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Animal Fables from the Dark Continent - Alphonso Orenzo Stafford · The Iliad

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  Speaker 1: Section zero of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent. This
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  Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
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  Speaker 1: public domain. From more information or to volunteer, please visit
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O.
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  Speaker 1: Stafford preface. These fables have been selected, adapted, and arranged
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  Speaker 1: from the folklore of the Negro race. Twenty of them
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  Speaker 1: were drawn entirely from African sources, and the other fourteen
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  Speaker 1: from American The striking similarity between the two groups shows
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  Speaker 1: their common African origin and relationship. It is now admitted
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  Speaker 1: that the great number of quaint animal stories, once so
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  Speaker 1: frequently told among the slave population of our southern states
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  Speaker 1: in their odd dialect, were brought to America by their
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  Speaker 1: ancestors from the shores of Africa. There exists among the
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  Speaker 1: natives of that country a vast store of oral literature
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  Speaker 1: in the form of allegories, legends, fables, and proverbs, in
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  Speaker 1: the telling of which they take great delight. This literature
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  Speaker 1: is especially rich in stories dealing with animals, in which
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  Speaker 1: many curious and interesting reasons are given for their particular
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  Speaker 1: habits and physical peculiarities. The aim of the present collection
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  Speaker 1: is to furnish for the children of the lower grades
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  Speaker 1: some of the most characteristic fables of that literature in
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  Speaker 1: a form that can be easily read and understood, and
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  Speaker 1: in which the original spirit has been preserved. A. O. Stafford, Cheney, Pennsylvania,
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  Speaker 1: end of section zero, Section one of the Animal Fables
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  Speaker 1: from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This LibriVox
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  Speaker 1: recording is in the public domain. The Happy Age in
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  Speaker 1: the Animal World. The children wanted to hear more of
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  Speaker 1: the plantation stories, like those their new schoolmate Frank, had
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  Speaker 1: told them of the strange doings of animals. Please Miss
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  Speaker 1: Bertha tell us one of those stories, begged little Mabel.
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  Speaker 1: Oh do Miss Bertha, called out Fred from the last
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  Speaker 1: seat in the middle row. Fred had seen in a
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  Speaker 1: book at the public library many amusing animal pictures illustrating
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  Speaker 1: some of the stories, but could not read the queer
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  Speaker 1: language in which they were written. Yes, yes, Miss Bertha,
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  Speaker 1: do tell us about this new kind of story. Came
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  Speaker 1: at once from different parts of the school room. The
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  Speaker 1: teacher held up her hand for order, then asked how
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  Speaker 1: many would like to hear an old plantation fable. Hands
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  Speaker 1: went up from thirty five Little desks, and thirty five
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  Speaker 1: pairs of bright eyes danced in thirty five happy faces. Well,
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  Speaker 1: my little friends began Miss Bertha. I will tell you
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  Speaker 1: some that I have read and heard. Many of these
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  Speaker 1: stories came across the sea from a far away country
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  Speaker 1: called Africa. They were brought by the slaves from that
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  Speaker 1: far off land to this country. Later, they were told
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  Speaker 1: in the cabins and fields of our south land by
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  Speaker 1: the slave people in their odd broken English, which we
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  Speaker 1: now call Negro dialect. Many of these stories are told
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  Speaker 1: to this day and have not found their way into books.
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  Speaker 1: I will tell you some of them from time to
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  Speaker 1: time in our own language, beginning now with the happy age.
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  Speaker 1: In the animal world, in that long, long ago time,
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  Speaker 1: before the large ships came with their white sails, and
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  Speaker 1: before the gun was heard in the jungle, the elephant
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  Speaker 1: was king of all the animal world. His size, strength,
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  Speaker 1: and wisdom made him a mighty one in a land
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  Speaker 1: of dense forests, wide plains, deep rivers, and high mountains.
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  Speaker 1: Next to him in rank was the lion, who had
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  Speaker 1: charge of the animals of the thick woods. The eagle
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  Speaker 1: was the head man among the birds, and the alligator
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  Speaker 1: had to carry out the orders of the king among
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  Speaker 1: those that lived in the long deep rivers. As King
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  Speaker 1: Elephant was a wise and kind ruler. He was obeyed
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  Speaker 1: by his head men and loved by his subjects, and
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  Speaker 1: all the animals under him lived in peace and happiness.
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  Speaker 1: No one then thought of his size, his strength, his weakness,
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  Speaker 1: his cunning, or his nimbleness. When the roar of the
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  Speaker 1: lion was heard in the woods, the deer did not
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  Speaker 1: bound away in fear. The cry of the lepers did
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  Speaker 1: not frighten the dog, the yelp of the jackal did
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  Speaker 1: not worry the dove, and the swoop of the hawk
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  Speaker 1: had no terrors for the hen and her little children.
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  Speaker 1: For many, many years, this happy kingdom lasted. Nothing came
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  Speaker 1: to disturb it, except now and then a fierce wind storm,
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  Speaker 1: or the sharp lightning and heavy thunder that came in
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  Speaker 1: the stormy seasons. So the kingship remained in the strong
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  Speaker 1: family of the elephant. But at last a strange thing happened.
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  Speaker 1: In the dark jungle. Appeared a creature unlike any creature
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  Speaker 1: the animals had seen before. It stood upright on two legs,
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  Speaker 1: holding out from its body a long spear. Its coming
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  Speaker 1: caused great alarm. This upright creature was man. With his spear.
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  Speaker 1: He killed many of the jungle people. Others he caught,
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  Speaker 1: carried to his home, and taught them to hunt their brothers.
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  Speaker 1: All of this brought a great change among all the animals.
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  Speaker 1: In trying to escape from one another as well as
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  Speaker 1: from the hunter, the strong ones began to harm the weak.
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  Speaker 1: The nimble ones sought safety in trees and holes, and
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  Speaker 1: those that were cunning played tricks on the strong and
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  Speaker 1: the quick. Thus passed away in that far off time
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  Speaker 1: after the coming of Man, The happy age in the
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  Speaker 1: animal world. End of section one read by Laura Gibbs,
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  Speaker 1: Section two of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
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  Speaker 1: This livery box recording is in the public domain. The
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  Speaker 1: Squirrel and the Kingship. Now, after man had killed and
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  Speaker 1: caught many of the beasts, there was much sorrow in
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  Speaker 1: the land of the great Jungle King. Then the rules
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  Speaker 1: of the jungle were not obeyed, and as a result,
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  Speaker 1: both the big and little animals were unhappy. Some thought
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  Speaker 1: that a change of rulers would bring a return of
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  Speaker 1: peace and happiness. So a secret meeting was held in
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  Speaker 1: a large banana grove. When all had gathered up, spoke
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  Speaker 1: the lion. We must have a new king. Yes, a
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  Speaker 1: new king, screamed the eagle. A new king, A new king,
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  Speaker 1: all shouted. But who shall he be, asked the leopard.
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  Speaker 1: Lion noble lion, answered the wolf. No, No, said the leopard.
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  Speaker 1: Why the lion instead of me? Then the swift deer
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  Speaker 1: said the fox. Nonsense, laughed the hyaena. Let us have
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  Speaker 1: the great eagle. No, we must have a king who
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  Speaker 1: lives in the jungle, said the nimble squirrel. Why not
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  Speaker 1: make the quick little squirrel our king, the tall giraff asked.
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  Speaker 1: The idea seemed so funny that many animals laughed out, Yes,
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  Speaker 1: make quick little squirrel our king. In a short while,
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  Speaker 1: strange though it may seem, it was agreed that the
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  Speaker 1: squirrel should be the king in place of the elephant.
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  Speaker 1: Then the lion was asked to speak for the meeting.
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  Speaker 1: Calling the squirrel to the front, he said, in a slow,
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  Speaker 1: deep voice, little squirrel, tomorrow we will make you king
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  Speaker 1: in place of the elephant. Then, to the surprise of all,
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  Speaker 1: that little animal said, not tomorrow, brother lion, it shall
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  Speaker 1: be to day. But said the lion, we must get
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  Speaker 1: the feast ready, find the throne and the footstool for
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  Speaker 1: our new king. No, no, replied the squirrel. It must
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  Speaker 1: be to day. And at once. The animals could not
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  Speaker 1: believe their ears and became very angry. Speak lion, many
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  Speaker 1: impatient squirrel, you cannot be our king. You would not
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  Speaker 1: rule us wisely. With these words, the meeting came to
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  Speaker 1: an end. As the animals passed on their way home,
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  Speaker 1: the voice of the owl was heard hooting from the trees.
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  Speaker 1: Today Wow at once Wow lost the squirrel the kingship.
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  Speaker 1: Wow Wow. End of section two read by Laura Gibbs,
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  Speaker 1: Section three of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
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  Speaker 1: This liveryvox recording is in the public domain. The Dog
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  Speaker 1: and the Kingship. Another day, the discontented brethren of the
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  Speaker 1: Woodland met to select a king. At the meeting, this
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  Speaker 1: time all the things that they came should have were
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  Speaker 1: on hand. There were the throne, the footstool, the cap,
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  Speaker 1: the staff, the ring, the grass mat, and the feast table.
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  Speaker 1: When all had gathered up, spoke the lion again, we
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  Speaker 1: must have a new king, brothers, Yes, a new king,
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  Speaker 1: cried the eagle. A new king a new king. All
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  Speaker 1: again shouted, But who shall he be? Once more, asked
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  Speaker 1: the leopard, remembering their last meeting. Some were timid about choosing.
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  Speaker 1: At last, the hissing voice of the snake was heard,
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  Speaker 1: asking why not the alligator. No, no, replied the turtle.
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  Speaker 1: Then the great boar said the buffalo never, never growled
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  Speaker 1: the wolf. Thus it went on for quite a while,
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  Speaker 1: choosing and objecting. At last the voice of the lion
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  Speaker 1: was heard, Well, brothers, we shall never agree in this
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  Speaker 1: way upon a king. Let us take the dog. A
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  Speaker 1: cheer rang through the meeting the dog, the dog shall
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  Speaker 1: be our king. Make way for the new king. Come forward,
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  Speaker 1: brother dog, spoke the lion. Let the drums sound and
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  Speaker 1: the horns blow. Then the throne of twigs, the footstool
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  Speaker 1: of dried grass, the cap of leaves, the ring of
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  Speaker 1: leaf stems, and the staff were brought forward. The feast
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  Speaker 1: was spread and all made ready for the crowning and
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  Speaker 1: for a happy time. Just as he was taking his
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  Speaker 1: seat upon the throne, the eyes of the new ruler
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  Speaker 1: fell upon the breast of a fowl lying upon the
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  Speaker 1: feast table. A feeling of greediness came over him. He
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  Speaker 1: stood up and with a quick leap, snatched the breast
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  Speaker 1: and ran away into the bush. Great was the surprise
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  Speaker 1: of all the animals. They felt hurt at such unkingly conduct,
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  Speaker 1: and with much sorrow. The second meeting to select a
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  Speaker 1: new ruler was closed. In a short while, the parrot
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  Speaker 1: was heard singing, who shall be our king? And from
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  Speaker 1: a distance the answer came back from the departing animals.
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  Speaker 1: Not the greedy one, the greedy one, the greedy one.
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  Speaker 1: No no, no, no, no no, Not the greedy one,
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  Speaker 1: the greedy one, the greedy one. End of section three
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  Speaker 1: read by Laura Gibbs, Section four of Animal Fables from
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  Speaker 1: the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This LibriVox recording
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  Speaker 1: is in the public domain. The Dog and the Clever Rabbit.
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  Speaker 1: There were many days when the animals did not think
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  Speaker 1: about the kingship. They thought of their games and their tricks,
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  Speaker 1: and would play them from the rising to the setting
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  Speaker 1: of the sun. Now, at that time, the little rabbit
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  Speaker 1: was known as a very clever fellow. His tricks, his schemes,
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  Speaker 1: and his funny little ways caused much mischief and at
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  Speaker 1: times much anger among his woodland cousins. At last, the
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  Speaker 1: wolf made up his mind to catch him and give
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  Speaker 1: him a severe punishment for the many tricks he had
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  Speaker 1: played upon him. Knowing that the rabbit could run faster
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  Speaker 1: than he, the wolf called at the home of the
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  Speaker 1: dog to seek his aid. Brother. Dog, frisky little rabbit
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  Speaker 1: must be caught and punished for a nice bone. Will
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  Speaker 1: you help me, asked the wolf. Certainly, my good friend,
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  Speaker 1: answered the dog, thinking of the promised bone. Be very careful,
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  Speaker 1: the rabbit is very clever, said the wolf as he left.
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  Speaker 1: A day or so later, while passing through the woods,
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  Speaker 1: the dog saw the rabbit fek in the tall grass.
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  Speaker 1: Quick as a flash, the dog started after him. The
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  Speaker 1: little fellow ran and, to save himself, jumped into the
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  Speaker 1: hollow of an oak tree. The opening was too small
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  Speaker 1: for the other to follow, and as he looked in
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  Speaker 1: he heard only the merry laugh of the frisky rabbit.
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  Speaker 1: He he hello, mister dog, you can't see me. Never mind, boy,
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  Speaker 1: I will get you yet, barked the angry dog. A
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  Speaker 1: short distance from the tree, a goose was seen moving
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  Speaker 1: around looking for her dinner. Come, friend, goose, watch the
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  Speaker 1: hollow of this tree while I go and get some
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  Speaker 1: moss and fire to us smoke out this scamp of
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  Speaker 1: a rabbit, spoke the dog, remembering the advice of the wolf.
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  Speaker 1: Of course, i'll watch, for he has played many of
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  Speaker 1: his schemes upon me, returned the bird. When the dog left,
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  Speaker 1: the rabbit called out from his hiding place, how can
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  Speaker 1: you watch, friend, goose, when you can't see me? Well, well,
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  Speaker 1: I will see you. Then she replied, with these words,
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  Speaker 1: she pushed her long neck into the hollow of the tree.
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  Speaker 1: As the neck of the goose went into the opening,
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  Speaker 1: the rabbit threw the dust of some dry wood into
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  Speaker 1: her eyes. Oh, oh, you little scamp, you have made
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  Speaker 1: me blind, cried out the bird in pain. Then, while
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  Speaker 1: the goose was trying to get the dust from her eyes,
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  Speaker 1: the rabbit jumped out and scampered away. In a short while,
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  Speaker 1: the dog returned with the moss and fire filled the opening,
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  Speaker 1: and as he watched the smoke arise, barked with glee.
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  Speaker 1: Now I have you, my tricky friend, Now I have you.
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  Speaker 1: But as no rabbit ran out, the dog turned to
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  Speaker 1: the goose and saw from her red streaming eyes that
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  Speaker 1: something was wrong. Where is the rabbit, friend goose? He
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  Speaker 1: quickly asked why he threw wood dust into my eyes
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  Speaker 1: when I peeped into the open. At once the dog
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  Speaker 1: knew that the rabbit had escaped, and became very angry.
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  Speaker 1: You silly goose, you foolish bird with web feet. I
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  Speaker 1: will kill you now for such folly. With these words,
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  Speaker 1: the dog sprang for the goose, but only a small
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  Speaker 1: feather was caught in his mouth, as the frightened bird
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  Speaker 1: rose high in the air and flew away. End of
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  Speaker 1: Section four read by Laura Gibbs. Section five of Animal
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  Speaker 1: Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Dog and
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  Speaker 1: the Leopard, Far away in the heart of the jungle,
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  Speaker 1: the spotted leopard lived in a dark cave to this place.
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  Speaker 1: The dog came after his failure to catch the rabbit. It.
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  Speaker 1: He made friends with the leopard, and a strong tie
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  Speaker 1: sprang up between them. They shared and fared alike in
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  Speaker 1: all of their hunting trips. The leopard was stronger and
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  Speaker 1: bolder than the dog, and caught most of the prey.
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  Speaker 1: For this reason, the dog lived so well that after
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  Speaker 1: a time he became fat and lazy. Instead of being
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  Speaker 1: anxious to help in doing his share of the hunting,
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  Speaker 1: he sought to shirk it. In order to keep his
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  Speaker 1: friend from complaining, the dog suggested that each should hunt alone.
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  Speaker 1: The leopard agreed to this plan. Then, whenever the spotted
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  Speaker 1: one went out to hunt, the dog would follow slowly behind.
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  Speaker 1: When the prey was seized, the dog would cry out
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  Speaker 1: from his hiding place. He he men, wake up, leopard
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  Speaker 1: is here, kill him, Kill him. Surprised at the sudden sound,
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  Speaker 1: the leopard would leave his prey and lope quickly away.
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  Speaker 1: The dog, pleased with the success of his trick, would
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  Speaker 1: then quickly pick up the fallen prey and run home
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  Speaker 1: to the den with it. For several days, matters went
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  Speaker 1: on in this way. After a time, the leopard became
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  Speaker 1: weary of losing his prize and thought that he would
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  Speaker 1: visit Muzimu, the beast wizard, he who knew all things.
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  Speaker 1: So in the densest part of the jungle, he visited
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  Speaker 1: the all knowing Muzimu. After hearing the story of the animal,
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  Speaker 1: the beast wizard answered in a deep voice, go leopard,
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  Speaker 1: watch your friend the dog and your ill luck will
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  Speaker 1: fly away. The next night, the leopard went forth on
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  Speaker 1: his usual hunting trip. The village of men was reached,
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  Speaker 1: and quick as a flash, he was over the fence
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  Speaker 1: among the goats. Soon the old cry rang out, He
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  Speaker 1: he man, wake up, leopard is here, kill him, Kill him.
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  Speaker 1: Remembering the words of Muzimu, turned quickly and saw his
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  Speaker 1: false friend hiding in the grass. With eyes aflame with anger.
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  Speaker 1: The leopard sprang after him, bearing his tail between his
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  Speaker 1: hind legs. The dog turned and ran for his dear life.
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  Speaker 1: Round and round the village he ran, darting this way
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  Speaker 1: and that. Finally he dashed into man's house, straight under
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  Speaker 1: the bed, where he lay gasping and panting. Here the
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  Speaker 1: other one was afraid to come, seeing that man, who
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  Speaker 1: had been frightened by his sudden coming, was about to
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  Speaker 1: kill him with his spear. The dog crawled from under
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  Speaker 1: the bed to man's feet, licked them, and turned on
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  Speaker 1: his back as if begging for mercy. Man took pity
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  Speaker 1: on him, tied him up, and made a pet of him.
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  Speaker 1: Ever since then, the dog and man have been firm friends,
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  Speaker 1: but a great hatred has existed between the dog and
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  Speaker 1: the leopard. The dog's back always bristles straight up when
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  Speaker 1: his enemy is about, and there is no truer warning
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  Speaker 1: of the leopard's presence than that given by the dog,
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  Speaker 1: while the spotted one would rather eat a dog than
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  Speaker 1: a goat any day. This is the way, as is
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  Speaker 1: said in Africa, that the friendship between these two animals
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  Speaker 1: was broken up, and why the dog today lives in
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  Speaker 1: the home of man. End of section five read by
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: Laura Gibbs, Section six of Animal Fables from the Dark
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  Speaker 1: Continent by A. O. Stafford. This livery box recording is
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: in the public domain. The Cat and the Hen. Near
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  Speaker 1: the Great Forest, there lived a hen and her happy
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  Speaker 1: family of little children. From morn till night. The little
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  Speaker 1: ones followed their mother from place to place, scratching and picking,
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  Speaker 1: answering her cluck cluck with a soft peep peep. To
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  Speaker 1: this happy home came the cat, with her quiet tread
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  Speaker 1: and smooth coat of fur. Let us be friends, purred
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  Speaker 1: the cat, looking at the hen with her mild sleepy eyes.
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  Speaker 1: A friend is always welcome, cluck the honest chicken. After
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  Speaker 1: a short talk, the cat moved quietly away. A day
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  Speaker 1: or so later, a little kitten visited her with this message, friend,
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  Speaker 1: mother wishes you to go with her to the village
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  Speaker 1: of her woodland cousins, little kitten, tell your mother that
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  Speaker 1: I will go. After the kitten had gone, the hen
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  Speaker 1: remembered that the hour for the visit had not been set.
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  Speaker 1: Calling one of her little children, she said, tiny one,
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  Speaker 1: go and ask the cat at what hour we shall
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  Speaker 1: go to the village. The hiny chicken went to the
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  Speaker 1: home of the cat, bowed to her, and gave the message.
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  Speaker 1: The cat said, tell your dear mother to come to
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  Speaker 1: my house tomorrow morning when the rooster first crows. The
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  Speaker 1: obedient little chicken did as it was told. The next morning,
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  Speaker 1: when the rooster crowed, the hen did not stir. When
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  Speaker 1: the sun was high, the cat ran softly to her house,
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  Speaker 1: asking why did you not come, friend at the first
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  Speaker 1: crowing of the rooster. Sister cat, though I am your friend,
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  Speaker 1: I never get up and leave my house at the
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: first crowing of the rooster because it is then still dark.
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: Why not go now the sun is high, returned the
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: cat in her softest voice. It is well, sister, come,
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: little ones, we will visit to day the woodland cousins
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: of our friend. They started on their way, the cat
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: going before the day was bright, and the children of
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: the hen enjoyed the strange sights along the road. There
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: were pretty butterflies to chase and slow moving bugs to catch.
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: The hen was very much pleased with her new friend,
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: as she seemed to be so gentle and so kind.
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: After a long walk, sounds were heard coming from the
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: village of the cat's cousins. Then suddenly the cat turned
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: and seized two of the hen's little children. In anger
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: and fear, the chicken mother called out, sister cat, what
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: do you mean in a soft voice. The other purd friend,
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: The little ones I took did not have enough strength
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: to walk. They may fall by the wayside. Therefore I
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: took them so that we may go on. If you
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: do these things, I cannot be your friend. If you
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: will not have me for a friend, I will not
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: let you return home, replied the cat, in a voice
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: no longer soft. The poor hen then quickly turned and
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: started for home. With a spring, the cat caught the
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: hen's head in her mouth just as she made a
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: shrill cry for help. Being near the village, her cries
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: were heard the woodland people ran out to see what
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: was the trouble. Knowing what a mean trick she had played,
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: the cat felt that her cousins would not help her,
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: bounded rapidly away and entered the deep forest. When the
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: poor frightened hen told her story to the forest people,
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: they said, never again trust the cat. She is too
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: cunning for you. The old people now tell their children
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: that since that day, cats and chickens have never more
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: been friends. End of section six read by Laura Gibbs,
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: Section seven of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: This livery fox recording is in the public domain. The Cat,
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: the Rat and the Fox. One day a piece of
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: cheese was found near the village of Man by a
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: rat and a cat. After taking it to a quiet spot,
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: they could not agree how to divide it between them.
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: They began to quarrel, and after many harsh words had passed,
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: they finally called in the fox to be the judge.
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: Now the fox was very cunning and very selfish, as
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: well as something of a rogue. I am glad to
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: help you, brothers, he said, as he arranged a flat
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: stick across a log to act as a balance or scales.
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: Hand over the cheese, friends, and I will tell how
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: much each one should receive before placing any of the
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: cheese on the scales. The fox cut off a piece
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: and placed it near him, saying with a smile, this
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: is for the judge. When he did this, the cat
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: and the rat looked at each other with a frown.
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: Then he cut what was left into two parts and
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: placed a piece on each end of the scales. It
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: doesn't balance, friends, said the fox, after a moment's gaze
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: at the scales. Then he took off both pieces, began
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: to cut off some more, and placing it with the
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: first piece, set again with a smile, this is also
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: for the judge. The fox had now taken more than
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: half of the cheese, and in one voice, the cat
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: and the rat spoke out, hold on, judge, this is wrong.
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: You are going to take all of our nice food
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: and leave us none. The pretended to be very angry,
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: removed the scales, gathered up all the cheese, saying, be gone,
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: you rogues. You live through stealing, and yet want to
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: tell me how to do justice. It is well that
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: I take only the cheese and spare your lives. I
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: have a great mind to kill you both in a
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: shorter time than it takes to tell it. The fox
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: was all alone with a good meal of excellent cheese.
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: It is not always wise to call in a third
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: party to settle disputes. And of section seven read by
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: Laura Gibbs, Section eight of Animal Fables from the Dark
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: Continent by A. O. Stafford. This LibriVox recording is in
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: the public domain. Why the cat came to Man's house
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: from the shelter of the dense woods about the village
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: of Man, Many of the animals had watched the young
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: people dancing in the silvery moonlight. They seemed to be
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: having such a pleasant time that the animals wanted to
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: try the same sport. So many of them came together
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: one day to make plans for a woodland party. The elephant,
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: the rhinoceros, the giraffe, the wolf, the leopard, the fox,
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: the antelope, the cat, and the mouse met to talk
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: over the matter. While making plans for the gathering. The
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: fox suddenly asked, how can we dance without a drum?
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: To make music for us, we must have a drum,
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: growled the wolf. But when this plan came to be discussed,
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: a serious objection was discovered. The head of the drum
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: must be covered with the skin of some kind, and
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: no animal was willing to be killed, that his skin
• 28:59
  Speaker 1: might be made in to a drumhead for his fellows
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: to dance around. At last, some one thought that as
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: no one would furnish a dead skin for the drumhead,
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: the want might be supplied by each animal giving live
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: skin enough from his body. This live skin was to
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: be taken from a part where it could best be spared.
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: Let us take the skin from our ears, said the elephant. No, no,
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: my ears are small enough now, cried the little mouse.
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: But I will give a part of my long tail.
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: But that will be unfair to me, spoke up the antelope.
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: After a long talk, the meeting came to a vote
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: on the subject. The elephant's idea was agreed upon. Then,
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: in anger, the mouse spoke, this drum idea is nonsense. Anyhow,
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: I will have nothing to do with it, as I
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: do not intend to have my ears cut. With these words,
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: he left the meeting in time. The drum was finished
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: and was carefully put away for the dance until the
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: moonlight night came. But the mouse was so curious about
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: the drum that he crept up the next night to
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: the spot where it was placed, then, still more curious
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: to hear how it would sound, he began to beat it.
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: The animals, hearing the sound, came running to see what
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: was the matter. Seeing the cause of the noise, the
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: mouse was quickly surrounded, seized, and thrown into prison. Among
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: the animals that had come to the sound of the
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: drum was the cat. Now, when he saw the knights
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: plump little mouse shut up in prison where he was helpless,
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: he desired to eat him. So strong was the desire
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: that he said to himself, I must have that little
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: fellow for a meal. That night, when all the woodland
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: people were far away from the prison, he broke into
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: the gates, caught the mouse, and ate him. Then, knowing
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: that he did not dare face his friends after doing
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: this wrong, the cat ran away from the woods to
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: the home of man and found there a nice warm
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: spot by his fireside. End of Section eight read by
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: Laura Gibbs. Section nine of Animal Fables from the Dark
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: Continent by A. O. Stafford. This liveryvox recording is in
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: the public domain. The rabbit and the other animals. One day,
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: many of the animals planned to build a house in
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: which to place their winter food. All agreed to help.
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: When the rabbit's turn, came to carry some of the
• 31:53
  Speaker 1: bush and one of the poles. He said, brothers, my
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: dear wife is very sick, and I must go home
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: to nurse her. As the clever little rabbit did not
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: like to work, he thought this was a good excuse
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: to go home. When the house was finished, each animal
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: brought his own food and put it in a place
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: where it could be easily found in the rainy season.
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: The lion, leopard, and wolf brought dried meat. The elephant, deer,
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: and cow brought grass and leaves. The squirrel brought acorns
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: and hickory nuts. Per simmons were brought by the opossum,
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: and worms and seeds were brought by the birds. While
• 32:34
  Speaker 1: this was going on, the little rabbit, from his hiding
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: place near by, was softly humming to himself. High high brothers,
• 32:42
  Speaker 1: diddle d d store in, store in, store in for me.
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: When the house was full, the animals left. Then the
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: rabbit crept quietly in, looked about, and made up his
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: mind to live there and eat what his friends had gathered.
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: He carried in some water and two large horns, fastened
• 33:07
  Speaker 1: the door, and made himself cozy in a warm bed
• 33:10
  Speaker 1: in a corner of the house. What fun he said
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: to himself, from day to day to eat the food
• 33:16
  Speaker 1: of my brother's and no work to do. When the
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: rainy season came, the deer came to get his pile
• 33:24
  Speaker 1: of grass. The door of the house was fastened. He knocked,
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: but no answer came. He knocked again, still no answer.
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: After a while, the rabbit took one of the large
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: horns and called out through it in a loud voice,
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: what is that. The big voice made the deer jump
• 33:45
  Speaker 1: in fear, but he answered it is brother deer. Then
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: the rabbit called out again through the horn, what do
• 33:52
  Speaker 1: you want here? Anyhow? I want to come in and
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: get the grass I put away for the winter, returned
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: the deer. You can't come in, came back the voice
• 34:04
  Speaker 1: through the horn. Who are you inside now, asked the
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: angry deer. Then the rabbit took the larger horn, and
• 34:13
  Speaker 1: in a louder voice he shouted, I am a better
• 34:17
  Speaker 1: one than has ever been in here before. The voice
• 34:21
  Speaker 1: was so loud and so strange and sound that the
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: deer ran off in fear and told the other animals
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: that a dreadful thing had taken their house, in which
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: their winter food was stored. The animals were very much
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: surprised to hear this, but they agreed to go together
• 34:38
  Speaker 1: to the house and find out what the dreadful thing was.
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: When all had come to the house, the lion was
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: asked by his friends to knock. The bold lion knocked
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: on the door, but no answer came. He knocked again,
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: still no answer. Then he asked, who is that in there?
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: The rabbit took up the larger horn and with all
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: his strength called out, I am a better one than
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: has ever been here before. The voice was so harsh
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: and so loud. All the animals thought the deer was right,
• 35:15
  Speaker 1: and that a dreadful thing, possibly a spirit, was in
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: the house. They were afraid to break open the door,
• 35:23
  Speaker 1: and in terror ran away. They never knew what a
• 35:27
  Speaker 1: trick the rabbit had played upon them. Sometimes a big
• 35:33
  Speaker 1: noise is taken for the truth and of Section nine
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: read by Laura Gibbs, Section ten of Animal Fables from
• 35:50
  Speaker 1: the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This LibriVox recording
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: is in the public domain. The Rabbit and the Animal
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: Animal wizard Muzimu was an animal wizard. He told what
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: would happen to day and tomorrow. In the animal world,
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: he also gave wisdom to the woodland creatures. The clever
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: little rabbit, though very wise, wanted to be more so.
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: One day he went to the home of Muzimu and said,
• 36:23
  Speaker 1: great Wizard of the woods, please give me some more knowledge.
• 36:28
  Speaker 1: You are wise already, little fellow, replied Muzimu, but not
• 36:32
  Speaker 1: wise enough. Great one, well bring me a live snake,
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: and then I shall see what I can do for you.
• 36:41
  Speaker 1: Leaving the home of the wizard, the rabbit found a
• 36:43
  Speaker 1: long stick and went to the house of the snake.
• 36:47
  Speaker 1: There he found that crawling creature coiled upon a log.
• 36:51
  Speaker 1: Good day, friend, snake, spoke the rabbit. Good day, little one,
• 36:57
  Speaker 1: What have you there a which is longer than you?
• 37:03
  Speaker 1: Nonsense boy, Let us see, said the cunning rabbit. The
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: snake stretched himself along the log. The rabbit put his
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: stick near the snake as if to measure him. Then,
• 37:17
  Speaker 1: quick as a wink, he slipped a string around the
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: snake's neck and held him fast to the end of
• 37:22
  Speaker 1: the stick. Let me go, Let me go, cried the
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: surprised snake as he turned and twisted on the stick.
• 37:30
  Speaker 1: The rabbit said nothing, but ran quickly with him to Muzimu.
• 37:35
  Speaker 1: The wizard could not believe his eyes when he saw
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: the wiggling snake on the end of the rabbit's stick.
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: After getting over his surprise, he said, little one of
• 37:45
  Speaker 1: the grass, if you can fool the snake, you have
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: all the sense you want. No, no, mighty Muzimu, give
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: me more sense. Go then and bring me a swarm
• 37:58
  Speaker 1: of bees, and when you bring them, I will give
• 38:02
  Speaker 1: you all the sense you want. The little rabbit ran
• 38:05
  Speaker 1: off and found a big gourd. After cleaning it out
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: through a hole he had cut in the bottom, he
• 38:12
  Speaker 1: put some honey in it and tied the gourd to
• 38:15
  Speaker 1: a long pole. Then he found the bee's nest and
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: left the gourd nearby. After a while, the bees, smelling
• 38:24
  Speaker 1: the honey, flew about the opening and soon went in
• 38:27
  Speaker 1: to taste the sweet food. When the gourd was full,
• 38:31
  Speaker 1: the rabbit slipped up, fastened the hole, and carried the
• 38:35
  Speaker 1: gourd off to Musimo, singing, hello, mister b mister stinging bee,
• 38:41
  Speaker 1: I've caught you. You see, I've caught you you see again,
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: was the animal wizard surprised, brother rabbit, you are really
• 38:52
  Speaker 1: a bright little creature, and your sense shall become more
• 38:56
  Speaker 1: and more every day. More than that, I'm going to
• 39:00
  Speaker 1: put a spot of white hairs between your ears, so
• 39:04
  Speaker 1: everybody can see that your good sense is in your head.
• 39:09
  Speaker 1: All male rabbits carry to this day this spot of
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: white hairs. End of Section ten read by Laura Gibbs.
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: Section eleven of animal fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 39:33
  Speaker 1: This livery box recording is in the public domain. The
• 39:37
  Speaker 1: Rabbit and the Elephant. One morning in the olden time,
• 39:42
  Speaker 1: the elephant passed near the home of the rabbit. The
• 39:46
  Speaker 1: little fellow was away, and in looking for him, the
• 39:49
  Speaker 1: elephant accidentally stepped on his house, which was hidden under
• 39:53
  Speaker 1: a bush, crushed it, and killed his wife and children.
• 39:58
  Speaker 1: The elephant passed on him, not knowing the harm he
• 40:02
  Speaker 1: had done. When the rabbit returned and saw the ruin
• 40:06
  Speaker 1: of his house and the death of his family, he
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: became very sad and at last very angry. This was
• 40:14
  Speaker 1: because he saw the tracks of the elephant, who he
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: thought was his friend. With a sad heart, he started
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: out through the forest to find the animal king. When
• 40:25
  Speaker 1: he found him quietly eating from the limb of a tree.
• 40:28
  Speaker 1: He began at once, mighty one, why did you break
• 40:32
  Speaker 1: up my house and kill my wife and children. These
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: words surprised the elephant very much, little friend, you are wrong.
• 40:41
  Speaker 1: I have done you no harm. Yes, it was you,
• 40:45
  Speaker 1: because I saw your tracks near my home. Even so
• 40:50
  Speaker 1: I did not break up your house and kill your family.
• 40:54
  Speaker 1: This kind of talk did not please the rabbit, and
• 40:57
  Speaker 1: he went away to think of some plant harm the
• 41:00
  Speaker 1: animal king. That night, when the elephant was quietly sleeping,
• 41:06
  Speaker 1: the rabbit drew near and collected some dry grass. Some
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: he put into the ears of the sleeping animal, and
• 41:14
  Speaker 1: some he placed near them, then setting it afire, he
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: ran away. Soon the blazing heat of the fire awoke
• 41:23
  Speaker 1: the elephant. He was in great pain and called for help,
• 41:27
  Speaker 1: but none came. He ran around and around, shaking and
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: tossing his head, trying to get the burning grass out
• 41:34
  Speaker 1: of his ears. Then, at last, with a quick move
• 41:38
  Speaker 1: of his trunk, he took out the burning grass. But
• 41:42
  Speaker 1: before he did this, the hinge of his ears was burnt,
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: so we could not lift them up again, and even
• 41:49
  Speaker 1: now the elephant's ears hang down. Sometimes we are punished
• 41:55
  Speaker 1: for harmful deeds which we innocently commit end of Section
• 42:01
  Speaker 1: eleven read by Laura Gibbs. Section twelve of Animal Fables
• 42:13
  Speaker 1: from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This livery
• 42:17
  Speaker 1: fox recording is in the public domain. The rabbit and
• 42:22
  Speaker 1: the alligator brother alligator said the rabbit one day, you
• 42:28
  Speaker 1: seem to take life very easy. Don't you ever have
• 42:31
  Speaker 1: any trouble? No, my little brother, nothing ever worries me.
• 42:36
  Speaker 1: I have plenty to eat and many hours to sleep,
• 42:40
  Speaker 1: replied the alligator. The clever rabbit said nothing more, but
• 42:45
  Speaker 1: passed on to his home. The next day, when the
• 42:49
  Speaker 1: sun was warm, the alligator crawled far upon the river
• 42:53
  Speaker 1: bank into the grass and went to sleep. Near By
• 42:57
  Speaker 1: sat the little rabbit, humming softly to himself. Oh, mister alligator,
• 43:03
  Speaker 1: we will have some fun when the fire burns and
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: you begin to run. Moving quietly from his seat, the
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: rabbit began to set fire to the grass near by
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: where the alligator lay fast asleep. After a while, the
• 43:20
  Speaker 1: burning grass began to crackle. The alligator awoke. He saw
• 43:25
  Speaker 1: the smoke and felt the heat of the fire. He
• 43:28
  Speaker 1: did not know what to do. The fire began to
• 43:31
  Speaker 1: burn him as he crawled this way and crawled that
• 43:33
  Speaker 1: way in pain. He cried out, help, help, but no
• 43:38
  Speaker 1: help came. Then, shutting both eyes and raising his tail
• 43:44
  Speaker 1: in the air, he hurried ahead for the river through
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: the burning grass. The teasing rabbit, full of laughter, called out, hey, brother,
• 43:52
  Speaker 1: what is the time of day? You seem to be
• 43:55
  Speaker 1: in much trouble this time? Do you know what trouble
• 43:58
  Speaker 1: is now? The alligator had no time to answer back.
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: He kept straight toward the river and fell quickly in
• 44:06
  Speaker 1: the water cooled him. After catching his breath, he came
• 44:10
  Speaker 1: to the top of the water and called out, never mind,
• 44:13
  Speaker 1: little scamp, if I ever catch you near this river,
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: I'm going to teach you a lesson. But the rabbit
• 44:21
  Speaker 1: never goes near the river or the alligator to learn
• 44:24
  Speaker 1: the lesson, and from that time you can never catch
• 44:27
  Speaker 1: the alligator asleep far from the river. End of Section
• 44:33
  Speaker 1: twelve read by Laura Gibbs. Section thirteen of Animal Fables
• 44:44
  Speaker 1: from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This libriyvox
• 44:48
  Speaker 1: recording is in the public domain. The Wolf's Butter. One
• 44:54
  Speaker 1: fine morning, the wolf asked the rabbit to help build
• 44:56
  Speaker 1: his house. While he was to bring the poles. The
• 45:00
  Speaker 1: rabbit was to carry the grass. Near the spring, where
• 45:04
  Speaker 1: the grass grew high and thick. The rabbit saw his
• 45:07
  Speaker 1: friend's store of butter. How nice and yellow that looks.
• 45:12
  Speaker 1: I must have some, he thought. The hot sun and
• 45:15
  Speaker 1: the thoughts of the butter made him feel hungry. Then
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: all of a sudden, he dropped his grass, stretched his ears,
• 45:23
  Speaker 1: and cried out, yes, I hear you. I'm coming. The
• 45:28
  Speaker 1: wolf turned round and said, brother, rabbit, what is the matter?
• 45:32
  Speaker 1: No one called yes, it was the voice of Muzimu,
• 45:36
  Speaker 1: and I must go to help him work his roots
• 45:40
  Speaker 1: very well, But lose no time because I must finish
• 45:43
  Speaker 1: to day. The rabbit hopped off in another direction from
• 45:47
  Speaker 1: the spring. After getting in the woods, he turned back,
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: went to the butter and took a small slice. Then,
• 45:54
  Speaker 1: wiping his mouth against the grass, he ran back through
• 45:57
  Speaker 1: the bush to his work. Did you help work the roots,
• 46:01
  Speaker 1: asked the wolf. Oh, yes, laughed the merry little fellow.
• 46:05
  Speaker 1: What is his name? Little bit? Who is that? Asked
• 46:09
  Speaker 1: the astonished wolf. Oh, there are many new creatures coming
• 46:12
  Speaker 1: to the woods these days, and they have queer names,
• 46:16
  Speaker 1: replied the rabbit carelessly. For a while, they worked on
• 46:20
  Speaker 1: the sun became warmer, and the thoughts of the nice,
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: sweet butter came again and again to the rabbit's mind.
• 46:27
  Speaker 1: Suddenly he dropped his grass again, stretched his ears, and
• 46:31
  Speaker 1: called out, yes, I hear you. I am coming. Little rabbit,
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: you must be losing your senses. No one called, brother wolf,
• 46:40
  Speaker 1: you are getting deaf. You had better look after your ears.
• 46:44
  Speaker 1: That was Muzimu, who called again, all must obey. Muzimo
• 46:49
  Speaker 1: returned the other sorrowfully, But I must get my house finished,
• 46:53
  Speaker 1: so hurry back. When the rabbit returned, looking so spry
• 46:57
  Speaker 1: and happy, the wolf asked for whom the wozard was
• 47:00
  Speaker 1: now working his roots. Big slice was the answer. I
• 47:06
  Speaker 1: wonder if these new beasts are as strange as their names,
• 47:09
  Speaker 1: asked the wolf, looking somewhat doubtfully at his friend. Don't
• 47:13
  Speaker 1: know was the off hand reply. But I must hurry
• 47:16
  Speaker 1: along with my work. They worked on until the sun
• 47:20
  Speaker 1: began to droop in the west. The rabbit, in the
• 47:23
  Speaker 1: meanwhile thought often of that butter and was not willing
• 47:26
  Speaker 1: to leave any behind. Once again, near sunset, he suddenly
• 47:30
  Speaker 1: stopped and called out, yes, Muzimu, I am coming. Never
• 47:35
  Speaker 1: was the wolf so much surprised, Never had he seen
• 47:39
  Speaker 1: or heard anything like that before. But the name of
• 47:42
  Speaker 1: Muzimu was all powerful. When the rabbit returned, jumping and
• 47:46
  Speaker 1: frisking about in a gay manner, he was asked once
• 47:49
  Speaker 1: more about the roots. All gone is the name. This
• 47:53
  Speaker 1: time the wolf shook his head and began to talk
• 47:56
  Speaker 1: to himself. Soon it was time to stop work. Come
• 48:00
  Speaker 1: take supper with me, brother rabbit. No, thank you, I
• 48:05
  Speaker 1: must hurry home as my wife isn't feeling well to day.
• 48:08
  Speaker 1: With these words, the little rogue ran quickly across the field.
• 48:13
  Speaker 1: The wolf started off at once to get his butter
• 48:16
  Speaker 1: and found it gone. Jest, let me get that scamp
• 48:20
  Speaker 1: in my clutches and I'll work some roots, snapped the
• 48:23
  Speaker 1: angry wolf. End of Section thirteen read by Laura Gibbs,
• 48:36
  Speaker 1: Section fourteen of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 48:42
  Speaker 1: This liberyvox recording is in the public domain. The rabbit
• 48:46
  Speaker 1: escapes the wolf's anger. At last the wolf caught the rabbit.
• 48:52
  Speaker 1: He caught the little fellow in bed one morning, fast asleep.
• 48:56
  Speaker 1: The wolf put him into a bag made of strong
• 48:59
  Speaker 1: leaves and hung it on a limb of a tree.
• 49:02
  Speaker 1: Then he went off to get a stout lash, saying
• 49:05
  Speaker 1: as he left, Now, you little rogue, I intend to
• 49:08
  Speaker 1: beat you within an inch of your life for stealing
• 49:11
  Speaker 1: my butter. Fear sees the little fellow. His eyes seemed larger,
• 49:17
  Speaker 1: his ears longer when he heard those terrible words. But
• 49:22
  Speaker 1: a little courage came to him after a while, as
• 49:25
  Speaker 1: he noticed a tiny opening in the bag peeping out.
• 49:28
  Speaker 1: He saw a fox coming that way. At once an
• 49:32
  Speaker 1: idea came to him. Then he began to sing, I
• 49:37
  Speaker 1: am going up so high, so high, Yes, my friend,
• 49:41
  Speaker 1: where there's nothing but grass so sweet. Yes, my friend.
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: The fox stopped and listened. With surprise, the song began again.
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: Others can't go up so high, so high? No, my friend,
• 49:57
  Speaker 1: where there's nothing but birds to eat? No, my friend.
• 50:02
  Speaker 1: The fox came nearer, Brother rabbit, is that your voice, Yes, friend,
• 50:08
  Speaker 1: that's my voice. What are you doing in that bag?
• 50:12
  Speaker 1: The eagle is going to carry me up to Mayo,
• 50:15
  Speaker 1: the land of good things and no trouble. Can't you
• 50:19
  Speaker 1: take me with you? Brother? No, the eagle says that
• 50:23
  Speaker 1: he can carry only one at a time to Mayo.
• 50:27
  Speaker 1: The fox begged and begged to go, remembering the words
• 50:31
  Speaker 1: of the song, where there's nothing but birds to eat.
• 50:35
  Speaker 1: At last, the rabbit said, well, friend, since you beg
• 50:39
  Speaker 1: so hard, I will give you my chance. Some other
• 50:43
  Speaker 1: time I can go. The fox then unfastened the bag,
• 50:47
  Speaker 1: let the rabbit out and took his place, Thinking that
• 50:51
  Speaker 1: the eagle would come at once, take the bag and
• 50:54
  Speaker 1: sail away to Mayo. The rabbit, jumping with joy, hid
• 50:58
  Speaker 1: in the briar bush to a weight the coming of
• 51:01
  Speaker 1: the wolf. In a short while, the wolf appeared, carrying
• 51:05
  Speaker 1: a keen black lash. Up to the bag. He went
• 51:08
  Speaker 1: and gave it a mighty cut. He drew back and
• 51:11
  Speaker 1: struck again and again, slash slash. The fox inside was
• 51:17
  Speaker 1: much surprised at this way of sailing to Mayo. Smarting
• 51:21
  Speaker 1: with pain, he hallooed out, what is that? What do
• 51:24
  Speaker 1: you want? Go away from there? The wolf, thinking of
• 51:28
  Speaker 1: his stolen butter, does not hear the voice, but keeps
• 51:32
  Speaker 1: striking away, making it each blow hotter and hotter. At last,
• 51:37
  Speaker 1: the bag breaks and the poor fox falls to the ground,
• 51:40
  Speaker 1: crying with pain. Then, for the first time, the wolf
• 51:44
  Speaker 1: finds out that he has been deceived again and has
• 51:48
  Speaker 1: been beating the fox instead of the rabbit. Forgive me, friend, fox,
• 51:53
  Speaker 1: I thought that scamp of a rabbit was in that bag. Oh,
• 51:56
  Speaker 1: when I get him again, I intend to skin him alive.
• 52:01
  Speaker 1: All this time, the little fellow, from his hiding place
• 52:03
  Speaker 1: had seen and heard everything, and was now rolling with
• 52:07
  Speaker 1: laughter in the briar bush. There may be some reason,
• 52:11
  Speaker 1: after all, why his ears are so long and his
• 52:15
  Speaker 1: eyes so big. End of Section fourteen, read by Laura Gibbs.
• 52:28
  Speaker 1: Section fifteen of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 52:34
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The rabbit
• 52:39
  Speaker 1: and his ears. The great heat of the sun had
• 52:42
  Speaker 1: dried up the streams from which the animals drank. A
• 52:45
  Speaker 1: drought came, and the animal people, having nothing to drink,
• 52:50
  Speaker 1: assembled in council. King Elephants, surrounded by his chiefs, listened
• 52:55
  Speaker 1: to the sad stories of the thirsty beasts. At last
• 52:59
  Speaker 1: it was decided that each one should cut off the
• 53:02
  Speaker 1: tips of his ears and take the fat from them.
• 53:05
  Speaker 1: Then all the fat would be gathered and given to
• 53:08
  Speaker 1: the sharp clod fat again, the great digger of the
• 53:11
  Speaker 1: woods and plains, who would burrow far into the ground
• 53:14
  Speaker 1: until water was reached. To this idea, all cried out
• 53:18
  Speaker 1: in joy. It is well, let us cut off the
• 53:21
  Speaker 1: tips of our ears. All agreed, But when it came
• 53:25
  Speaker 1: to the rabbit's turn to cut off the tips of
• 53:27
  Speaker 1: his ears, he refused and ran away. Though surprised at
• 53:33
  Speaker 1: this strange act of the rabbit, no animal spoke of it. Then,
• 53:37
  Speaker 1: as all were anxious to see and taste the long
• 53:39
  Speaker 1: desired water, the fat was given to the horny backed
• 53:43
  Speaker 1: fat again, who called his many brothers and sisters, and
• 53:47
  Speaker 1: in a short while a well was dug, and sparkling
• 53:50
  Speaker 1: cool water was ready for all. The Next day, when
• 53:54
  Speaker 1: the sun rose, the rabbit took a gourd shell, in
• 53:57
  Speaker 1: which were some pebbles, and went toward the well. Dragging
• 54:01
  Speaker 1: the shell upon the ground. It made a dreadful sound.
• 54:04
  Speaker 1: It seemed to say, chog choo, chee, chow choke cheo.
• 54:09
  Speaker 1: This frightened the animals, and they ran away into the woods.
• 54:14
  Speaker 1: Seeing no one near the well, he drew up some
• 54:16
  Speaker 1: of the water and drank it. Then the frisky little
• 54:19
  Speaker 1: fellow went down into its shining depths and bathed, so
• 54:23
  Speaker 1: that the water became muddy. When the noise of the
• 54:27
  Speaker 1: shell was heard no more the animals returned, Seeing the
• 54:30
  Speaker 1: muddy water. They determined to catch the creature who had
• 54:33
  Speaker 1: been so unkind. They took some leaves, twigs, and a
• 54:38
  Speaker 1: spider's web called the weaver bird, and had an image
• 54:42
  Speaker 1: made over. This was smeared some gum. Then the image
• 54:47
  Speaker 1: was placed in the path near the well. The next
• 54:51
  Speaker 1: morning the rabbit returned to drink and bathe the gorge
• 54:54
  Speaker 1: shell again said choke choo, chee, chaw chug chew. When
• 55:00
  Speaker 1: the rabbit saw the image, he was surprised. He went
• 55:03
  Speaker 1: up close and looked at it carefully. Then he waited
• 55:06
  Speaker 1: for it to move. Then he winked his eye, but
• 55:10
  Speaker 1: the image did not return the wink. Hey friend. He
• 55:15
  Speaker 1: at last said, stand aside, so that I may go
• 55:18
  Speaker 1: to the well and get some water. The image made
• 55:21
  Speaker 1: no answer. Can't you see that I am in a hurry?
• 55:25
  Speaker 1: Still no answer. See this hand. If you don't let
• 55:29
  Speaker 1: me pass and get some water, I am going to
• 55:31
  Speaker 1: slap you. The image kept quiet. Take this for such
• 55:37
  Speaker 1: poor manners? With these words, the rabbit gave a slap,
• 55:41
  Speaker 1: and his right forefoot remained fastened in the gum. Why
• 55:45
  Speaker 1: do you hold my hand? Let me go, or I
• 55:47
  Speaker 1: will strike you with my other one. The image said nothing.
• 55:51
  Speaker 1: The rabbit struck him with his left forefoot, and that
• 55:54
  Speaker 1: became stuck in the gum. Oh oh, he cried, I
• 55:58
  Speaker 1: will now kick you, you surly fellow. He kicked, and
• 56:03
  Speaker 1: his hind feet remained fixed in the gum. Turn me loose,
• 56:07
  Speaker 1: Turn me loose, or I will knock you over with
• 56:09
  Speaker 1: my head. The image said nothing, but held on fast.
• 56:14
  Speaker 1: The rabbit gave the image a hard butt with his head,
• 56:17
  Speaker 1: and that also became stuck. Now he could not pull
• 56:21
  Speaker 1: himself loose and began to cry out, please let me go,
• 56:25
  Speaker 1: Please let me go. The animals, hearing the cry, ran
• 56:30
  Speaker 1: out of their hiding places to see what the image
• 56:33
  Speaker 1: had caught. Shame, shame, oh brother, they said together. Did
• 56:38
  Speaker 1: you not agree with us to cut off the tips
• 56:40
  Speaker 1: of your ears? And when it came your turn to
• 56:43
  Speaker 1: do so, did you not refuse? Yet you come to
• 56:46
  Speaker 1: drink from our well and then muddy the water. Then
• 56:50
  Speaker 1: they took switches and beat him. We ought to kill you,
• 56:54
  Speaker 1: ungrateful creature, but no run, run. They pulled him from
• 57:00
  Speaker 1: the image, let him go, and the rabbit fled to
• 57:03
  Speaker 1: the tall grass to live alone, away from his brothers
• 57:07
  Speaker 1: upon whom he had played such a mean trick. Now,
• 57:11
  Speaker 1: when they come to search for him, he runs and
• 57:13
  Speaker 1: hides in a thick patch of briar bushes, where they
• 57:17
  Speaker 1: fear to follow. End of Section fifteen read by Laura Gibbs.
• 57:29
  Speaker 1: Section sixteen of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 57:36
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Rabbit
• 57:40
  Speaker 1: and the Moon. The days and nights the rabbit spent
• 57:44
  Speaker 1: in the grass and briar bushes, far from the anger
• 57:47
  Speaker 1: of the other animals were many and lonely. Though he
• 57:51
  Speaker 1: had kept the length of his ears, he longed for
• 57:53
  Speaker 1: his friends. At last, the bright silver Moon, from her
• 57:57
  Speaker 1: high home in the sky, looked down and smiled upon
• 58:01
  Speaker 1: the lonely little creature. The more she smiled, the happier
• 58:05
  Speaker 1: the rabbit became, and he began to look each night
• 58:08
  Speaker 1: for the big shining face that floated over the world
• 58:11
  Speaker 1: when the sun went to rest. Early one morning, before
• 58:16
  Speaker 1: the bright light of the sun had told the moon
• 58:18
  Speaker 1: that it was time to rest, the rabbit heard a
• 58:21
  Speaker 1: voice calling to him. Approaching timidly, he saw the silver
• 58:26
  Speaker 1: face of the moon near him. Then he heard a
• 58:29
  Speaker 1: soft whisper, Oh, lonely, little fellow of the fields, go
• 58:35
  Speaker 1: to the homes of men and say, just as the
• 58:39
  Speaker 1: moon dies and rises to life again, so you also
• 58:43
  Speaker 1: shall die and rise to life again. But the little rabbit,
• 58:49
  Speaker 1: when he reached the homes of men, forgot his message
• 58:53
  Speaker 1: and said, just as I die and do not rise again,
• 58:57
  Speaker 1: so you shall die also and not rise to life again.
• 59:01
  Speaker 1: Then he returned, and the next night, when the moon
• 59:05
  Speaker 1: was looking so bright, so free from stain and blur,
• 59:09
  Speaker 1: the rabbit told what he had said. What did you
• 59:13
  Speaker 1: carry the wrong message, asked the moon in great surprise.
• 59:17
  Speaker 1: A dark cloud passed over her face, and the twinkling
• 59:21
  Speaker 1: stars sank out of sight. Oh, unhappy creature with long ears,
• 59:26
  Speaker 1: she said, as she struck at him with a hatchet,
• 59:29
  Speaker 1: Take this and that. And with those words, the rabbit's
• 59:33
  Speaker 1: lip was split and his tail was cut. But before
• 59:38
  Speaker 1: he fled from the wrath of the moon, the frightened
• 59:41
  Speaker 1: creature clawed at her round silver face, leaving those scars
• 59:46
  Speaker 1: which men and animals now see when the day sleeps,
• 59:50
  Speaker 1: and when she keeps watch over them. End of Section
• 59:56
  Speaker 1: sixteen read by Laura Gibbs. Section seventeen of animal fables
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 1: from the Dark Continent by a o stafford. This livery
• 1:00:12
  Speaker 1: box recording is in the public domain. Why the goat
• 1:00:16
  Speaker 1: left the jungle once a feast was given in the
• 1:00:20
  Speaker 1: far old in time to the lion by many of
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 1: his animal friends. At the feast there were the leopard,
• 1:00:27
  Speaker 1: the hyena, the wolf, the jackal, the wildcat, the buffalo,
• 1:00:30
  Speaker 1: the zebra, and many more. Returning alone from the feast,
• 1:00:35
  Speaker 1: the lion met a goat near the edge of the forest.
• 1:00:38
  Speaker 1: After a few words of greeting, the lion began to
• 1:00:41
  Speaker 1: boast of his dignity and his strength, but the goat
• 1:00:45
  Speaker 1: did not seem to agree with his words. What know you, not,
• 1:00:49
  Speaker 1: little goat, that I am the strongest of all the animals,
• 1:00:53
  Speaker 1: that when I roar, all who hear me bow down
• 1:00:56
  Speaker 1: their heads and shrink in fear. Indeed, I do not
• 1:00:59
  Speaker 1: know all this, answered the goat. I know a tiny creature,
• 1:01:05
  Speaker 1: he continued, in these woods. Who is more to be
• 1:01:08
  Speaker 1: dreaded than you are? Bah, replied the other, impatiently, you
• 1:01:12
  Speaker 1: anger me. Who may this tiny creature be? He then asked?
• 1:01:17
  Speaker 1: The serpent, answered the goat, chewing his cud with an
• 1:01:21
  Speaker 1: indifferent air. The serpent said the lion, surprised what that
• 1:01:26
  Speaker 1: crawling creature that feeds on mice and sleeping birds? Yes,
• 1:01:32
  Speaker 1: that is his name, spoke up the goat. Will you
• 1:01:35
  Speaker 1: match him against me? Yes? And if you lose, I
• 1:01:41
  Speaker 1: will be your slave. But what will you give me
• 1:01:44
  Speaker 1: if you lose? One hundred bunches of bananas? Said the
• 1:01:48
  Speaker 1: boastful lion. Agreed, replied the goat. So sure am I
• 1:01:52
  Speaker 1: of victory. I will have fifty bunches brought at once Tomorrow,
• 1:01:58
  Speaker 1: when the sun is midway the sky, we will meet
• 1:02:01
  Speaker 1: here in this spot, were the parting words of the lion.
• 1:02:06
  Speaker 1: After a while, a long line of servile animals bearing
• 1:02:09
  Speaker 1: the fifty bunches of bananas came and laid them at
• 1:02:12
  Speaker 1: the feet of the goat. The next day, at the
• 1:02:15
  Speaker 1: appointed time, the two animals met. Well, billy, where is
• 1:02:20
  Speaker 1: your friend who is stronger than I am? I am
• 1:02:23
  Speaker 1: curious to see him. Come with me, said the goat,
• 1:02:27
  Speaker 1: and together they went to the home of the serpent.
• 1:02:30
  Speaker 1: Are you, lion, asked a hissing voice from the top
• 1:02:34
  Speaker 1: of a bush. Yes, I am, And who are you
• 1:02:38
  Speaker 1: that do not know me? I am serpent friend, lion,
• 1:02:44
  Speaker 1: short of sight and slow of movement, come nearer, to me,
• 1:02:49
  Speaker 1: for I see you not. The proud lion gave a loud,
• 1:02:54
  Speaker 1: roaring laugh and went confidently near the serpent. The serpent
• 1:02:58
  Speaker 1: moved and art his neck. You shake already, said the lion, mockingly. Yes,
• 1:03:06
  Speaker 1: I shake, But to strike the better my friend, hissed
• 1:03:10
  Speaker 1: the serpent, as he darted forward and fixed his poisonous
• 1:03:14
  Speaker 1: fangs in the right eyebrow of the lion. At the
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 1: same moment, its body glided round the neck of the
• 1:03:22
  Speaker 1: strong beast and became buried in his long mane. Quickly
• 1:03:27
  Speaker 1: the lion felt the poison in his head and body.
• 1:03:30
  Speaker 1: In a short time, that great animal fell down and
• 1:03:34
  Speaker 1: lay still and dead. Well done, cried the goat, as
• 1:03:39
  Speaker 1: he pranced joyously around the dead headman of king Elephant.
• 1:03:43
  Speaker 1: The goat and the serpent then vowed friendship for each other.
• 1:03:47
  Speaker 1: Now follow me, said the snake. See that path, follow it,
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 1: and you will find a village where man lives. There
• 1:03:55
  Speaker 1: you will have tender leaves, sweet bananas, and plenty of
• 1:03:59
  Speaker 1: greens each day. Go there and live, and may you
• 1:04:04
  Speaker 1: always find happiness there and of Section seventeen read by
• 1:04:12
  Speaker 1: Laura Gibbs. Section eighteen of Animal Fables from the dark
• 1:04:23
  Speaker 1: Continent by a O Stafford. This liveryvox recording is in
• 1:04:28
  Speaker 1: the public domain. The Frog and the Elephant. One day
• 1:04:33
  Speaker 1: the frog said to some of his friends, King, elephant
• 1:04:37
  Speaker 1: is my horse. These friends, a day or so later,
• 1:04:40
  Speaker 1: saw the elephant and said, you are the horse of
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 1: the frog. The elephant was much surprised at these words.
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 1: He went at once to the frog, asking did you
• 1:04:51
  Speaker 1: tell your friends that I am your horse? To this question,
• 1:04:54
  Speaker 1: the frog did not reply, but said, let us go
• 1:04:58
  Speaker 1: great King and these people, so that I may make answer.
• 1:05:03
  Speaker 1: After hopping a long way, the frog, in a weak voice, said,
• 1:05:08
  Speaker 1: mighty one, I am so tired. Let me ride a
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 1: little on your back. Yes, little one, I will stoop
• 1:05:17
  Speaker 1: while you get up, said the kind elephant. In a
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 1: short time, the cunning frog spoke again, good and wise friend,
• 1:05:25
  Speaker 1: I'm going to fall. Hold this piece of cord in
• 1:05:28
  Speaker 1: your mouth so that I may not slip. Certainly, do
• 1:05:33
  Speaker 1: as you wish. When a little more time passed, the
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 1: frog spoke again, I see that the flies bite you.
• 1:05:41
  Speaker 1: Let me get a small twig to fan them off.
• 1:05:45
  Speaker 1: How kind of you, little fellow. I will stop for you,
• 1:05:49
  Speaker 1: returned the elephant. The twig was found, and away they went,
• 1:05:53
  Speaker 1: the frog, holding to the cord with one hand and
• 1:05:57
  Speaker 1: striking the flies on the elephant's head with the other.
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 1: At last they came to the home of the frog's friends,
• 1:06:03
  Speaker 1: who saw them and cried out in glee, Oh, mister elephant,
• 1:06:07
  Speaker 1: you are indeed the horse of the frog. The horse
• 1:06:11
  Speaker 1: of the frog. End of section eighteen read by Laura Gibbs,
• 1:06:25
  Speaker 1: Section nineteen of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 1:06:31
  Speaker 1: This lipery fox recording is in the public domain. The
• 1:06:35
  Speaker 1: frog and the leopard. My spotted friend, let us run
• 1:06:39
  Speaker 1: a race from one village to another, said the frog
• 1:06:42
  Speaker 1: one day to the leopard. The proud leopard answered, this
• 1:06:48
  Speaker 1: is foolishness. A little slow hopping creature such as you
• 1:06:52
  Speaker 1: are cannot race with me. Yes, I can, croaked the frog.
• 1:06:58
  Speaker 1: The leopard, thinking that the frog would believe him afraid
• 1:07:01
  Speaker 1: to race, said all right, my green friend, we will
• 1:07:05
  Speaker 1: race tomorrow to his home. The frog then went and
• 1:07:10
  Speaker 1: called a great number of his relations, all of them
• 1:07:13
  Speaker 1: that were the same size and the same shade of green,
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 1: were placed along the road from one village to the other.
• 1:07:20
  Speaker 1: They were hidden in the waving grass two here and
• 1:07:24
  Speaker 1: three there. When the time came, the leopard called out,
• 1:07:28
  Speaker 1: come cousin, fox, start the race. One, two, three go,
• 1:07:34
  Speaker 1: said the fox, and the leopard and a frog started together.
• 1:07:39
  Speaker 1: The leopard made one great leap, and when he alighted
• 1:07:42
  Speaker 1: on the ground, he called frog, frog, and one of
• 1:07:46
  Speaker 1: the frogs hidden in the grass croaked plunk, golunk. What
• 1:07:52
  Speaker 1: such a creature as you can beat me in a race,
• 1:07:54
  Speaker 1: said the leopard in great surprise. No, it is not possible.
• 1:07:58
  Speaker 1: I will leap again. Then he took another long leap,
• 1:08:02
  Speaker 1: greater than the first one. Alighting again on the ground,
• 1:08:05
  Speaker 1: the leopard called out, with a feeling of victory, frog frog,
• 1:08:09
  Speaker 1: have you reached this far place? And another one of
• 1:08:12
  Speaker 1: the frogs answered from the grass, colugc colank. Becoming angry,
• 1:08:17
  Speaker 1: the leaps of the leopard became longer and longer, but
• 1:08:20
  Speaker 1: each time he alighted and called frog, a frog answered
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 1: colugc colank. Thus went the race until the other village
• 1:08:29
  Speaker 1: was reached. Then the frog that had asked the leopard
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 1: to race was there awaiting his coming. In that distant time,
• 1:08:37
  Speaker 1: the frog family lived in the bush with many other animals.
• 1:08:40
  Speaker 1: But after the race, the leopard called them together and said,
• 1:08:44
  Speaker 1: I am the mighty one in the bush and the
• 1:08:47
  Speaker 1: great leaper, and after this you cannot live there any more.
• 1:08:52
  Speaker 1: Close to the water side must be your home to day.
• 1:08:58
  Speaker 1: As a result of that race, in that faraway time,
• 1:09:01
  Speaker 1: you hear the frogs croaking by the water side. Wherever
• 1:09:05
  Speaker 1: you go, punishment comes often to those who practice cunning.
• 1:09:13
  Speaker 1: End of section nineteen read by Laura Gibbs, Section twenty
• 1:09:23
  Speaker 1: of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 1:09:28
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Jackal
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 1: and the Leopard. One day a leopard passed the home
• 1:09:37
  Speaker 1: of the ram. As the leopard had never seen a
• 1:09:40
  Speaker 1: ram before, he spoke to the stranger in a very
• 1:09:43
  Speaker 1: polite tone, Good day, friend, what may your name be?
• 1:09:48
  Speaker 1: The other, in a gruff voice, and striking his breast
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 1: with his forefoot, replied, I am Ram, great Ram, And
• 1:09:57
  Speaker 1: who are you A A leopard, answered the other, very
• 1:10:02
  Speaker 1: much frightened at the voice of the stranger. Then taking
• 1:10:06
  Speaker 1: leave of the ram, he ran quickly to his home.
• 1:10:10
  Speaker 1: In those days, a jackal lived near the home of
• 1:10:12
  Speaker 1: the leopard, and the latter, going to him, said, with
• 1:10:16
  Speaker 1: much excitement. Friend, Jackal, I am quite out of breath
• 1:10:20
  Speaker 1: and much frightened, for I have just seen a terrible
• 1:10:23
  Speaker 1: looking fellow with a large, thick head and a gruff,
• 1:10:27
  Speaker 1: deep voice, whose name is Ram. What a foolish leopard
• 1:10:32
  Speaker 1: you are to let such a nice piece of flesh stand.
• 1:10:35
  Speaker 1: Why did you do so? I was much afraid after
• 1:10:39
  Speaker 1: I heard his voice, answered the leopard. Why he is
• 1:10:43
  Speaker 1: very harmless, returned the jackal. I should never think so
• 1:10:47
  Speaker 1: from that voice and from the size of his head. Well,
• 1:10:51
  Speaker 1: I know where he lives. Come with me tomorrow and
• 1:10:54
  Speaker 1: I will show you how timid he is, said the
• 1:10:56
  Speaker 1: greedy jackal. The next day they started the home of
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 1: the Ram, and as they appeared over the hill, the ram,
• 1:11:04
  Speaker 1: who was looking for a tender bunch of grass, saw
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 1: them at once. He went into his house and said
• 1:11:10
  Speaker 1: to his wife, I fear that this is our last day,
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 1: for the jackal and the leopard are both coming after us.
• 1:11:17
  Speaker 1: What shall we do. Don't be afraid, said his brave wife,
• 1:11:22
  Speaker 1: But take up our little child, the lamb in your arms.
• 1:11:25
  Speaker 1: Go out with him and pinch his ear so as
• 1:11:28
  Speaker 1: to make him cry as if he were hungry. The
• 1:11:31
  Speaker 1: Ram did so as the leopard and the jackal came
• 1:11:34
  Speaker 1: over the hill. No sooner did the leopard cast his
• 1:11:38
  Speaker 1: eyes upon the big head of the ram, than fear
• 1:11:41
  Speaker 1: again seized him, and he wished to turn back. But
• 1:11:44
  Speaker 1: the jackal had expected this and had made his friend
• 1:11:47
  Speaker 1: fast to him with a strong twig, so he could
• 1:11:50
  Speaker 1: not get away. Come on, cried the hungry jackal. Then
• 1:11:55
  Speaker 1: the ram spoke out in a loud, gruff voice, pinching
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: his child at the same time. You have done well, friend, jackal,
• 1:12:03
  Speaker 1: to have brought us the leopard to eat for you.
• 1:12:05
  Speaker 1: Hear how my child is crying for food. On hearing
• 1:12:10
  Speaker 1: these dreadful words and the cries of the lamb, the leopard,
• 1:12:14
  Speaker 1: forgetful of the strong twig that bound him to the jackal,
• 1:12:17
  Speaker 1: set off in the greatest alarm, dragging the jackal after
• 1:12:21
  Speaker 1: him over hill and valley, through bushes and over rocks,
• 1:12:24
  Speaker 1: and never stopped to look behind him until he and
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 1: his half dead companion were at their homes again. The
• 1:12:32
  Speaker 1: jackal missed a good meal through the fear of his friend,
• 1:12:36
  Speaker 1: and the leopard received a fright he never forgot. As
• 1:12:40
  Speaker 1: for the ram, he often says to his wife a
• 1:12:43
  Speaker 1: big voice sometimes makes the coward seem bold and of
• 1:12:50
  Speaker 1: section twenty read by Laura Gibbs twenty one of Animal
• 1:13:02
  Speaker 1: Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This
• 1:13:06
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Jackal and
• 1:13:10
  Speaker 1: the Heron High on top of a rock lived a
• 1:13:14
  Speaker 1: gentle dove with her little children. Near this peaceful home.
• 1:13:20
  Speaker 1: Their proud knightly, a selfish and cowardly jackal. One night
• 1:13:25
  Speaker 1: he snarled out to the dove, give me one of
• 1:13:28
  Speaker 1: your little children to eat. The dove quickly answered, I
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 1: shall not do it. What kind of mother do you
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 1: think I am? Give me one at once, otherwise I
• 1:13:38
  Speaker 1: will fly up to your nest and destroy you and
• 1:13:42
  Speaker 1: all your family. Yelped the hungry thief. The poor, frightened dove,
• 1:13:47
  Speaker 1: wishing to save some of her family, threw one of
• 1:13:49
  Speaker 1: her little children down to him. The jackal went off
• 1:13:53
  Speaker 1: with it, but returned the next night and demanded another child,
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 1: and by threats, succeeded in getting one. A few days later,
• 1:14:02
  Speaker 1: the long necked heron came to visit the gentle dove, and,
• 1:14:06
  Speaker 1: finding her in tears, asked, what is the matter, dear friend.
• 1:14:11
  Speaker 1: The poor dove then told of her misfortune. After listening
• 1:14:16
  Speaker 1: to the sad story, the heron asked, with much surprise,
• 1:14:20
  Speaker 1: are you so silly as to give your children to
• 1:14:22
  Speaker 1: that cowardly fellow. Jackals cannot fly. The dove then felt
• 1:14:28
  Speaker 1: very much ashamed of her own folly. The next time,
• 1:14:32
  Speaker 1: she refused to throw down one of her children, saying no,
• 1:14:36
  Speaker 1: I will not. Besides, I fear you no longer. Heron says,
• 1:14:41
  Speaker 1: jackals do not fly. So she told you that, well,
• 1:14:47
  Speaker 1: Heron shall pay for this, said the sneaking creature. Early
• 1:14:52
  Speaker 1: one morning A day or so later, while on his
• 1:14:54
  Speaker 1: way home from his nightly prowl, the jackal saw the
• 1:14:58
  Speaker 1: heron standing under the shape of a tree near the
• 1:15:01
  Speaker 1: water's edge. Ah, my friend, good morning, said the artful prowler.
• 1:15:07
  Speaker 1: Good morning, jackal, returned the heron. Sister, Heron, when the
• 1:15:12
  Speaker 1: wind comes from this side, how do you stand? The
• 1:15:16
  Speaker 1: bird slowly turned her neck toward the Jackaline said, I
• 1:15:20
  Speaker 1: stand thus bending my neck on one side. When a
• 1:15:25
  Speaker 1: storm comes, and when it rains, how do you stand, sister.
• 1:15:29
  Speaker 1: The unsuspecting bird then replied, I stand thus bending my neck.
• 1:15:35
  Speaker 1: Then the revengeful jackal quickly struck her neck from that
• 1:15:40
  Speaker 1: evil day. The heron's neck has been bent. End of
• 1:15:46
  Speaker 1: Section twenty one read by Laura Gibbs, Section twenty two
• 1:15:57
  Speaker 1: of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 1:16:02
  Speaker 1: This livery Fox recording is in the public domain. The
• 1:16:06
  Speaker 1: Jackal and the Hyaena. One morning, the Jackal and the
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 1: Hyaena were seen together coming down the steep slope of
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 1: a mountain side. Not a sound was heard, and not
• 1:16:17
  Speaker 1: a village was within sight. These two robbers, having made
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 1: their dreadful yelps and howls throughout the night, were now
• 1:16:26
  Speaker 1: quietly seeking their dark caves. A heavy mist hung over
• 1:16:30
  Speaker 1: the mountain path. As they came down, Fleecy clouds seemed
• 1:16:34
  Speaker 1: to rise from the ground as the sun moved higher
• 1:16:37
  Speaker 1: up in the sky. As one cloud after another arose,
• 1:16:42
  Speaker 1: those rovers had a desire to mount one of them.
• 1:16:46
  Speaker 1: The desire became very great in the Jackal, and taking courage,
• 1:16:50
  Speaker 1: he mounted upon one of the rising clouds and ate
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 1: of it as if it were food. When he wanted
• 1:16:56
  Speaker 1: to come down, he called out to his companion cousin, Hyaena,
• 1:17:01
  Speaker 1: as I am going to divide with you. Catch me
• 1:17:03
  Speaker 1: as I fall. His cousin caught him, breaking the force
• 1:17:08
  Speaker 1: of the fall. Then the hyaena mounted a rising cloud
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 1: and ate of it as did his friend. When he
• 1:17:15
  Speaker 1: was satisfied, he called out from his high seat on
• 1:17:18
  Speaker 1: the cloud, dear cousin, now catch me as well as
• 1:17:21
  Speaker 1: I caught you. I shall catch you well. Cousin, come down,
• 1:17:26
  Speaker 1: answered the jackal. Standing under the cloud, he stretched out
• 1:17:30
  Speaker 1: his fore feet in order to break the fall of
• 1:17:32
  Speaker 1: his companion. Then, when the falling body came near the earth,
• 1:17:36
  Speaker 1: the cowardly jackal cried out, as if in great pain,
• 1:17:40
  Speaker 1: O me o me A thorn has pierced my foot.
• 1:17:43
  Speaker 1: Then quickly stepped aside. The falling Hyaena struck the earth
• 1:17:48
  Speaker 1: with great force and was badly hurt. Then, in fear,
• 1:17:53
  Speaker 1: the jackal fled from the scene of the disaster, and
• 1:17:56
  Speaker 1: from that time has been the vagabond of the woods.
• 1:17:59
  Speaker 1: He loves the twilight and the darkness. As for the
• 1:18:04
  Speaker 1: unfortunate hyena, his left hind foot has remained shorter and
• 1:18:08
  Speaker 1: smaller ever since that fatal fall from the fleecy cloud.
• 1:18:14
  Speaker 1: Evil companionship often brings sorrow. End of section twenty two
• 1:18:22
  Speaker 1: read by Laura Gibbs. Section twenty three of Animal Faples
• 1:18:33
  Speaker 1: from the Dark Continent by Ao Stafford. This LibriVox recording
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 1: is in the public domain. The Hyena's spots. The Hyaena
• 1:18:43
  Speaker 1: saw the jackal one night and pretended that he had
• 1:18:45
  Speaker 1: forgotten the mean trick that had been played on him.
• 1:18:50
  Speaker 1: Let us hunt together again, friend, I know where there
• 1:18:53
  Speaker 1: are some bee trees, so bring your bag tomorrow and
• 1:18:56
  Speaker 1: your children. Then you can carry home much honey. The
• 1:19:01
  Speaker 1: jackal dared not refuse, and came the next night to
• 1:19:04
  Speaker 1: the Hyaena's home, bringing two of his little ones, each
• 1:19:07
  Speaker 1: one with a small bag, off to the bee trees.
• 1:19:10
  Speaker 1: They went, go up first, brother, jackal, and fill your bag.
• 1:19:14
  Speaker 1: I will show your cubs how to climb a small
• 1:19:17
  Speaker 1: tree and gather the sweetness. Then the Hyaena went off
• 1:19:20
  Speaker 1: a short distance and put the little jackals in his
• 1:19:24
  Speaker 1: hunting bag, saying, now I will pay back that wrong
• 1:19:28
  Speaker 1: of the jackal and carry his little ones to show
• 1:19:31
  Speaker 1: to my brethren from his tree. The jackal saw what
• 1:19:35
  Speaker 1: had been done, and, after filling his bag with honey,
• 1:19:38
  Speaker 1: came down with it. The other one soon drew near, saying,
• 1:19:42
  Speaker 1: let us eat from your bag while your little ones
• 1:19:45
  Speaker 1: gather much honey. Did these prowlers then eat, but the
• 1:19:49
  Speaker 1: jackal did not forget to think of his two cubs.
• 1:19:53
  Speaker 1: After time, he said, you are stronger than I. But
• 1:19:56
  Speaker 1: let me see if I can carry your big bag
• 1:19:59
  Speaker 1: to that tall bee tree and bring it back without
• 1:20:01
  Speaker 1: stopping to rest. All right, said the unsuspecting Hyaena, who
• 1:20:06
  Speaker 1: was now a little drowsy. After eating his meal of honey.
• 1:20:11
  Speaker 1: Reaching the tall tree, the jackal took out his children
• 1:20:14
  Speaker 1: and told them to run quickly home. Then he climbed
• 1:20:17
  Speaker 1: the tree and filled the empty bag with honey and
• 1:20:21
  Speaker 1: with many sleeping bees. Coming back to the drowsy Hyaena,
• 1:20:25
  Speaker 1: he said, in a most innocent way, I did not
• 1:20:29
  Speaker 1: know that I was so strong or that the distance
• 1:20:32
  Speaker 1: was so far. Wake up, brother, go tell my children
• 1:20:35
  Speaker 1: to wait here while I help you home with your
• 1:20:38
  Speaker 1: heavy bag of honey. The Hyaena pretended to carry the message,
• 1:20:43
  Speaker 1: then came back and took up his bag, which he
• 1:20:46
  Speaker 1: thought held the two little jackals. They soon reached the
• 1:20:50
  Speaker 1: settlement of the hyaenas, where the jackal said, think of
• 1:20:53
  Speaker 1: me when you and your brethren eat the honey. Good
• 1:20:56
  Speaker 1: night friend. He then ran quickly away. The Hyaena called
• 1:21:01
  Speaker 1: his brethren, come wake up and look at the cubs
• 1:21:04
  Speaker 1: of the jackal, here is a good feast. Let us
• 1:21:07
  Speaker 1: go to the cave so they cannot escape. Into the
• 1:21:11
  Speaker 1: cave they went, the bag was opened, and out flew
• 1:21:15
  Speaker 1: hundreds of awakened angry bees. They buzzed in this direction,
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 1: They buzzed in that they stung here, they stung there.
• 1:21:26
  Speaker 1: Howls of pain came from the cave, and soon through
• 1:21:30
  Speaker 1: the opening, the beasts came running as if all the
• 1:21:33
  Speaker 1: imps of the woods were after them. Through the forest.
• 1:21:36
  Speaker 1: They dashed, howling as if mad, looking for the nearest
• 1:21:39
  Speaker 1: stream of water. A few weeks later, the jackal caught
• 1:21:43
  Speaker 1: a glimpse of a hyaena prowling through the bush. All
• 1:21:47
  Speaker 1: over his body he saw many ugly black spots, which
• 1:21:51
  Speaker 1: made the jackal say to himself, the angry bee leaves
• 1:21:55
  Speaker 1: an ugly spot as well as a painful sting. And
• 1:22:00
  Speaker 1: of Section twenty three read by Laura Gibbs, Section twenty
• 1:22:11
  Speaker 1: four of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Hyaena's
• 1:22:21
  Speaker 1: punishment the Great Law of Muzimu had been disobeyed by
• 1:22:25
  Speaker 1: the hyaena. Instead of killing his food, he fed upon
• 1:22:30
  Speaker 1: the flesh and bones of the dead. The hunting animals
• 1:22:33
  Speaker 1: told the leopard to visit the mighty Muzimu and ask
• 1:22:37
  Speaker 1: what must be done to punish the offender of the law.
• 1:22:40
  Speaker 1: Hunters must always kill their food and never eat meter
• 1:22:44
  Speaker 1: bones found dead. To Muzimu, the leopard went and by
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 1: him was told what to do to punish the hyaena.
• 1:22:53
  Speaker 1: The hyaena did not intend to obey the law, but
• 1:22:56
  Speaker 1: when often to beg for the bones that were left
• 1:22:59
  Speaker 1: after the leopard's mans. When begging, he laughed and danced
• 1:23:02
  Speaker 1: around in the strangest manner, singing a queer little song,
• 1:23:07
  Speaker 1: Oh leopard, brave leopard, your friend is hungry, Oh leopard,
• 1:23:12
  Speaker 1: brave leopard. Please give me bones, not bones of the dead,
• 1:23:19
  Speaker 1: but live meat you must eat, answered the leopard. Live
• 1:23:22
  Speaker 1: meat I like, not. Brave leopard returned the dancing hyaena,
• 1:23:27
  Speaker 1: but no bones he received. Yet he came back again
• 1:23:30
  Speaker 1: and again. Then he would lope away, prowl through the
• 1:23:33
  Speaker 1: bush looking for dead meat or bones in the graves
• 1:23:36
  Speaker 1: of men. Not the law of Muzimu, but greediness made
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 1: the hyaena think often of what the leopard said. One night,
• 1:23:45
  Speaker 1: he returned to the cave and sang another tune, Oh leopard, kind, leopard,
• 1:23:52
  Speaker 1: live meat, I will eat, Oh leopard, friend, leopard live meat,
• 1:23:58
  Speaker 1: I will eat. The leopard now felt pleased, the time
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 1: had come to give Muzimu's punishment. When the moon is full,
• 1:24:07
  Speaker 1: come to the high rock near the falls, Hyena, I
• 1:24:11
  Speaker 1: will show you live meat, was the spotted one's answer
• 1:24:14
  Speaker 1: to the song. Six nights later, all the hunters came
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 1: to the rock near the river and hid in the
• 1:24:21
  Speaker 1: thick grass. Soon was heard the strange laughing howl of
• 1:24:25
  Speaker 1: the hyaena, drawing nearer and nearer. On the high rock
• 1:24:29
  Speaker 1: stood the leopard, looking like a yellow spotted statue. In
• 1:24:34
  Speaker 1: the bright moonlight. On the heavy branch of a tree
• 1:24:37
  Speaker 1: overhanging the river, crouched a young antelope in the water below.
• 1:24:43
  Speaker 1: The shadow of the limb, and the beautiful creature shone
• 1:24:47
  Speaker 1: as bright as day. A few moments later, the ugly
• 1:24:51
  Speaker 1: hyaena was heard singing, here I am brother. Not so loud,
• 1:24:57
  Speaker 1: spoke the spotted one on the rock, to you will
• 1:25:00
  Speaker 1: learn to eat live meat. Then, nodding his head toward
• 1:25:04
  Speaker 1: the shadow, look there at the fat antelope. Quick now
• 1:25:08
  Speaker 1: before he jumps a slight movement of the limb was
• 1:25:12
  Speaker 1: reflected in the water below. The stupid Hyaena, thinking that
• 1:25:16
  Speaker 1: this choice bit of food was about to jump, threw
• 1:25:19
  Speaker 1: himself into the water to seize what he thought was
• 1:25:23
  Speaker 1: a live animal. The swift current rushing to the falls
• 1:25:27
  Speaker 1: swept the greedy Hyaena along, but before he went over,
• 1:25:31
  Speaker 1: the song of the hunters reached his ears. The law
• 1:25:35
  Speaker 1: you would not keep. Goodbye Hyena, Goodbye dead meat and bones.
• 1:25:41
  Speaker 1: You would eat. Goodbye, Hyaena, goodbye. End of section twenty
• 1:25:49
  Speaker 1: four read by Laura Gibbs, Section twenty five of Animal
• 1:26:00
  Speaker 1: Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This
• 1:26:04
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Wolf and
• 1:26:08
  Speaker 1: his Two dinners. A wolf had been invited to two
• 1:26:12
  Speaker 1: dinners to be given on the same day and at
• 1:26:15
  Speaker 1: the same hour. One was to be given by Big
• 1:26:18
  Speaker 1: Fox and the other by Little Fox. The homes of
• 1:26:23
  Speaker 1: these friends of the wolf were on separate roads which
• 1:26:26
  Speaker 1: joined at a fork. The wolf, true to his nature,
• 1:26:29
  Speaker 1: had accepted both invitations. When the dinner hour was near,
• 1:26:34
  Speaker 1: he started out, eager to eat at both houses. Coming
• 1:26:38
  Speaker 1: to the place in the woods where the two roads joined,
• 1:26:41
  Speaker 1: he stopped to consider which to visit first. Starting down
• 1:26:46
  Speaker 1: one road, he went a short distance, then turned back
• 1:26:49
  Speaker 1: to the fork. Then, starting down the other, he went
• 1:26:53
  Speaker 1: the same distance and turned back to the fork. Again,
• 1:26:57
  Speaker 1: he started, and again he turned back, this as he
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 1: did several times. He could not make up his mind
• 1:27:03
  Speaker 1: which friend to visit first, as he was anxious to
• 1:27:06
  Speaker 1: eat both dinners. Now, while the wolf was trying to
• 1:27:09
  Speaker 1: make up his mind, the hour for the two meals
• 1:27:13
  Speaker 1: had passed in a short while. Some of the wolf's friends,
• 1:27:17
  Speaker 1: coming from the dinner of Big Fox, seeing him at
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 1: the fork of the road running back and forth, called out, Hi,
• 1:27:24
  Speaker 1: brother Wolf, what are you doing here? Why I'm going
• 1:27:28
  Speaker 1: to my friend Big Fox to dine? Ho, dinner is over,
• 1:27:33
  Speaker 1: and a very good one it was. They all laughed.
• 1:27:36
  Speaker 1: The wolf was very much put out because he had
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 1: lost one meal. He then ran quickly off to the
• 1:27:41
  Speaker 1: other road, toward the home of Little Fox, hoping to
• 1:27:44
  Speaker 1: get there in time for some of the dinner. Presently,
• 1:27:48
  Speaker 1: he met the friends who had eaten with Little Fox. Hi,
• 1:27:51
  Speaker 1: brother Wolf, where are you going? They asked? Why? I'm
• 1:27:55
  Speaker 1: going to my friend Little Fox to dine? He replied.
• 1:27:59
  Speaker 1: These friends also laughed and said, ho, ho, dinner is over,
• 1:28:03
  Speaker 1: and a very good one it was. Now was the
• 1:28:06
  Speaker 1: greedy wolf angry. Instead of eating two dinners, he was
• 1:28:10
  Speaker 1: to eat none. You may imagine what his thoughts were
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 1: as he slowly trotted home, weary and hungry. Greediness snaps
• 1:28:21
  Speaker 1: at so many things that it often loses them all.
• 1:28:27
  Speaker 1: End of section twenty five read by Lori Gibbs, Section
• 1:28:38
  Speaker 1: twenty six of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by
• 1:28:41
  Speaker 1: Ao Stafford. This liberyvox recording is in the public domain.
• 1:28:47
  Speaker 1: The Sense of the Weasel. One day man put a
• 1:28:51
  Speaker 1: bag down under a large tree. The weasel saw him,
• 1:28:55
  Speaker 1: and afterwards went and called the rabbit and said, friend, Rabbit,
• 1:28:59
  Speaker 1: I saw the upright one put something down under a tree,
• 1:29:02
  Speaker 1: but I could not take it as it was too heavy.
• 1:29:05
  Speaker 1: Come let us go and see if you can move it.
• 1:29:08
  Speaker 1: The rabbit went and attempted to move the bag, but
• 1:29:11
  Speaker 1: could not. Then the quick jumping frog was called, but
• 1:29:15
  Speaker 1: he failed. Then the slow moving turtle, but he met
• 1:29:18
  Speaker 1: with the same result. When these friends of the weasel
• 1:29:22
  Speaker 1: had gone away, he went again and took hold of
• 1:29:24
  Speaker 1: the bag, but found again that it was too heavy,
• 1:29:28
  Speaker 1: so he did not know what to do. A pigeon
• 1:29:31
  Speaker 1: flying by, saw the trouble of the weasel. Alighting upon
• 1:29:34
  Speaker 1: a tree near by. The pigeon cowed to him friend, weasel,
• 1:29:39
  Speaker 1: lean the bag over, bend it, and then take it.
• 1:29:43
  Speaker 1: As soon as the weasel heard those words, he did
• 1:29:46
  Speaker 1: as the pigeon said. He bent his neck, put his
• 1:29:49
  Speaker 1: mouth to the bag, and as he drew it towards him,
• 1:29:52
  Speaker 1: the bag went upon his head. Then he went joyfully
• 1:29:56
  Speaker 1: to his home with the bag upon his head, making
• 1:29:59
  Speaker 1: a strange sun as he ran, and bringing smiles to
• 1:30:02
  Speaker 1: the faces of his many friends. Putting the bag down
• 1:30:06
  Speaker 1: upon the ground, the weasel heard the pigeon again, cooling
• 1:30:09
  Speaker 1: these words as it flew by. The bag little one
• 1:30:12
  Speaker 1: has nothing in it but solid sense. Give some of
• 1:30:16
  Speaker 1: it to your small friends. So he called the rabbit,
• 1:30:19
  Speaker 1: the frog, and the turtle, and said to them friends,
• 1:30:22
  Speaker 1: this bag of man, the upright one, has nothing in
• 1:30:25
  Speaker 1: it but solid sense. Today we will get some of it,
• 1:30:30
  Speaker 1: but do not tell our big and strong brothers of
• 1:30:32
  Speaker 1: the woods. To each of you I will give a little,
• 1:30:36
  Speaker 1: and what remains I will hide in my home. So
• 1:30:39
  Speaker 1: he opened the bag and gave a little sense to
• 1:30:42
  Speaker 1: each of his tiny chums, saying, if you take this
• 1:30:46
  Speaker 1: home which I give you, it will keep you from harm.
• 1:30:50
  Speaker 1: After that day, those little fellows became the most clever
• 1:30:54
  Speaker 1: creatures of the field. As you have seen the rabbit, frog,
• 1:30:57
  Speaker 1: and turtle show great cunning and all their actions. And
• 1:31:01
  Speaker 1: as for the weasel, he is known as the king
• 1:31:04
  Speaker 1: of sense. When he runs into his tiny hole, he
• 1:31:08
  Speaker 1: comes out behind you and runs until you see him
• 1:31:12
  Speaker 1: no more. Wisdom is not always with the strong and mighty,
• 1:31:17
  Speaker 1: but often with the smallest and most harmless. End of
• 1:31:23
  Speaker 1: section twenty six read by Laura Gibbs. Section twenty seven
• 1:31:34
  Speaker 1: of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 1:31:38
  Speaker 1: This libriyvox recording is in the public domain. The Turtle,
• 1:31:43
  Speaker 1: the Wolf, and the Hyaena. One morning, under a tall
• 1:31:48
  Speaker 1: palm tree, a wolf caught a turtle. He carried his
• 1:31:51
  Speaker 1: victim to the home of the hyena. Let us kill
• 1:31:54
  Speaker 1: the crawling fellow, said, those vicious beasts. The wolf asked,
• 1:31:59
  Speaker 1: how shall we kill him? With a mocking laugh, the
• 1:32:02
  Speaker 1: hyaena replied, you grayish wolf, shall kill him with your
• 1:32:06
  Speaker 1: sharp claws, thrusting his head out from his shell. The
• 1:32:10
  Speaker 1: turtle sang, turtle of forest claws of wolf claws, not
• 1:32:16
  Speaker 1: kill me a bit. The hyaena then, in a hoarse voice, snarled,
• 1:32:20
  Speaker 1: let us throw him upon a stone. The turtle then
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 1: sang out very merrily, turtle of forest stone, of forest stone,
• 1:32:29
  Speaker 1: not kill me a bit. Then fire was mentioned, but
• 1:32:35
  Speaker 1: the turtle sang louder in notes of joy, turtle of
• 1:32:38
  Speaker 1: forest fire, a forest fire, not kill me a bit.
• 1:32:43
  Speaker 1: At last, water was suggested. Then the turtle, in doleful tones, wailed,
• 1:32:48
  Speaker 1: woe is me? I shall die there? What shall I do?
• 1:32:55
  Speaker 1: The wolf in the hyaena then showed their sharp teeth
• 1:32:58
  Speaker 1: and growled with sad satisfaction. We have it, We have
• 1:33:02
  Speaker 1: found the way to kill this slow moving creature. They
• 1:33:05
  Speaker 1: carried him to the river and threw him into its depths.
• 1:33:09
  Speaker 1: The turtle dived, and after a short time he came
• 1:33:12
  Speaker 1: to the top swam quickly away, singing more loudly and
• 1:33:17
  Speaker 1: joyfully than before, Oh, grayish wolf, Oh prowling hyena. In
• 1:33:22
  Speaker 1: water is my home? In water is my home? Well
• 1:33:28
  Speaker 1: think of it, that slow, stupid crawling fellow fooled us,
• 1:33:34
  Speaker 1: snapped the wolf and the hyaena in anger. To this day,
• 1:33:38
  Speaker 1: the turtle never wanders from the water's edge to seek
• 1:33:42
  Speaker 1: the shade of the palm tree. End of Section twenty
• 1:33:47
  Speaker 1: seven read by Laura Gibbs, Section twenty eight of Animal
• 1:33:57
  Speaker 1: Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This
• 1:34:02
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Home of
• 1:34:06
  Speaker 1: the Rat in that far off day, a rat once
• 1:34:11
  Speaker 1: passed the home of the toad, the cousin of the frog.
• 1:34:14
  Speaker 1: Having eaten much grain that day, the rat felt like
• 1:34:17
  Speaker 1: trying some kind of game with his little friend coming
• 1:34:21
  Speaker 1: up to him. He called out, friend, Toad, I can
• 1:34:24
  Speaker 1: do more than you, bah, returned the toad. Though you
• 1:34:29
  Speaker 1: can run, and I only hop and hop. Yet you
• 1:34:32
  Speaker 1: cannot do more than I. We shall see tomorrow, then
• 1:34:37
  Speaker 1: replied the rat, passing on to his home. All right,
• 1:34:41
  Speaker 1: came back the voice of the toad. The next day,
• 1:34:44
  Speaker 1: when the sun reached the middle of the sky, the
• 1:34:46
  Speaker 1: wise men of the village felt its heat and went
• 1:34:49
  Speaker 1: to sit down under the shade of the tall palm trees.
• 1:34:52
  Speaker 1: The rat and the toad had made ready for the game.
• 1:34:56
  Speaker 1: Friends of each were invited, and a large number of
• 1:34:59
  Speaker 1: tiny animals to see which of the little creatures would
• 1:35:02
  Speaker 1: be the victor. The game was to be a simple one.
• 1:35:06
  Speaker 1: The rat was to do whatever the toad did. With
• 1:35:10
  Speaker 1: a loud cheer from the animal visitors, the toads started
• 1:35:13
  Speaker 1: off and leaped directly toward the group of men resting
• 1:35:16
  Speaker 1: under the palm tree. When the men saw the toad,
• 1:35:19
  Speaker 1: one of them said, here comes a toad. Let him pass.
• 1:35:23
  Speaker 1: Do not touch him. If you do, your hands will
• 1:35:26
  Speaker 1: become sore. So no one touched the toad, and he
• 1:35:29
  Speaker 1: passed safely through. Hurrah for the toad, they all shouted.
• 1:35:35
  Speaker 1: Then a loud cheer came from all the animals again
• 1:35:37
  Speaker 1: when the rats started out to do as the toad
• 1:35:40
  Speaker 1: had done. Upon seeing the rat coming straight toward them,
• 1:35:44
  Speaker 1: the men took sticks and tried to kill him. In
• 1:35:48
  Speaker 1: great fright, he came running back to the starting place. Hi, Hi,
• 1:35:52
  Speaker 1: frightened one ho ho coward, all jeered. These words made
• 1:35:57
  Speaker 1: the rat all the more anxious to outdo the toad,
• 1:36:01
  Speaker 1: and another attempt was made. The toad hopped again safely
• 1:36:04
  Speaker 1: through the midst of the men, but when the rat
• 1:36:07
  Speaker 1: came once more among them, sticks and stones were thrown
• 1:36:11
  Speaker 1: at him so rapidly that, in trying to escape, he
• 1:36:14
  Speaker 1: was forced to run and hide in a hole in
• 1:36:16
  Speaker 1: the ground, and from that time rats peer out from
• 1:36:21
  Speaker 1: their holes before venturing forth to see if men are near.
• 1:36:26
  Speaker 1: It is not always wise to try to do everything
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 1: you see others do. End of Section twenty eight read
• 1:36:37
  Speaker 1: by Laura Gibbs, Section twenty nine of Animal Fables from
• 1:36:46
  Speaker 1: the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This LibriVox recording
• 1:36:51
  Speaker 1: is in the public domain. The alligator and the moor hen.
• 1:36:57
  Speaker 1: Among the water birds is one known as the more hen.
• 1:37:02
  Speaker 1: It lives and builds its nest close to the water's edge.
• 1:37:05
  Speaker 1: Though it has many enemies, the alligator is not one
• 1:37:09
  Speaker 1: of them. One day, while the alligator was sunning himself
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 1: on the river bank, he ate a crab and its
• 1:37:16
  Speaker 1: claw stuck in the hole of an old tooth. This
• 1:37:19
  Speaker 1: tooth began to pain him a great deal, and he
• 1:37:22
  Speaker 1: began to moan, Oh, my tooth, my tooth. Someone please
• 1:37:28
  Speaker 1: come and help me. He looked in all directions, but
• 1:37:31
  Speaker 1: no help came. After a while, the more hen swimming
• 1:37:35
  Speaker 1: by heard the moans and stopped. Oh, sister, Morehen, help me,
• 1:37:41
  Speaker 1: sobbed the poor fellow, who was in much pain. I'm sorry, brother,
• 1:37:46
  Speaker 1: but you might eat me if I put my bill
• 1:37:48
  Speaker 1: between your strong jaws, returned the water bird. Never never,
• 1:37:53
  Speaker 1: please help me. I am in such misery, moaned the alligator.
• 1:37:58
  Speaker 1: But you are so true, ricky brother replied the other,
• 1:38:02
  Speaker 1: about to swim away. Please don't go help me, and
• 1:38:07
  Speaker 1: I will be your friend always. The alligator seemed to
• 1:38:12
  Speaker 1: be in such pain, and his words sounded so true.
• 1:38:16
  Speaker 1: The bird took pity on him. Swimming to the bank,
• 1:38:19
  Speaker 1: she waded out, went upon the shore, put her head
• 1:38:23
  Speaker 1: into his mouth, and with her bill pulled out the
• 1:38:26
  Speaker 1: crab claw. Thank you, sister morehen, Oh, what a relief.
• 1:38:31
  Speaker 1: I shall never forget this kindness. The alligator kept his word.
• 1:38:37
  Speaker 1: Now that water bird can walk about the moor and
• 1:38:40
  Speaker 1: river shore, catch crabs and shrimps, build her nest near
• 1:38:45
  Speaker 1: the alligator, while he and his family never think of
• 1:38:48
  Speaker 1: molesting her. A kind act in the hour of need
• 1:38:53
  Speaker 1: sometimes makes an enemy a friend. End of Section twenty
• 1:38:59
  Speaker 1: nine read by Laura Gibbs. Section thirty of Animal Fables
• 1:39:11
  Speaker 1: from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford. This LibriVox
• 1:39:15
  Speaker 1: recording is in the public domain. The Hawk and the Rooster.
• 1:39:21
  Speaker 1: A hawk was very hungry. Nowhere could he find anything
• 1:39:25
  Speaker 1: to eat. Flying high in the air, he called out
• 1:39:28
  Speaker 1: to the bright Sun, O, bright shining friend, I am
• 1:39:33
  Speaker 1: so hungry, and for want of food, I am almost dead.
• 1:39:37
  Speaker 1: Please help me, friend, hawk, if you can catch me
• 1:39:41
  Speaker 1: asleep in bed, I will agree to find you something
• 1:39:45
  Speaker 1: to eat, replied the Sun as he passed on his
• 1:39:48
  Speaker 1: journey across the sky. So day after day, the hungry
• 1:39:52
  Speaker 1: bird tried to catch the light of day asleep in bed,
• 1:39:56
  Speaker 1: but each time his journey had begun before the hawk.
• 1:40:01
  Speaker 1: I am so tired of trying to catch the sun asleep,
• 1:40:04
  Speaker 1: said the bird. At last, after many failures, then he
• 1:40:08
  Speaker 1: thought of asking the rooster to help him. After listening
• 1:40:12
  Speaker 1: to his story, that proud bird said, brother, Hawk, come
• 1:40:16
  Speaker 1: and sleep near my home in the morning. When you
• 1:40:19
  Speaker 1: hear me flap my wings and crow, fly at once
• 1:40:22
  Speaker 1: to the Sun's home, and you will catch him before
• 1:40:25
  Speaker 1: he gets out of bed. That evening, the hawk slept
• 1:40:29
  Speaker 1: on a tree limb near where the rooster lived. Before
• 1:40:33
  Speaker 1: the break of day. When he heard the flapping of
• 1:40:35
  Speaker 1: wings and the crowing of the rooster, he started at
• 1:40:38
  Speaker 1: once for the home of the Sun. There, the bright
• 1:40:41
  Speaker 1: and glorious light of day was found asleep. Hearing a
• 1:40:45
  Speaker 1: knock at his door, he called out, Who is that
• 1:40:48
  Speaker 1: it is? Friend hawk? Replied the bird, what do you
• 1:40:51
  Speaker 1: want with me? Did you not promise that if I
• 1:40:54
  Speaker 1: caught you in bed that you would find me something
• 1:40:57
  Speaker 1: to eat. I have caught you, and I am very,
• 1:41:00
  Speaker 1: very hungry, came back the voice of the bird. Then,
• 1:41:04
  Speaker 1: in an angry tone, spoke the sun, mister hawk, turn
• 1:41:08
  Speaker 1: around and go to the one who told you how
• 1:41:10
  Speaker 1: to catch me in bed and let him feed you.
• 1:41:14
  Speaker 1: This answer did not please the hungry one. Bright shining Sun,
• 1:41:19
  Speaker 1: help me as you promised. No, no, but go away
• 1:41:24
  Speaker 1: from here at once, or I will come forth and
• 1:41:27
  Speaker 1: burn you up. In great fear and anger, the starved
• 1:41:31
  Speaker 1: bird flew away to the home of the rooster. Well
• 1:41:35
  Speaker 1: how did you make out, friend hawk? The story was
• 1:41:38
  Speaker 1: soon told, Then, said the rooster. You can't get anything
• 1:41:42
  Speaker 1: to eat from me. I am tired and hungry and
• 1:41:46
  Speaker 1: must have something, replied the other. All I have for
• 1:41:50
  Speaker 1: my wife and her children, and you cannot have any
• 1:41:53
  Speaker 1: of them, returned the rooster. Hearing these words, the hawk,
• 1:41:57
  Speaker 1: with an angry twist of his tail, flew high in
• 1:42:00
  Speaker 1: the air and circled around, watching the other bird from afar.
• 1:42:05
  Speaker 1: The rooster soon forgot all about the matter. Near By him,
• 1:42:09
  Speaker 1: the little chickens were playing about in the grass. Suddenly
• 1:42:14
  Speaker 1: the hawks swooped down and caught one of them in
• 1:42:16
  Speaker 1: his sharp claws, Flying with it to a big tree.
• 1:42:20
  Speaker 1: He made of it a dainty meal, the taste of
• 1:42:22
  Speaker 1: which he liked very much. How sweet and tender that
• 1:42:27
  Speaker 1: meat was, he said, wiping his beak on a tree limb. Hereafter,
• 1:42:32
  Speaker 1: when I am hungry, I shall look for some more chickens.
• 1:42:36
  Speaker 1: To this day, this bird of prey has kept his
• 1:42:40
  Speaker 1: word and of Section thirty read by Laura Gibbs, Section
• 1:42:52
  Speaker 1: thirty one of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 1:42:58
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recorded is in the public domain. The Owl
• 1:43:03
  Speaker 1: and his friends, Oh brothers, brothers, dance in the bright firelight.
• 1:43:09
  Speaker 1: Kick up your heels and dance all night, pretty girls,
• 1:43:14
  Speaker 1: pretty girls, smile at the boys nigh dance, boys dance
• 1:43:20
  Speaker 1: and swing the girls high. Wow wow wow wow. Thus
• 1:43:30
  Speaker 1: sang the owl one night, when he was making music
• 1:43:33
  Speaker 1: for his friends at a large party of the animal people.
• 1:43:36
  Speaker 1: What a good time everyone was having, and how happy
• 1:43:40
  Speaker 1: all seemed at that time. The owl was a great
• 1:43:43
  Speaker 1: singer and musician, whenever the wood folks gathered for a
• 1:43:46
  Speaker 1: merry time, he was asked to make music for them.
• 1:43:50
  Speaker 1: To these gatherings, he would come on condition that he
• 1:43:54
  Speaker 1: was to sing and play in a dark place and
• 1:43:56
  Speaker 1: that no one would try to see him. He stood
• 1:43:59
  Speaker 1: this evening while playing and singing on the limb of
• 1:44:02
  Speaker 1: a thick bush hidden behind a tall tree. When dancing
• 1:44:07
  Speaker 1: stops so that they could go to supper, the wolf
• 1:44:09
  Speaker 1: was heard to ask, are you enjoying yourself? Friend? Dear?
• 1:44:13
  Speaker 1: I am having a very pleasant time, Brother Wulf, was
• 1:44:16
  Speaker 1: the dear's answer. I am glad to see you, cousin. Leopard,
• 1:44:21
  Speaker 1: the lion was heard to say, wasn't that music fine? Yes,
• 1:44:25
  Speaker 1: it was very good. But I should like to see
• 1:44:28
  Speaker 1: the singer. But you can't see him, Leopard. Why not
• 1:44:33
  Speaker 1: he is afraid of the light and always sings and
• 1:44:35
  Speaker 1: plays in the dark, returned the lion. Some small birds
• 1:44:39
  Speaker 1: and animals, hearing this, thought they would have some fun.
• 1:44:44
  Speaker 1: Let us go and find him, one of them suggested,
• 1:44:47
  Speaker 1: but we can't see in the dark. Another one said,
• 1:44:50
  Speaker 1: make a light then, and let us look for him. No,
• 1:44:54
  Speaker 1: don't do that, ordered the lion. Why not, we only
• 1:44:58
  Speaker 1: wish to have a little fun. One of the little
• 1:45:00
  Speaker 1: people said, if you carry the light near him, he
• 1:45:03
  Speaker 1: will not play at our dances. Again, returned the lion.
• 1:45:07
  Speaker 1: But these words did not change the minds of the
• 1:45:10
  Speaker 1: mischief makers. And after everything was quiet, and when they
• 1:45:14
  Speaker 1: thought all had forgotten, they took a bright light and
• 1:45:18
  Speaker 1: carried it to the bush where the owl was. His
• 1:45:21
  Speaker 1: song had just begun again. Oh brothers, brothers, dance in
• 1:45:26
  Speaker 1: the bright firelight. Kick up your heels and dance all night.
• 1:45:32
  Speaker 1: Before he had sung the other words, the light was
• 1:45:34
  Speaker 1: suddenly put right in front of his face. Its bright
• 1:45:37
  Speaker 1: glare made his big eyes blink, and his ears become
• 1:45:42
  Speaker 1: very erect. He ruffled his feathers with much fear and
• 1:45:46
  Speaker 1: made many loud hoots. The unusual noise and the laugh
• 1:45:50
  Speaker 1: of the mischief makers brought all the animals of the
• 1:45:53
  Speaker 1: party to the bush, and among them was the lion.
• 1:45:56
  Speaker 1: Looking around quickly at the crowd, he spoke out in anger, friend, owl.
• 1:46:01
  Speaker 1: This light was brought by those little scamps, the rabbits, rats, squirrels, sparrows, partridges,
• 1:46:07
  Speaker 1: and the ducks. I shall never forget them, returned the
• 1:46:11
  Speaker 1: frightened and angry owl, And never more shall I come
• 1:46:15
  Speaker 1: to sing and play for you. With these words, he
• 1:46:18
  Speaker 1: flew away into the darkness. This is why this bird
• 1:46:22
  Speaker 1: of the night is now so hated and feared of
• 1:46:25
  Speaker 1: all birds, and why he makes constant warfare upon those
• 1:46:30
  Speaker 1: creatures that brought the bright light in that far off day.
• 1:46:36
  Speaker 1: End of Section thirty one read by Laura Gibbs. Section
• 1:46:47
  Speaker 1: thirty two of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 1:46:53
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The rival
• 1:46:58
  Speaker 1: roosters in the home of man there were many hens
• 1:47:02
  Speaker 1: and two fine roosters, one red and the other gray.
• 1:47:07
  Speaker 1: Each bird, thinking that he was the handsomer, tried in
• 1:47:11
  Speaker 1: many ways to show off his good points to the hens.
• 1:47:15
  Speaker 1: The red rooster would stand in the sunlight with his
• 1:47:18
  Speaker 1: head perched to one side, so that the sheen of
• 1:47:21
  Speaker 1: his pretty feathers could be seen by all. Mighty was
• 1:47:25
  Speaker 1: the strut and crow of the gray bird, And proud
• 1:47:28
  Speaker 1: was he of his deep red comb and wattles, which
• 1:47:31
  Speaker 1: he shook often when the hens were in sight. These
• 1:47:35
  Speaker 1: silly actions of each annoyed the other very much. What
• 1:47:40
  Speaker 1: a vain creature you are, said the red fowl one morning.
• 1:47:44
  Speaker 1: I am not the only one quickly returned the gray bird,
• 1:47:48
  Speaker 1: what do you mean, flashed back the other one, ruffling
• 1:47:51
  Speaker 1: up his feathers. Just what I said, answered the gray rooster,
• 1:47:55
  Speaker 1: bending his head and neck as if to fight. Without
• 1:47:59
  Speaker 1: another word, the red bird began to jump, flutter, and
• 1:48:03
  Speaker 1: strike with his spurs his gray rival. The attack was
• 1:48:07
  Speaker 1: so sudden the gray rooster was quickly beaten. He ran
• 1:48:11
  Speaker 1: and hid under the house of man. After that, the
• 1:48:15
  Speaker 1: gray cock was afraid to come nearer the red one.
• 1:48:18
  Speaker 1: Still he did many things to worry the other proud fellow.
• 1:48:22
  Speaker 1: Every time the red rooster flapped his wings or crowed,
• 1:48:25
  Speaker 1: the gray one did the same and sang back, I
• 1:48:28
  Speaker 1: can do that too, toooooooo. In the mornings, when the
• 1:48:34
  Speaker 1: crow of the red fowl said day was nigh, the
• 1:48:37
  Speaker 1: other one would do the same, Only his voice was
• 1:48:40
  Speaker 1: louder and stronger. If I could only get to him,
• 1:48:45
  Speaker 1: there would be trouble, thought the red bird at such times.
• 1:48:49
  Speaker 1: For quite a while, this went on until the red
• 1:48:52
  Speaker 1: rooster made up his mind to put a stop to it.
• 1:48:55
  Speaker 1: He found out the roosting place of his gray enemy. Then,
• 1:48:59
  Speaker 1: going to the home of the fox, he asked, would
• 1:49:02
  Speaker 1: you like to have me show you a fat, young rooster.
• 1:49:06
  Speaker 1: May your feathers be more beautiful for such a favor,
• 1:49:09
  Speaker 1: returned the artful fox. Well, come tonight near the cedar
• 1:49:14
  Speaker 1: tree in the yard of man. All right, look for me,
• 1:49:17
  Speaker 1: said the fox. That night, when the moon was high,
• 1:49:21
  Speaker 1: the fox crept into the yard. Near the tree stood
• 1:49:25
  Speaker 1: the red rooster, who whispered softly. Look, friend, fox, on
• 1:49:29
  Speaker 1: that low limb, there is your supper, fast asleep. The
• 1:49:34
  Speaker 1: fox looked up, saw the gray rooster, and with one leap,
• 1:49:39
  Speaker 1: pulled him to the ground and killed him. Never did
• 1:49:42
  Speaker 1: a meal seem so sweet to that robber. When he
• 1:49:45
  Speaker 1: had finished eating, the red rooster, glad to know his
• 1:49:48
  Speaker 1: enemy was gone, asked, how did you enjoy your meal?
• 1:49:52
  Speaker 1: Good friend? Very much, very much. Your brother was so
• 1:49:57
  Speaker 1: nice and fat. I enjoyed the meal so much that
• 1:50:02
  Speaker 1: I want some more. With these words, the fox sees
• 1:50:05
  Speaker 1: the red rooster by the neck and ate him. Also,
• 1:50:11
  Speaker 1: we often hurt ourselves in trying to hurt others. End
• 1:50:18
  Speaker 1: of Section thirty two read by Laura Gibbs, Section thirty
• 1:50:29
  Speaker 1: three of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by Ao Stafford.
• 1:50:35
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, the monkey
• 1:50:40
  Speaker 1: finds worry. What is the matter with some of our friends?
• 1:50:44
  Speaker 1: The monkey asked his wife one day, worry, my dear,
• 1:50:49
  Speaker 1: nothing but worry. But he replied, what is that? We
• 1:50:53
  Speaker 1: have never seen him come this way? Don't talk about it.
• 1:50:58
  Speaker 1: Someday worry may come when you least expect. Then you
• 1:51:01
  Speaker 1: may know what it is. This did not satisfy the monkey,
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 1: so did the home of Muzimu. He went, Why is
• 1:51:09
  Speaker 1: it all my friends have seen worry except me? Was
• 1:51:13
  Speaker 1: the question he asked the wizard. Do you want to
• 1:51:16
  Speaker 1: see him, brother monkey? Yes, mighty Muzimu. What may this
• 1:51:20
  Speaker 1: strange creature be? Well you may learn today. Wait here
• 1:51:25
  Speaker 1: for my return. With these words, the wizard went into
• 1:51:30
  Speaker 1: an inner room, giving the monkey a chance to look
• 1:51:33
  Speaker 1: at the strange objects about him. With these objects, called charms,
• 1:51:38
  Speaker 1: the wizard did many wonderful things in a short while.
• 1:51:42
  Speaker 1: He returned with a bag. Here you are, brother monkey.
• 1:51:46
  Speaker 1: In that bag is worry. Carry it to a large
• 1:51:50
  Speaker 1: field without trees or bushes. When in the middle, open
• 1:51:54
  Speaker 1: the bag, but not until then. With a merry laugh,
• 1:51:58
  Speaker 1: the monkeys started for an open field, carrying with him
• 1:52:01
  Speaker 1: the heavy bag. He was anxious to see what it contained,
• 1:52:04
  Speaker 1: so he hurried along. When he reached an open space,
• 1:52:08
  Speaker 1: he put down the bag, saying, now let me see
• 1:52:11
  Speaker 1: what worry is. The string was drawn, the bag opened,
• 1:52:16
  Speaker 1: and quick as a flash, out jumped a dog. With
• 1:52:19
  Speaker 1: a bark. He made for the monkey. The frightened little
• 1:52:22
  Speaker 1: fellow dashed across the field, the dog close behind. Oh
• 1:52:27
  Speaker 1: please don't bite me, friend, dog can't promise you, he snapped,
• 1:52:32
  Speaker 1: running faster than before. Over the field they ran, the
• 1:52:36
  Speaker 1: dog getting nearer and nearer. Soon they reached the edge
• 1:52:39
  Speaker 1: of the woods and up the first tree sprang the
• 1:52:42
  Speaker 1: terrified monkey, but not before the dog nipped a bit
• 1:52:46
  Speaker 1: of his tail. During the rest of the day, around
• 1:52:49
  Speaker 1: the trunk of the tree, the dog jumped and barked,
• 1:52:52
  Speaker 1: Come down, brother monkey, and meet friend. Worry, come down,
• 1:52:57
  Speaker 1: But the monkey only sobbed and cried. He had never
• 1:53:00
  Speaker 1: been so frightened, never in such pain, and never so miserable.
• 1:53:07
  Speaker 1: At last, when night came, the hungry dog went off
• 1:53:10
  Speaker 1: to get some food. The scared monkey came down the tree,
• 1:53:14
  Speaker 1: ran quickly home and told his wife and children what
• 1:53:17
  Speaker 1: had taken place. Then he made them follow him to
• 1:53:20
  Speaker 1: the top of a tall tree. Saying as he did so,
• 1:53:24
  Speaker 1: never again will I live on the ground where there
• 1:53:27
  Speaker 1: is so much wrong and so much worry. One who
• 1:53:33
  Speaker 1: goes hunting for trouble is sure to find it. And
• 1:53:38
  Speaker 1: of section thirty three read by Laura Gibbs, Section thirty
• 1:53:49
  Speaker 1: four of Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.
• 1:53:55
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Yon, the
• 1:54:00
  Speaker 1: Animal Judge, one long to be remembered. Day, the deep
• 1:54:06
  Speaker 1: silence of the woods was broken by the shrill cries
• 1:54:08
  Speaker 1: of many birds. Messengers had been sent to the court
• 1:54:12
  Speaker 1: of Yan, the judge of the animal world. Now Yan
• 1:54:17
  Speaker 1: was remarkable among the animals as he stood upright on
• 1:54:21
  Speaker 1: his two hind legs, using his fore legs as arms
• 1:54:26
  Speaker 1: in the darksome recesses of the underbrush, surrounded by his guards.
• 1:54:31
  Speaker 1: The messengers found him in the court yard, thinking about
• 1:54:34
  Speaker 1: the many disputes that were before him for settlement. After
• 1:54:39
  Speaker 1: being admitted, one of the messengers said, in eager tones, Oh,
• 1:54:43
  Speaker 1: wise judge, some one has torn the pretty nest of
• 1:54:46
  Speaker 1: the weaver bird. Much beloved is she among her friends,
• 1:54:50
  Speaker 1: And now in the name of those friends we demand
• 1:54:53
  Speaker 1: satisfaction for her. She shall have satisfaction, Yan replied. At once,
• 1:54:59
  Speaker 1: ho gar birds called the court. The trumpets were blown,
• 1:55:03
  Speaker 1: the drum was sounded, and many grass mats were spread
• 1:55:07
  Speaker 1: for the meeting of the coming assembly. From far and
• 1:55:10
  Speaker 1: near came the friends of the weaver bird. There were
• 1:55:12
  Speaker 1: the ostrich, the hornbill, the pelican, the flamingo, the ibbys,
• 1:55:16
  Speaker 1: the parrot, the heron, the dove, with a large number
• 1:55:20
  Speaker 1: of other birds, all making a show of much beauty.
• 1:55:24
  Speaker 1: The sound of Yon's drum had brought also many of
• 1:55:27
  Speaker 1: the four footed beasts. There were the elephant, the antelope,
• 1:55:30
  Speaker 1: the zebra, and the boar. There were also the tiny
• 1:55:34
  Speaker 1: ant and other small creatures of the earth, all anxious
• 1:55:37
  Speaker 1: to hear the complaint of the little bird. After all
• 1:55:41
  Speaker 1: had come, the guards called out silence, oh birds and beasts.
• 1:55:46
  Speaker 1: Let the good and wise judge hear the story of
• 1:55:49
  Speaker 1: the weaver. In a kindly manner. He bade her to
• 1:55:53
  Speaker 1: make her complaint in a low trembling voice. The bird began, Oh,
• 1:55:58
  Speaker 1: good and wise, Yon, I am called the weaver bird,
• 1:56:02
  Speaker 1: sometimes the sociable weaver. Because all of our family build
• 1:56:06
  Speaker 1: their nests in a single tree, under a long roof
• 1:56:09
  Speaker 1: of dry grass. Here my kindred, as many as the
• 1:56:13
  Speaker 1: leaves of yonder tree live together in our separate little homes.
• 1:56:18
  Speaker 1: My friends say that these homes are very pretty and
• 1:56:20
  Speaker 1: very different from any other in the forest. All of
• 1:56:24
  Speaker 1: my relations are very industrious and live in much peace.
• 1:56:28
  Speaker 1: And yet, o judge, the parrot comes and tears our
• 1:56:31
  Speaker 1: nests and kills many of our little children. When the
• 1:56:36
  Speaker 1: story was finished, cries of shame, shame came from all assembled.
• 1:56:41
  Speaker 1: Then in stern tones spoke the judge parrot, come forth
• 1:56:46
  Speaker 1: and give this wonderful little weaver bird satisfaction. The gay,
• 1:56:50
  Speaker 1: chattering parrot came forward, saying, I am not guilty, Great Judge, Ostrich,
• 1:56:55
  Speaker 1: is the guilty one. Come forth, Ostrich called Yon with
• 1:57:00
  Speaker 1: a haughty step. The tall bird came out, saying, I
• 1:57:04
  Speaker 1: am not the one, as I do not climb trees.
• 1:57:07
  Speaker 1: I think stripe zebra knows something of this matter. Nonsense,
• 1:57:12
  Speaker 1: said the zebra when he came forward. I do not fly,
• 1:57:16
  Speaker 1: but the boar knows all about this nest. With a
• 1:57:20
  Speaker 1: loud and coarse laugh, the boar cried out, no, no,
• 1:57:24
  Speaker 1: not the boar, but the elephant has done this unkind act.
• 1:57:30
  Speaker 1: Why should I do such a deed? To a tiny bird,
• 1:57:33
  Speaker 1: asked the elephant, with an impatient toss of his trunk,
• 1:57:36
  Speaker 1: call the ant, as he knows more than any of
• 1:57:39
  Speaker 1: us about this bird's nest. These denials and charges angered Yan,
• 1:57:45
  Speaker 1: who thundered out enough of this nonsense. Hear my sentence, Ostrich,
• 1:57:51
  Speaker 1: bite the parrot. Zebra kick the ostrich boar. But the
• 1:57:56
  Speaker 1: zebra elephant stamp the boar, ant sting the elephant. At
• 1:58:02
  Speaker 1: once there was much confusion in the court. There were
• 1:58:07
  Speaker 1: shrill cries, fierce roars, a great flapping of wings, and
• 1:58:12
  Speaker 1: much pawing of the ground. In the midst of it all,
• 1:58:16
  Speaker 1: there suddenly appeared Muzimu, the Wizard, Muzimu, the all knowing one.
• 1:58:21
  Speaker 1: At once there was silence, His eyes showed anger, and
• 1:58:26
  Speaker 1: his shaggy body seemed more shaggy than ever. He seemed
• 1:58:30
  Speaker 1: to know at once what the matter was, and in
• 1:58:32
  Speaker 1: a deep voice, began, O, foolish judge, your sentence is
• 1:58:37
  Speaker 1: a silly one. From to day you and all your
• 1:58:41
  Speaker 1: family shall live in trees and walk on all fours.
• 1:58:45
  Speaker 1: Monkeys they shall be called, and you Yon shall be
• 1:58:49
  Speaker 1: known as baboon. Men will laugh at you and make
• 1:58:53
  Speaker 1: sport of you and your family for all time depart,
• 1:58:57
  Speaker 1: birds and beasts strife will be among you always. End
• 1:59:04
  Speaker 1: of Section thirty four read by Laura Gibbs, and of
• 1:59:10
  Speaker 1: Animal Fables from the Dark Continent by A. O. Stafford.