Γέρασε τὸ λιοντάρι κι ἔχασε τὴ δύναμή του καὶ δὲν μποροῦσε πιὰ νὰ κυνηγήσει, γι᾿ αὐτὸ σκέφτηκε κάποιο κόλπο.Ἔκανε τάχα τὸ ἄρρωστο καὶ δὲν ἔβγαινε ἀπ᾿ τὴ σπηλιά του. Ἕνα-ἕνα τὰ ζῶα πήγαιναν νὰ τὸ ἐπισκεφθοῦν κι ἐκεῖνο τ᾿ ἅρπαζε καὶ τὰ καταβρόχθιζε. Βλέποντας ἡ ἀλεποῦ τὴν ἀπάτη που σκαρφίστηκε, δὲν ἔλεγε νὰ πλησιάσει· καθόταν κάπου μακριὰ καὶ τὸ ρωτοῦσε γιὰ τὴν ὑγεία του.
«Μά, γιατὶ δὲν ἔρχεσαι νὰ τὰ ποῦμε ἀπὸ κοντά;» ἀπόρησε τὸ λιοντάρι.
«Γιατί βλέπω πολλές πατημασιὲς νὰ μπαίνουν στὴ σπηλιά σου, ἀλλὰ καμιὰ νὰ βγαίνει» ἀπάντησε ἐκείνη.
Λέει λοιπὸν ὁ μύθος πὼς πρέπει νὰ κρατιόμαστε μακριά ἀπὸ τοὺς ἐπικίνδυνους ἀνθρώπους καὶ νὰ φυλαγόμαστε ἀπὸ τὴν ὑποκριτικὴ φιλία τους ποὺ σκοπεύει στὴν ἐξόντωσή μας.
Και στη γλώσσα μας, όπως τη μιλούσαν χιλιάδες χρόνια πριν...
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| Αίσωπος - Aesop |
Νοσεῖν οὖν προσποιούμενος κατέκλινεν ἑαυτὸν ἔν τινι σπηλαίῳ· εἶτα τῶν ἄλλων θηρίων εἰς ἐπίσκεψιν αὐτοῦ παραγινομένων, εὐθὺς ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἁρπάζων κατήσθιε. Γνοῦσα δὲ ἡ ἀλώπηξ τὴν αὐτοῦ πανουργίαν οὐκ ἤθελε πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀνελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ μακρόθεν ἑστῶσα ἐπηρώτα τὸν λέοντα ὅπως δῆθεν τὰ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν ἔχει. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἔλεγε:
«Τίνος χάριν οὐκ εἰσέρχῃ πρός με;»
Ἡ δὲ ἀλώπηξ ἀντέφησεν ὡς:
«Πολλῶν ἴχνη ἐνταῦθα ἑώρακα εἰσελθόντων μέν, μὴ ἐξελθόντων δέ».
Οὗτος δηλοὶ ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀφορᾶσθαι δεῖ τὰ τῶν πρακτέων ἐπικίνδυνα καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποδιδράσκειν, ἀσφαλίζεσθαι δὲ καὶ απὸ τῶν δόλῳ καὶ ὑποκρίσει φιλίας πειρωμένων ἑταίρους λυμαίνεσθαι.
THE OLD LION AND THE FOXAn old Lion, whose teeth and claws were so worn that it was not so easy for him to get food as in his younger days, pretended that he was sick.
He took care to let all his neighbors know about it, and then lay down in his cave to wait for visitors. And when they came to offer him their sympathy, he ate them up one by one.
He took care to let all his neighbors know about it, and then lay down in his cave to wait for visitors. And when they came to offer him their sympathy, he ate them up one by one.
The Fox came too, but he was very cautious about it. Standing at a safe distance from the cave, he inquired politely after the Lion's health.
The Lion replied that he was very ill indeed, and asked the Fox to step in for a moment. But Master Fox very wisely stayed outside, thanking the Lion very kindly for the invitation.
The Lion replied that he was very ill indeed, and asked the Fox to step in for a moment. But Master Fox very wisely stayed outside, thanking the Lion very kindly for the invitation.
"I should be glad to do as you ask," he added, "but I have noticed that there are many footprints leading into your cave and none coming out. Pray tell me, how do your visitors find their way out again?"
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