N was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising
up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse
piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would
be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go. It
happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters,
who bound him by strong ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing
his roar, came and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set him free,
exclaiming:

"You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, not expecting
to receive from me any repayment of your favor; now you know that it is
possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion."

The Charcoal-Burner And The Fuller

A CHARCOAL-BURNER carried on his trade in his own house. One day he met
a friend, a Fuller, and entreated him to come and live with him, saying
that they should be far better neighbors and that their housekeeping
expenses would be lessened. The Fuller replied, "The arrangement is
impossible as far as I am concerned, for whatever I should whiten, you
would immediately blacken again with your charcoal."

Like will draw like.

The Father And His Sons

A FATHER had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among
themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations,
he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of
disunion; and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a
bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the
hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in
pieces. They tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it.
He next opened the faggot, took the sticks separately, one by one, and
again put them into his sons' hands, upon which they broke them easily.
He then addressed them in these words: "My sons, if you are of one mind,
and unite to assist each other, you will be as this faggot, uninjured
by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you are divided among
yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks."

The Boy Hunting Locusts

A BOY was hunting for locusts. He had caught a goodly number, when he
saw a Scorpion, and mistaking him for a locust, reached out his hand to
take him. The Scorpion, showing his sting, said: "If you had but touched
me, my friend, you would have lost me, and all your locusts too!"

The Cock and the Jewel

A COCK, scr