year," she said. "What did you do all the summer?" asked they. "Why, all day long, and all night long, too, I sang, if you please," answered the Grasshopper. "Oh, you sang, did you?" said the Ants. "Now you may dance."

THE FOX AND THE ASS

An Ass, finding a lion's skin, put it on, and ranged about the forest. The beasts fled in terror, and he was delighted with the success of his disguise. Meeting a Fox, he rushed upon him, and this time he tried. to imitate the roaring of the lion. "Ah," said the Fox, "if you had held your tongue, I should have been deceived like the rest; but now you bray I know who you are."

THE HUSBANDMAN AND HIS SONS

A certain husbandman lying at the point of death, called his sons around him, and gave into their charge his fields and vineyards, telling them that a treasure lay hidden somewhere in them, within a foot from the surface. His sons thought he spoke of money which he had hidden, and after he was buried they worked hard, digging all over the estate, but found nothing. The soil being well loosened, however, the succeeding crops were richer than ever before, and the sons then

know what their father had in view in telling them

THE HAWK AND THE FARMER

A Hawk pursuing a pigeon with great eagerness, was caught in a net which had been set in a cornfield. for the crows. The Farmer, seeing the Hawk fluttering in the net, came and took him. The Hawk begged the man to let him go, saying piteously that he had done him no harm. "And pray what harm had the poor pigeon done to you?" replied the Farmer. Without more words he wrung off his head.

THE GOATHERD AND THE SHE GOAT

A Boy, whose business it was to look after some goats, gathered them together at nightfall to lead them home. One of the number, a She Goat, refused to obey his call, and stood on a ledge of rock, nibbling the grass that grew there. The Boy lost all his patience, and took a great stone and threw it at the Goat with all his might. The stone struck one of the horns of the Goat and broke it off at the middle. The Boy was frightened and feared his master's anger. He threw himself on his knees before the Goat, and begged her to say nothing about the matter, saying that he had no idea of hitting her. "Tush!" replied the Goat. "Let my tongue be ever so silent, my horn is sure to tell the tale."

THE LION AND THE MOUSE

A Lion, tired with the chase, lay sleeping at full length under a shady tree. Some Mice, scrambling over him while he slept, awoke him. Laying his paw upon one of them, he was about to crush him, but the Mouse implored his mercy in such moving terms that he let him go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a net laid by some hunters, and, unable to free himself, made the forest resound with his roars. The Mouse whose life had been spared came, and with his little sharp teeth gnawed the ropes and set the Lion free.

THE FOX AND THE STORK

A Fox one day invited a Stork to dine with him, and, wishing to be amused at his expense, put the soup which he had for dinner in a large, flat dish, so that, while he himself could lap it up quite well, the Stork could only dip in the tip of his long bill. Some time after, the Stork, bearing his treatment in mind, invited the Fox to take dinner with him. He, in turn, put minced meat in a long, narrow-necked vessel, into which he could easily put his bill, while the Fox was forced to be content with licking what ran down the sides of the vessel. The Fox then remembered his old trick, and had to admit that the Stork had well paid him off.

THE SUN AND THE NORTH WIND

A dispute once arose between the Sun and the North Wind as to which was the stronger of the two. Seeing a traveler on his way, they agreed to try which could sooner make him throw off his cloak.

The North Wind began, and sent a fierce blast which, at the outset, nearly tore the cloak from its fastenings; but the traveler took hold of the garment with a firm grip, and held it round his body so tightly that the North Wind put forth all the rest of his force in vain.

Then the Sun, driving away the clouds that had gathered, darted his most sultry beams on the traveler's head. The man, growing faint with the heat, flung off his cloak, and ran for protection to the nearest shade.

THE DOG AND THE BIT OF MEAT

A Dog, with a nice bit of meat in his mouth, went on a plank over a smooth brook. By chance he looked into the brook, and saw there what he took to be a dog with a bit of meat. He snapped to get this dog's meat as well as his own; but when he opened his jaws, the bit of meat he had in his mouth fell out and sank in the brook.

THE BOY AND THE WOLF

A Boy, who kept a flock of sheep not far from a little village, used to find fun in calling out from time to time, "Wolf! wolf!" Many times in this way he called the men in the fields from their work to help him. But when the men found out it was a joke, they made up their minds that no matter how much the Boy cried "Wolf!" they would not stir to help him.

At last the Wolf really did come. Then the Boy ran calling, "Wolf!" as loud as he could, but the men would not heed him, for they thought him only in fun. So the Wolf killed all the sheep in the flock.

If boys tell lies, how can you know when they speak the truth?

THE FIELD MOUSE AND THE TOWN MOUSE

A Field Mouse had a friend who lived in a house in town. Now the Town Mouse was asked by the Field Mouse to dine with him; and out he went and sat down to a meal of corn and wheat.

"Do you know, my friend," said he, "that you live a mere ant's life out here? Why, I have all kinds of things at home; come and enjoy them."

So the two set off for town; and there the Town