 |
 |
Aesop's Fables: Townsend (1867)132. Mercury and the Sculptor (Perry 88) MERCURY ONCE DETERMINED to learn in what esteem he was held among mortals. For this purpose he assumed the character of a man and visited in this disguise a Sculptor's studio having looked at various statues, he demanded the price of two figures of Jupiter and Juno. When the sum at which they were valued was named, he pointed to a figure of himself, saying to the Sculptor, 'You will certainly want much more for this, as it is the statue of the Messenger of the Gods, and author of all your gain.' The Sculptor replied, 'Well, if you will buy these, I'll fling you that into the bargain.' George Fyler Townsend's translation of the fables, first published in 1867, is in the public domain and can be found at many websites, including Project Gutenberg. Illustrations come from: Aesop's Fables, by George Fyler Townsend, with illustrations by Harrison Weir, 1867, at Google Books. |
