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The Fables of Æsop (Jacobs)/The Man and his Two Wives

From Wikisource

London: Macmillan, pages 106–107. See notes.

The Man & His Two Wives


I
N the old days, when men were allowed to have many wives, a middle-aged Man had one wife that was old and one that was young; each loved him very much, and desired to see him like herself. Now the Man's hair was turning grey, which the young Wife did not like, as it made him look too old for her husband. So every night she used to comb his hair and pick out the white ones. But the elder Wife saw her husband growing grey with great pleasure, for she did not like to be mistaken for his mother. So every morning she used to arrange his hair and pick out as many of the black ones as she could. The consequence was the Man soon found himself entirely bald.


Yield to all and you will soon having nothing to yield.