the Paper. "Now I am finer than before. I shall be written on, and that is remarkable good fortune."

Beautiful stories were written upon the paper, and people heard them and were made better. It was sent to the printer, and everything that was written upon it was set up in type and printed, and many hundreds of books made.

"Yes, this is really the wisest way," thought the Written Paper. "I really did not think of that. I shall stay at home and be held in honor, just like an old grandfather; and I really am grandfather to all these books. Now something will be done. I could not have wandered about as these books will. He who wrote all this looked at me. I am the happiest of all."

Then the paper was tied into a bundle, and thrown into a tub. "It is good resting after work," said the Paper. "Now I can collect my thoughts. What will be done with me now? I am always going forward. I have found that out."

One day the Paper was taken out to be burned. The children all stood around, for they wanted to see it flame up and watch the red sparks. "Now I am mounting straight up to the sun," said a voice in the flame, and it sounded as if a thousand voices said this at once. The flames mounted up through the chimney and out at the top, and, invisible to human

eyes, tiny little beings floated there, as many as there had been blossoms on the Flax. Over the dead ashes the children sang:

"Snip-snap-snurre,
Bassellurre!

The song is done."

But the little invisible beings said, "The song is never done, that is best of all. I know it, and therefore I am the happiest of all."

But the children could neither hear that nor understand it; nor ought they, for children must not know everything.

SELECTIONS FROM ESOP'S FABLES

NOTE TO THE PUPIL. Æsop, a celebrated writer of fables, was born about twenty-five hundred years ago. He is supposed to have been a Phrygian. He was the slave of Iadmon, who set him free as a reward for his wit and pleasantry. The Athenians erected a statue in his honor. The fables of Æsop were among the earliest writings of the kind, and have never been excelled for point, brevity, and good sense.

A

THE DOG IN THE MANGER

DOG lay in a manger full of hay. An Ox came near and wanted to eat the hay. The Dog got up and growled at him, and would not let him eat it. "Cross Dog," said the Ox; "you cannot eat the hay, and yet you will let no one else have any."

THE MICE, THE CAT, AND THE BELL

It seems there was a sly Cat in the house, and the Mice were in such fear of her, that they had a meeting to find out some way to prevent her from catching them. "Do as I say," cried one of the Mice; "hang a bell on the Cat's neck, to tell us when she is near. This bright plan made the Mice jump for joy. Well," said an old Mouse, "we have a pretty plan. Now, who shall hang the bell on the Cat's neck?" Not a Mouse would do it.

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THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

A hungry Fox saw some fine bunches of grapes hanging from a vine high up from the ground. As he looked he longed to get at them, but could not. At last, growing tired of leaping for them, he left them hanging there, and went on his way, muttering: "Let those have them who wish. They are green and sour! I will let them alone."

THE COVETOUS MAN

A miser once buried all his money in the earth, at the foot of a tree, and went every day to feast upon the sight of his treasure. A thievish fellow, who had watched him, came one night and carried off the gold. The next day the miser, finding his treasure gone, tore his clothes and filled the air with his lamentations. One of his neighbors told him that, if he looked at the matter aright, he had lost nothing. "Go every day," said he, "and fancy your money is there, and you will be as well off as ever."

THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER

A Grasshopper that had sung merrily all the summer was almost perishing with hunger in the winter. So she went to some Ants that lived near, and asked them to lend her a little food that they had put by. "You shall certainly be paid before this time next

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 knew what their father had in view in telling them to dig for hidden treasure.

K