Having paid their respects to her, they went about choosing a king; the crown of the dead lion being placed upon a rock in the midst of their meeting. The lion's cub was too young and too weak to take the rule over so many strong, brave animals. "Give me time to grow," said he; "I shall know well how to rule and make myself feared as my father did before me. I will study his great deeds, and try to do like him in all things, so that I may one day equal him in glory.” "And I," said the leopard, "put forward my right to the crown. I am nearer like the lion than any of you others." "And I say," said the bear, "that it is not an act of justice to prefer the lion to me. "I am quite as large, as strong, as bloodthirsty, and have as much courage as he. "I can climb the trees, too, and in this way look after things which the lion could never see." "I leave it to you, gentlemen," said the elephant, very quietly, "to decide whether I am not the largest, the strongest, and the bravest of all the animals." "I am the most noble, and the most beautiful!" said the horse, as he stepped proudly into their midst. "There is not a sharper or more cunning animal than I am!" said the fox. "I can run the swiftest," said the deer. "Where," said the monkey, "will you find a better king than myself? "Look! am I not like man, the very Lord of Creation ? "My hand can hold the 'rod of rule';— you, all, have only paws and feet! "See how the crown fits my head! "I can climb better than the bear, and I think I am quite as beautiful as the horse; beauty is only a matter of taste, after all!" The parrot ruffled the feathers about her neck, and, turning to the monkey, said: "So you think you are like man, do you? "You are like him only in your ugly face and in what you mimic! "But can you talk? "I have speech, and speech is the glory of man." "Hold your tongue, you chatterer!" replied the monkey. "You speak, to be sure, but not as man speaks. "You always say the same thing over and over again, and you don't understand a single word you say!" All laughed at these two poor mimics of man. Then the crown was given to the elephant; for, while he is large, and strong, and wise, he is neither so cruel as the beasts of prey, nor so silly and proud as so many others, who wish always to appear to be what they really are not. PROVERBS. Better be alone than in bad company. It is never too late to learn. "My dear children," said a kind teacher to her boys and girls, "have you ever thought of the many things used in the making of your clothes, and where these things come from? "Do you know that most of them grew upon trees; or have been the clothes of the cow, sheep, or of some other animal? "Some of the smaller parts used have been taken from the bottom of the sea. "Some have been taken from mines deep in the earth, and other parts have been spun by a worm. "I shall be pleased if each of you will name some part of your dress, and tell me all you can about it." "I know my boots are made of leather," said little Harry, at the top of the class. |