NOTES 203 



XL— THE LION AND THE MOUSE (Ro. i. 18). 



From medieval prose Phaedrus, which still retains a line 

 or two of the original, but not now extant. Also certainly 

 Indian in the form of " Elephant and Mouse," as elephants 

 are often tied to trees as preliminary to taming them. The 

 Greek form of the fable got into Egyptian literature about 

 200 a.d., when it occurs in a late Levden papyrus. Upon 

 this a whole theory of the African origin of the fable was 

 founded by the late Sir R. F. Burton. (See Jacobs, I.e. 91, 92.) 



XII.— SWALLOW AND OTHER BIRDS 



(Ro. i. 20). 



In medieval prose Phaedrus and Bayeux tapestry. An 

 attempt has been made to find an Indian origin for this 

 fable, but without much success. 



XIIL— FROGS DESIRING A KING (Ro. ii. 1). 



Phaedrus, i. 2. Said to have been recited by Solon to the 

 Athenians. It has been recently found in Madagascar, 

 where the Frogs present their petitions, in the first place, to 

 the Sun, and, when the Heron commences to eat them all up, 

 attempt to get the intervention of the Moon. (Ferrand. 

 Contes Malgaches, 1893, No. xiv.) 



XIV.— THE MOUNTAINS IN LABOUR 



(Ro. ii. 5). 



Phaedrus, iv. 23. Referred to by Lucian, Vera His- 

 torla. Clearly referred to in Horace's line, Ars Poet. 139 — 

 P arturiunt monies^ nascetur ridleulus mus. 



