ed relate,
With croakings, groans, and hisses;
"The beast," said they, "in size excell'd
All other beasts," their neighbors swell'd,
And ask'd, "as large as this is!"

"Oh, larger far than that," said they,
"Do not attempt it, madam, pray;"
But still the frog distended,
And said, "I'll burst, but I'll exceed,"
She tried, and burst herself indeed!
And so the matter ended.

MORAL.

Should you with pride inflate and swell,
As did the frog: then who can tell!
Your sides may crack, as has been shown,
And we with laughing crack our own.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

THE COUNCIL OF MICE.

Some mice who saw fit, once a quarter to meet,
To arrange the concerns of their city;
Thought it needful to choose, as is common with us,
First a chairman, and then a committee.

When the chairman was seated, the object he stated
For which at that meeting they sat:
Which was, it should seem, the concerting a scheme
To defeat the designs of the cat.

Dr. Nibblecheese rose, and said, "I would propose,
To this cat we fasten a bell;
He who likes what I've said, now will hold up his head;
He who does not, may hold up his tail."

So out of respect, they their noses erect,
Except one who the order reversed;
_Ayes_, all then but one, but yet nought could be done,
Until he had his reasons rehearsed.

"I shall not," said this mouse, "waste the time of the house,
In long arguments; since, as I view it,
The scheme would succeed without doubt, if indeed
We could find any mouse who would _do it_."

"Hear! hear!" was the cry, and "no bells we will try,
Unless you will fasten them on;"
So quite broken-hearted the members departed,
For the bill was rejected _nem. con._

MORAL.

Then be not too hasty in giving advice,
Lest your schemes should remind of the council of mice;
You had better delay your opinion a year,
Than put forth a ridiculous one, it is clear.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.

A wolf and lamb once chanced to meet,
Beside a stream, whose waters sweet
Brought various kinds of beasts together,
When dry and sultry was the weather;
Now though the wolf came there to _drink_,
Of _eating_, he began to think,
As soon as near the lamb he came,
And straight resolved to kill the same;
Yet thought it better to begin,
With threat'ning words and angry mien.

"And so," said he, to him below,
"How dare you stir the water so?
Making the cool