led in a net which had been
spread for game by some hunters, and the Mouse heard and recognised
his roars of anger and ran to the spot. Without more ado it set to
work to gnaw the ropes with its teeth, and succeeded before long in
setting the Lion free. "There!" said the Mouse, "you laughed at me
when I promised I would repay you: but now you see, even a Mouse can
help a Lion."

THE CROW AND THE PITCHER

A thirsty Crow found a Pitcher with some water in it, but so little
was there that, try as she might, she could not reach it with her
beak, and it seemed as though she would die of thirst within sight of
the remedy. At last she hit upon a clever plan. She began dropping
pebbles into the Pitcher, and with each pebble the water rose a little
higher until at last it reached the brim, and the knowing bird was
enabled to quench her thirst.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

THE BOYS AND THE FROGS

Some mischievous Boys were playing on the edge of a pond, and,
catching sight of some Frogs swimming about in the shallow water, they
began to amuse themselves by pelting them with stones, and they killed
several of them. At last one of the Frogs put his head out of the
water and said, "Oh, stop! stop! I beg of you: what is sport to you is
death to us."

THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN

A dispute arose between the North Wind and the Sun, each claiming
that he was stronger than the other. At last they agreed to try their
powers upon a traveller, to see which could soonest strip him of his
cloak. The North Wind had the first try; and, gathering up all his
force for the attack, he came whirling furiously down upon the man,
and caught up his cloak as though he would wrest it from him by one
single effort: but the harder he blew, the more closely the man
wrapped it round himself. Then came the turn of the Sun. At first he
beamed gently upon the traveller, who soon unclasped his cloak and
walked on with it hanging loosely about his shoulders: then he shone
forth in his full strength, and the man, before he had gone many
steps, was glad to throw his cloak right off and complete his journey
more lightly clad.

Persuasion is better than force

THE MISTRESS AND HER SERVANTS

A Widow, thrifty and industrious, had two servants, whom she kept
pretty hard at work. They were not allowed to lie long abed in the
mornings, but the old lady had them up and doing as soon as the cock
crew. They dis