Aesop's Fable: The Shepherd and His Sheep

 

(Click for bigness)

A Shepherd driving his Sheep to a wood saw an oak 

of unusual size full of acorns, and spreading his 

cloak under the branches, he climbed up into the 

tree and shook them down.  The Sheep eating the 

acorns inadvertently frayed and tore the cloak.  

When the Shepherd came down and saw what was 

done, he said, "O you most ungrateful creatures! 

You provide wool to make garments for all other men, 

but you destroy the clothes of him who feeds you."

Silly shepherd.  
The illustration is from a Greek manuscript dating to 
around 1480.  
Here's the full page: 

Comments

[Lynda]

Dating from when? It was cut off.

[riverrim]

Wonderful find! Thank you for posting it!

[Manise]

Love, love it! In Ancient Greek too. :-)

[naomi]

Beautiful illumination! (And now I'm wondering what the shepherd's cloak was made of, that he would complain like that.)