ALDINE SUPPLEMENTARY READERS FABLES^ rom AFAR CATHERINE T. BRYCE No. Nmb $nrk H h^kmJ^^^S^^m zrr*~ ., '^ r ^^^^ , ^^| ZS¥£r —*<&~~ .'««"! r/* Mm \ S ■^^TJTOt hft V - : X\ .... /^'"' r ^ • '"' IP E H^^^r^' Vj^^^B f< ^^M^I ^ssvk W 1 y .^?' ^MA\i 2^5^m >\ufiffiy//lil ',' • mrw^^& ^^^m_ ^ntflfflfflr wmffn^^SikiM W[JM\\m iuTi^T*^^ Wk country round about, and the ever busy mill ground it for them. Thus it was ever doing good and never harm to any one. 103 In a wood near by lived a great many crows. They were afraid of the busy mill. " It is trying to kill some of us/' they said. " That is why it is always swing- ing its great arms. We must get rid of it in some way." So a meeting of all the crows in the wood was called. From far and near they came flying to a great tree near the mill. When all had arrived, the meeting was opened by the blackest crow in the flock. "My friends," said he, "you see standing before you our foe, the dread- ful windmill. We have met to-day to 104 see what can be done to stop it. Has any one a plan ? " " Yes," cried a young crow, " I have a plan. Let ns all fly to the mill, when it has stopped swinging its arms this evening, and tear it to pieces." " Good ! good ! good ! " cried all the young crows. Then a wise old crow stepped out and said, " Does the windmill ever leave its place on the little hill ? " "No," cried all the crows. " Does it ever chase you ? " Again all the crows called, " No ! " " Then, my friends," said the old crow, "how can the windmill harm you?" 105 " If we go near it, we shall be killed by its long arms," cried the other crows. " Can it kill yon if yon do not go near ? " asked the old crow. " No," answered the others. " Then I must say your fears are very silly. The only thing for you to do is to keep out of its reach," said the old crow. " Quite true," said all the other crows, after a minute's thought ; " quite true ! " Then away they all flew to their nests. 106 THE ELEPHANT The lion, king of the beasts, and an elephant were great friends. The other animals thought this very strange. " How can the lion care to have the elephant for a friend ? " said the deer. " His eyes are so small ! "Not large and soft like mine ; nor can he run swiftly. He is not at all beautiful, and he is so clumsy!" As he fin- ished speaking, the deer bounded away among the trees to show the other animals how beautiful and graceful and swift he was. "Yes, and he is so rude," said a little squirrel, "he crowds and pushes 107 so! And his manners at table are truly shocking ! " So saying, the squirrel cracked a nut and ate it, to show what fine, dainty manners he had. "If he had a fine, bushy tail, like mine," said the fox, " I could under- stand why the lion should choose the elephant for a friend. But just look at his tail ! Such a tail ! It is more like a rope than anything I can think of." And the fox looked proudly at his fine, bushy tail. " Or if he had beautiful, strong, sharp claws like mine," said the bear, "I could understand why the lion admires him. But he has no claws. For the 108 life of me, I can't see why the lion cares for him ! " Then the bear fell to sharpening his fine, strong claws on a tree trunk. 109 1) " Have you seen his great tusks ? asked a cow. " I believe the lion thinks they are horns. xv"ow, of course, every one admires horns, but I should think the lion would choose for a friend an animal whose horns grew up and not down." So saying, the cow marched off with her horns in the air to show how horns should be worn. " My friends," said the donkey, " I know why the lion has chosen the ele- phant for a friend. It is because he has beautiful long ears, just like mine." And the donkey walked away to the brook, where he could admire his beau- tiful ears in the clear water. no 4\ 'eS.e$ fr°™ e ZNoftft vraH j^^^Hrr^ K* y j, £y^j^J7/' '«■% it. S ?p^' . _<<: -I *- v. • -v «*-' t^ wwfk i ■' vpjfl --^&?s 7^^ -^IgBS^ f^" t_~- Sfc. (.v H^k ^B%? ^it-^ 'TS*^^^ g^ -.. ~~p (., £T*. ^ ■, l> -T~* v VJ * " ta " ES. THE FOX AND THE GOOSE One day a fox caught a fine, fat goose asleep near a lake. Holding her fast by a wing, he made off with her. The poor, frightened goose cackled and hissed in her fear; but the fox only laughed at her. When he reached a safe place, he put the goose down, holding her fast with a paw. 113 1 " Oh, Mr. Fox, pray let me go begged the poor goose. a You know I never did you any harm in all my life." "Now," said the fox, "tell me the truth. If I were a goose and you were a fox, and you had caught me as I have caught you, what would you do ? " " Why," answered the goose, " that is an easy question to answer. I would fold my hands, shut my eyes, say a grace, and then eat you." "That is just what I am going to do," said the fox. So he shut his eyes, folded his hands, and began to say grace. 114 But as soon as she felt herself free, the wise old goose spread her wings and flew away. When the fox looked up, he saw her swimming far out on the lake. He was left to lick his lips for supper. " It serves me right," he said, as he crawled away to his hole. "I should know better than to take the advice of a goose." THE ANT AND THE GLOWWORM One very dark night a little ant was traveling to her home. Just in front of her crawled a glowworm. "How lucky I am," thought the ant. " The 115 light of the glowworm shows me the way so clearly ! " At last she reached her home. "I must thank the glowworm for his light," she thought. So she called out, " Neighbor Glowworm The glowworm turned around. He did not know the ant had been fol- lowing in his light. " A blessing, neighbor, on your kindly light ! " called the ant. " I thank you for it. Good night." " What ! " cried the glowworm. "Have you been making use of my light ? Do you think I shine for such as you ? Rather than do that, I'll put 116 out my light at once." So saying, he hid his light. Just then a traveler passed by. As the glowworm was not shining, he did not see it, and hurrying along he stepped on it and crushed it to death. THE SUN AND THE LITTLE PLANT Once upon a time a little plant grew on the edge of a forest. The ground around it was poor and hard ; the weather was cold, so the poor little plant grew very slowly. "Why don't you hurry and grow?" cried the tall, strong trees in the forest. " Look at us ! Come, try to 117 grow straight and beautiful, too. Then you will be our sister." The little plant tried and tried, but she couldn't grow fast, so the trees tossed their branches and refused to speak to her. One day an old crow hopped down beside her. " Why don't you grow, little plant ? " he asked. " I can't," sighed the little plant. " Can't ! can't ! " cawed the old crow. "Don't talk to me! I'll tell you what is the matter with you, — you are lazy, that's all! Can't grow, indeed! Can't! Can't ! Can't ! " he mocked, as he flew away. 118 " The crow is just right," said the wind. u You must grow ! I'll make you ! " So he blew, and blew, and blew with all his might. The poor little plant was almost torn from the ground. But she grew no faster. Indeed, for many clays she hardly seemed to grow at all. One day the sun, peeping through the branches of the tall trees, saw the little plant. " Why don't you grow, little one ? " he asked. "She is lazy," cawed the old crow. "She won't try," said the wind. The little plant looked up into the sun's kind face. "Indeed, I do try/ 5 119 she said. "I try, and try, and try! But. the ground is so hard and cold that I just can't grow any faster." " You poor little plant ! " said the sun. " I am so sorry for you, for I know that you have tried. Now I will help you, and my brother, the rain, will help, too. Won't you, brother rain ? " "To be sure I will," answered the rain. " All that you need, little plant, is a friendly hand to help you. Look up, little one, and be glad." So the sun shone on the little plant and warmed her ; the rain softened the hard ground, and the little plant tried 120 harder than ever. She was so happy that she just laughed in the sunshine and the rain, and grew and grew until she became the loveliest tree in the forest — the graceful linden tree. THE PANSY Once upon a time there lived a king who had a most beautiful garden. He was very fond of his garden and had many trees and lovely flowers planted in it. One day the flowers and trees began to wither away. " I am of no use in the world," said the oak tree. "I never have any 121 beautiful flowers on my branches. I might as well wither and die." " I might as well die, too," said the rosebush. " Of what use am I ? 122 Every year I am covered with flowers, but I never bear any fruit that is good for anything." "What good can I do?" sighed the vine. " I cannot even grow alone, but must cling to this old wall or lie on the ground, and I am so small that I cannot even cast a cool shadow. I might as well be dead ! " When the king saw all his plants drooping and dying, and heard their complaints, he felt very sad. He could not bear to stay in the garden and was turning to leave it, when he saw a little pansy at his feet. She held up her sweet, cheerful face and smiled, 123 while all the rest looked sad. The king said, "Dear little pansy, what makes you bright and blooming when all the rest are fading ? " " I knew," answered the little pansy, "that you wanted me here, because it was here you planted me. So I thought I would just try to be the best and brightest little pansy that could be." When the other flowers heard what the little pansy said, they were ashamed of themselves. " You are right, little sister," they cried. " We will try, also, to be the best and most beautiful plants we can be." 124 So the king did not have to leave his beautiful garden, but lived in it and was happy, and tried to be the best king in the world. THE MAN AND THE RAIN One evening a man was riding home from town. He carried a purse full of gold. The rain was pouring down and the man's clothes were wet through. 125 This made him very uncomfortable, so he began to complain. " What an awful day it has been ! " he grumbled. " I hate the rain ! Why could I not have had a pleasant day for my journey ! " His way led him through a thick wood. As he was riding along under the dripping trees, a robber sprang out. He pointed a gun at the man and pulled the trigger. The man would have been killed, but in the rain the powder had become damp, and the gun did not go off. The man put the spur to his horse and rode quickly away. 126 When he was out of danger, he said to himself: "What a stupid fellow I was to grumble about a little rain ! If the sky had been bright and the air clear and dry, I should now be lying dead in the forest. After this I shall take whatever weather comes and make the best of it." THE BEE AND THE BEETLE A little bee was flying gayly from flower to flower in the garden. He visited each blossom, gathering sweets from all. A beetle, who was watching him, said : " Friend Bee, I have heard that 127 some flowers contain poison. Yet I see that you gather something from each one. Are you not afraid ? " "No," answered the bee. "It is true that a few flowers do contain poison. But in each flower there is something good. I take only the good and do not touch the poison." THE RAIN CLOUD There had been no rain for days and days. The gardens and fields were all withered and brown. The little brooks were dry. Day after day the people looked up 128 into the sky. " Oh ; if it would only rain ! " they cried. One day they saw a great rain cloud floating above them. " Now it is going to rain ! " they said. But the great cloud passed over and did not give one drop to the thirsty land. On and on it floated till it came to the great ocean. Then it poured down floods of water. " How kind I am ! " said the cloud to a mountain. "I have given away every drop of my rain." " And how much good have you done ? " asked the mountain. " The ocean did not need the rain, while the 129 land is dry and brown for want of it. Why didn't yon give it to the land? Is it kind to help only those who have plenty ? " LITTLE LIGHTS One night, when the snn had dis- appeared and the birds had tucked their heads beneath their wings to rest, one of the night birds flew close to an electric light. " Of what use are you ? " asked the bird. "You give so little light com- pared with the sun ! " "I do the best I can," said the 130 light. " Think how dark this corner would be if I were not here. People walking and driving might run into one another and some one might get hurt." "That's true," said the bird, and away he flew. Then he came near a gaslight standing apart from houses and busy streets. " Of what use are you ? " asked the bird. " You do not give as much light as the electric light ! " "I do the best I can," said the light. "Do you not see that steep bank just beyond? If I were not here, some one might fall." 131 "That's true," said the bird, and away he flew. Soon his sharp eyes spied a lamp in a window. " Of what use are you ? " asked the bird. "You do not give even as much light as the gaslight ! " "I do the best I can. I am in the window to throw light down the path, that Farmer Brown may see the way when he comes home. I do the best I can." "That's true," said the bird, and away he flew. But again his sharp eyes spied a light — a tiny candle light in a nursery window. " Of what use are you ? " asked the 132 bird. " Your light is so small. You do not give even as much light as a lamp." " I do the best I can," said the candle, "and I can be easily carried from room to room. Nurse uses me when she gives the children a drink of water at night, or sees that they are snugly covered up in bed. I do the best I can." "That's true," said the bird, and away he flew, thinking, as he saw the many lights here and there, little and great, " All are helpers ! " 133 THE TWO LIZARDS One day two lizards sat on a rock basking in the warm sunshine. "How pleasant it is here," said one. "I think no other animal in the world enjoys life as much as lizards do." 134 "I don't know about that," replied the other. " I must say I think we have a most dreary life. Look at that stag yonder. Think how free and happy a life he leads ! He goes where he pleases, and every one admires him. What stately antlers he wears ! What soft brown eyes he has ! How swiftly he runs ! Oh, I wish I were a stag ! That's the life for me." Just then four fierce dogs rushed up. The frightened stag ran to a near-by thicket for safety, but his antlers were caught in the low branches. There he was held fast till the dogs came up and made an end of him. 135 "Well," said the contented lizard, "what do you think of the stag's life now? For myself, I had rather be a humble lizard and feel safe, than the stateliest stag in the world." THE GLOWWORM AND THE DIAMOND As a lady was walking in the garden one day, she lost a diamond from her ring. All day the jewel lay in the grass, sparkling in the sunlight. When it grew dark, a glowworm, who envied the sparkling diamond, thus spoke to it : — " Are you that wonderful thing called 136 a diamond, — so bright, so beautiful, so costly? Where now is your light? See how dull you are alongside of me ! I care not what any one says, I am more bright and more beautiful than you ! " The diamond answered: "You only shine dimly in the darkness around you. My brightness bears the test of day, and is made most beautiful by that same light which shows you only as a dark, ugly worm." 137 THE DEWDROP Once upon a time a dewdrop fell into the ocean. " Oh, now I am lost in this great water," it cried. But it was caught in a shell and there grew into a beautiful pearl. Then it was happy and felt glad that it had fallen into the water. "Surely, I am much more lovely now than a dewdrop," it thought. One day a diver, seeking for pearls, found it and tore it from its shell. " Alas ! " sighed the pearl. " This is the last of me ! Now I am lost forever ! " 138 Ah ! but the pearl was wrong. The diver took it to a jeweler, who was making a crown for a great king. "This is just what I have been looking for ! " he cried, and placed it in the front of the king's crown. THE MONKEY AND THE CAMEL One night when all the wood folk had gathered together to have a good time, the monkey danced to amuse them. He was so nimble, so graceful, and so very funny that every one was delighted. The wolf grinned till he showed all his great teeth. The ele- 139 pliant waved his trunk and bellowed with glee. The lion roared, " More ! more ! " and all the other animals clapped their paws and stamped their hoofs and shouted, " Encore ! encore ! " Now this made the camel very angry, for, you must know, he was in those days a very jealous animal. " Do you call that dancing ! " he cried. "Just watch me, and I will show you what fine dancing really is ! " Everybody knows that the camel is the most awkward creature in the world. Even when walking, he goes Hippity, hump ! hippy, hump ! And only think how he must look dancing ! 140 He was so slow and so clumsy that the other animals just shouted and laughed and made fun of him, and by and by they began to throw things at him. Sticks and stones went flying 141 through the air, till at last the jealous camel ran away, cut and bleeding from many wounds. " It serves him right," said the lion. "In the first place no one should envy another. And in the second place no one should try to do what he was never meant to do." 142 the ""lG.: » THE RABBITS AND THE DOGS One clay a little gray rabbit was chased by some clogs. Breathing hard, he ran into some bushes. In these bushes was his hole, and he might have gone into it and been safe. But just as he drew near his home, he met a white rabbit. "My friend/' said the white rabbit, 145 "what is the matter? You look as if you had been running." " I should think I have been run- ning," panted the gray rabbit. "I am almost dead. The hounds have been chasing me." " Hounds, where are they ? " "See, yonder in the field." The two rabbits crept to the edge of the bushes and looked out. " Hounds ! " said the white rabbit. " Those are not hounds." " Not hounds ! " cried the gray rabbit ; " what are they, then ? " "They are nothing but curs," said the white rabbit. 146 a Ours, indeed ! " answered the gray rabbit; "you are a fine fellow not to know curs from hounds ! " " Stupid ! " cried the white rabbit, " I tell you they are only curs — poor, silly curs ! " "They are hounds, I say!" shouted the gray rabbit. " They are curs ! " shouted the white rabbit. So they quarreled and shouted names at each other until suddenly the dogs pounced upon them and tore them to pieces. 147 THE WISE SNAKE A cluck walking beside a brook be- gan to brag of his cleverness. " Just look at me ; " he said, " I am the most wonderful person in the world. I can run on the earth, swim in the water, and fly in the air." "Don't brag," said the wise old snake ; " the stag can beat you on land, the eagle in the air, and the trout in the brook." The old duck hung her head and waddled away. Next day a cat and a bird came down to the brook for a drink. A fish swam near, and all three began to brag. 148 "I am better than you," said the cat, " for I walk on the land." " I am the best," said the bird, " for I fly in the air." " No, I am the best," said the fish, "for I swim in the water." " Be still and stop bragging," said the wise old snake ; " the cluck can do all those things." After the cat and bird had gone home, the old snake said to the fish : " It seems to me that everybody likes to brag but myself. Here I am the wisest animal in the world, yet no one ever hears me brag." 149 THE WALLFLOWER AND THE THYME One day a wallflower, who had grown tall and proud, looked down at a little thyme plant at her feet. " You poor little thyme," she said, " how I pity you ! I must say that you are the sweetest plant in the garden, but how slowly you grow. All summer you have grown only a few inches from the ground, while see how tall I am ! " "Dear friend," answered the thyme, " I know I am very small, but I have grown without any help. I quite pity you, who cannot rise even a few inches from the ground without a wall to climb by." 150 THE SQUIRREL AND THE LEOPARD A merry little squirrel was frisking in the trees one pleasant day in fall. Making a flying leap from one tree to another, he missed the branch and fell right down on the back of a great leopard. The leopard, who had been sleeping under the tree, woke with a start. Quickly he put out his great paw and caught the little squirrel. "What do you mean by waking me ? " he screamed. " I did not mean to waken you ! I didn't know you were there ! I fell ! " cried the frightened squirrel. 151 " Well," growled tlie leopard, " you will never fall again and scare me so, for I am going to eat you." Please, please, let me go, good 152 a leopard," cried the squirrel. " My baby squirrels are in my nest waiting for me. Listen ! don't you hear them call- ing ? Please let me go ! " " Be quiet ! " growled the leopard ; " I will let you go if you will answer a question." " Yes ! yes ! " cried the little squirrel. " I will answer a thousand questions if you will only let me go." " Tell me, then, why you, a poor little squirrel, are always merry and happy, while I, the great king of the leopards, am always sad," said the leopard. " king," said the squirrel, " I will 153 gladly tell you, for I know why it is so. But pray let me speak to you from a branch of this tree. I can see you better there. Besides, I always feel more at home in a tree." " Go ! " growled the leopard, raising his paw. Quickly the squirrel climbed to a high branch in a tree near by. " Now I am safe ! " he cried. " Lis- ten well, leopard, to my words. I kill no other animals, but live on fruit and nuts. I wish evil to none, envy none, and live at peace with my neighbors. I work hard gathering food for my family, and storing nuts 154 . for winter. I have all I want, and so am happy and merry. " Yon spend your time hunting and killing other animals. You are at war with all the wood folk. In short, my works are good and yours are wicked. That is why I am merry and you are unhappy." As he finished speaking, the squirrel scampered off to his nest. The leopard stood, lashing his tail in fury. He wished he had killed the squirrel. But it was too late. The little squirrel was beyond his reach. 155 THE MIMIC AND THE COUNTRYMAN Once upon a time a rich man gave a party to all his friends and neighbors. First they had a great feast, and after the feast an entertainment. One of the men hired by the rich man to entertain his guests was a great mimic. He whistled like the birds, barked like a dog, crowed like a cock, and did many wonderful things. At last he came on the stage with 156 something hidden under his coat. Then he began to squeal like a pig. How the people laughed ! " He has a real live pig hidden under his coat," they cried. "Only a real pig could squeal so!" The mimic opened his coat. There was nothing but a bundle of wool. Then the people clapped their hands and praised the mimic. " Wonderful ! wonderful ! " they cried. But a tall countryman stood up and said : " It is not at all wonderful. The mimic's cries did not sound the least like the squeals of a real pig. I can do better than that myself" 157 " Do it, then ! " cried the people. " Let us hear you ! " and they laughed and jeered at him. "I will, if you will come here to- morrow," said the countryman. Next day all the people came to hear the mimic and the countryman, and to decide which could squeal more like a pig. First the mimic took the stage, and again he was greeted with cheers. Then the countryman came out. Now, he really had a little pig hidden under his coat. Thrusting his hand inside his coat, he pinched the little pig's ear. Of course this made piggie 158 squeal ; and the more the countryman pinched his ear, the louder the little pig squealed. "Now, my friends," said the man who gave the party, "you have heard the mimic and the countryman. Which has imitated the squeal of the pig- better ? » " The mimic ! the mimic ! " cried all the people. " Why, the noise the coun- tryman made sounded more like the creaking of an old barn door than the squealing of a pig ! " " Indeed ! Then you must blame Mr. Pig, for he did all the squealing him- self," said the countryman; and he 159 opened his coat and showed them the little live pig. "See, gentlemen," he said, "what fine judges you are ! " THE CAT AND THE HEN One day a cat met a hen and her little chickens. "Mrs. Hen," said the cat, "let us be friends." " Agreed," answered the hen, and they walked on down the road. " You walk first," said the cat, " and I will walk behind and see that none 160 of your chickens stray away and are lost." On the way the hen found some wheat. She called her little chickens to share it. But no little chickens came. She looked around. Only the old cat was in sight. He looked sleek and smiling. " Where are my little chickens ? " cried the old hen. "Well, if you will know, I suppose I may as well tell you. I have killed them every one, and now I shall kill you, too." As he said this, he pounced upon the old hen and caught her fast. 161 But she cackled so loudly that a man heard her and ran up and drove the cat away. When he had heard the hen's story, he said, "You foolish hen, don't you know that no cat was ever a true friend to a hen ? " Since that day hens have never trusted cats. PERSEVERANCE One day a poor young man picked up a piece of paper from the street. On it was written these words, "He who earnestly wills can do anything." The young man read these words over 162 AOAB.UDE.U. and over and over. "I believe that is a true saying," he said. Placing the paper carefully in a fold of his turban, he walked on. As he turned a corner, he came face to face with the most beautiful 163 maiden he had ever seen. The young man stood aside to let her pass, and watched her till she was out of sight, then he said aloud, "I will many that lovely maiden." " Marry that maiden ! Ha ! ha ! ha ! " mocked a man who stood near. "Do you know who that maiden is that you thus speak of marrying as you might a serving maid? That is the Princess Pearl, daughter of the king ! " For a moment the young man felt that it was hopeless to think of marry- ing a princess, but, remembering the words on the paper, he lifted his head proudly and walked off, saying, " Prin- 164 cess though she be, I, and I only, will marry her." Next clay the young man went to the king's palace and asked if he might marry the princess. The king looked at his poor clothes, but for- got to look at his earnest face. " Marry my daughter ! " he cried ; " why, man, you are crazy ! Be off with you ! " " I go now, king," said the young man, " but I will come again. For I tell you, in spite of everything, I will marry the princess." Next day the young man came again, and the next and the next. At last the king grew angry. "Am 165 I to be tormented all the days of my life by this madman ? " he cried to his wise men. " I shall have him put to death ! " " sire," said the wisest of the wise men, "give heed to my words. Set the young man an impossible task, and tell him, if he succeeds, you will give him the princess for his wife." " What task ? " growled the king, not quite pleased with the old man's advice. " sire, it is now more than a hundred years since the Great Crown Ruby was lost in the River Tigris; set the young man to find it. This 166 is my advice," said the old man. " Good ! good ! " cried the king, greatly pleased. Next clay when the young man came to the palace, the king said, " You may marry my daughter, if you will bring to me the Great Crown Ruby that lies at the bottom of the Tigris." " I will, king," answered the young man. " Then go," said the king, " and let me see your face no more till you return with the gem." Away went the young man to the river. " ' He who earnestly wills, can do anything,' " he repeated as he 167 walked. " I will clip every drop of water out of the river if I can find the ruby in no other way." Day after day, and week after week, he returned to the river and worked with a will dipping up the water. At last the fish became alarmed. "We must stop this foolish fellow, or we shall all die," they said. So an old fish swam to the top of the water and asked him what he wanted. "The Great Crown Ruby," he an- swered. "I must have it." "Well, stop dipping out the water and I will get it for you," said the fish. 168 Down to the bottom of the river he dived and soon returned and dropped the ruby in shallow water where the young man could easily get it. 169 In great joy he ran to the palace. "What! Back again!" cried the king, not at all pleased to see him. "Yes, king, and here is the Great Crown Ruby ! " cried the young man, handing him the gem. " Now may I marry the princess ? " The king just glanced at the ruby, then looked long and earnestly into the young man's eyes. At last he held out his hand and said, u Yes, you shall marry my daughter, and I am proud to have for a son a young man avIio knows how to try to keep on trying as you have done." 170 the horse and the me working Long ago, before people use of horses, a horse ancFse, "this is a quarrel as to which co m g harm to faster. "Run a race," said the mals, " and Ave will make the dffl wins the king of the forest." The stag won the race with ease and became king of the forest. This made the horse very angry. " I will fight the stag," he said, "and kill him. Then I shall be the king." The horse was afraid that he could not kill the stag alone, so he went to a man and asked him to help. 171 In great gdjd: "Yes, but you must "What! B; the stag. Then I will kill not at all pi" "Yes, a bridle on the horse and Great CrowiT, n his back. Soon they man, han<;Vith the stag, and the man may I fl m . Tile horse was glad when he saw the stag lying dead before him. "Thank you, kind friend," he said to the man. " Get off my back, please. I must go back and be king of the forest." " Not so," said the man, " I helped you, and now you must help me." So saying, he drove the horse home and 172 made him spend all his time working hard. "Alas!" sighed the horse, "this is my punishment for bringing harm to another." THE LITTLE MOUSE'S MISTAKE A little mouse once asked his mother if he might go out for a walk. " Yes, my son," she answered, " but look out for the cat." 173 " How shall I know the cat when I see it ? " asked the little mouse. " You know I haA^e never seen a cat." " Oh, a cat is the most awful look- ing creature in the world," said the mother mouse. " So big ! so strong ! so cruel ! " "Well, I will look out for it," answered the little mouse, and away he ran. He had not been gone long when he rushed home, panting and trembling with fear. "Oh, mother!" he cried, "I have seen the cat ! What an awful, awful creature it is ! " 174 "You are right, my son," cried the mother. " How thankful I am that you got home safe ! Where did you see it, and how did you know it was the cat ? " " I saw it right out there in the yard, and I knew it was the cat be- cause it was so big and strong and looked so cruel. "It went walking around the yard on two legs — " " Two legs ! " cried the mother. "What are you talking about?" "The cat! It had two long yellow legs, with sharp knives growing on them. On its head it had a great 175 red tongue. It ruffled its feathers, and flapped its wings, and screamed, ' Cock-a-doodle-doo ! ' at me. I was so frightened ! I ran away as fast as I could ! » " You silly little mouse ! " said the mother. "That wasn't the cat. That was the old rooster. He wouldn't hurt you." "Well, he looked big and strong and cruel, and he made a dreadful noise, so I thought that he was the cat. But, mother, I saw such a beautiful creature in the yard. She had soft gray fur just like mine, and four feet like mine, and a nice long 176 tail, and she said, ' Purr ! purr ! purr ! ' in the softest, sweetest voice. I was just going to run up close and make friends with her, when that dreadful rooster screamed and frightened me away." "You silly, silly little mouse!" said the wise old mouse. "It is a good thing for you that he did ! That crea- ture with the soft fur and sweet voice is the cat. If you had gone any nearer to her, you would never have come home again. Run from the rooster if you wish, but never, never go near the beautiful creature you saw in the yard." 177 THE COCK AND THE DIAMOND While scratching in the garden one day, a cock found a diamond. He did not know what it was and called all his friends to see it. " Look, how it sparkles ! " he cried. "What do you think it is?" " Pshaw ! " said an old gray goose, "that is nothing to make such a fuss about. It is only a piece of glass." " Let me see ! " the old brown duck quacked, as she pushed her way close to the sparkling stone. " A piece of glass, did you say, Mrs. Goose ! That shows how little a goose knows ! A piece of glass, indeed ! Listen to me. 178 That is a diamond. Do you under- stand — a diamond ! " " A diamond ! " answered the goose ; "what is a diamond? It sparkles just like a piece of glass, I am sure." "A diamond costs ever and ever so much money," said the duck. "It is worth hundreds of pieces of glass." " What use is it ? " asked the goose. "You can't eat it. It is not worth as much as a grain of corn." " Eat it, indeed ! " quacked the duck. " A grain of corn ! " Turning her back on the goose, she continued, " Why, Mr. Rooster, you are very rich ! That diamond cost more than a barrel 179 of corn ! Eat diamonds, indeed ! " "I do not feel at all rich," answered Mr. Rooster. " Of what use is it to me ? Like Mrs. Goose, I would rather have one grain of corn than a barrel of diamonds." "You are just as silly as Mrs. G-oose," said the old duck, as she twaddled proudly away. THE SNAKE AND THE HEDGEHOG One cold winter morning a hedgehog went to the home of a snake. "Mrs. Snake," she begged, "please let me come in and warm myself. I am half frozen." 180 The snake was sorry for the hedge- hog, and at once invited her to come in. At first the hedgehog was very quiet, and kept in a corner of the house. But as she grew warm she grew bold. Soon she spread out her spines, taking up most of the room and hurting the friendly snake. a Mrs. Hedgehog," said the snake, " I invited you to come into my house to get warm. I did not mean that you should fill the whole house and stick me with your sharp spines. You must either take less room or leave at once." 181 " Indeed ! " sneered the hedgehog. " This house is quite large enough for me. I am very comfortable, and in- tend to stay here. If you don't like it, get out yourself" " Ah, me ! '■' said the snake, as she crawled out into the cold, "this is what one gets for allowing an evil person to enter her house. I should have known better." THE TRAVELERS AND THE BEAR Two men were once traveling to- gether. Their names were Mr. Do and' Mr. Boast. On their way they came to a deep, dark forest. As they en- 182 terecl it, Mr. Do said: "I am afraid that we shall meet with some wild animals in these woods. I see many strange tracks on the ground." " Oh, do not be afraid," answered Mr. Boast. " If any wild beast comes near us, we can easily drive it away. I am not afraid to meet the most sav- age beast single-handed. Look at my arm ! See how strong it is ! And every one knows how brave I am ! I tell you what it is, Mr. Do, I don't know what fear means ! " "Good! I am glad I have such a strong, brave friend. Let us go on," said Mr. Do. 183 /M><\ fil/O Suddenly they heard a low, savage growl. " A bear ! It is coming this way ! " cried Mr. Do. " Stand by me, Mr. Boast, and we will drive it away." 184 But Mr. Boast gave one look towards the bushes from which the growl came, and quickly climbed a tree, leaving Mr. Do to meet the bear alone. When Mr. Do saw the brave, strong, fearless Mr. Boast climb the tree, he was so surprised that he couldn't move for a second. Then it was too late to run. Quickly he threw himself flat on the ground and pretended he was dead. He had read somewhere that wild animals never touch a dead man. Out from the bushes rushed a great black bear. Straight up to Mr. Do he came and began sniffing around him. 185 But Mr. Do kept very still. He held his breath and never moved. After a while the bear made up his mind that the man was really dead, so he walked off without hurting him. When Mr. Boast saw that the bear had gone, he came down from the tree. He felt ashamed to think he had shown Mr. Do what a coward he was. So he made believe it was all a good joke. " Ha ! ha ! Mr. Do," he said. " I went up the tree to be out of the way while you and your friend, Mr. Bear, were telling each other secrets. Tell me, what did the bear say to you when he 186 had his mouth so very near your ear ? " " Listen carefully, and I will tell you," answered Mr. Do. " He said, ' You are a very foolish man to travel with such a- boaster and coward as your friend in the tree '; and I think he was just right. So, Mr. Boast, hereafter our ways lie apart. You go your way and I will go mine. Good day to you." THE HEDGE AND THE VINEYARD A foolish young man became owner of a fine vineyard. A hedge of bram- bles grew around it. "The grapes in the vineyard are 187 fine," he said. " But what is the use of that hedge of brambles ? They bear no grapes and cover ground that might be filled with grapevines. Besides, they are so ugly, and their long thorns are so sharp. I will not have such a hedge around my vineyard. Dig it up." His servants dug up the brambles as they were bidden. As soon as the hedge with its sharp thorns was gone, men and animals stole the grapes and tore down the vines. " Alas ! " said the foolish young man, when he saw what harm had been done, " now that it is too late, I 188 see that the hedge was most useful, for without it I can have no vineyard." THE DONKEY, THE COCK, AND THE LION It is said that there is nothing in the world that a lion hates so much as the crowing of a cock. A donkey and a cock lived on the same farm. One day a lion saw the donkey and made up his mind to eat him. Just as he was about to pounce on the donkey, the cock happened to crow. The lion at once ran down the road as fast as he could go. 189 " Haw ! haw ! haw ! " laughed the donkey. " What a coward a lion is, after all ! If he runs so from a little cock, what will he do when he sees me coming after him ! n ATT ,»•**£ 190 So off went the donkey, galloping after the lion. The lion heard him coming and ran until he was beyond the sound of the cock's crow. Then he turned and made an end of the foolish donkey. THE WILD BOAR AND THE FOX A wild boar was sharpening his tusks against a tree when a fox came along. " Why are you sharpening your tusks now ? " he asked. " There is neither hunter nor hounds in sight ; nor is there any other danger that I can see." 191 a "True," answered the wild boar. There is no danger just now. That is why I am busy. When danger does arise, I shall have no time to sharpen my weapons. I must be ready to use them." 192