Transformed,  28.  See 
Mouse-Ma  iden . 

Weber,  64/2,  8o,  95,  102,  152/?. 

Welcker,  37. 

Welicion,  J.  E.  C,  27. 

William  Longsword,  i68n. 

Wisseburg  MS.  of"  Rufus,"  5. 


Wolf  and  Animals,  172-3. 

Wolf  and  Crane  (i.  8),  Latin, 
7-9  ;  Indian,  54-7  ;  Hebrew, 
1 17-8  ;  on  Bayeux  Tapestry, 
182;  mentioned,  ic6,  111, 
117,  129,  139,  142,  207,  213, 
229. 

Wolf,  Fox  and  Dove,  170. 

Wolf  and  Hounds,  115. 

Wolf  and  Kid,  6. 

Wolf  'and Lamb (i.  2),  6,  Indian, 
62-3,  139,  153 ;  Thibetan, 
64 ;  on  Bayeux  Tapestry, 
182  ;  in  Caxton,  183. 

Wolf  at  Well,  115. 

Wolfenbtittel  MS.  of ' '  Rufus," 


183.        See 


Woodcuts,     xiii 

Illustrations, 
Wright,  xx.  164. 
Wiinsche,  A.,  iii/z 
Wiistenfeid,  168/z. 

Xexophon,  27. 


Ysopet,  xx.  158,  180,  181. 


ZUndel,  41. 


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