n you will
easily get out."

The Fox and the Woodcutter

A FOX, running before the hounds, came across a Woodcutter felling
an oak and begged him to show him a safe hiding-place. The Woodcutter
advised him to take shelter in his own hut, so the Fox crept in and
hid himself in a corner. The huntsman soon came up with his hounds and
inquired of the Woodcutter if he had seen the Fox. He declared that he
had not seen him, and yet pointed, all the time he was speaking, to the
hut where the Fox lay hidden. The huntsman took no notice of the signs,
but believing his word, hastened forward in the chase. As soon as
they were well away, the Fox departed without taking any notice of the
Woodcutter: whereon he called to him and reproached him, saying, "You
ungrateful fellow, you owe your life to me, and yet you leave me without
a word of thanks." The Fox replied, "Indeed, I should have thanked you
fervently if your deeds had been as good as your words, and if your
hands had not been traitors to your speech."

The Birdcatcher, the Partridge, and the Cock

A BIRDCATCHER was about to sit down to a dinner of herbs when a friend
unexpectedly came in. The bird-trap was quite empty, as he had caught
nothing, and he had to kill a pied Partridge, which he had tamed for
a decoy. The bird entreated earnestly for his life: "What would you do
without me when next you spread your nets? Who would chirp you to sleep,
or call for you the covey of answering birds?" The Birdcatcher spared
his life, and determined to pick out a fine young Cock just attaining to
his comb. But the Cock expostulated in piteous tones from his perch: "If
you kill me, who will announce to you the appearance of the dawn? Who
will wake you to your daily tasks or tell you when it is time to visit
the bird-trap in the morning?" He replied, "What you say is true. You
are a capital bird at telling the time of day. But my friend and I must
have our dinners."

Necessity knows no law.

The Monkey and the Fishermen

A MONKEY perched upon a lofty tree saw some Fishermen casting their
nets into a river, and narrowly watched their proceedings. The Fishermen
after a while gave up fishing, and on going home to dinner left their
nets upon the bank. The Monkey, who is the most imitative of animals,
descended from the treetop and endeavored to do as they had done. Having
handled the net, he threw it into the river, but became tangled in
the meshes and drowned. With