the sheep entirely in his charge. The Wolf, now that he had the
opportunity, fell upon the sheep, and destroyed the greater part of
the flock. When the Shepherd returned to find his flock destroyed, he
exclaimed: "I have been rightly served; why did I trust my sheep to a
Wolf?"

The Hares and the Lions

THE HARES harangued the assembly, and argued that all should be equal.
The Lions made this reply: "Your words, O Hares! are good; but they lack
both claws and teeth such as we have."

The Lark and Her Young Ones

A LARK had made her nest in the early spring on the young green wheat.
The brood had almost grown to their full strength and attained the use
of their wings and the full plumage of their feathers, when the owner of
the field, looking over his ripe crop, said, "The time has come when I
must ask all my neighbors to help me with my harvest." One of the young
Larks heard his speech and related it to his mother, inquiring of her
to what place they should move for safety. "There is no occasion to move
yet, my son," she replied; "the man who only sends to his friends to
help him with his harvest is not really in earnest." The owner of the
field came again a few days later and saw the wheat shedding the grain
from excess of ripeness. He said, "I will come myself tomorrow with my
laborers, and with as many reapers as I can hire, and will get in the
harvest." The Lark on hearing these words said to her brood, "It is time
now to be off, my little ones, for the man is in earnest this time; he
no longer trusts his friends, but will reap the field himself."

Self-help is the best help.

The Fox and the Lion

WHEN A FOX who had never yet seen a Lion, fell in with him by chance for
the first time in the forest, he was so frightened that he nearly
died with fear. On meeting him for the second time, he was still much
alarmed, but not to the same extent as at first. On seeing him the third
time, he so increased in boldness that he went up to him and commenced a
familiar conversation with him.

Acquaintance softens prejudices.

The Weasel and the Mice

A WEASEL, inactive from age and infirmities, was not able to catch mice
as he once did. He therefore rolled himself in flour and lay down in a
dark corner. A Mouse, supposing him to be food, leaped upon him, and was
instantly caught and squeezed to death. Another perished in a similar
manner, and then a third, and still others after them. A very ol