Zeus, celebrating his wedding, feasted all the animals. Only the tortoise failed to come. Puzzled by her absence, he questioned her the next day: "Why, alone of all the animals, did you not come to my feast?" "Home is home, home is best," replied the tortoise. Zeus, indignant with her, condemned her to carry her house on her back wherever she went.
Many prefer to live plainly at home than to eat richly at another's table.
Nº 66The Frogs Who Asked for a KingThe frogs, unhappy with the lawless state they lived in, sent envoys to Zeus, begging him to give them a king. Zeus, seeing how simple they were,…Read the fable →
Nº 118Zeus and ModestyAfter fashioning man, Zeus at once placed in him the various inclinations; but he forgot to put in modesty. So, not knowing where to bring it in, he…Read the fable →
Nº 8The Nightingale and the HawkA nightingale was singing high in an oak when a hungry hawk swooped and seized her. Facing death, she begged him to let her go, pleading that she was…Read the fable →