Twistales

Since the rabbits were continually threatened by enemies all around them, they once held a meeting to discuss their sad predicament. Eventually they decided that death would be much more preferable to their desperate condition, and off they went to a nearby lake, determined to drown themselves. It so happened that a group of frogs…

One day a fisherman, who earned his living with his nets, caught nothing but one little fish after a long hard day of work. “Spare me,” pleaded the little creature. “I beg you. I’m so small that I wouldn’t be much of a meal for you anyway. I haven’t reached my full size yet. If…

An old woman, who had become blind, called in a physician and promised him before witnesses that she would reward him most generously if he could restore her eyesight. However, he was to receive nothing if he did not cure her malady. Upon agreeing to these conditions, the physician treated the old lady’s eyes from…

Once while a man and a lion were travelling together, they began arguing about who was the braver and the stronger of the two. Just as their tempers started to flare they happened to pass a statue carved in stone depicting a lion being strangled by a man. “Look at that!” exclaimed the man. “What…

A long time ago when the world was young, a bee had stocked her combs with a bountiful harvest and flew up to heaven to make an offering of honey. God was so delighted with the gift that he promised to give her whatever she desired. In turn, she responded immediately and said, “Oh my…

On a hot summer’s day, some travellers, worn out by the heat of the sun, noticed a plane tree and rushed toward it. Once they arrived, they threw themselves down on the ground and rested in the shade of its wide spreading branches. As they were lying there, one of the travellers said to the…

A fox was once caught in a trap, and the only way he could save himself was by leaving his tail behind him. Knowing that without a tail he would be the laughingstock of all the other foxes, he almost wished that he had died rather than having saved himself. Determined to make the best…

A horse once had a whole meadow to himself, but a stag came and damaged the grassland. Anxious to gain revenge, the horse asked a man if he would help him punish the stag. “Yes,” said the man, “but you must let me put a bit in your mouth and get on your back. Then…

There was once a dog so wild and mischievous that his master was obliged to fasten a heavy collar with a bell around his neck to prevent him from biting and worrying his neighbours. The dog was so proud of his badge that he paraded about in the marketplace, shaking his collar to attract attention.…

While chopping down a tree on the bank of a river, the axe of the woodcutter fell into the river by chance and it immediately sank to the bottom. He sat down and lamented his carelessness with tears. Fortunately, the river God took pity on him and suddenly appeared. After he heard what had happened,…