"As a Schoolmaster was walking upon the bank of a river, not far from his School, he heard a cry, as of someone in distress," the Moon told a story when she came, after pronouncing Basmalah and greeting with a Salaam. "Running to the side of the river, he saw one of his Scholars in the water, hanging by the bough of a willow. The Boy, it seems, had been learning to swim with corks, and fancying that he could now do without them, had thrown them aside. The force of the stream hurried him out of his depth, and he would certainly have been drowned, had not the friendly branch of a willow hung in his way. The Master took up the corks, which were lying upon the bank, and threw them to his Scholar. Thereafter his scholar had saved and calmed down, the Schoolmaster told him a story,'A Bear, who was bred in the savage deserts of Siberia, had an inclination to see the world. He travelled from forest to forest, and from one kingdom to another, making many profound observations on his way.One day he made his way by accident into a farmer’s yard, where he saw a number of Fowls standing to drink by the side of a pool. Observing that after every sip they turned up their heads towards the sky, he could not forbear inquiring the reason of so peculiar a ceremony.They told him that it was by way of returning thanks to Heaven for the benefits they received; and was, indeed, a religious custom, which they could not, with a safe conscience, or without impiety, omit.Here the Bear burst into a fit of laughter, at once mimicking their gestures and ridiculing, what he thoght, their superstition, in the most contemptuous manner.
Citations & Reference:On this the Cock, with a spirit suitable to the boldness of his character, addressed him in the following words, "Sir, let me tell you sir,Once on a time, a Bumblebee addressed a Sunflower, 'Dear Sunflower, tell me is it true, what everybody says of you?' says he. The Sunflower replied, 'Tell me, how should I know what people say? Why should I even care? 'Tis some ill-natured tale without a word of truth; but tell me, Bee, what is it people say of me?''Oh, no!' the Bee made haste to add, 'Tis really not so very bad. I got it from the Ant. She said, she’d heard the Sun had turned your head, and that, whenever he walks the skies, you follow him with all your eyes, from morn till eve—”'Oh, what a shame!' exclaimed the Sunflower, aflame, 'To say such things of me! They know, the very opposite is so.They know full well that it is he—the Sun—who always follows me.I turn away my head until I fear my stalk will break; and still, he tags along from morn till night, starting as soon as it is light, and never takes his eyes off me, until it is too dark to see!They really ought to be ashamed. Soon they’ll be saying I was named for him, when they know well, it was he, who took the name of Sun from me.'The Sunflower paused, with anger dumb. The Bee said naught, but murmured, 'H’m! It was very evident that he was much impressed.Then this Bumblebee, spread his wings at once and flew, to tell some other bees he knew, who, being also much impressed, saying, 'H’m!' and flew to tell the rest.And now if you should chance to see, in field or grove, a Bumblebee, and hear him murmur, 'H’m!' then you will know, whom he’s alluding to.'As you are a stranger, sir,' said the Cock, 'you may perhaps be excused the indecency of your behaviour; yet give me leave to tell you that none but a Black Bear or a White Bear, would ridicule any religious ceremonies whatsoever in the presence of those who believe them of importance.''Let this be a warning to you,' said the Schoolmaster, 'and in your future life never throw away your corks until you are quite sure you have strength and experience enough to swim without them.'Before she took her leave, the Moon said, "Such was their conversation. And Allah knows best."
- Oliver Herford, The Bashful Earthquake, Charles Scribner’s Sons
- J.B. Rundell, Aesop's Fables, Cassell, Petter and Galpin
