Aesop’s Fables

Thinking Out Loud ~ Is It Time to Test Your Perceptions?

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Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, The Hares and the Frogs. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.

The Fable

“The Hares once gathered together and lamented the unhappiness of

their lot, exposed as they were to dangers on all sides and lacking

the strength and the courage to hold their own. Men, dogs, birds

and beasts of prey were all their enemies, and killed and devoured

them daily: and sooner than endure such persecution any longer,

they one and all determined to end their miserable lives. Thus

resolved and desperate, they rushed in a body towards a

neighboring pool, intending to drown themselves. On the bank were

sitting a number of Frogs, who, when they heard the noise of the

Hares as they ran, with one accord leaped into the water and hid

themselves in the depths. Then one of the older Hares who was wiser

than the rest cried out to his companions, “Stop, my friends, take

heart; don’t let us destroy ourselves after all: see, here are

creatures who are afraid of us, and who must, therefore, be still

more timid than ourselves.”

 

Note: As an academic I was a qualitative researcher. My students would go with me to fieldsites to conduct our research. The central point of our research was to gain qualitative data chiefly through interviews. My students understood they were collecting data and not arguing perceptions with the interviewees. They followed the maxim, perception is reality. What we see may not be accurate. We may be seeing it through biased filters, faulty memories, or our own faulty value system. It takes courage to question our perception, beliefs, and other tenets we live by and test them to see if they are accurate or still viable. If we fail to test them we may continue to live life not perceiving reality. Perhaps you know people whose perceptions are based on something that is not true. It’s difficult to convince them of reality and they may end up diving into the pond (as the hares intended to do).

Thinking Out Loud ~ Thinking About Consequences ~ A Lesson from Aesop’s Fables

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Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, The Boys and the Frog. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.

The Fable

“Some mischievous Boys were playing on the edge of a pond, and,

catching sight of some Frogs swimming about in the shallow water,

they began to amuse themselves by pelting them with stones, and

they killed several of them. At last one of the Frogs put his head

out of the water and said, “Oh, stop! stop! I beg of you: what is

sport to you is death to us.”

 

Note: When I read this fable I thought about how I could apply it to contemporary society. The thoughts streamed through my mind. I thought about people racing down the road where the speed limit is 40 miles an hour. They’re traveling at 70  miles per hour. There are consequences to everything we do. What’s a game to them but it could be a death trap for people trying to obey the law. What about people who use social media to bully others, make fun of others, and disrespect others? What’s fun to them really hurts other people. It’s good to look at what we do and reflect on it. When we do something that hurts others it’s also hurting us as well; we may not realize it but it does. I like the saying treat other people as you would like to be treated.

Thinking Out Loud ~ Be Wise, Listen and Evaluate

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Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, The Wolf and the Lamb. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.

The Fable

“A Wolf came upon a Lamb straying from the flock, and felt some

compunction about taking the life of so helpless a creature without

some plausible excuse; so he cast about for a grievance and said at

last, “Last year, sirrah, you grossly insulted me.” “That is

impossible, sir,” bleated the Lamb, “for I wasn’t born then.”

“Well,” retorted the Wolf, “you feed in my pastures.” “That cannot

be,” replied the Lamb, “for I have never yet tasted grass.” “You

drink from my spring, then,” continued the Wolf. “Indeed, sir,”

said the poor Lamb, “I have never yet drunk anything but my

mother’s milk.” “Well, anyhow,” said the Wolf, “I’m not going

without my dinner”: and he sprang upon the Lamb and devoured it

without more ado.”

 

.Note: I’ve heard this fable told another way, a scorpion asks a frog to carry him across a river. The frog refused telling the scorpion, that he didn’t want the scorpion to bite him. The scorpion swore an oath that he would not bite the frog. The frog agreed to transport the scorpion. When they reached the other side of the river, the scorpion bit the frog. The frog gasped, ‘But you swore an oath.’ ‘Ha, said the scorpion, I only can be what I am, a scorpion.’ Both tales caution us to be wary of those who will try to dupe us to accomplish get their way. A rule of thumb to remember, “The best predictor of future performance is past performance.”

Thinking Out Loud ~ Beware the Criticism and Flattery

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Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, The Fox and the Crow. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.

The Fable

“A Crow was sitting on a branch of a tree with a piece of cheese

in her beak when a Fox observed her and set his wits to work to

discover some way of getting the cheese. Coming and standing under

the tree he looked up and said, “What a noble bird I see above me!

Her beauty is without equal, the hue of her plumage exquisite. If

only her voice is as sweet as her looks are fair, she ought without

doubt to be Queen of the Birds.” The Crow was hugely flattered by

this, and just to show the Fox that she could sing she gave a loud

caw. Down came the cheese, of course, and the Fox, snatching it up,

said, “You have a voice, madam, I see: what you want is wits.”

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Note: A mentor took me aside and gave me the following advice. My mentor said, “Ray, don’t pay too much attention to the criticism you’ll receive. There are some people who think their life’s mission is to bring others down. Similarly, don’t pay too much attention to those who flatter you. Yes, it feels good, but it’s about as accurate as the criticism. He was right and his words helped me to maintain my balance.

Thinking Out Loud ~ There’s a Better Way

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Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, Mischievous Dog. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.

The Fable

“There was once a Dog who used to snap at people and bite them

without any provocation, and who was a great nuisance to every one

who came to his master’s house. So his master fastened a bell round

his neck to warn people of his presence. The Dog was very proud of

the bell, and strutted about tinkling it with immense satisfaction.

But an old dog came up to him and said, “The fewer airs you give

yourself the better, my friend. You don’t think, do you, that your

bell was given you as a reward of merit? On the contrary, it is a

badge of disgrace.”

 

Note: Have you met people who like to scream and bully people around? I have. These folks will confront anyone who disagrees with them or doesn’t bend to their desires. They have an insatiable need to be important, to always be right, and to maintain their illusion of power. Like the dog in the story, these folks would do much better with a good dose of humiliation. They mistake fear for adoration. It’s always better when we set our ego aside another and understand that we’re not always right; that other people have good ideas and constantly attacking others is not the best way to solve problems.

Thinking Out Loud ~ Learn from Experience

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Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, The Cat and the Mice. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.

The Fable

“There was once a house that was overrun with Mice. A Cat heard

of this, and said to herself, “That’s the place for me,” and off

she went and took up her quarters in the house, and caught the Mice

one by one and ate them. At last the Mice could stand it no longer,

and they determined to take to their holes and stay there. “That’s

awkward,” said the Cat to herself: “the only thing to do is to coax

them out by a trick.” So she considered a while, and then climbed

up the wall and let herself hang down by her hind legs from a peg,

and pretended to be dead. By and by a Mouse peeped out and saw the

Cat hanging there. “Aha!” it cried, “you’re very clever, madam, no

doubt: but you may turn yourself into a bag of meal hanging there,

if you like, yet you won’t catch us coming anywhere near you.”

 

Note: There are lots of slicks folks who want to take advantage of us. We get warned about scams coming through on emails or text messages. They may be a politician or someone we work with. We may not recognize it in the moment when someone is taking advantage of us. But we can learn from the experience and not be taken advantage of again. Experience can be a tough teacher. Anytime we refuse to be taken advantage of, we become stronger and wiser. We don’t have to be a victim. We are empowered people if we choose to be.

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