, and thinking thus:

"The money for which I shall sell this milk will buy me three hundred
eggs. These eggs, allowing for what may prove addled, will produce
at least two hundred and fifty chickens. The chickens will be fit to
carry to market about Christmas, when poultry always brings a good
price, so that by May-day I shall have money enough to buy a new gown.
Let me see--green suits me; yes, it shall be green. In this dress I
will go to the fair, where all the young fellows will want me for a
partner, but I shall refuse every one of them." By this time she was
so full of her fancy that she tossed her head proudly, when over
went the pail, which she had entirely forgotten, and all the milk was
spilled on the ground.

Moral. Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

* * * * *

THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN

The Ass once dressed himself in the Lion's skin and went about
frightening all the little beasts. Now he happened on the Fox, and
tried to frighten him too; but the Fox chanced to hear him speak,
and said: "Well, to be sure, I should have been frightened too, if I
hadn't heard you bray, and seen your ears sticking out."

So there are some men who make themselves appear very fine outwardly,
but are betrayed as soon as they begin to talk.

* * * * *

THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE

"What a dull, heavy creature," says the Hare, "is this Tortoise!" "And
yet," says the Tortoise, "I'll run with you for a wager." "Done," says
the Hare, and then they asked the Fox to be the judge. They started
together, and the Tortoise kept jogging on still, till he came to the
end of the course. The Hare laid himself down midway and took a nap;
"for," says he, "I can catch up with the Tortoise when I please." But
it seems he overslept himself, for when he came to wake, though he
scudded away as fast as possible, the Tortoise had got to the post
before him and won the wager.

Slow and steady wins the race.

* * * * *

THE VAIN JACKDAW

A jackdaw picked up some beautiful feathers left by the peacocks on
the ground. He stuck them into his own tail, and, thinking himself
too fine to mix with the other daws, strutted off to the peacocks,
expecting to be welcomed as one of themselves.

The peacocks at once saw through his disguise, and, despising him
for his foolishness and conceit, began to peck him, and soon