tching it up, said, "You have a voice,
madam, I see: what you want is wits."

THE HORSE AND THE GROOM

There was once a Groom who used to spend long hours clipping and
combing the Horse of which he had charge, but who daily stole a
portion of his allowance of oats, and sold it for his own profit. The
Horse gradually got into worse and worse condition, and at last cried
to the Groom, "If you really want me to look sleek and well, you must
comb me less and feed me more."

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB

A Wolf came upon a Lamb straying from the flock, and felt some
compunction about taking the life of so helpless a creature without
some plausible excuse; so he cast about for a grievance and said
at last, "Last year, sirrah, you grossly insulted me." "That is
impossible, sir," bleated the Lamb, "for I wasn't born then." "Well,"
retorted the Wolf, "you feed in my pastures." "That cannot be,"
replied the Lamb, "for I have never yet tasted grass." "You drink from
my spring, then," continued the Wolf. "Indeed, sir," said the poor
Lamb, "I have never yet drunk anything but my mother's milk." "Well,
anyhow," said the Wolf, "I'm not going without my dinner": and he
sprang upon the Lamb and devoured it without more ado.

THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE

A Peacock taunted a Crane with the dullness of her plumage. "Look at
my brilliant colours," said she, "and see how much finer they are than
your poor feathers." "I am not denying," replied the Crane, "that
yours are far gayer than mine; but when it comes to flying I can
soar into the clouds, whereas you are confined to the earth like any
dunghill cock."

THE CAT AND THE BIRDS

A Cat heard that the Birds in an aviary were ailing. So he got himself
up as a doctor, and, taking with him a set of the instruments proper
to his profession, presented himself at the door, and inquired after
the health of the Birds. "We shall do very well," they replied,
without letting him in, "when we've seen the last of you."

A villain may disguise himself, but he will not deceive the wise.

THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW

A Spendthrift, who had wasted his fortune, and had nothing left but
the clothes in which he stood, saw a Swallow one fine day in early
spring. Thinking that summer had come, and that he could now do
without his coat, he went and sold it for what it would fetch. A
change, however, took place in the weather, and there came a sharp
frost which