Mercuryappearedtohimjustashehopedhewould；andhavinglearnedthecauseofhisgrief，plungedintothestreamandbroughtupagoldenaxe，inquiringifhehadlostit。TheWorkmanseizeditgreedily，anddeclaredthattrulyitwastheverysameaxethathehadlost。Mercury，displeasedathisknavery，notonlytookawaythegoldenaxe，butrefusedtorecoverforhimtheaxehehadthrownintothepool。
TheEagleandtheJackdawANEAGLE，flyingdownfromhisperchonaloftyrock，seizeduponalambandcarriedhimaloftinhistalons。AJackdaw，whowitnessedthecaptureofthelamb，wasstirredwithenvyanddeterminedtoemulatethestrengthandflightoftheEagle。Heflewaroundwithagreatwhirofhiswingsandsettleduponalargeram，withtheintentionofcarryinghimoff，buthisclawsbecameentangledintheram\'sfleeceandhewasnotabletoreleasehimself，althoughheflutteredwithhisfeathersasmuchashecould。Theshepherd，seeingwhathadhappened，ranupandcaughthim。HeatonceclippedtheJackdaw\'swings，andtakinghimhomeatnight，gavehimtohischildren。Ontheirsaying，\"Father，whatkindofbirdisit？\'hereplied，\"TomycertainknowledgeheisaDaw；buthewouldlikeyoutothinkanEagle。\"
TheFoxandtheCraneAFOXinvitedaCranetosupperandprovidednothingforhisentertainmentbutsomesoupmadeofpulse，whichwaspouredoutintoabroadflatstonedish。ThesoupfelloutofthelongbilloftheCraneateverymouthful，andhisvexationatnotbeingabletoeataffordedtheFoxmuchamusement。TheCrane，inhisturn，askedtheFoxtosupwithhim，andsetbeforeheraflagonwithalongnarrowmouth，sothathecouldeasilyinserthisneckandenjoyitscontentsathisleisure。TheFox，unableeventotasteit，metwithafittingrequital，afterthefashionofherownhospitality。
Jupiter，Neptune，Minerva，andMomusACCORDINGtoanancientlegend，thefirstmanwasmadebyJupiter，thefirstbullbyNeptune，andthefirsthousebyMinerva。Onthecompletionoftheirlabors，adisputearoseastowhichhadmadethemostperfectwork。TheyagreedtoappointMomusasjudge，andtoabidebyhisdecision。Momus，however，beingveryenviousofthehandicraftofeach，foundfaultwithall。HefirstblamedtheworkofNeptunebecausehehadnotmadethehornsofthebullbelowhiseyes，sohemightbetterseewheretostrike。HethencondemnedtheworkofJupiter，becausehehadnotplacedtheheartofmanontheoutside，thateveryonemightreadthethoughtsoftheevildisposedandtakeprecautionsagainsttheintendedmischief。And，lastly，heinveighedagainstMinervabecauseshehadnotcontrivedironwheelsinthefoundationofherhouse，soitsinhabitantsmightmoreeasilyremoveifaneighborprovedunpleasant。Jupiter，indignantatsuchinveteratefaultfinding，drovehimfromhisofficeofjudge，andexpelledhimfromthemansionsofOlympus。
TheEagleandtheFoxANEAGLEandaFoxformedanintimatefriendshipanddecidedtoliveneareachother。TheEaglebuilthernestinthebranchesofatalltree，whiletheFoxcreptintotheunderwoodandthereproducedheryoung。Notlongaftertheyhadagreeduponthisplan，theEagle，beinginwantofprovisionforheryoungones，swoopeddownwhiletheFoxwasout，seizedupononeofthelittlecubs，andfeastedherselfandherbrood。TheFoxonherreturn，discoveredwhathadhappened，butwaslessgrievedforthedeathofheryoungthanforherinabilitytoavengethem。Ajustretribution，however，quicklyfellupontheEagle。Whilehoveringnearanaltar，onwhichsomevillagersweresacrificingagoat，shesuddenlyseizedapieceoftheflesh，andcarriedit，alongwithaburningcinder，tohernest。Astrongbreezesoonfannedthesparkintoaflame，andtheeaglets，asyetunfledgedandhelpless，wereroastedintheirnestanddroppeddowndeadatthebottomofthetree。There，inthesightoftheEagle，theFoxgobbledthemup。