74.

THE TWO SPRINGS.

Two springs which issued from the same mountain began their course together: one of them took her way in a silent and gentle flowing stream, while the other rushed along with a noisy and rapid current. "Sister," said the latter, "at the rate you move, you will probably be dried up before you advance much farther; whereas, for myself I shall probably become navigable within two or three hundred furlongs, and after distributing commerce and wealth wherever I flow, I shall majestically proceed to pay my tribute to the ocean. So farewell, and patiently submit yourself to your fate." Her quiet sister made no reply; but, calmly descending to the meadows below, and patiently proceeding on her way, she increased her stream by numberless little rills, which she collected in her progress, till, at length, she was enabled to rise into a considerable river; whilst the proud stream, who had the vanity to depend solely upon her own sufficiency, continued a shallow brook; and was glad, at last, to be helped forward, by throwing herself into the arms of her despised sister.

75.

THE HORSE AND THE ASS.

A fine horse, adorned with his warlike trappings, came thundering along the way, and making the mountains echo with his shrill neighing. He had not gone far before he overtook an ass, who was labouring under a heavy burthen, and moving slowly on, in the same track with himself. Immediately he called out to him, in a haughty, imperious tone, and threatened to trample him in the dirt, if he did not make way for him. The poor patient ass, not daring to dispute the matter, quietly got out of his way as fast as he could, and let him go by. Not long after this, the same horse, in an engagement with the enemy, happened to be shot in the eye, which made him unfit for show, or any military business; so he was stripped of his fine ornaments, and sold to a carrier. The ass meeting him one day in this forlorn condition, was too forgiving to insult him in his reverse of fortune; but could not help reflecting at the same time on the just punishment of his arrogance; so true is the proverb, that "Pride will have a fall."

76.

THE BOY AND THE FILBERTS.

A boy put his hand into a pitcher, where a quantity of filberts were deposited: he grasped as many as his fist could possibly hold; but when he endeavoured to pull it out, the narrowness of the neck of the pitcher prevented him. Unwilling to lose any of them, yet unable to draw out his hand, he burst into tears, and bitterly bemoaned his hard fortune. An honest fellow, who stood by, gave him this wise and seasonable advice: "Be not so greedy, my boy; grasp only half the quantity, and you will easily succeed."

77.

THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.

A crow, almost dying with thirst, flew with joy to a pitcher, which he beheld at some distance. When he came, he found water in it indeed, but so near the bottom, that, with all his stooping and stretching, he was not able to reach it. Then he endeavoured to overturn the pitcher, that so at least he might be able to get a little of it; but his strength was not sufficient for this. At last, seeing some pebbles lie near the place, he cast them, one by one, into the pitcher: and thus, by degrees, raised the water up to the very brim, and satisfied his thirst.

Necessity is the mother of invention; and that which cannot be accomplished by strength, may often be achieved by ingenuity.

78.

THE TWO BEES.

One fine morning, two bees set forward in quest of honey: the one, wise and temperate; the other, careless and extravagant. They soon arrived at a garden enriched with aromatic herbs, the most fragrant flowers, and the most delicious fruits. They regaled themselves for a time on the various dainties

before them: the one, loading his thigh at intervals with provisions for the hive against the winter season; the other, revelling in sweets, without regard to any thing but his present gratification. At length they found a wide-mouthed vial, that hung beneath the bough of a peach-tree, filled with honey, and exposed to their taste in the most alluring manner. The thoughtless epicure, notwithstanding his friend's remonstrances, plunged headlong into the vessel, resolving to indulge himself in all the pleasures of sensuality: his companion, on the other hand, suspicious of danger, sipped a little with caution, and then flew off to fruits and flowers, where, by the moderation of his meals, he improved his relish for the true enjoyment of them. In the evening, however, he called upon his friend to inquire whether he would return to the hive; but found him surfeited in sweets, which he was as unable to leave as to enjoy. Clogged in his wings, and enfeebled in his feet, he was but just able to bid his friend farewell, and to lament, with his last breath, that though a taste of pleasure may quicken the relish of life, an unrestrained indulgence is inevitable destruction.

79.

THE WIND, THE SUN, AND THE TRAVELLER.

A dispute once arose between the wind and the sun, about the superiority of their power; and to decide the point, they agreed to try their strength upon a traveller, by obliging him to part with his cloak. The wind began, and blew a cold blast, accompanied with a sharp driving sleet. But this, and all his other efforts, instead of making the man quit his cloak, only induced him to gird it the more closely about his body. The sun now commenced; who, breaking out from a thick watery cloud, drove away the cold and mist from the sky, and darted his powerful beams upon the head of the weather-beaten traveller. The poor man, growing faint with the heat, which became gradually more and more oppressive, and unable to endure it any longer, first loosened, and at last threw off his cloak;-proving, that soft and gentle means will often accomplish what force and fury can never effect.

E

80.

THE FARMER AND HIS DOG.

A farmer who had just stepped into the field to mend a gap in one of his fences, at his return found the cradle, where he had left his child asleep, turned upside down, the clothes all torn and bloody, and his dog lying near it, besmeared also with blood. Immediately conceiving that the creature had destroyed his child, he dashed out his brains with a hatchet; when turning up the cradle he found the child unhurt, and enormous serpent lying dead on the floor, killed by that faithful dog, whose courage and fidelity in preserving the life of his son, deserved a very different treatment. This affecting circumstance afforded him a striking lesson, how dangerous it is to give way to the blind impulse of sudden passion.

an

81.

THE PARROT.

A certain widower, in order to amuse his solitary hours, and in some measure supply the conversation of his departed helpmate, determined to purchase a parrot. With this view, he applied to a dealer in birds, who showed him a large collection of parrots of various kinds. While they were exercising their talkative talents before him, one repeating the cries of the town, another asking for a cup of sack, and a third bawling out for a coach, he observed a green parrot perched, in a thoughtful manner, at a distance, upon the foot of a table. "And so you, my brave gentleman," said he, are quite silent?" To which the parrot replied, like a philosophical bird, "I think the more." Pleased with this sensible answer, the widower immediately paid down his price, and took home the bird, conceiving great things from a creature which had given so striking a specimen of his parts.

After having instructed him, however, during a whole month, he found, to his great disappointment, that he could get nothing more from him than the fatiguing repetition of the same dull sentence: "I think the more."-"I find," said he, in great wrath, "that thou art a most invincible fool: and ten times more a fool was I, for having formed a favourable opinion of thy abilities upon no better foundation than thine affected face and words."

82.

THE HERMIT AND THE VILLAGERS.

The

A certain hermit had hollowed his cave near the summit of a lofty mountain, from whence he had an opportunity of surveying a large extent both of sea and land. He sat one evening, contemplating with pleasure the various objects that lay before him. The woods were drest in the brightest verdure, the thickets adorned with the gayest blossoms. The birds carolled beneath the branches; the lambs frolicked in the meads; the peasant whistled beside his team; and ships driven by gentle gales, were returning safely into their proper harbours. In short, the arrival of spring had doubly enlivened the whole scene before his eye, and every object yielded a display of either beauty or happiness. On a sudden arose a violent storm. winds mustered all their fury, and whole forests of oak lay scattered on the ground. Darkness instantly succeeded; hailstones and rain were poured forth in torrents, and lightning and thunder added to the horror of the gloom. And now the sea, piled up in mountains, bore aloft the largest vessels, while the horrid uproar of its waves drowned the shrieks of the wretched mariners. When the whole tempest had exhausted its fury, it was instantly followed by the shock of an earthquake. The poor inhabitants of a neighbouring village flocked in crowds to the hermit's cave, religiously hoping, that his well-known sanctity would protect them in their distress. They were, however, not a little surprised at the profound tranquillity which appeared in his countenance. "My friends," said he, "be not dismayed. Terrible to me as well as to you would have been the war of elements we have just beheld, but that I have meditated with so much attention on the various works of Providence, as to be persuaded that his goodness is equal to his power."

83.

THE MIMIC AND THE COUNTRYMAN.

Men often judge wrong from some foolish prejudice; and whilst they persist in the defence of their mistakes, are sometimes brought to shame by incontestable evidence.