he: "what you want is to eat me."

THE SICK STAG

A Stag fell sick and lay in a clearing in the forest, too weak to move
from the spot. When the news of his illness spread, a number of the
other beasts came to inquire after his health, and they one and all
nibbled a little of the grass that grew round the invalid till at last
there was not a blade within his reach. In a few days he began to
mend, but was still too feeble to get up and go in search of fodder;
and thus he perished miserably of hunger owing to the thoughtlessness
of his friends.

THE ASS AND THE MULE

A certain man who had an Ass and a Mule loaded them both up one day
and set out upon a journey. So long as the road was fairly level, the
Ass got on very well: but by and by they came to a place among the
hills where the road was very rough and steep, and the Ass was at his
last gasp. So he begged the Mule to relieve him of a part of his load:
but the Mule refused. At last, from sheer weariness, the Ass stumbled
and fell down a steep place and was killed. The driver was in despair,
but he did the best he could: he added the Ass's load to the Mule's,
and he also flayed the Ass and put his skin on the top of the double
load. The Mule could only just manage the extra weight, and, as he
staggered painfully along, he said to himself, "I have only got what I
deserved: if I had been willing to help the Ass at first, I should not
now be carrying his load and his skin into the bargain."

BROTHER AND SISTER

A certain man had two children, a boy and a girl: and the boy was as
good-looking as the girl was plain. One day, as they were playing
together in their mother's chamber, they chanced upon a mirror and saw
their own features for the first time. The boy saw what a handsome
fellow he was, and began to boast to his Sister about his good looks:
she, on her part, was ready to cry with vexation when she was aware of
her plainness, and took his remarks as an insult to herself. Running
to her father, she told him of her Brother's conceit, and accused him
of meddling with his mother's things. He laughed and kissed them both,
and said, "My children, learn from now onwards to make a good use of
the glass. You, my boy, strive to be as good as it shows you to be
handsome; and you, my girl, resolve to make up for the plainness of
your features by the sweetness of your disposition."

THE HEIFER AND THE OX

A Heifer went up to an Ox, who w