Fable
The Monkey and The Dolphin
It happened once upon a time that a certain
Greek ship bound for Athens was wrecked off the coast close to Piraeus, the
port of Athens. Had it not been for the Dolphins, who at that time were very
friendly toward mankind and especially toward Athenians, all would have
perished. But the Dolphins took the shipwrecked people on their backs and swam
with them to shore.
Now
it was the custom among the Greeks to take their pet monkeys and dogs with them
whenever they went on a voyage. So, when one of the Dolphins saw a Monkey
struggling in the water, he thought it was a man, and made the Monkey climb up
on his back. Then off he swam with him toward the shore.
The
Monkey sat up, grave and dignified, on the Dolphin's back.
"You
are a citizen of illustrious Athens, are you not?" asked the Dolphin
politely.
"Yes,"
answered the Monkey, proudly. "My family is one of the noblest in the
city."
"Indeed,"
said the Dolphin. "Then of course you often visit Piraeus."
"Yes,
yes," replied the Monkey. "Indeed, I do. I am with him constantly.
Piraeus is my very best friend."
This
answer took the Dolphin by surprise, and, turning his head, he now saw what it
was he was carrying. Without more ado, he dived and left the foolish Monkey to
take care of himself, while he swam off in search of some human being to save.
Moral
- One falsehood leads to another.
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