ever hurt12 her. She would have been quite happy, but that she was sometimes13 frightened by the cat; then, it is true, she ran to her hole behind the wainscot. One day she came running to her mother11 in great joy. "Mother!" said she, "the good people of this family have built me a house to live in; it15 is in the cupboard: I am sure it is for me, for it is just big enough: the bottom is of wood, and it is covered all over16 with wires; and I dare say 18 they19 have made it on purpose20 to screen me from that terrible cat which ran after me so often: there is an entrance just big enough for me, but puss21 cannot follow22 me; and they have been so good as to23 put in some toasted cheese, which smells so deliciously, that I should have run in directly, and25 taken possession,26 but I thought I would tell you first, that we might go in together, and both lodge there to-night, for28 it will hold us both." 29 "My dear child," said the old mouse, "it is most happy that you did not go30 in, for this house is called a trap, and you would never have come out26 again, except to have been31 devoured, or put to death in some way or other.32 Though man has33 not so fierce a34 look as a cat, he is as much our enemy, and has still more cunning."35 THE WASP AND BEE. A FABLE. A wasp met a bee, and said to him, "Pray can you tell me what is the reason that' men are so ill-natured to2 me, while they are so fond 12 Faire du mal à,-à is here only the sign of the dative. 13 Turn: "if she had not been." 16 Turn: "it is all covered." 18 Turn: "I doubt not." 19 GR., No. 168. 20 Exprés pour. 21 Minette. 22 There is an adverb understood in English which must be expressed in French. 23 Turn: "they have had the goodness to." 24 As delicieux, as well as many other words, such as magnifique, superbe, splendide, &c., are species of superlatives, they do not admit of the additional superlative signs bien, très, fort. Thus we do not say bien délicieux, très magnifique, &c., nor si délicieux, but si bon. 25 The learner will here easily perceive that there are in English some words left out, namely, "that I should have." Such an ellipsis must always be supplied in French. of you? We are both very much alike, only that the broad golden rings about my body make me much handsomer than you are: we are both winged insects, we both love honey, and we both sting people when we are angry; yet men always hate me, and try to kill me, though I am much more familiar with them than you are, and pay' them visits in their houses, and at their tea-table, and at all their meals, while you are very shy, and hardly ever come near them: yet they build you curious houses, thatched with straw, and take care of, and feed you, in the winter very often. I wonder1o what is the reason." The bee said, "Because you never do them any good; but, on the contrary, are very troublesome and mischievous; therefore they do not like to see you: but they know that I am busy all day long11 in12 making them honey. You had better13 pay them fewer visits, and try to be useful," THE GOOSE AND HORSE. A FABLE. A goose, who was plucking1 grass upon a common, thought herself affronted by a horse who fed near her, and, in hissing accents, thus addressed him: "I am certainly a more noble and perfect animal than you, for the whole range and extent of your faculties is confined to one element. I can walk upon the ground as well as you: I have, besides, wings, with which I can raise myself in the air; and, when I please, I can sport in ponds and lakes, and refresh myself in the cool waters: I enjoy the different powers" of a bird, a fish, and a quadruped." The horse, snorting somewhat disdainfully, replied: "It is true you inhabit three elements, but you make no very distinguished figure in 3 "To love, to like, to be fond of, to be partial to," are expressed by aimer. 4 In such cases both need not be expressed. 5 Turn: "to resemble each other," sc ressembler. 6 See Note 27 of the preceding fable, and recollect what mood the conjunction left out requires. 7 Visiter or faire visite, not payer des visites. 8 Thé. ? See Note 27 of the preceding fable. 10 "To wonder "D here means "to wish to know;" therefore turn the whole by "I should wish to know the reason of it." 11 Turn: "all the day" (journée). 12 Verbs, adjectives, and expressions requiring "in" have à in French. 13 Vous feriez mieux de. THE GOOSE AND HORSE. 1 Brouter.-N.B. Be particular about the distinction which is to be made be tween the Imperfect and Preterite.See Note 1 to the first fable. 2 Turn: "in hissing." 3 "To address or apply to any one" is s'adresser à quelqu'un; to address or to speak to any one is, adresser la parole à quelqu'un. + As "range" and "extent" are here synonymous, the French étendue will do for both. 5 As un, in French, means both "a or "one" in English, in order to give it the full force of "one" you must add seul to it. 6 When "please" means "to wish, to choose," it is translated by plaire, conjugated impersonally; as, il me plaît, il te plaît, &c. ? Power, from nature, faculté. Po voir, the freedom of doing an action Puissance, the required strength o dc an action. Force, in mechanics. any one of them. You fly, indeed; but your flight is so heavy and clumsy that you have no right to put yourself on a level with the lark or the swallow. You can swim on the surface of the waters, but you cannot live in them as fishes do; you cannot find your food in that element, nor glide smoothly along the bottom of the waves. And when you walk, or rather waddle upon the ground, with your broad feet and your long neck stretched out, hissing at every one who passes by, you bring upon12 yourself the derision of all beholders. I confess that I am only formed to movels upon the ground; but how graceful is my make !14 how well turned my limbs! how highly-finished my whole body! how great my strength! how astonishing my speed! I had far rather's be confined to one element, and be admired in that, than be a goose in all." 11 THE MOUSE, LAP-DOG, AND MONKEY. A FABLE. A poor little mouse, being half-starved, ventured one day to steal from behind the wainscot while the family were at dinner, and, trembling all the while, picked up a few crumbs which were scattered on the ground. She was soon observed, however: everybody was immediately alarmed; some called for the cat; others took up whatever was at hand, and endeavoured to crush her to pieces ;3 and the poor terrified animal was driven1 round the room in an agony of terror. At length, however, she was fortunate enough to gain her hole. where she sat panting with fatigue. When the family were again seated, a lap-dog and a monkey came into the room. The former jumped into the lap of his mistress, fawned upon every one of the children, and made his court so effectually, that he was rewarded with some of the best morsels of the entertainment. The monkey, on the other hand, forced himself 8 When "indeed " implies "wonder" or "affirmation," use en vérité; but when it is used (as it is here) in the sense of "it is true," translate it by il est vrai. 9 Flight" (number of birds flying together) is, in French, volée; but meaning "act or mode of flying," it is vol. 10 The literal translation se mettre au niveau de will do, as well as the following, aller de pair avec, se comparer à. 11 Turn: after all the (passers by) passants. 12 Turn: "to attract to oneself," s'attirer. 13 Turn: "to act." 14 The French generally requiring the adjective to come after the substantive, this and other phrase of the kind should be turned thus: "hsow my make is graceful," que or comme ma ille est grâcieuse, (or) a de la grâce! 15 Turn: "I should like or love much better." THE MOUSE, LAP-DOG, AND MONKEY. 1 En alarme. For alarmé indicates grief mixed with fear. 2 Tomber sous la main. (A common expression.) 3 "To crush" is écraser, which is of course sufficient, without "to pieces," 4 The active voice in such cases as this is preferable. "To drive" would here be better translated by faire or donner la chasse, 5 Epouvanté. 6 Genoux. 7 Caresser. • Donner en recompense. into notice by his grimaces. He played a thousand little mischievous tricks, and was regaled, at the appearance of the dessert, with plenty of nuts and apples. The unfortunate little mouse, who saw from her hiding-place everything that passed, sighed in anguish of heart,1o and said to herself, "Alas! how ignorant was I, to imagine that poverty and distress were sufficient recommendations to the charity of the opulent. I now find that whoever is not master of fawning and buffoonery is but ill qualified 12 for a dependant, and will not be suffered even to pick up the crumbs that fall from the table." THE LITTLE DOG. A FABLE. "What shall I do," said a little dog one day to his mother, "to show my gratitude to our good master, and make myself of some value to him? I cannot draw or carry burdens, like the horse;2 nor give him milk like the cow; nor lend him my covering for his clothing, like the sheep; nor produce him eggs, like the poultry; nor catch mice and rats so well as the cat. I cannot divert him with singing, like the canaries and linnets; nor can I defend him against robbers, like our relation Towzer. I should not be of use to him, even if I were dead, as the hogs are. I am a poor insignificant creature, not worth the cost of keeping ;3 and I don't see that I can do a single thing to entitle me to his regard." So saying, the poor little dog hung down his head in silent despondency. "My dear child," replied his mother, "though your abilities are but small, yet a hearty good will is sufficient to supply all defects. Do but love him dearly, and prove your love by all the means in your power, and you will not fail to please him." The little dog was comforted with this assurance; and, on his master's approach, ran to him, licked his feet, gambolled before him, and every now and then stopped, wagging his tail, and looking up to his master with expressions of the most humble and affectionate 9 Such expressions as this formed by means of "into" may usually be translated into French by the verb (se faire remarquer), followed by à force de, as, il se fit remarquer à force de grimaces. 10 De douleur. 11 Turn: "knows not to cajole and to act the buffoon." 12 N'est pas fait pour être. THE LITTLE DOG.-(Le petit chien.) 1 "To show may be expressed by montrer or témoigner. The former is more applied to physical objects; the Iatter, to the feelings of the heart or mind. 2 In this and the phrases belonging to the three following sentences the order may be varied with advantage in French: thus we use the same construction as in English: "I cannot draw, &c.," or "like the horse, I cannot draw, &c." For the sake of variety and relief, some may be done one way and others the other way 3 Turn: "I am not worth my food." 4 Turn: "which can deserve his penevolence." 5 Notice that "defects" means "want of talents," not défauts. 6 "On," in such cases as this, is ex pressed in French by à, not by sur. attachment. The master observed him. "Ah! little Fido," said he, "you are an honest, good-natured little fell w!" and stooped down to pat his head. Poor Fido was ready to go out of his wits for joy. Fido was now his master's constant companion in his walks, playing and skipping round him, and amusing him by a thousand sportive tricks. He took care, however, not to be troublesome by leaping on him with dirty paws; nor would he follow him into the parlour, unless invited. He also attempted to make himself useful by a number of little services. He would drive away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens' meat; and would run and bark with the utmost fury at any strange pigs, or other animals, that offered to come into the yard. He kept the poultry, geese, and pigs from straying beyond their bounds, and particularly from doing mischief in the garden. He was always ready to alarm Towzer, if there was any suspicious noise about the house, day or night. If his master pulled off his coat in the field, to help his workmen, as he would sometimes do, Fido always sat by it, and would not suffer either man or beast to touch it. By this means he came to be considered as a very trusty protector of his master's property. His master was once confined to his bed with a dangerous illness. Fido planted himself at the chamber-door, and could not be persuaded to leave it, even to take food. As soon as his master was so far recovered as to sit up 12 Fido, being admitted into the room, ran up to him with such marks of excessive joy and affection as would have melted any heart to behold. 13 This circumstance wonderfully endeared him to his master; and some time after he had an opportunity of doing him a very important service. One hot day, after dinner, his master was sleeping in a summer-house,1 with Fido by his side. The building was old and crazy;15 and the dog, who was faithfully watching his master, perceived the walls shake1 and pieces of mortar fall from the ceiling. He comprehended the danger, and began1 barking to awake his master; and this not sufficing, he jumped up and gently bit his finger. The master, upon this, started up,18 and had just 19 time to get out of the door before20 the whole building fell down. Fido, who was behind, got21 hurt by some rubbish which fell upon him; on |