nap, and a little mouse ran over his back and waked him up. 2. This made the lion very angry, and he was going to kill the little mouse with his great paw. But the mouse said, “O, pray don't kill me, good lion! I am only a little thing. Some time I may help you, if you let me live." So the lion let him live. 3. One day, when this same lion was roaming about in the woods, he fell into a snare which a hunter had set to catch him, and he could not get out. 4. In his rage and fear he roared loudly. Now the little mouse, whose life he had spared, chanced to be near at hand. He ran to help him, quickly gnawed the ropes with his sharp teeth, and set the big lion loose. 5. Then the mouse said, "Are you not glad now you did n't kill me?" XX. THE MILL-WHEEL. drip'ping flash'ing grinding dust'y foam'ing merry flows goes nois'y roll'ing spark'ling work'eth 1. ROUND and round it goes! As fast the water flows; The dripping, dropping, rolling wheel 2. Turning all the day, It never stops to play, The dripping, dropping, rolling wheel, 3. Sparkling in the sun, The merry waters run, Upon the foaming, flashing wheel, 1. THERE is an old fable about the magpie's nest which you may like to hear. Once on a time, the birds, seeing that the magpie made a fine, strong nest, agreed to ask him how he did it. So they all came to seek his advice. 2. "Well, I will show you," said the magpie. "I first lay two sticks across, so." Yes, yes. I said that was the way," cried the crow. 3. "Then put a few more like this." 66 jay. Who does not know that?" said the 4. "Then fetch a little moss and wool." "To be sure; why, we could do that," sneered the jackdaw. 5. "O, well," said the magpie, "I see you are just as able to build a nest as I am, so I wish you a very good morning." Then, with a polite bow, he flew away. 6. He had said nothing of the roof, and so the other birds-all but the sly tomtit have never learned how to put a roof over their nests. |