THE THREE VASES.

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THE THREE VASES.

A COVETOUS old man had, by his love of gold, amassed, during a long life, a very large quantity of it, which, in order to preserve with the greater security, he had deposited in three Vases, and buried them, with much secrecy, deep in the earth. When at length, being on his death-bed, he called his three sons to him, and informed them of the treasure he had left them, and of the spot in which it lay hid, in three separate Vases-one for each of them-he could not finish all he had to say: a fainting fit seized him, and he expired. Now, as the young men had never seen these Vases, they concluded that in all probability they would differ in size and value; and as their father expired before he could assign to each his particular Vase, that business must be settled by themselves. Thus, on the division of their wealth they entered into warm dispute, each laying claim to the largest Vase-one because he was the eldest; the second son because he had no property in lands to support him; and the youngest because he was always the favourite of his father, and therefore was sure the largest share would have been bequeathed to him, had his dying parent been but able to finish his last speech.. Words at length ran very high, and quickly came to blows, from which none of them escaped unhurt; when, after all this wrangle, ill-blood, and mischief done, it was discovered, on digging up the three Vases, that they were exactly equal in size and value.

THE ANGLER AND THE SALMON.

AN Angler on the margin of a river was fishing for the smaller kind of fish, and therefore had furnished himself with such delicate tackle that his hook was fixed to one single hair. Now it chanced that he hooked a large Salmon, which, he concluded, would have proved the destruction of his slender apparatus; however, by judicious management he so gently played with his prey in giving it way, and avoiding any act of violence, that at last he fairly conquered this huge fish, and drew it safely to the shore, exhausted by its own ineffectual efforts to get free. Thus the large Salmon had not strength enough to resist the power of a single hair.

THE GNAT AND THE BEE.

A GNAT, half starved with cold and hunger, went one frosty morning to a bee-hive to beg charity; and offered to teach music in the Bee's family for her food and lodging. The Bee very civilly desired to be excused, "For," says she, "I bring up all my children to my own trade, that they may be able to get their living by their industry; and I am sure I am right, for see what that music, which you would teach my children, has brought you yourself to."