Boy and got up himself.

Two women passed soon after, and one said to the other, "Look at that
selfish old fellow, riding along while his little Son follows after on
foot!" The Old Man thereupon took up the Boy behind him.

The next traveller they met asked the Old Man whether or not the Ass
was his own. Being answered that it was: "No one would think so," said
he, "from the way in which you use it. Why, you are better able to
carry the poor animal than he is to carry both of you."

So the Old Man tied the Ass's legs to a long pole, and he and his Son
shouldered the pole and staggered along under the weight. In that
fashion they entered the town, and their appearance caused so much
laughter that the Old Man, mad with vexation at the result of his
endeavours to give satisfaction to everybody, threw the Ass into the
river and seizing his Son by the arm went his way home again.

The Lion, the Bear, the Monkey, and the Fox

The Tyrant of the Forest issued a proclamation commanding all his
subjects to repair immediately to his royal den.

Among the rest, the Bear made his appearance, but pretending to be
offended with the odour which issued from the Monarch's apartments, be
was imprudent enough to hold his nose in his Majesty's presence.

This insolence was so highly resented that the Lion in a rage laid him
dead at his feet.

The Monkey, observing what had passed, trembled for his skin, and
attempted to conciliate favour by the most abject flattery. He began
with protesting that, for his part, he thought the apartments were
perfumed with Arabian spices; and, exclaiming against the rudeness of
the Bear, admired the beauty of his Majesty's paws, so happily formed,
he said, to correct the insolence of clowns.

This adulation, instead of being received as he expected, proved no
less offensive than the rudeness of the Bear, and the courtly Monkey
was in like manner extended by the side of Sir Bruin.

And now his Majesty cast his eye upon the Fox.

"Well, Reynard," Said he, "and what scent do you discover here?"

"Great Prince," replied the cautious Fox, "my nose was never esteemed
my most distinguishing sense; and at present I would by no means
venture to give my opinion, as I have unfortunately caught a terrible
cold."

The Wolf and the Lamb

A flock of Sheep was feeding in the meadow while the Dogs were asleep,
and the Shepherd at a distance playing on his pipe beneath the shade of
a spreading el