Bedtime in the Public Domain

There was a time when black cats were considered lucky. It's up to the reader to decide whether or not this is one of those times.

This fairly lighthearted story centres around some rather massive fans of baseball, meeting through happenstance in London.

P.G. Wodehouse is best known for writing comedic stories, but this isn't one of them. It's the story of two young people in love with conflicting life goals. Content advisory: suicide.

A couple honeymooning in New York have two very different reactions to the city.

Katie falls in love and wants to marry, if she can get the approval of her delusional grandfather.

The dog finds a new family, but he may not be with them long.

A puppy is purchased and starts his path to adulthood.

A man with a tragic tale from his past comes to a summer resort.

The first appearance of Jeeves and Wooster, sort of.

Henry Pifield Rice is a detective. Not a great detective, or even a particularly good detective, but he's a detective. He's also in love with a woman in the company he's been hired to follow.

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Announcing the next book in the series: a collection of comedic short stories.

The entire fourth Oz novel, which reunites Dorothy and the Wizard.

It is time for the adventure to end.

The trial begins in earnest, and the Wizard's trick is undone.

The worst is feared when Ozma's pet piglet disappears.

A holiday is declared in honour of the visitors.

Jim learns more about the Palace of Oz, encountering a number of characters that are new to Jim but familiar to fans of the series.

The group are reunited with many of the prominent personages of Oz, some of whom make their first appearances in this particular book.

The party reach a dead end, but Dorothy comes up with a plan.

The party escape the gargoyles, only to wander into the home of a far greater threat.

The party is captured by the gargoyles, but they refuse to stay captured for long.

The group find a new country and a new threat.

The crew climb a very large mountain and meet a strange man.

The group are attacked by a dangerous and invisible enemy.

Be wary of eating unfamiliar fruit from random bushes. And bears.

Jim, Eureka, and the piglets are driven into the Black Pit, and soon find that they are not alone.

The Princess proves as dangerous as the Prince.

The group come up with a plan to avoid the fate the Prince has planned for them.

Dorothy and her companions learn about the biology of the Mangaboos.

The title character of the first book finally returns to the series.

The group encounter a remarkable land, featuring a city made of glass.

Dorothy meets her second cousin Zeb, but they have a tough time coming home from the train station.

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The entirety of Aesop's Fables.

Blame where blame is due, just like credit.

Be nice to birds.

Pay attention to how people in roles of authority treat everybody.

If someone offers to buy your hare, make them get off their horse first.

Sounds legit.

Well, that's one way to explain it.

This sounds like the start of a healthy relationship.

Be careful who you ask for help.

Yeah, get over your losses quickly, why don't ya?

Don't get too full of yourself.

Fortunes change.

I feel sorry for that poor bird.

The origin of yet another cliche.

Brave hunter, there.

I can't get over how many pro-slavery stories are in these fables, especially since Aesop was a slave himself! Had I known how many pro-slavery stories this collection had, I might not have done this book at all.

Treason is not taken lightly by Aesop.

Gee, those city gods aren't very impressive.

Don't be the stag.

Ah, yes, because the best response to seeing someone in mortal danger is to give them a sick burn.

Blaming others for your own errors again, Mr. Fox...

I guess squatter's rights are a thing.

These foxes really all clever. I didn't expect them to understand geology this well. 

This type of behaviour persists today.

Be careful what you wish for.

Gee, a witch who couldn't keep promises...

Is this another pro-classism story?

That's an interesting perspective.

Smart is sexy.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The king of beasts is shockingly gullible. 

Aesop had a knack for smack talk, I'll give him that.

Another "you slaves don't know how good you have it" story? Seriously?

How do you like them apples?

Symantics are important.

Yet another happy ending in the style of Aesop.

I honestly don't know if Aesop was trying for comedy or horror with this one.

That's a weird sort of rock-paper-scissors.

Gee, another happy ending.

This may well be the origin of "the lion's share."

These dogs did not have a good plan.

Underpromise and overdeliver.

The source of yet another cliche: out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Nothing like a good double standard.

I thought it was the coyote that was wily...

Gee, we have certainly all grown past the point of blaming an entire group for the actions of a single individual.

A perfectly natural reaction, I'm sure.

If only the wolf understood mapping and projection in Euclidean space.

If others hurt you, it's your fault for not fighting back. Really, Aesop? Really?

Another one PETA wouldn't care for.

And the moral of the story is... negotiating with the enemy is pointless?

Aesop has previously shown himself to support slavery and racism. Now he reveals his ageism.

Would an amaranth by any other name still be as sweet?

That's an articulate hawk, if grammatically awkward.

Gee, what a pleasant fox.

I guess the moral of this one is that, if you find a deadly creature asleep and decide to eat it, kill it first.

Aesop takes a classic sitcom premise, but it gets dark quickly.

Aesop goes meta to set up a sick burn.

Ask a stupid question...

Make sure you are in a position to bargain before you try to do so.

I don't think this fisherman understands fish very well. Not if he can't tell the difference between dancing and the death throes of suffocation.

So, the lark says only fools will do exactly what the lark just did...

So... eagle's never lay their eggs in beetle season, because of one eagle's bad experience that she didn't know was caused by a beetle? Okay...

Another of Aesop's trademark happy endings.

The origin of yet another cliche happens right here.

This one feels more like a myth than a fable.

I thought the wolf had a different end in mind for the horse.

Advocating targeted violence instead of pacifism, I see.

Always get the father's blessing before marriage.

Is this another form of might makes right?

Be sure of someone's intentions before you react.

Be careful what people want of you.

Fear is okay.

Aesop expresses his views on the "nature vs. nurture" debate.

Aesop was opposed to all forms of complaint, it seems.

This goatherd had never heard phrases like "fake news" or "alternate facts".

An argument over who has the better hero ends with a sick burn.

Credit where credit is due.

Another one still relevant today.

Rooks are birds, I assume. Also, the moral still applies today!

Finally, a moral that makes sense! Not enough of those lately...

Aesop has graduated from pro-slavery and moved on to pro-segregation.

This is the first moral in a while I can agree with.

This time around, Aesop seems to be arguing against trying to rehabilitate criminals...

Two pro-slavery stories in a row.

Did I read that right? Is Aesop telling slaves not to get uppity?

A classic case of "the grass is always greener" syndrome.

I suppose the moral of this story is that stupid people are easy to steal from.

Yes, this is "traditional marriage."

Not to be confused with the Fox and the Hound.

Assumptions can be dangerous.

Don't make promises you don't intend to keep. 

That's a good sport!

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Nobody is allowed to change careers ever.

A man is known by the company he keeps.

Plan before, not after.

What a happy ending.

Is Aesop arguing against astronomy, or for observatories here?

So... generosity is bad?

Ah, the "know it all" attitude of the elderly.

Aesop extolled many virtues, but compassion doesn't seem to be one of them.

Pick your meals carefully.

Always listen to your driver.

Is Aesop actually in favour of equality here?

That's a shockingly complacent attitude, all things considered.

Mirrors seem to have been far less common in these days.

Helping others helps yourself.

Some friends, I tell ya.

Be careful about whose advice you take.

Stay out of melee range.

What a noble little lamb.

Be grateful to those who help you.

Go ahead, try to please everyone.

Honesty is the best policy.

Not exactly "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

So... bigamy causes baldness?

The aftermath of war.

How you treat others affects how they treat you.

Services delivered to people without gratitude? Gee, I'm glad our society has outgrown that practice...

Choose your doctor wisely. (Might I suggest one with two hearts?)

Everyone has seen a dancing fool or two at a party, right?

I guess Aesop advocates murder over medicine...

Intent matters.

Be careful before you drop out a member of the team.

False confidence often leads to disaster.

Always check credentials.

Once again, not kind to the animals.

Aesop argues against compassion...

Who hasn't heard this one before?

Make sure your audience appreciates you.

The grass is always greener...

Choose your friends carefully.

Be careful who you trust.

Different people assign different objects different values.

Make sure you take orders from the right person.

The stag, it seems, never turned around.

It takes more than water to get properly cleaned up.

Another one PETA wouldn't be fond of.

Don't tell PETA about this one. Yeesh...

I guess Aesop felt slaves should be content with their lot in life...

Pride comes before a fall.

This is quite the courtroom.

Perhaps prey should be caught before the table is set.

That's one petty fish.

Another classic tale.

Motivation matters.

The battle is not always to the strong.

Every man for himself.

Sorry this one was a few hours late. I somehow forgot to schedule it after uploading.

Know who to trust.

Yeah, that sounds like a cat.

Always get details on payments before closing a deal.

The inspiration for Gabriel Jones, perhaps?

Watch your step around sleeping lions.

Choose your friends carefully.

Scam foretune tellers have been a thing for a while, it seems.

Things are easier with a partner.

Understand the motivations of others.

Are the judges qualified?

Sometimes, forced retirement is a good thing.

Aesop was a serious classist, and he's at it again.

Be nice to others.

Don't bite off more than you can chew.

This lesson still applies today.

Choose your partners carefully.

People think more of themselves than others. 

Animal rights for food animals has, it seems, been discussed for a very long time...

Be wary how you treat others at all times, not just times of need.

Here's the original.

This is a lesson still very true today.

That's what you get for asking a carpenter's tools for a favour.

Quality, not quantity.

Don't get hung up on the past.

People don't always mean what they say. 

Centuries ago, the rich still demand that the established poor have to change to suit themselves.

The things we think of as we are about to die...

Doubt a salesperson's claims.

Satyrs have little grasp of thermodynamics.

Choose your partners carefully.

Stress exposes your true self.

Um... WHAT?!?!?

This one has a clear lesson. Tomorrow's...

That's quite the conclusion, there, that is.

The word "heaven" doesn't seem exclusive to the Christian religions.

This is an unusual perspective on praying, given the original publication date.

If there is a moral here, I don't see it.

Employees are not automatically friends

A bragging bear is put in his place by a fox.

Not to be confused with Alfred Hitchcock's Juno and the Paycock, or the play on which that was based.

Pick your battles wisely.

Aesop was not a fan of horse traders.

It seems the word "reflection" didn't exist yet.

Function over form

Man's best friend?

Who would you rather suck up to?

A predator and a bigger predator.

Do as I say, not as I do.

Be careful what you ask for.

Predator and prey, together again.

Lay blame only where it belongs.

Why is nobody ever surprised that these animals can talk?

Ask yourself why you are voting for a particular candidate.

Question motives.

Remember, humans are not the only species that has kids...

How does an eagle eat a tortoise?

Once again, predator and prey.

There is a definite tree theme lately...

Yeah, predator and prey always work well together.

Two trees star in this one.

Be careful what you ask for.

Filberts used to be a thing. Some type of nut, apparently.

Axeltrees were a thing once.

Be careful what you carry around with you.

A selfish dog bothers some cows.

How the tortoise got its shell...

The dangers of conformity, or is it the dangers of defying classism?

A story told in a time when bees were still plentiful.

This is all about the nettles.

This one is more than a little classist.

This story about a fox could just as easily been about a Pooh bear.

Physician, heal thyself.

The original "okay, boomer".

Pay attention to footprints, I guess.

This is not a modern view of gender politics.

If you wear a costume, stay in character.

Listen to the wise.

Know your place in society.

Another story which has become a common cultural tale.

The Monkey gets attention from the main god in the pantheon.

Be careful who you thank.

To win a debate, think about what motivates the other side.

Choose your leaders wisely.

This is a table about uninvited party guests.

The treasure hunt finds nothing... or does it?

Read the fine print.