orld."

The Man and the Lion

A Man and a Lion were discussing the relative strength of men and lions
in general, the Man contending that he and his fellows were stronger
than lions by reason of their greater intelligence.

"Come now with me," he cried to the beast, "and I will soon prove that
I am right." So he took him into the public gardens and showed him a
statue of Hercules overcoming the Lion. and tearing him to pieces.

"That is all very well," said the Lion, "but it proves nothing, for it
was a man who made the statue!"

The Discontented Ass

In the depth of winter a poor Ass once prayed heartily for the spring,
that he might exchange a cold lodging and a heartless truss of straw
for a little warm weather and a mouthful of fresh grass. In a short
time, according to his wish, the warm weather and the fresh grass came
on, but brought with them so much toil and business that he was soon as
weary of the spring as before of the winter, and he now became
impatient for the approach of summer. The summer arrived; but the
heat, the harvest work and other drudgeries and inconveniences of the
season set him as far from happiness as before, which he now flattered
himself would be found in the plenty of autumn. But here, too, he was
disappointed; for what with the carrying of apples, roots, fuel for the
winter, and other provisions, he was in autumn more fatigued than ever.

Having thus trod around the circle of the year, in a course of restless
labour, uneasiness and disappointment, and found no season, nor station
of life without its business and its trouble, he was forced at last to
acquiesce in the comfortless season of winter, where his complaint
began, convinced that in this world every situation has its
inconvenience.

The Boasting Traveller

A Man was one day entertaining a lot of fellows in an ale-house with an
account of the wonders he had done when abroad on his travels. "I was
once at Rhodes," said he, "and the people of Rhodes, you know, are
famous for jumping. Well, I took a jump there that no other man could
come within a yard of. That's a fact, and if we were there I could
bring you ten men who would prove it."

"What need is there to go to Rhodes for witnesses?" asked one of his
hearers; "just imagine that you are there now, and show us your leap!"

The Lion and the Mouse

A Lion, tired with the chase, lay sleeping at full length under a shady
tree. Some Mice, scrambl