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Hold, brothers! See, weak and fearful as we are, beings exist that are more weak and fearful still! Why then should we seek to die? Let us rather make the best of our lot, such as it is."

There are always some whose station is worse
than your own.

THE SICK KITE.

A Kite, who had been ill for a long time, begged of his mother to go to all the temples in the country, and see what prayers and promises could do for his recovery.

The old Kite replied, "My son, unless you can think of an altar that neither of us has robbed, I fear that nothing can be done for you in that way."

Be in health what you wish to be when you
are ill.

THE LION IN LOVE.

A Lion once fell in love with the fair daughter of a Forester, and demanded her of her father in marriage. The Man dared not refuse, though he would gladly have done so; but he told the suitor

that his daughter was so young and delicate, he could consent only after the Lion's teeth were drawn and his claws cut off.

The Lion was so enslaved by love that he agreed to this without a murmur, and it was accordingly done. The Forester then seized a club, laid him dead upon the spot and so broke off the match. Foolish love brings sorrow.

THE WOLF AND THE CRANE.

A Wolf one day ate his food so greedily that a bone stuck in his throat, giving him great pain. He ran howling up and down, and offered to reward handsomely any one who would pull it out. A Crane, moved by pity as well as by the prospect of the money, undertook the dangerous task. Having removed the bone, he asked for the promised reward.

"Reward!" cried the Wolf; "pray, you greedy fellow, what reward can you possibly require? You have had your head in my mouth, and instead of biting it off, I have let you pull it out unharmed. Get away with you, and don't come again within reach of my paw."

Know those whom you would serve.

THE LION, THE ASS, AND THE FOX.

The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox went hunting together, and it was agreed that whatever was taken should be shared among them. They caught a large fat Stag, which the Lion ordered the Ass to divide. The Ass took a deal of pains to divide the Stag into three pieces, which should be as nearly equal as possible. The Lion, enraged with him for what he considered a want of proper respect to his quality, flew upon him and tore him to pieces. He then called on the Fox to divide. The Fox, nibbling off a small portion for himself, left the rest for the Lion's share. The Lion, highly pleased with this mark of respect, asked the Fox where he had learned such politeness and goodbreeding.

"To tell the truth, Sire," replied the Fox, "I was taught it by the Ass that lies dead there." Better learn by the misfortunes of others than by your own.

THE COLLIER AND THE FULLER.

A Friendly Collier meeting one day with a Fuller, an old acquaintance of his, kindly invited him to come and share his house.

"A thousand thanks for your civility," replied

the Fuller; "but I am rather afraid that as fast as I make anything clean, you will be smutting it again."

Evil communications corrupt good manners.

THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE SOW.

An Eagle had built her nest in the top branches of an old oak tree; a wild Cat dwelt in a hole about the middle; and in the hollow part at the bottom lived a Sow with a whole litter of pigs.

They might have remained there long in contentment, but the Cat, bent upon mischief, climbed up one day to the Eagle, and said, "Neighbor, have you noticed what the old Sow who lives below is doing? I believe she is determined upon nothing less than to root up this tree, our abode, and when it falls she will devour our young ones."

This put the Eagle in a great fright, and she did not dare to stir from home lest the tree might fall in her absence.

Creeping down to visit the Sow, the wily Cat said, "Listen to me, my friend. Last night I overheard that old Bird who lives over our heads promise her young ones that the very next time you went out they should have one of your dear little porkers for supper."

The Sow, greatly alarmed in her turn, dared not

quit her hollow. The mutual fear of the Eagle and the Sow became so great that they and their young ones were actually starved to death, and fell a prey to the designing old Cat and her kittens.

Too much belief is worse than too little.

THE LIONESS AND THE FOX.

The Fox once observed to the Lioness that Foxes were very much to be envied in the matter of fruitfulness. Scarcely a year passed that she, for instance, did not bring into the world a good litter of cubs, while some people, she continued, who had only one young one at a time, and that not more than twice or thrice in their lives, looked down upon everybody else with contempt.

This sneer was too pointed to be passed over in silence by the Lioness, who replied with a good deal of fire, "What you say is true. You have a

great many children; but what are they? Foxes. I have only one, but remember that it is a Lion." Prefer quality to quantity.

THE GENEROUS LION.

A Lion having slain a Bullock, stood over it, lashing his sides with his tail. A Robber who