enormous Serpent lying dead on the floor, killed by that faithful Dog whose courage and fidelity in preserving the life of his son deserved another kind of reward.

It is dangerous to give way to the blind

impulse of a sudden passion.

THE FOX AND THE CROW.

A Crow, having stolen a piece of cheese from a cottage window, flew with it to a tree that was some way off. A Fox, drawn by the smell of the cheese, came and sat at the foot of the tree, and tried to find some way of making it his.

"Good morning, dear Miss Crow," said he. "How well you are looking to-day! What handsome feathers yours are, to be sure! Perhaps, too, your voice is as sweet as your feathers are fine. If so, you are really the Queen of Birds."

The Crow, quite beside herself to hear such praise, at once opened a wide beak to let the Fox judge of her voice, and so let fall the cheese.

The Fox snapped it up, and exclaimed, "Ah! ah! my good soul, learn that all who flatter have their own ends in view. That lesson will well repay you for a bit of cheese."

Beware the flatterer.

THE CUCKOO, THE

HEDGE-SPARROW

AND THE OWL.

A Lazy Cuckoo, too idle to make a comfortable home for herself and offspring, laid her eggs in the nest built by the Hedge-Sparrow, who, taking the charge wholly on herself, hatched them, and bred up the young with maternal attention, till such time as they were enabled to provide for themselves, when they took wing and fled.

Upon this the worthless Cuckoo came gossiping to the Owl, complaining of the misconduct of the Hedge-Sparrow in treating her with so little attention, in return for the confidence she had shown in entrusting her with the care of her precious young brood.

"Would you believe it?" continued the Cuckoo. "The ungrateful birds have flown off without paying me any of those duties which are the natural right of a mother from her offspring!"

"Peace, peace," replied the sage Owl, "nor expect that from others which you cannot give in return. The obligation lies wholly on your side to the charitable Hedge-Sparrow, for her kindness to your helpless young, whom you had abandoned; and remember this, that before you teach gratitude to others, you should learn yourself to be grateful." The ne'er-do-wells always find flaws in their

neighbors.

THE ARCHER AND THE LION.

A Very skilful Archer went to the mountains in search of game. All the Beasts of the forest fled at his approach, save the Lion who alone challenged him to combat.

The Archer immediately let fly an arrow, and said to the Lion: "I send you my messenger, that from him you may learn what I myself shall be when I attack you."

The Lion, thus wounded, rushed away in great fear, and on a Fox exhorting him to be of good courage, and not to run away at the first attack, he replied: "You counsel me in vain; for if he sends so fearful a messenger, how shall I abide the attack of the man himself?"

A man who can strike from a distance is no
pleasant neighbor.

THE CAMEL.

When men first saw the Camel, they were so frightened at his vast size that they fled away. After a time, perceiving the meekness and gentleness of his temper, they summoned courage enough to approach him. Soon afterwards, observing that he was an animal altogether deficient in spirit, they

assumed such boldness as to put a bridle in his mouth, and to set a child to drive him.

Use serves to overcome dread.

THE CRAB AND THE FOX.

A Crab, forsaking the sea-shore, chose a neighboring green meadow as its feeding ground. A Fox came across him, and being very much famished ate him up.

Just as he was on the point of being eaten, he said, "I well deserve my fate; for what business. had I on the land, when by my nature and habits I am only adapted for the sea?"

Contentment with our lot is an element of
happiness.

THE ASS AND THE GRASSHOPPER.

An Ass having heard some Grasshoppers chirping was highly enchanted; and, desiring to possess the same charms of melody, demanded what sort of food they lived on, to give them such beautiful voices. They replied, "The dew." The Ass resolved that he would live only upon dew, and in a short time died of hunger.

No two people can be treated alike.

THE FISHERMAN PIPING.

A Fisherman skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the sea-shore. Standing on a projecting rock he played several tunes, in the hope that the Fish, attracted by his melody, would of their own accord dance into his net, which he had placed below. At last, having long waited in vain, he laid aside his flute, and casting his net into the sea, made an excellent haul of Fish.

When he saw them leaping about in the net upon the rock he said: "0 you most perverse creatures, when I piped you would not dance, but now that I have ceased you do so merrily."

Every man should stick to his trade..

THE BOYS AND THE FROGS.

Some Boys, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water, and began to pelt them with stones. They killed several of them, when one of the Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: "Pray stop, my boys: what is sport to you, is death to us."

There are two sides to every question.

THE BOY AND THE NETTLE.

A Boy was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his mother, saying, "Although it