The Talking Beasts | Page 9

means we should
live in safety and defy her power."
The speaker resumed his seat with a complacent air, and a murmur of
applause arose from the audience.
An old gray Mouse, with a merry twinkle in his eye, now got up and
said that the plan of the last speaker was an admirable one, but he
feared it had one drawback. He had not told them who should put the
bell around the Cat's neck!

The Old Woman and Her Maids
A certain Old Woman had several Maids, whom she used to call to
their work every morning at the crowing of the Cock.
The Maids, finding it grievous to have their sweet sleep disturbed so
early, killed the Cock, thinking that when he was quiet they might
enjoy their warm beds a little longer.

The Old Woman, however, vexed at the loss of the Cock, and
suspecting them to be concerned in his death, from that time made
them rise soon after midnight!

The Dog in the Manger
There was once a Dog who lay all day long in a manger where there
was plenty of hay. It happened one day that a Horse, a Cow, a Sheep,
and a Goat came one by one and wanted to eat the hay. The Dog
growled at them and would not let them have so much as a mouthful.
Then an Ox came and looked in, but the Dog growled at him also.
"You selfish fellow," said the Ox; "you cannot eat the hay. Why do you
want to keep it all to yourself?"

The Old Man and His Sons
An old Man had many Sons, who were always falling out with one
another. He had often exhorted them to live together in harmony, but
without result.
One day he called them around him and, producing a bundle of sticks,
bade them each in turn to break it across. Each put forth all his strength,
but the bundle still resisted their efforts.
Then, cutting the cord which bound the sticks together, he told his Sons
to break them separately. This was done with the greatest ease.
"See, my Sons," exclaimed he, "the power of unity! Bound together by
brotherly love, you may defy almost every mortal ill; divided, you will
fall a prey to your enemies."

Hercules and the Wagoner

As a Wagoner was driving his wain through a miry lane, the wheels
stuck fast in the clay and the Horses could get on no farther. The Man
immediately dropped on his knees and began crying and praying with
all his might to Hercules to come and help him.
"Lazy fellow!" cried Hercules, "get up and stir yourself. Whip your
Horses stoutly, and put your shoulder to the wheel. If you want my help
then, you shall have it."

The Goose with the Golden Eggs
One day a poor countryman going to the nest of his Goose found there
a golden egg all yellow and glittering. When he took it up it felt as
heavy as lead and he was minded to throw it away, because he thought
a trick had been played on him.
On second thoughts, he took it home, however, and soon found to his
delight that it was an egg of pure gold. Every morning the same thing
occurred, and he soon became prosperous by selling his eggs.
As he grew rich he grew greedy; and thinking to get at once all the gold
the Goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find--nothing!

The Frogs Desiring a King
The Frogs, living an easy, free sort of life among the lakes and ponds,
once prayed Jupiter to send them a King.
Jove, being at that time in a merry mood, threw them a Log, saying, as
he did so, "There, then, is a King for you."
Awed by the splash, the Frogs watched their King in fear and trembling,
till at last, encouraged by his stillness, one more daring than the rest
jumped upon the shoulder of the monarch. Soon, many others followed
his example, and made merry on the back of their unresisting King.

Speedily tiring of such a torpid ruler, they again petitioned Jupiter, and
asked him to send them something more like a King.
This time he sent them a Stork, who tossed them about and gobbled
them up without mercy. They lost no time, therefore, in beseeching the
god to give them again their former state.
"No, no," replied he, "a King that did you no harm did not please you.
Make the best of the one you have, or you may chance to get a worse in
his place."

The Porcupine and the Snakes
A Porcupine, seeking for shelter, desired some Snakes to give