THE HEN AND THE FOX.

A Fox, having crept into an outhouse, looked up and down for something to eat, and at last spied a Hen sitting upon a perch so high, that he could by no means reach her. He therefore had recourse to an old stratagem.

"Dear cousin," said he to her, "how do you do? I heard that you were ill, and kept at home; I could not rest, therefore, till I had come to see you. Pray let me feel your pulse. Indeed, you do not look well at all."

He was running on in this impudent manner, when the Hen answered him from the roost, "Truly, dear Reynard, you are in the right. I was seldom in more danger than I am now. Pray excuse my coming down; I am sure I should catch my death if I were to."

The Fox, finding himself foiled, made off and tried his luck elsewhere.

Craft can be answered with craft.

THE OLD HOUND.

An Old Hound, who had hunted well in his time, once seized a Stag, but from feebleness and the loss of his teeth was forced to let him go. The master coming up began to beat the Old Dog

cruelly, but left off when the poor animal addressed him as follows:

"Hold, dear master! You know well that neither my courage nor my will was at fault, but only my strength and my teeth, and these I have lost in your service."

Forget not past services.

THE MOUSE AND THE FROG.

A Mouse and a Frog had lived some time in intimacy together, and the Frog had often visited the Mouse's quarters and been welcome to a share of his store. So the Frog invited the Mouse to his house in return; but as this was across the stream, the Mouse, alleging that he could not swim, had hitherto declined to go.

The Frog, however, one day pressed him so much, offering at the same time to conduct him safely across, that the Mouse consented. One of the fore-feet of the Mouse was accordingly bound to one of the hind-legs of the Frog by a stout blade of grass, and the friends set off to cross the stream.

When about half-way across, it treacherously entered the Frog's head to try to drown the Mouse. He thought that by this means he should have undivided possession of the latter's stock of pro

visions. So he started for the bottom of the stream; but the struggles and cries of the Mouse. attracted the attention of a Kite who was sailing above in the air. He descended and caught up the Mouse. The Frog, being tied to the Mouse, shared the same fate, and was justly punished for his treachery.

Harm hatch, harm catch.

ESOP AND HIS FELLOW SERVANTS.

A Merchant, who was at one time Æsop's master, ordered all things to be got ready for an intended journey. When the burdens were being shared among the Servants, Æsop requested that he might have the lightest. He was told to choose for himself, and he took up the basket of bread. The other Servants laughed, for that was the largest and heaviest of all.

When dinner-time came, Æsop, who had with some difficulty sustained his load, was told to distribute an equal share of bread all round. He did so, and this lightened his burden one-half; and when supper-time arrived he got rid of the rest. For the remainder of the journey he had nothing but the empty basket to carry, and the other Servants, whose loads seemed to get heavier and heavier at every step, could not but applaud his ingenuity.

Ingenuity lightens labor.

THE PRINCE AND THE PAINTED LION.

A Certain King had an only son, of whom he was dotingly fond. The Prince delighted in hunting, and went every day into the forest, in chase of wild beasts. His father believed firmly in dreams, omens, and the like, and dreaming one night that his son was killed by a Lion, resolved that he should not go to the forest any

more.

He therefore built a spacious tower, and kept the Prince there closely confined. That his captivity might be less tedious to bear, he surrounded him with books, music, and pictures; and on the walls of the tower were painted in life-size all the beasts of the chase, and among the rest a Lion.

The Prince stood one day gazing for a long time at this picture, and, in his rage at being imprisoned, he struck the painted Lion a violent blow with his fist, saying, "Thou, cruel beast, art the cause of all my grief! Had it not been

for the lying dream of thee which came to my father, I should now be free."

The point of a nail in the wainscot under the canvas entered his hand through the force of his blow; the wound became inflamed, and the youth died from its effects.

Fancied dangers lead to real ones.

THE FOX AND THE COCK.

A Fox, passing early one summer's morning near a farm-yard, was caught in a trap which the farmer had planted there for that purpose. A Cock saw at a distance what had happened, and hardly daring to trust himself too near so dangerous a foe, approached him cautiously and peeped at him, not without considerable fear.

Beynard saw him, and in his most bewitching manner addressed him as follows: "See, dear cousin," said he, "what an unfortunate accident has befallen me here! and, believe me, it is all on your account. I was creeping through yonder hedge, on my way homeward, when I heard you crow, and resolved, before I went any farther, to come and ask after your health. On the way I met with this disaster. Now if you would but run to the house and bring me a pointed stick, I think I could force it into this trap and free myself from its grip. Such a service, believe me, I should not soon forget."

The Cock ran off and soon came back, not without the stick. But it was carried in the hand of the sturdy farmer, to whom he had told the story, and who lost no time in putting it out of Master Fox's power to do any harm for the future. Use discrimination in your charities.