ld house met one day to discuss the means to
be used to get rid of a large, fierce black cat that had taken up her
abode there, and made her living by hunting and eating them up one by
one, so that their numbers were greatly reduced. Each mouse lived in
constant dread of being pounced upon and eaten.

Even the youngest scarcely dared to scurry across the floor, its little
heart beating pit-a-pat, and they found it so hard to get time to look
for food that they all grew thin.

They lived in such dread that when they met, no one at first could think
of anything to say. But at last a young mouse plucked up his spirits and
said: "I will tell you what to do. Fasten a bell on the cat's neck. As
she walks about the bell will ring, and we shall hear it and can tell
where she is."

This seemed so good a plan that the mice all chattered joyously, until
an old mouse asked quietly: "Who will go out and bell the cat?"

None of the mice dared; and they quickly realized that _what seems an
easy plan may be hard to carry out, and some things are easier said than
done_.

[Illustration]

A MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR ASS

A miller and his son were driving their ass to a neighboring fair to
sell him. They had not gone far when they met a troop of women collected
around a well. "Look," cried one, "did you ever see such fellows, to be
trudging on foot when they might ride?" The old man, hearing this, made
his son mount, and continued to walk at his side.

Presently they came to a group of old men in debate. "There," said one
of them, "it proves what I was a-saying: what respect is shown to old
age in these days? Do you see that idle lad riding, while his old father
has to walk? Get down, you young scapegrace, and let the old man rest
his weary limbs." Upon this the old man made his son dismount, and got
up himself.

Soon they met a company of women and children. "Why, you lazy old
fellow," cried several tongues at once, "how can you ride upon the
beast, while that poor little lad can hardly keep pace by the side of
you?" The miller immediately took up his son behind him. They had now
almost reached the town.

"Pray, honest friend," said a citizen, "is that ass your own?" "Yes,"
said the old man. "Oh, one would not have thought so," said the other,
"by the way you load him. Why, you two fellows are better able to carry
the poor beast than he you." So they tied the legs of the ass together,
and by the aid of a pole endeav