The Oyster & the Crab
An oyster was in love with the moon. When the full moon shone in the sky, he spent hours watching it with open mouth.
A crab saw from his observation post that the oyster was completely open at the full moon, and decided to eat him.
The following night, when the oyster opened, the crab put a pebble inside.
The oyster immediately tried to close again, but was prevented by the stone.
Moral: This happens to anyone who opens his mouth to tell his secrets. There is always an ear ready to receive them.
The Ermine
A fox was having a meal, when an elegant ermine passed by. “Would you care to help yourself?” invited the fox, who had eaten enough.
“No thank you,” replied the ermine, “I have already eaten.”
“Ha, ha!” laughed the fox. “You ermines are the most prudish animals in the world. You eat only once a day, and you would go without rather than dirty your fur.”
At that moment some hunters came up. The fox, quick as lightening, hid underground, and the ermine, no less swift than the fox, ran for his den.
But the sun had melted the snow, and his den had become a quagmire. The snow white ermine was afraid of slipping into the mud, and stopped, hesitant. And the hunters caught him.
Moral: Moderation checks all vices. The ermine was too vain about his appearance, and so lost his liberty.