Fantastic Fables by Ambrose Bierce

1899 Edition

Contents

• The Moral Principle and the Material Interest
• The Crimson Candle
• The Blotted Escutcheon and the Soiled Ermine
• The Ingenious Patriot
• Two Kings
• An Officer and a Thug
• The Conscientious Official
• How Leisure Came
• The Moral Sentiment
• The Politicians
• The Thoughtful Warden
• The Treasury and the Arms
• The Christian Serpent
• The Broom of the Temple
• The Critics
• The Foolish Woman
• Father and Son
• The Discontented Malefactor
• A Call to Quit
• The Man and the Lightning
• The Lassoed Bear
• The Ineffective Rooter
• A Protagonist of Silver
• The Holy Deacon
• A Hasty Settlement
• The Wooden Guns
• The Reform School Board
• The Poet's Doom
• The Noser and the Note
• The Cat and the King
• The Literary Astronomer
• The Lion and the Rattlesnake
• The Man with No Enemies
• The Alderman and the Raccoon
• The Flying-Machine
• The Angel's Tear
• The City of Political Distinction
• The Party Over There
• The Poetess of Reform
• The Unchanged Diplomatist
• An Invitation
• The Ashes of Madame Blavatsky
• The Opossum of the Future
• The Life-Savers
• The Australian Grasshopper
• The Pavior
• The Tried Assassin
• The Bumbo of Jiam
• The Two Poets
• The Thistles upon the Grave
• The Shadow of the Leader
• The Sagacious Rat
• The Member and the Soap
• Alarm and Pride
• A Causeway
• Two in Trouble
• The Witch's Steed
• The All Dog
• The Farmer's Friend
• Physicians Two
• The Overlooked Factor
• A Racial Parallel
• The Honest Cadi
• The Kangaroo and the Zebra
• A Matter of Method
• The Man of Principle
• The Returned Californian
• The Compassionate Physician
• Two of the Damned
• The Austere Governor
• Religions of Error
• The Penitent Elector
• The Tail of the Sphinx
• A Prophet of Evil
• The Crew of the Life-boat
• A Treaty of Peace
• The Nightside of Character
• The Faithful Cashier
• The Circular Clew
• The Devoted Widow
• The Hardy Patriots
• The Humble Peasant
• The Various Delegation
• The No Case
• A Harmless Visitor
• The Judge and the Rash Act
• The Prerogative of Might
• An Inflated Ambition
• Rejected Services
• The Power of the Scalawag
• At Large - One Temper
• The Seeker and the Sought
• His Fly-Speck Majesty
• The Pugilist's Diet
• The Old Man and the Pupil
• The Deceased and his Heirs
• The Politicians and the Plunder
• The Man and the Wart
• The Divided Delegation
• A Forfeited Right
• Revenge
• An Optimist
• A Valuable Suggestion
• Two Footpads
• Equipped for Service
• The Basking Cyclone
• At the Pole
• The Optimist and the Cynic
• The Poet and the Editor
• The Taken Hand
• An Unspeakable Imbecile
• A Needful War
• The Mine Owner and the Jackass
• The Dog and the Physician
• The Party Manager and the Gentleman
• The Legislator and the Citizen
• The Rainmaker
• The Citizen and the Snakes
• Fortune and the Fabulist
• A Smiling Idol
• Philosophers Three
• The Boneless King
• Uncalculating Zeal
• A Transposition
• The Honest Citizen
• A Creaking Tail
• Wasted Sweets
• Six and One
• The Sportsman and the Squirrel
• The Fogy and the Sheik
• At Heaven's Gate
• The Catted Anarchist
• The Honourable Member
• The Expatriated Boss
• An Inadequate Fee
• The Judge and the Plaintiff
• The Return of the Representative
• A Statesman
• Two Dogs
• Three Recruits
• The Mirror
• Saint and Sinner
• An Antidote
• A Weary Echo
• The Ingenious Blackmailer
• A Talisman
• The Ancient Order
• A Fatal Disorder
• The Massacre
• A Ship and a Man
• Congress and the People
• The Justice and His Accuser
• The Highwayman and the Traveller
• The Policeman and the Citizen
• The Writer and the Tramps
• Two Politicians
• The Fugitive Office
• The Tyrant Frog
• The Eligible Son-in-Law
• The Statesman and the Horse
• An AErophobe
• The Thrift of Strength
• The Good Government
• The Life Saver
• The Man and the Bird
• From the Minutes
• Three of a Kind
• The Fabulist and the Animals
• A Revivalist Revived
• The Debaters
• Two of the Pious
• The Desperate Object
• The Appropriate Memorial
• A Needless Labour
• A Flourishing Industry
• The Self-Made Monkey
• The Patriot and the Banker
• The Mourning Brothers
• The Disinterested Arbiter
• The Thief and the Honest Man
• The Dutiful Son
• Aesopus Emendatus
  • The Cat and the Youth
  • The Farmer and His Sons
  • Jupiter and the Baby Show
  • The Man and the Dog
  • The Cat and the Birds
  • Mercury and the Woodchopper
  • The Fox and the Grapes
  • The Penitent Thief
  • The Archer and the Eagle
  • Truth and the Traveller
  • The Wolf and the Lamb
  • The Lion and the Boar
  • The Grasshopper and the Ant
  • The Fisher and the Fished
  • The Farmer and the Fox
  • Dame Fortune and the Traveller
  • The Victor and the Victim
  • The Wolf and the Shepherds
  • The Goose and the Swan
  • The Lion, the Cock, and the Ass
  • The Snake and the Swallow
  • The Wolves and the Dogs
  • The Hen and the Vipers
  • A Seasonable Joke
  • The Lion and the Thorn
  • The Fawn and the Buck
  • The Kite, the Pigeons, and the Hawk
  • The Wolf and the Babe
  • The Wolf and the Ostrich
  • The Herdsman and the Lion
  • The Man and the Viper
  • The Man and the Eagle
  • The War-horse and the Miller
  • The Dog and the Reflection
  • The Man and the Fish-horn
  • The Hare and the Tortoise
  • Hercules and the Carter
  • The Lion and the Bull
  • The Man and his Goose
  • The Wolf and the Feeding Goat
  • Jupiter and the Birds
  • The Lion and the Mouse
  • The Old Man and His Sons
  • The Crab and His Son
  • The North Wind and the Sun
  • The Mountain and the Mouse
  • The Bellamy and the Members
• Old Saws With New Teeth
  • The Wolf and the Crane
  • The Lion and the Mouse
  • The Hares and the Frogs
  • The Belly and the Members
  • The Piping Fisherman
  • The Ants and the Grasshopper
  • The Dog and His Reflection
  • The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox
  • The Ass and the Lion's Skin
  • The Ass and the Grasshoppers
  • The Wolf and the Lion
  • The Hare and the Tortoise
  • The Milkmaid and Her Bucket
  • King Log and King Stork
  • The Wolf Who Would Be a Lion
  • The Monkey and the Nuts
  • The Boys and the Frogs