pains me so much, I did but touch it ever so gently."

"That was just what caused it to sting you," replied his mother. "The next time you touch a Nettle, grasp it boldly, and it will be soft as silk to your hand, and not hurt you in the least." Whatsoever you do, do with all your might.

THE ASTRONOMER.

An Astronomer used to go out at night to observe the stars. One evening as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole attention fixed on the sky, he fell unawares into a ditch. While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the ditch and learning what had happened said:

"Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to pry into what is in Heaven, do you not manage to see what is on earth?"

Do not ignore the things of to-day.

THE CAT AND THE BIRDS.

A Cat, hearing that the Birds in a certain cage were ailing, dressed himself up as a physician, and,

taking with him his cane and the instruments becoming his profession, went to the cage, knocked at the door, and inquired of the inmates how they all did, saying that if they were ill, he would be happy to prescribe for them and cure them.

They replied, "We are all very well, and shall continue so, if you will only be good enough to go away and leave us as we are."

Some cures are worse than the disease.

JUPITER AND THE MONKEY.

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 flatnosed, hairless, ill-featured young Monkey as a candidate for the promised reward. A general laugh greeted 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."

Learn to value your own.

THE SWALLOW AND THE SERPENT.

A Swallow, returning from abroad, and ever fond of dwelling with men, built herself a nest in the wall of a Court of Justice, and there hatched seven young birds. A Serpent gliding past the nest, from its hole in the wall, ate up the young unfledged nestlings.

The Swallow finding her nest empty, lamented greatly, and exclaimed: "Woe to me a stranger! that in this place where all others' rights are protected, I alone should suffer wrong."

Do not place too great confidence in outward

form.

THE PLAYFUL ASS.

An Ass climbed up to the roof of a building, and, frisking about there, broke in the tiling. The owner went up after him, and quickly drove him down, beating him severely with a thick wooden cudgel.

The Ass said, "Why, I saw the Monkey do this very thing yesterday, and you all laughed heartily, as if it afforded you very great amusement."

Those who do not know their right place must be taught it.

THE LION AND THE BOAR.

On a summer day, when the great heat induced a general thirst, a Lion and a Boar came at the same moment to a small well to drink. They fiercely disputed which of them should drink first, and were soon engaged in the agonies of a mortal combat. On their stopping to take breath for the fiercer renewal of the strife, they saw some Vultures waiting in the distance to feast on the one which should fall first.

They at once made up their quarrel, saying, "It is better for us to make friends, than to become the food of Vultures."

The man at strife is always in peril.

THE RIVERS AND THE SEA.

The Rivers joined together to complain to the Sea, saying, "Why is it that when we flow into your tides so potable and sweet, you work in us such a change, and make us salt and unfit to drink?"

The Sea, perceiving that they intended to throw the blame on him, said, "Pray, cease to flow into me, and then you will not be made briny."

Some find fault with those things by which
they are chiefly benefited.

THE MAN AND HIS DOGS.

A Certain Man, detained by a storm in his country house, first of all killed his Sheep, and then his Goats, for the maintenance of his household. The storm still continuing, he was obliged to slaughter his yoke Oxen for food.

On seeing this, his Dogs took counsel together, and said, "It is time for us to be off: for if the Master spare not his Oxen, who work for his gain, how can we expect him to spare us?"

He is not to be trusted as a friend who ill-treats his own family.

THE LION AND THE HARE.

A Lion came across a Hare, who lay fast asleep. He was just in the act of seizing her, when a fine young Hart trotted by, and he left the Hare to follow him. The Hare, scared by the noise, awoke, and scudded away. The Lion was not able after a long chase to catch the Hart, and returned to feed upon the Hare.

On finding that the Hare also had run off, he said, "I am rightly served, for having let go the food I had in my hand for the chance of obtaining more."

Be content with an assured income.