t as each time they found that it was a Boy's
joke, they made up their minds not to come at his cries. One day the
Wolf did come; and the Boy cried and cried, "The Wolf! The Wolf! Help!
Help!" But it was all in vain, each man thought he was at his old game
again. So the Wolf ate the poor Sheep. _No one trusts a liar even when
he speaks the truth._

THE ASS, THE COCK, AND THE LION

An Ass and a Cock one day ate together just as a fine Lion passed by. As
soon as he had cast his eyes on the Ass, he made up his mind to make a
meal of him. But it is said that the Lion, though he is the King of
Beasts, dreads to hear a cock crow. Now, it came to pass that, just as
the Lion was in the act of springing on the Ass, the Cock sent forth a
loud and shrill crow. The Lion took to his heels at once, and ran off
as fast as he could. The Ass saw this, and thought that the Lion was
running off through fear of him. So he gave a great bray, and threw up
his head, and started to chase the runaway King of Beasts. But they had
not gone far in this way when the Lion turned round. He soon saw that
there was but an Ass behind him; so he stood still in his flight, laid
hold of the poor Ass, and soon tore him to pieces. _Pride oft leads to
ruin._

THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX

A Lion and a Bear were roaming together in the wood when they found a
dead Fawn. "This belongs to me," cried the Bear, for she had been the
first to catch sight of it. "No! to me," said the Lion; "am I not the
King of Beasts?" As they could not agree as to who should own the body
of the Fawn, they fell to blows. The fight was hard and long; and at
last both were so faint and weak with loss of blood that they lay down
on the ground and panted, for they were quite out of breath. Just then a
Fox went by, and saw that the Bear and the Lion had no strength left, so
he quickly stepped in between them and bore off the Fawn as his prize.
"Ah!" said they, "how foolish we have been! The end of all our fighting
has been to give that sly scamp the Fox a good meal." _Half a loaf is
better than no bread._

THE HORSE AND THE STAG

The Horse had the plain entirely to himself. A Stag intruded into his
domain, and shared his pasture. The Horse desiring to revenge himself
on the stranger, requested a man, if he were willing to help him in
punishing the Stag. The man replied, that if the Horse would receive
a bit in his mouth, and agree to carry him, that he wo