THE FARMER, THE CRANES, AND THE STORK.

A STORK was unfortunately drawn into company with some cranes, who were just setting out on a party of pleasure, as they called it, though in truth it was to rob the fish-ponds of a neighbouring farmer. It so happened that they were all taken in the fact. The cranes, having been old offenders, had very little to say for themselves, and were presently dispatched; but the stork pleaded hard for his life. He urged that it was his first offence, that he was not naturally addicted to stealing fish, that he was famous for piety to his parents, and, in short, had many virtues. "Your piety and virtue," said the farmer, may, for aught I know, be exemplary; but your being in company with thieves renders it very suspicious; and you must, therefore, submit with patience to share the same punishment with your companions."

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2.

THE SHEPHERD-BOY AND THE WOLF.

A shepherd-boy, for want of better employment, used to amuse himself by raising a false alarm, and crying "The wolf! the wolf!" and when his neighbours, believing he was in earnest, ran to his assistance, instead of thanking them for their kindness, he laughed at the success of his joke. This trick he repeated a great number of times; but at length the wolf came in reality, and began tearing and mangling the sheep. The boy now cried and bellowed with all his might for help; but the neighbours, taught by experience, and supposing him still in jest, paid no regard to his entreaties. In the mean time, the wolf had time and opportunity to worry the whole flock.

3.

THE TOAD AND THE EPHEMERON.

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As some workmen were digging marble in a mountain of Scythia, they discerned a toad of an enormous size in the midst of a solid rock. They were very much surprised at so uncommon an appearance, and the more they considered the circumstances, the more their wonder increased. It was hard to conceive by what means this creature had preserved life, and received nourishment in so narrow a prison; and still more difficult to account for his birth and existence in a place so totally inaccessible to all of his species. While they were pursuing these speculations, the toad sat swelling and bloating, till he was ready to burst with pride and self-importance; to which at last he thus gave vent: Yes," "said he, " you behold in me a specimen of the antediluvian race of animals. Who is there among the present upstart race of mortals, that shall dare to contend with me in nobility of birth, or dignity of character?" An ephemeron, sprung that morning from the river Hypanis, as he was flying about from place to place, chanced to be present, and observed all that passed with great attention and curiosity. "Vain boaster," said he, "what foundation hast thou for pride, either in thy descent, merely because it is ancient, or thy life, because it has been long? What good qualities hast thou received from thy ancestors? Insignificant even to thyself, as well as useless to others, thou art almost as insensible as the block in which thou wast bred. Even I, that had my birth only from the scum of the neighbouring river, at the rising of this day's sun, and who shall die at its setting, have more reason to applaud my condition, than thou hast to be proud of thine. I have enjoyed the warmth of the sun, the light of the day, and the purity of the air. I have flown from stream to stream, from tree to tree, and from the plain to the mountain. I have provided for posterity, and shall leave behind me a numerous offspring, to people the next age of to-morrow. In short, I have fulfilled all the ends of my being, and am happy. My whole life, it is true, is but of twelve hours; but even one hour of it is to be preferred to a thousand years of mere existence, which have been spent like thine, in sloth and stupidity."

4.

THE ANGLER AND THE YOUNG FISH.

A man, angling in a river, caught a small perch, which, as he was taking it off the hook and going to put it into his basket, opened its mouth and began to implore his pity, begging that he would throw it into the river again. Upon the man's demanding what reason he had to expect such a favour: "Why," said the fish, "because, at present, I am but young and little, and, consequently, not so well worth your having as I shall be if you take me some time hence, when I am grown larger."-"That may be," replied the man, "but I am not one of those fools who quit a certainty in expectation of an uncertainty; so come along."

5.

THE VINE AND THE ELM TREE.

A foolish young vine, vainly ambitious of independence, and fond of rambling at large, despised the alliance of her friend the stately elm. Having risen to some small height without any kind of support, she shot forth her branches to a very uncommon and superfluous length; calling on her neighbour to take notice how little she wanted his assistance. "Poor infatuated shrub," replied the elm, "how inconsistent is thy conduct! Wouldst thou be truly independent, thou shouldst carefully apply those juices to the enlargement of thy stem, which thou lavishest in vain upon unnecessary foliage. I shall shortly behold thee grovelling on the ground; yet countenanced indeed, by too many, who, intoxicated with vanity, despise economy; and who, to support for a moment their empty boast of independence, exhaust the very source of it in frivolous extravagance."

6.

THE FARMER AND HIS THREE ENEMIES.

A wolf, a fox, and a hare, happened one evening to be foraging in different parts of a farm-yard. Their first effort was pretty successful, and they returned safely to their several quarters, not, however, unperceived by the farmer; who,

placing several kinds of snares, made them all prisoners in the next attempt. He first took the hare to task, who confessed she had eaten a few turnip-tops, merely to satisfy her hunger, and beseeching him piteously to spare her life, promised never to enter his grounds again. He then accosted the fox, who, in a fawning, obsequious tone, protested that he came into the premises, through no other motive than pure good will, to restrain the hares and other vermin from the plunder of his corn; and that, whatever evil tongues might say, he had too great a regard both for him and for justice to be capable of any dishonest action. Last of all, he questioned the wolf. The wolf impudently declared, it was with a view of destroying his lambs, to which he had an undoubted right; that the farmer himself was the only felon, who robbed the community of wolves of what was meant to be their proper food. This was his opinion; and whatever might be the consequence, he should not scruple to risk his life in pursuit of his lawful prey. The farmer, having heard their pleas, determined their cause in the following manner: The hare," said he, "deserves compassion, for the humble penitence she shows, and the frank confession she has made. As for the fox and the wolf, let them be hanged together. Criminals alike with respect to the fact, they have both heightened their guilt by the aggravations of hypocrisy and impudence.

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7.

THE DOVE AND THE ANT.

A dove was sipping from the bank of a rivulet, when an ant, who was, at the same time, trailing a grain of corn along the edge of the brook, inadvertently fell in. The dove, observing the helpless insect struggling in vain to reach the shore, was touched with compassion, and plucking a blade of grass, dropped it into the stream, by means of which the poor ant got safe to land. She had scarcely arrived there, when she perceived a fowler just going to discharge his piece at her deliverer, upon which she instantly crept up his foot and stung him on the ankle. The sportsman, starting, occasioned a rustling among the boughs, which alarmed the dove, who immediately sprung up, and by that means escaped the danger with which she was threatened.

8.

THE PEACOCK.

The peacock, who at first was distinguished only by a crest of feathers, preferred a petition to Juno that he might be honoured also with a train. As the bird was a particular favourite, Juno readily enough assented; and his train was ordered to surpass that of every fowl in the creation. The peacock, conscious of his superb appearance, thought it requisite to assume a proportionate dignity of gait and manners. The common poultry of the farm-yard were quite astonished at his magnificence: and even the pheasants themselves beheld him with an eye of envy. But when he attempted to fly, he perceived that he had sacrificed all his activity to ostentation; and that he was encumbered by that pomp in which he gloried.

9.

THE GOOSE WITH THE GOLDEN EGGS.

A certain man had the good fortune to possess a goose which laid him a golden egg every day. But not contented with this, which rather increased than abated his avarice, he was resolved to kill the goose, and cut her up, that so he might at once come to the inexhaustible treasure, which he fancied she had within her, without being obliged to wait for the slow production of a single egg daily. He did so; and, to his great vexation, found nothing.

10.

THE YOUNG MAN AND THE SWALLOW.

A prodigal young spendthrift, who had wasted his whole patrimony in taverns and gaming-houses, among lewd, idle, company, was taking a melancholy walk near a brook. It was in the month of January, and happened to be one of those warm, sunshiny days, which sometimes smile upon us even in that wintry season of the year; and to make it the more flattering, a swallow, which by mistake had made its appearance too soon, flew skimming along upon the surface of the water. The giddy youth, observing this, without any further consideration concluded that summer was come, and that he should therefore have little occasion for clothes, so he went and pawned them at the broker's, and ventured the money for one stake more among