was passing by stopped and impudently demanded half shares.

"You are always too ready to take what does not belong to you," answered the Lion; "go your way, I have nothing to say to you."

The Thief saw that the Lion was not to be trifled with, and went off. Just then a Traveller came up, and seeing the Lion, modestly withdrew. The generous Beast, with a courteous air, called him forward, and, dividing the Bullock in halves, told the Man to take one, and in order that the latter might be under no restraint, carried his own portion away into the forest.

Modesty gains favor in a king's eyes.

CESAR AND THE SLAVE.

During a visit that Tiberius Cæsar paid to one of his country residences, he observed that whenever he walked in the grounds, a certain Slave was always a little way ahead of him, busily watering the paths. Turn which way he would, go where he might, there was the fellow still fussing about with his watering-pot. He felt sure that he was making himself thus needlessly officious in the hope of thereby gaining his liberty.

In making a Slave free, a part of the ceremony consisted in giving him a gentle stroke on one side

of the face. Hence, when the man came running up in eager expectation, at the call of the Emperor, the latter said to him, "I have for a long time observed you meddling where you had nothing to do, and while you might have been better employed elsewhere. You are mistaken if you

think I can afford a box on the ear at so low a price as you bid for it."

Being busy does not always mean being useful.

THE TRAVELLERS AND THE BEAR.

Two Men, about to journey through a forest, agreed to stand by each other in any dangers that might befall. They had not gone far before a savage Bear rushed out from a thicket and stood in their path. One of the Travellers, a light, nimble fellow, got up into a tree. The other,

seeing that there was no chance to defend himself single-handed, fell flat on his face and held his breath. The Bear came up and smelled at him, and taking him for dead, went off again into the wood. The Man in the tree came down and, rejoining his companion, asked him, with a sly smile, what was the wonderful secret which he had seen the Bear whisper into his ear.

"Why," replied the other, "he told me to take

care for the future and not to put any confidence in such cowardly rascals as you are."

Trust not fine promises.

THE FOX AND THE GOAT.

A Fox once fell into a well, and tried vainly for a long time to get out again. At last a foolish Goat came by and asked Reynard if the water were good.

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Splendid!" said the wily Fox. that I cannot get enough of it."

"It is so fine

The Goat eagerly leaped in, when the Fox, taking advantage of the other's horns, climbed out to safety.

"If you had half as much brain as beard," said Reynard as he sneaked away, "you would have bethought yourself how to get out, before you got in."

Use a man as he deserves.

THE WOLF, THE FOX, AND THE APE.

The Wolf charged the Fox, before the Ape as judge, with having stolen some meat which he had put by. The case was long and angrily contested,

and the Ape, having heard all that was to be said on both sides, announced his decision as follows:

"You, Master Wolf, in spite of your complaints, do not appear to me to have had anything to lose; but I am forced to admit that you, Master Fox, have certainly stolen what is laid to your charge." The dishonest get no credit.

THE THIEF AND HIS MOTHER.

A Little Boy, who went to school, stole one of his schoolfellow's books and took it home. His Mother, so far from correcting him, took the book and sold it, and gave him an apple for his pains.

In the course of time the Boy became a Thief, and at last was tried for his life and condemned. He was led to the gallows, a great crowd of people following, and among them his Mother, weeping bitterly. Seeing her, he prayed the officers to grant him the favor of a few parting words with her, and his request was freely granted. He went to his Mother, put his arm round her neck, and making as though he would whisper something in her ear, bit it off. Her cry of pain drew everybody's eyes upon them, and great was the indignation, that at such a time he should add another violence to his list of crimes.

"Nay, good people," said he, "do not be de

ceived. My first theft was of a book, which I gave to my Mother. Had she whipped me for it, instead of praising me, I should not have come to the gallows now that I am a man."

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

THE FOX AND THE SICK LION.

It was reported that the Lion was sick and confined to his den, where he would be happy to see any of his subjects who might come to pay the homage that was due to him. Many accordingly went in, and fell an easy prey to the old Lion, who devoured them at his leisure. But it was observed that the Fox very carefully kept away. The Lion noticed his absence, and sent one of his Jackals to express a hope that he would show he was not insensible to motives of respect and charity, by coming and paying his duty like the rest.

The Fox told the Jackal to offer his sincerest reverence to his master, and to say that he had more than once been on the point of coming to see him.

"But the truth of the matter," he observed drily, "is that all the footprints I see go into the cave, but none come out again. So for the present my health demands that I stay away."

It is wisdom to see our way out before we venture in.