THE MOTHER AND THE WOLF
Early one morning a hungry Wolf was prowling around a cottage at the edge of a village, when he heard a child crying in the house.
Then he heard the Mother"s voice say:
"Hush, child, hush! Stop your crying, or I will give you to the Wolf!"
Surprised but delighted at the prospect of so delicious a meal, the Wolf settled down under an open window, expecting every moment to have the child handed out to him. But though the little one continued to fret, the Wolf waited all day in vain. Then, toward nightfall, he heard the Mother"s voice again as she sat down near the window to sing and rock her baby to sleep.
"There, child, there! The Wolf shall not get you. No, no! Daddy is watching and Daddy will kill him if he should come near!"
Just then the Father came within sight of the home, and the Wolf was barely able to save himself from the Dogs by a clever bit of running.
_Do not believe everything you hear._
THE FLIES AND THE HONEY
A jar of honey was upset and the sticky sweetness flowed out on the table. The sweet smell of the honey soon brought a large number of Flies buzzing around. They did not wait for an invitation. No, indeed; they settled right down, feet and all, to gorge themselves. The Flies were quickly smeared from head to foot with honey. Their wings stuck together. They could not pull their feet out of the sticky ma.s.s. And so they died, giving their lives for the sake of a taste of sweetness.
_Be not greedy for a little pa.s.sing pleasure. It may destroy you._
THE EAGLE AND THE KITE
An Eagle sat high in the branches of a great Oak. She seemed very sad and drooping for an Eagle. A Kite saw her.
"Why do you look so woebegone?" asked the Kite.
"I want to get married," replied the Eagle, "and I can"t find a mate who can provide for me as I should like."
"Take me," said the Kite; "I am very strong, stronger even than you!"
"Do you really think you can provide for me?" asked the Eagle eagerly.
"Why, of course," replied the Kite. "That would be a very simple matter. I am so strong I can carry away an Ostrich in my talons as if it were a feather!"
The Eagle accepted the Kite immediately. But after the wedding, when the Kite flew away to find something to eat for his bride, all he had when he returned, was a tiny Mouse.
"Is that the Ostrich you talked about?" said the Eagle in disgust.
"To win you I would have said and promised anything," replied the Kite.
_Everything is fair in love._
[Ill.u.s.tration]
THE STAG, THE SHEEP, AND THE WOLF
One day a Stag came to a Sheep and asked her to lend him a measure of wheat. The Sheep knew him for a very swift runner, who could easily take himself out of reach, were he so inclined. So she asked him if he knew someone who would answer for him.
"Yes, yes," answered the Stag confidently, "the Wolf has promised to be my surety."
"The Wolf!" exclaimed the Sheep indignantly. "Do you think I would trust you on such security? I know the Wolf! He takes what he wants and runs off with it without paying. As for you, you can use your legs so well that I should have little chance of collecting the debt if I had to catch you for it!"
_Two blacks do not make a white._
[Ill.u.s.tration]
THE ANIMALS AND THE PLAGUE
Once upon a time a severe plague raged among the animals. Many died, and those who lived were so ill, that they cared for neither food nor drink, and dragged themselves about listlessly.
No longer could a fat young hen tempt Master Fox to dinner, nor a tender lamb rouse greedy Sir Wolf"s appet.i.te.
At last the Lion decided to call a council. When all the animals were gathered together he arose and said:
"Dear friends, I believe the G.o.ds have sent this plague upon us as a punishment for our sins. Therefore, the most guilty one of us must be offered in sacrifice. Perhaps we may thus obtain forgiveness and cure for all.
"I will confess all _my_ sins first. I admit that I have been very greedy and have devoured many sheep. They had done me no harm. I have eaten goats and bulls and stags. To tell the truth, I even ate up a shepherd now and then.
"Now, if I am the most guilty, I am ready to be sacrificed. But I think it best that each one confess his sins as I have done. Then we can decide in all justice who is the most guilty."
"Your majesty," said the Fox, "you are too good. Can it be a crime to eat sheep, such stupid mutton heads? No, no, your majesty. You have done them great honor by eating them up.
"And so far as shepherds are concerned, we all know they belong to that puny race that pretends to be our masters."
All the animals applauded the Fox loudly. Then, though the Tiger, the Bear, the Wolf, and all the savage beasts recited the most wicked deeds, all were excused and made to appear very saint-like and innocent.
It was now the a.s.s"s turn to confess.
"I remember," he said guiltily, "that one day as I was pa.s.sing a field belonging to some priests, I was so tempted by the tender gra.s.s and my hunger, that I could not resist nibbling a bit of it. I had no right to do it, I admit--"
A great uproar among the beasts interrupted him. Here was the culprit who had brought misfortune on all of them! What a horrible crime it was to eat gra.s.s that belonged to someone else!
It was enough to hang anyone for, much more an a.s.s.