result of his endeavor to suit everybody, threw the ass into the river, and seized his son by the hand and went to his home again.

THE BOY AND THE FILBERTS

A boy once thrust his hand into a pitcher which was full of figs and filberts. He grasped as many as his fist could possibly hold, but when he tried to draw it out the narrowness of the neck prevented him. Not liking to lose any of them, but unwilling to draw out his hand, he burst into tears, and bitterly bemoaned his hard fortune. An honest fellow who stood by gave him this wise and reasonable advice: "Take only half as many, my boy, and you will easily get them."

THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE

The Hare, one day, laughing at the Tortoise for his slowness and awkwardness, was challenged by the latter to run a race. The Hare, looking on the whole affair as a great joke, consented, and the Fox was chosen to act as umpire and hold the stakes. The rivals started, and the Hare, of course, soon left the Tortoise far behind. Having come midway to the goal, she began to play about, nibble the young herbage, and amuse herself in many ways. The day being warm, she even thought she would take a

little nap in a shady spot, as, if the Tortoise should pass her while she slept, she could easily overtake him again before he reached the end. The Tortoise, meanwhile, plodded on, unwavering and unresting, straight toward the goal. The Hare, having overslept herself, started up from her nap, and was surprised to find that the Tortoise was nowhere in sight. Off she went at full speed, but on reaching the winning post found that the Tortoise was already there, waiting for her arrival.

THE FROGS ASKING FOR A KING

Long ago, when the Frogs were all at liberty in the lakes, and had grown quite weary of following every one his own devices, they assembled one day together, and with great clamor petitioned Jupiter to let them have a king, to keep them in better order and make them lead honester lives. Jupiter, knowing their foolishness, smiled at their request, and threw down a log into the lake, which, by the huge splash and commotion it made, sent the whole nation of Frogs into the greatest terror and amazement. They rushed under the water and into the mud, and dared not come into a leap's length of the spot where it lay. At length one Frog bolder than the rest ventured to pop his head above water, and take a look at their new king from a respectful distance.

Presently, when they saw the log lie stock still, others began to swim up to it and around it, till by degrees growing bolder and bolder they at last leapt upon it, and treated it with the greatest contempt. Full of disgust for so tame a ruler, they carried a petition a second time to Jupiter, and asked for a more active king. He then sent them a stork, who had no sooner come among them than he began to eat them as fast as he could, and it was in vain that they tried to escape him. Then they sent Mercury to Jupiter to beg for mercy for them, but Jupiter replied that they were only suffering the result of their own folly, and that another time they would know enough to let well alone.

THE TONGUES

Xanthus invited a large company to dinner, and Æsop was ordered to furnish the choicest dainties that money could procure. The first course consisted of tongues, cooked in different ways and served with appropriate sauces. This gave rise to much mirth and many witty remarks by the guests. The second course was also nothing but tongues, and so with the third and fourth. This seemed to go beyond a joke, and Xanthus demanded in an angry manner of Æsop, "Did I not tell you to provide the choicest dainties that money could procure?" "And

I

what excels the tongue ?" replied Æsop. "It is the channel of learning and philosophy. By it addresses and eulogies are made, and commerce carried on, contracts executed, and marriages consummated. Nothing is equal to the tongue." The company applauded sop's wit, and good feeling was restored. "Well," said Xanthus to the guests, "pray do me the favor of dining with me again to-morrow. have a mind to change the feast; to-morrow," said he, turning to Esop, "provide us with the worst meat you can find." The next day the guests assembled as before, and to their astonishment and the anger of Xanthus nothing but tongues was provided. How, sir," said Xanthus, "should tongues be the best of meat one day and the worst another?" "What," replied Esop, "can be worse than the tongue? What wickedness is there under the sun that it has not a part in? Treasons, violence, înjustice, fraud, are debated and resolved upon, and communicated by the tongue. It is the ruin of empires, cities, and of private friendships." The company were more than ever struck by Esop's ingenuity, and they interceded for him with his

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master.

THE OLD MAN AND HIS SONS

An old man had several sons, who were constantly quarreling. He tried to cure them, but was not

able to do so. One day he called them all to him, and handed them a bundle of sticks tied tightly together. He asked the sons to break the bundle. Each one tried it, but none of them was able to do SO. He then untied the bundle, and gave each a stick, and asked them to break it. This they did easily.

Their father said: "You saw how it was with the sticks. It will be so with you. If you keep together, no one can harm you; but if you quarrel and do not help each other, you will be easily overcome."

PROVERBS AND POPULAR SAYINGS

Waste not, want not.

As blind as a bat.

Out of the frying pan into the fire.
Penny wise and pound foolish.

No man can serve two masters.
Many hands make light work.
No smoke without some fire.
Not worth a pin.

As true as steel.

It never rains but it pours.

Look before you leap.

It is never too late to mend.