Lion and the Hare

A LION came across a Hare, who was fast asleep. He was just in the act
of seizing her, when a fine young Hart trotted by, and he left the Hare
to follow him. The Hare, scared by the noise, awoke and scudded away.
The Lion was unable after a long chase to catch the Hart, and returned
to feed upon the Hare. On finding that the Hare also had run off, he
said, "I am rightly served, for having let go of the food that I had in
my hand for the chance of obtaining more."

The Peasant and the Eagle

A PEASANT found an Eagle captured in a trap, and much admiring the bird,
set him free. The Eagle did not prove ungrateful to his deliverer, for
seeing the Peasant sitting under a wall which was not safe, he flew
toward him and with his talons snatched a bundle from his head. When the
Peasant rose in pursuit, the Eagle let the bundle fall again. Taking
it up, the man returned to the same place, to find that the wall under
which he had been sitting had fallen to pieces; and he marveled at the
service rendered him by the Eagle.

The Image of Mercury and the Carpenter

A VERY POOR MAN, a Carpenter by trade, had a wooden image of Mercury,
before which he made offerings day by day, and begged the idol to make
him rich, but in spite of his entreaties he became poorer and poorer.
At last, being very angry, he took his image down from its pedestal and
dashed it against the wall. When its head was knocked off, out came a
stream of gold, which the Carpenter quickly picked up and said, "Well,
I think thou art altogether contradictory and unreasonable; for when I
paid you honor, I reaped no benefits: but now that I maltreat you I am
loaded with an abundance of riches."

The Bull and the Goat

A BULL, escaping from a Lion, hid in a cave which some shepherds had
recently occupied. As soon as he entered, a He-Goat left in the cave
sharply attacked him with his horns. The Bull quietly addressed him:
"Butt away as much as you will. I have no fear of you, but of the
Lion. Let that monster go away and I will soon let you know what is the
respective strength of a Goat and a Bull."

It shows an evil disposition to take advantage of a friend in distress.

The Dancing Monkeys

A PRINCE had some Monkeys trained to dance. Being naturally great mimics
of men's actions, they showed themselves most apt pupils, and when
arrayed in their rich clothes and masks, they danced as well as any of
the courtiers. The