FABLE XXXIV.

THE STAG IN THE OX-STALL.

A STAG, roused from his thick covert in the midst of the forest, and
driven hard by the hounds, made towards a farm-house, and, seeing
the door of an ox-stall open, entered therein, and hid himself under
a heap of straw. One of the oxen, turning his head about, asked him
what he meant by venturing himself in such a place, where he was
sure to meet his doom. "Ah!" said the Stag, "if you will but be so
good as to favour me with your concealment, I hope I shall do well
enough; I intend to make off again the first opportunity."

Well, he stayed there till towards night; in came the ox-man with
a bundle of fodder, and never saw him. In short, all the servants
of the farm came and went, and not one of them suspected anything
of the matter. Nay, the bailiff himself came, according to form,
and looked in, but walked away, no wiser than the rest. Upon this
the Stag, ready to jump out of his skin for joy, began to return
thanks to the good-natured Oxen, protesting that they were the
most obliging people he had ever met with in his life.

After he had done his compliments, one of them answered him,
gravely, "Indeed, we desire nothing more than to have it in our
power to contribute to your escape, but there is a certain person
you little think of who has a hundred eyes; if he should happen
to come, I would not give this straw for your life."

In the meanwhile, home comes the master himself from a
neighbour's, where he had been invited to dinner; and, because he
had observed the cattle not look well of late, he went up to the
rack, and asked why they did not give them more fodder; then,
casting his eyes downward, "Heydey!" says he, "why so sparing of
your litter? pray scatter a little more here. And these
cobwebs--But I have spoken so often that, unless I do it
myself--" Thus, as he went on, prying into everything, he chanced
to look where the Stag's horns lay sticking out of the straw;
upon which he raised a hue and cry, called his people about him,
killed the Stag, and made a prize of him.

MORAL.

For a work to be done thoroughly, it ought to be done by oneself;
the eye of a master is keener than that of a servant.

FABLE XXXV.

THE WIND AND THE SUN.

A DISPUTE once arose betwixt the North Wind and the Sun about the
superiority of their power; and they agreed to try their strength
upon a traveller, which should be able to get off his cloak
first.

The No