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DE LUPO ET GRUE

 

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Source: Aesop's Fables, 1687 (illustrated by Francis Barlow).

 

Introduction: In this fable, the crane relies on its extremely long beak in order to do the wolf a favor. In the end, however, the crane learns that there is not a lot of point in doing favors for wolves! The moral in Sir Roger L'Estrange's 17th-century version of the fable makes the comparison between wolves and humans very clear: "One good turn, they say, requires another, but yet he that has to do with wild beasts (as some men are no better) and comes off with a whole skin, let him expect no other reward." G.F. Townsend puts it more simply: "In serving the wicked, expect no reward, and be thankful if you escape injury for your pains." What is the moral that you would give to this fable? For other fables about misplaced generosity, see the story of the hedgehogs and the vipers, or the story of the peasant who needed a handle for his axe.

 

Latin Text:

 

Lupus, osse in gutture retento, cum multum cruciaretur, Grui pretium obtulit, si illud e gutture extraheret. Grus autem, cum os e gutture Lupi extraxerat, pretium sibi promissum postulat. Cui Lupus, subridens simulque dentes acuens, dixit, "Satis pretii tibi esse debet quod ex meo ore caput sine capitis iactura eduxeris."

 

Here is a segmented version to help you see the grammatical patterns:

 

Lupus,

osse in gutture retento,

cum multum cruciaretur,

Grui pretium obtulit,

si illud

e gutture extraheret.

Grus autem,

cum os e gutture Lupi extraxerat,

pretium sibi promissum

postulat.

Cui Lupus,

subridens

simulque dentes acuens,

dixit,

"Satis pretii

tibi esse debet

quod

ex meo ore

caput

sine capitis iactura

eduxeris."

 

Translation: The wolf, when a bone had gotten stuck in his throat, was suffering badly. He offered a reward to the crane if the crane would pull the bone out of his throat. The crane, however, when he had pulled the bone out of the wolf's throat, asked for the rewarded he had been promited but the wolf smiled, at the same time whetting his teeth, and said, "It should be enough of a reward for you that you got your head out of my mouth without the loss of your head."

 

[This translation is meant as a help in understanding the story, not as a "crib" for the Latin. I have not hesitated to change the syntax to make it flow more smoothly in English, altering the verb tense consistently to narrative past tense, etc.]

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 156.

 

Related Links: Crossword Puzzle

 

Illustration: Here is an illustration from this edition, by the renowned artist Francis Barlow; click on the image for a larger view.

 

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