ÆSOP'S FABLES,

LITERALLY TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK.

BY THE

REV. GEO. FYLER TOWNSEND, M. A.

WITH ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS, DESIGNED BY
HARRISON WEIR, AND ENGRAVED BY J. GREENAWAY.

CHICAGO AND NEW YORK:
BELFORD, CLARKE & CO.

1885.

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY
SHELDON FUND
JULY 1C 190

PRINTED AND BOUND BY

DONOHUE & HENNEBERRY,

CHICAGO.

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PREFACE.

THE TALE, the Parable, and the Fable are all common and popular modes of conveying instruction. Each is distinguished by its own special characteristics. The Tale consists simply in the narration of a story either founded on facts, or created solely by the imagination, and not necessarily associated with the teaching of any moral lesson. The Parable is the designed use of language purposely intended to convey a hidden and secret meaning other than that contained in the words themselves; and which may or may not bear a special reference to the hearer, or reader. The Fable partly agrees with, and partly differs from both of these. It will contain, like the Tale, a short but real narrative; it will seek, like the Parable, to convey a hidden meaning, and that not so much by the use of language, as by the skilful introduction of fictitious characters; and yet unlike to either Tale or Parable, it will ever keep in view,