don't let us destroy
ourselves after all: see, here are creatures who are afraid of us, and
who must, therefore, be still more timid than ourselves."

THE FOX AND THE STORK

A Fox invited a Stork to dinner, at which the only fare provided was a
large flat dish of soup. The Fox lapped it up with great relish, but
the Stork with her long bill tried in vain to partake of the savoury
broth. Her evident distress caused the sly Fox much amusement. But not
long after the Stork invited him in turn, and set before him a pitcher
with a long and narrow neck, into which she could get her bill with
ease. Thus, while she enjoyed her dinner, the Fox sat by hungry and
helpless, for it was impossible for him to reach the tempting contents
of the vessel.

THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING

A Wolf resolved to disguise himself in order that he might prey upon a
flock of sheep without fear of detection. So he clothed himself in a
sheepskin, and slipped among the sheep when they were out at pasture.
He completely deceived the shepherd, and when the flock was penned
for the night he was shut in with the rest. But that very night as it
happened, the shepherd, requiring a supply of mutton for the table,
laid hands on the Wolf in mistake for a Sheep, and killed him with his
knife on the spot.

THE STAG IN THE OX-STALL

A Stag, chased from his lair by the hounds, took refuge in a farmyard,
and, entering a stable where a number of oxen were stalled, thrust
himself under a pile of hay in a vacant stall, where he lay concealed,
all but the tips of his horns. Presently one of the Oxen said to him,
"What has induced you to come in here? Aren't you aware of the risk
you are running of being captured by the herdsmen?" To which he
replied, "Pray let me stay for the present. When night comes I shall
easily escape under cover of the dark." In the course of the afternoon
more than one of the farm-hands came in, to attend to the wants of
the cattle, but not one of them noticed the presence of the Stag, who
accordingly began to congratulate himself on his escape and to express
his gratitude to the Oxen. "We wish you well," said the one who had
spoken before, "but you are not out of danger yet. If the master
comes, you will certainly be found out, for nothing ever escapes his
keen eyes." Presently, sure enough, in he came, and made a great to-do
about the way the Oxen were kept. "The beasts are starving," he cried;
"here, give them