There was the warmth of summer, and the bite of hay, to make up for his toil at that season; and the apples and carrots which the children gave him in autumn to refresh him after his heavy loads. And so he learned to find that every season affords some pleasure as well as some pain.

43.

THE TWO DOGS.

A good-natured spaniel overtook a surly mastiff, as he was travelling on the high road. Tray, the spaniel, knew nothing at all about Tiger: but Tiger being in a better humour than usual, spoke very civilly to Tray, and said he should be glad of his company on his journey. Tray did not consider the matter much, but answered that he should be glad to go with him; so they travelled on together in a friendly manner, till they came to the next village green. Here Tiger began to show his evil temper, by picking a quarrel with every dog he met,-fighting with the large ones, and ill-using the smaller, who were afraid of his size and strength. But the people of the village came from their houses, armed with sticks and stones, to take the part of their own dogs. They not only fell upon Tiger, who deserved the punishment, but Tray was also cruelly beaten.

And this was a lesson to him ever after, to take care what company he kept. For if we are often found with bad companions, we cannot expect other persons to think well of us, or believe us to be innocent ourselves.

44.

THE REDBREAST AND THE SPARROW.

As a redbreast was singing on a tree, by the side of a rural cottage, which stood hard by a bridge, a sparrow, perched upon the thatch, took occasion thus to reprimand him. "And dost thou," said he, "with thy dull autumnal note, presume to emulate the birds of spring? Can thy weak warblings pretend to vie with the accents of the thrush and the blackbird, or with the various melody of the lark and the nightingale, whom other birds, far thy superiors, have been long content to admire in silence?"

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"Judge with candour, at least," replied the robin; impute those efforts to ambition solely, which may sometimes flow from better motives. I reverence, indeed, but by no means envy the birds whose fame has stood the test of ages. Their songs have charmed both hill and dale; but their season has past, and their throats are silent. I feel not ambition to surpass or equal them; my efforts are of a humbler kind, and I may surely hope for pardon, while I endeavour to cheer these forsaken valleys, with those powers, such as they are, which Providence has been pleased to bestow upon me."

45.

THE DAW WITH THE BORROWED FEATHERS. There were a number of jackdaws who lived very happily in the tower of an old church. Close at hand was a poultry-yard belonging to a large house, and among the poultry lived some peacocks, which were allowed to wander about the gardens, and in front of the house, that their beautiful feathers might be seen.

Now one of these jackdaws thought there was nothing he should like so much as to strut about, spreading his long tail in the sun, or drawing it up in the shape of a wheel behind him. And then, if he could shake all his feathers at once, and let them down as the peacocks did, while every-body gazed at him, he thought how proud and happy he should be.

So he resolved what he would do; and gathering up the peacocks' cast-off feathers, he dressed himself out in them, and began to strut about the poultry-yard, in the hope of being taken for a peacock. But he was quite mistaken; not only peacocks, but turkeys, guinea-fowls, and even chickens and ducks, made a mock of him. And being provoked with his foolish vanity, they tore the borrowed feathers from him, pecking at him, and driving him out of the yard.

The disappointed jackdaw then wished to return to his old companions in the church tower, and would have been glad to lead his former happy life with them; but his old friends could not feel as they used to do towards him, after he had despised them, and tried to force himself into the company of those above him. They would take no notice of him, and he was obliged to leave them, and lead an unhappy life without companions.

46.

THE SWALLOW AND OTHER BIRDS.

A farmer was sowing hemp-seed in his field, when a swallow noticing it, called all the small birds he could find, together; he told them that when the seed came to a plant, its stalks would be cut, and beaten into hemp; from this hemp, he said, the twine would be spun with which nets were made the very nets used by bird-catchers, which had taken so many small birds, to be confined in cages. He advised them therefore to meet early in the morning, and pick the seed out of the ground, thus preventing their future misfortunes. But the small birds took no such trouble, either not believing his words, or else being too idle to follow his advice.

After a short time, the swallow observed the little green blades of hemp above the ground. Once more he spoke to the birds, and told them it was not yet too late, they had but to join him, and the plants might yet be destroyed. Still they were careless and idle as before, and said it was not worth the while. So the swallow gave them up, and leaving the country, he flew to the town, where he built his nest every year about the houses, and lived in peace.

One day, as he flew down from his nest in a chimney, and was skimming along the street, he saw a bird-catcher carrying a large cage on his head and in that cage were a number of those very birds who had neglected his advice. They were now prisoners for ever, and could never hope to enjoy the green fields and hedges, or to soar as they pleased in the fresh air. He was sorry for them; but they suffered a just punishment, he knew, for not having attended to his advice, and for their unwillingness to take a little trouble, though they knew it might prevent a great misfortune.

47.

THE TUBEROSE AND THE SUN-FLOWER.

A tuberose in a bow-window, on the north side of a stately villa, addressed a sun-flower which grew on a slope that was contiguous to the house. "Pray, neighbour," said he, "to what purpose do you pay all this devotion to that deity of yours, the sun? Why are you still distorting your body, and casting up your eyes to that glaring luminary? What superstition

induces you to think that we flowers exist only through his influence? Both you and I are surely indebted to the hot-bed, and to the diligence of the gardener, for our production and support. For my part, I shall reserve my homage, together with my sweets, for that benevolent master who is continually watering and refreshing me: nor do I desire ever to see the face of that sun you so vainly idolize, while I can enjoy the cool shade of this magnificent saloon."-"A truce to thy folly," replied the sun-flower; "why dost thou revile him who dispenses life and vigour, not only to us, but to every part of the creation? Without this, alas! how ineffectual were the skill and vigilance of thy boasted master, either to support thy tender frame, or even to preserve his own! But this must ever be the case with such contracted understandings; acknowledging indeed our more immediate benefactors, but disregarding the original source from which our blessings proceed."

48.

THE DOG AND THE CROCODILE.

As a dog was coursing the banks of the Nile, he grew thirsty ; but, fearing to be seized by the monsters of that river, he would not stop to satisfy his drought, but lapped as he ran. A crocodile, raising his head above the surface of the water, asked him why he was in such a hurry? "I have often," he said, "wished for your acquaintance, and should be glad to embrace the present opportunity to make it."- "You do me great honour," returned the dog; "but it is to avoid such companions as you that I am in so much haste."

49.

THE LAURUSTINUS AND THE ROSE-TREE.

In an extensive and varied shrubbery, it happened that a rose grew not far from a laurustinus. The rose, enlivened by the breath of June, and attired in all its gorgeous blossoms, looked with contempt on the laurustinus, which had nothing to display but the dusky verdure of its leaves. "What a wretched neighbour," cried she, "is this! how unworthy to partake the honour of my company! Better to bloom and die in the desert,

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than to associate myself here with such plants. Here, gardener, I pray thee bring thy hatchet, and cut down this laurustinus; or at least remove it to a proper distance from the sovereign of the garden."-"Be pacified, my lovely friend," replied the gardener; enjoy thy sovereignty with moderation, and thou shalt receive all the homage which thy beauty can require, But remember that, in winter, when neither thou nor any of thy tribe produce one flower or leaf to cheer me, this faithful shrub, which thou despisest, will become the glory of my garden. Prudence, therefore, as well as gratitude, is concerned in the protection of a friend that will shew his friendship in adversity."

50.

THE LION AND THE BULLS.

Once on a time, four bulls had entered into a strict friendship, and kept always near each other for mutual safety and defence. The lion saw them, and had a mind to make them his prey; but, though he could easily have subdued any one of them singly, yet he was afraid to attack the whole body, knowing they would be too hard for him, and therefore he contented himself for the present with keeping at a distance. At last, perceiving that no successful attempt was to be made upon them, as long as this combination lasted, he contrived, by whispers and hints, to foment jealousies and raise divisions among them. This scheme succeeded so well, that the bulls grew cold and reserved towards each other, which soon after ripened into hatred and aversion, and at last ended in total separation. The lion had now obtained his end; and, impossible as it was to hurt them while they were united, he found no difficulty, now that they were parted, to seize and devour them, one after another.

51.

THE TRAVELLERS AND THE BEAR.

Two men about to travel through a forest together, mutually promised to stand by each other in any danger they should happen to meet with. They had not gone far before a bear came rushing towards them out of a thicket; upon which, one, being a light nimble fellow, got up into a tree; the other falling