The Cobbler and the Financier
Jean de La Fontaine | France
A cobbler loses his happiness and sleep after receiving money from a rich neighbor, eventually returning it to regain his joy.
An ostrich, possessing characteristics of both birds and beasts, seamlessly moved between them, surprising and eventually gaining acceptance from both sides.
Anansi, a clever little spider, challenges Elephant and Hippo to a tug-of-war. Can his wit win against strength in the jungle?
Clever spider Anansi tricked the turtle with soup, but the turtle's underwater house left Anansi wet and hungry.
A Bat, Thorn Bush, and Seagull started a business, but their ship sank, making the Bat hide, Seagull search, and Thorn Bush cling to fabric.
A frightened Thunny being chased by a Dolphin cleverly leads them both to the shore, where they both get stranded.
A woman had a special Hen that laid one egg daily, so she tried feeding it more to get two eggs, but it stopped laying altogether.
A hardworking Butcher's shop is visited by a stray dog that steals a sheep's heart, prompting the Butcher to be more vigilant.
Jackdaw, a plain bird, found and adorned himself with peacock feathers, only to be exposed and ridiculed, returning to his ordinary state in shame.
Once, there was a cobbler, a person who makes and repairs shoes. He was always happy and sang from morning to night while working. People loved watching him work and hearing his cheerful songs. He was happier than anyone else.
The cobbler had a neighbor who was very different. This neighbor was a rich financier who rarely sang and hardly slept. He made a lot of money but was not happy. Whenever he finally fell asleep in the morning, the cobbler's singing would wake him up. The rich man often thought, "I wish I could buy sleep as I buy food and drink!" One day, he had an idea and invited the cobbler to his house.
"Tell me, my friend, how much money do you make in a year?" asked the financier.
The cobbler laughed and said, "I don't know. I never keep track. As long as I have enough to live, I'm happy!"
"Really?" replied the financier. "But how much do you make in a day?"
"Sometimes more, sometimes less," answered the cobbler. "There are many holidays when I cannot work, and that makes it hard to earn money. But I manage."
The wealthy man laughed and said, "I want to help you. Here is a hundred pounds. Use it wisely."
The cobbler was very excited to receive the money. He thought it was a huge amount and quickly buried it in his cellar. However, his happiness disappeared. From the moment he got the money, he stopped singing and couldn't sleep. He was always worried about the money. He watched the cellar door all day and night. If he heard a noise, he thought someone was stealing his money.
Finally, the cobbler couldn't take it anymore. He went back to the financier and said, "Please, take your money back. Give me back my happiness, my songs, and my sleep."
The financier took the money back, and the cobbler returned to his simple, happy life, singing from morning to night once again.
A Lion and A Bear
A lion and bear fought over a goat, exhausting themselves, and a fox took advantage, leaving them with regret.
A Boasting Mule
A confident mule enjoying a carefree break believed he had racing horse lineage, but after a day of labor, he doubted his heritage.
A Gardener and His Dog
A dog falls into a well, and the gardener, while trying to save him, gets bitten due to a misunderstanding, leaving the dog behind.
A Dog, A Sheep, and A Wolf
The Dog borrowed food from the Sheep, forgot the debt, and refused to repay, leading to an unfair court decision against the innocent Sheep.
Anansi, a mischievous spider, tricks Brother Turtle to catch fish for him but learns the value of hard work in the end.
A spider named Anansi gathered all the wisdom in a large pot, but a child's simple suggestion shattered it, spreading wisdom everywhere.
Crows and owls feud over food and space, crows send a spy, gather information, and drive owls away, leading to peaceful coexistence.
A majestic Mountain with strange noises drew crowds of curious people, but their long wait revealed a humble Mouse instead.
A sow refuses a wolf's offer to watch her piglets, seeing through the wolf's true intentions and protecting her young.
A king's pond frightened the princes with a mistaken turtle monster, but the clever turtle escaped and swam back to safety.
Curious spider Anansi finds a magical rock that puts animals to sleep; he tricks them but is eventually outsmarted.
A fowler deceives a curious Blackbird with the promise of a marvelous city but captures it in a net instead.