Falcon - 8in x 8in - 2013 - Oil on Panel
One day a bowman saw a falcon soaring lazily in the sky. Quickly he notched an arrow and sent it whizzing after the bird. It found it’s mark, and the falcon felt itself wounded to death. As it slowly fluttered down to earth it saw that the haft of the arrow which had pierced its breast was fitted with one of its own feathers.
The Eagle & the Red Fox - 9in x 12in- 2013- Oil on Panel
An Eagle and a Fox long had lived together as good neighbors, the eagle at the top of a high tree and the fox in a hole at the foot of it. One day, however, while the fox was away, the eagle, seeking a tender morsel for her nest full of young ones, swooped down upon the fox’s cub and carried it away to her nest. The fox, on her return home, upbraided the eagle for this breach of friendship, and pleaded with the eagle to return the cub to her den. But the eagle, feeling sure that her own brood high up in their treetop nest were safe from any possible revenge, ignored the entreaties of the cub’s mother. Quickly running to the place where she knew an altar fire to be burning, the fox snatched a brand and hurried back to the tree. The mother eagle, who was just on the point of tearing the cub to pieces to feed to her babies, looked down and saw that the fox was going to set fire to the tree and burn it and her nest and eaglets to ashes. “Hold on dear neighbor!” she screamed. “Don’t set fire to our tree. I’ll bring back your cub to you safe and sound!” A strong breeze soon fanned the spark into a flame, and the eaglets, yet unfledged and helpless, were roasted in their nest and dropped down dead at the bottom of the tree. There, in the sight of the Eagle, the Fox gobbled them up.
The Dog and the Butcher - 16in x 15in - 2012 - Oil on Panel
A dog bounded into a butcher’s shop and seized a heart while the butcher was busy. Quickly he made his getaway. The butcher turning around saw the dog flee with the heart and shouted: “Hey, you! Wherever you may run to, I’ll have my eye on you. For you haven’t made me lose heart but caused me to take heart.” This fable teaches that accidents are often an education for men.
The Raven & the Snake - 8in x 8in - 2011 - Oil on Panel
A hungry Raven, flying about in quest of his prey, saw a Serpent basking himself upon the side of a sunny branch. Down he swept, and seized him with his horny beak, in order to devour him: but the Serpent, writhing to and fro with the pain, bit the Raven again with his venomous teeth, to such a degree, that he could not survive it. The Raven, in the agonies of death, is said to have confessed that this judgment happened to him justly; since he had attempted to satisfy his craving appetite at the expence of another’s welfare.
The Lamb Who Takes Refuge in the Temple - 11in x 12in - 2010 - Oil on Panel
A Wolf pursued a Lamb, who fled for refuge to a Temple. The Wolf called out to him and said, "The Priest will slay you in sacrifice, if he should catch you." On which the Lamb replied, "It would be better for me to be sacrificed in the Temple than to be eaten by you."
The Peasant & the Satyr - 16in x 16in - 2010 - Oil on Panel
A Satyr had lost his way in a wood one bitter winter's night. As he was roaming about, a Peasant came up to him. Finding that he had lost his way, he promised to give him lodging for the night, and guide him out of the forest in the morning. As he went along to the Peasant's rooms, the Satyr raised both his hands to his mouth and kept on blowing at them. "What do you do that for?" said the Peasant. "My hands are numb with the cold," said the Satyr, "and my breath warms them." After this they arrived at the Peasant's home, and soon the Peasant put a smoking dish of soup before him. But when the Satyr raised his spoon to his mouth he began blowing upon it. "And what do you do that for?" said the Peasant. "The soup is too hot, and my breath will cool it." "Out you go," said the Peasant. "I will have nought to do with a man who can blow hot and cold with the same breath."
The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing - 16in x 12in - 2009 - Oil on Panel
A Wolf had been lurking near a flock of sheep for several days. But so vigilant had been the shepherd in guarding his animals that the wolf was becoming desperate. Then one day the wolf found a sheepskin that had been thrown away. Quickly he slipped it over his own hide and made his way among the flock of grazing sheep. Even the shepherd was deceived by the ruse, and when night came the wolf in his disguise was shut up with the sheep in the fold. But that evening the shepherd, wanting something for his supper, went down to the fold, and reaching in, seized the first animal he came to. Mistaking the wolf for a sheep the shepherd killed him on the spot.
The Lion, the Fox & the Ass - 12 in x 14in - 2009 - Oil on Panel
A Lion, an ass, and a fox formed a hunting party, and after an exciting chase secured a large booty. All three were hungry, but the lion especially so. “Here friend ass,” he roared, “divide up the spoils and let’s have our dinner. I’m just about starved.” The ass was trying his best to divide the spoils into three equal portions when the lion fell upon him with a roar and tore him to pieces. “Now,” said the lion to the fox, “let’s see how good you are at dividing the pile into two parts.” Taking one look at the remains of the poor ass, the fox said never a word, but made sure that in the division of meat he left the “lion’s share” for the king of beasts and only a mouthful for himself. The lion nodded approvingly. “A very fair division indeed,” said he. “Who could have taught you to divide so fairly?” “If I needed any lesson,” replied the fox, “I had only to look at the body of our late friend, the ass, over yonder.”
The Fox & the Crow - 8 in x 9.5 in - 2009 - Oil on Panel
A crow who had stolen a piece of cheese was flying toward the top of a tall tree where he hoped to enjoy his prize, when a fox spied him. “If I plan this right,” said the fox to himself, “I shall have cheese for supper” So, as he sat under the tree, he began to speak in his politest tones: “Good day, mistress crow, how well you are looking today! How glossy your wings, and your breast is the breast of an eagle. And your claws- I beg pardon- your talons are as strong as steel. I have not heard your voice, but I am certain that it must surpass that of any other bird just as your beauty does.” The vain crow was pleased by all this flattery. She believed every word of it and waggled her tail and flapped her wings to show her pleasure. She liked especially what friend fox said about her voice, for she had sometimes been told that her caw was a bit rusty. So, chuckling to think how she was going to surprise the fox with her most beautiful caw, she opened wide her mouth. Down dropped the piece of cheese! The wily fox snatched it before it touched the ground, and as he walked away, licking his chops, he offered these words of advice to the silly crow: “The next time someone praises your beauty, be sure to hold your tongue.”