THE DISCONTENTED ASS.

In the depth of winter, a poor ass prayed heartily for the spring, that he might exchange a cold lodging and a heartless truss of straw, for a little warm weather and a mouthful of fresh grass. In a short time, according to his wish, the warm weather and fresh grass came on: but brought with them so much toil and business, that he was soon as weary of the spring as before of the winter; and he now became impatient for the approach of summer. Summer arrived: but the heat, the harvest work, and other drudgeries and inconveniences of the season, set him as far from happiness as before; which he now flattered himself would be found in the plenty of autumn. But here too he was disappointed; for what with the carrying of apples, roots, fuel for the winter, and other provisions, he was in autumn more fatigued than ever. Having thus trod round the circle of the year, in a course of restless labour, uneasiness and disappointment; and found no season, nor station of life, without its business and its trouble; he was forced at last to acquiesce in the comfortless season of winter, where his complaint began; convinced that in this world every situation has its inconvenience.

THE BOASTING TRAVELLER.

ONE who had been abroad, at his return home, was giving an account of his travels, and said that, among other places, he had been at Rhodes, where he had so distinguished himself in leaping, an exercise that city was famous for, that not a Rhodian could come near him. Those who were present, however, did not seem to credit this relation so readily as he intended they should; and he therefore took some pains to convince them of it by oaths and protestations; upon which, one of the company rose and told him he need not give himself so much trouble about it, since he would put him in a way to demonstrate the fact; which was, to suppose the place they were in to be Rhodes, and to perform this extraordinary leap over again. The boaster, not liking this proposal, sat down quietly, and had no more to say for himself.

THE LEOPARD AND THE FOX.

A LEOPARD, one day, took it into his head to value himself upon the great variety and beauty of his spots, and asserted that he saw no reason why even the lion should take place of him, since he could not shew so beautiful a skin. As for the rest of the wild beasts of the forests, he treated them all, without distinction, in the most haughty and disdainful manner. But the fox being among them, went up to him with a great deal of spirit and resolution, and told him that he was mistaken in the value he was pleased to set upon himself, since people of judgment were not used to form their opinion of merit from an outside appearance, but by considering the good qualities and endowments with which the mind was stored within.