Aesop's Fables, Part 95 summary
Part 95 of 284 · 1 min to read the part
In Mercury and the Tradesmen, Jupiter orders Mercury to add a little mixture of lies to the ingredients for making tradesmen, and Mercury gives equal portions until he reaches the horse dealer. He pours the remainder into this last tradesman, providing the fable’s explanation for why horse dealers lie more than other traders.
What happens
- While creating man, Jupiter tells Mercury to prepare a mixture of lies for the Tradesmen.
- Mercury adds equal portions to the tallow chandler, the greengrocer, the haberdasher, and the other tradesmen.
- The horse dealer comes last, and Mercury pours all the remaining mixture into him.
- The narrator explains that tradesmen lie to different degrees, with horse dealers lying most.
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In this part
What to notice
Mercury abandons equal portions and gives the horse dealer the entire remainder. This action supplies the fable’s explanation for the dealer’s exceptional dishonesty.
Quick check
Why does the horse dealer receive more of the mixture?
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