In a beautiful baby contest a Monkey presented her baby to Jupiter. Others laughed but Monkey asserted that whatever happened her baby was beautiful.
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
Jupiter promised a royal reward to the beast whose offspring was judged best looking. The Monkey joined the rest and presented, with all tenderness, a flat-nosed, hairless young Monkey as her candidate. The other beasts laughed, but she replied: “I do not know if Jupiter will award the prize to my baby, but in my eyes I know him to be the most beautiful of all.”
Aesop For Children
There was once a baby show among the Animals in the forest. Jupiter provided the prize. Of course all the proud mammas from far and near brought their babies. But none got there earlier than Mother Monkey. Proudly she presented her baby among the other contestants.
As you can imagine, there was quite a laugh when the Animals saw the ugly flat-nosed, hairless, pop-eyed little creature.
“Laugh if you will,” said the Mother Monkey. “Though Jupiter may not give him the prize, I know that he is the prettiest, the sweetest, the dearest darling in the world.”
Moral
Mother love is blind.
Townsend version
Jupiter issued a proclamation to all the beasts of the forest and promised a royal reward to the one whose offspring should be deemed the handsomest. The Monkey came with the rest and presented, with all a mother’s tenderness, a flat-nosed, hairless, ill-featured young Monkey as a candidate for the promised reward. A general laugh saluted her on the presentation of her son. She resolutely said, “I know not whether Jupiter will allot the prize to my son, but this I do know, that he is at least in the eyes of me his mother, the dearest, handsomest, and most beautiful of all.”
Simia et Catuli Eius
Animalia olim contendebant quis pulcherrimos haberet liberos. Aderant omnia; simia quoque catulos suos brachio gestat. Hac veniente, nullum animalium potuit a risu temperare. Continuo simia exclamat, “Immo nostis catulos meos esse aliis longe pulchriores.”
Perry #364
