he dignity
of being his heir.

And the use of this fable is, that thou mayest learn that to no one
does the sun of his wish rise from the eastern quarter of hope without
the diligent use of great exertion.

The Fox and the Drum

It is related that a Fox was once prowling over a moor, and was roaming
in every direction in hope of scenting food. Presently he came to the
foot of a tree, at the side of which they had suspended a drum, and
whenever a gust of wind came, a branch of the tree was put in motion,
and struck the surface of the drum, when a terrible noise arose from it.

The Fox, seeing a domestic fowl under the tree, who was pecking the
ground with her beak, and searching for food, planted himself in
ambush, and wished to make her his prey, when all of a sudden the sound
of a drum reached his ear. He looked and saw a very fat form, and a
prodigious sound from it reached his hearing. The appetite of the Fox
was excited, and he thought to himself, "Assuredly its flesh and skin
will be proportioned to its voice."

He issued from his lurking-place and turned toward the tree. The fowl
being put on its guard by that circumstance, fled, and the Fox, by a
hundred exertions, ascended the tree. Much did he labour till he had
torn the drum, and then he found nought save a skin and a piece of
wood. The fire of regret descended into his heart, and the water of
contrition began to run from his eyes, and he said: "Alas! that by
reason of this huge bulk which is all wind, that lawful prey has
escaped from my hand, and from this empty form no advantage has
resulted to me."

Loudly ever sounds the labour,
But in vain--within is nought:
Art thou wise, for substance labour,
Semblance will avail thee nought.

The Sparrows and the Falcon

Two Sparrows once fixed their nest on the branch of a tree; and of
worldly gear, water and grain sufficed them; while on the summit of a
mountain, beneath which that tree lay, a Falcon had its abode, which,
at the time of stooping on its quarry, issued from its lurking-place
like lightning, and, like heaven's bolt, clean consumed the feebler
birds.

Whenever the Sparrows produced young, and the time was near at hand for
them to fly, that Falcon, rushing forth from its ambush, used to carry
them off and make them food for its own young. Now, to those
Sparrows--in accordance with the saying, "The law of home is a part of
faith"--to migrate from that place was impo