lo, he called loudly for a knife
with which to dress his game.
In another part of the meadow, Red Fox, very hungry, was hunting mice
for his breakfast. He saw one and jumped upon him with all four feet,
but the little Mouse got away, and he was dreadfully disappointed.
All at once he thought he heard a distant call: "Bring a knife! Bring a
knife!"
When the second call came, Red Fox started in the direction of the
sound. At the first knoll he stopped and listened, but hearing nothing
more, he was about to go back. Just then he heard the call plainly, but
in a very thin voice, "Bring a knife!" Red Fox immediately set out
again and ran as fast as he could.
By and by he came upon the huge body of the Buffalo lying upon the
ground. The little Mouse still stood upon the body.
"I want you to dress this Buffalo for me and I will give you some of the
meat," commanded the Mouse.
"Thank you, my friend, I shall be glad to do this for you," he replied,
politely.
The Fox dressed the Buffalo, while the Mouse sat upon a mound near by,
looking on and giving his orders. "You must cut the meat into small
pieces," he said to the Fox. When the Fox had finished his work, the
Mouse paid him with a small piece of liver. He swallowed it quickly and
smacked his lips.
"Please, may I have another piece?" he asked quite humbly.
"Why, I gave you a very large piece! How greedy you are!" exclaimed the
Mouse. "You may have some of the blood clots," he sneered. So the poor
Fox took the blood clots and even licked off the grass. He was really
very hungry.
"Please may I take home a piece of the meat?" he begged. "I have six
little folks at home, and there is nothing for them to eat."
"You can take the four feet of the Buffalo. That ought to be enough for
all of you!"
"Hi, hi! Thank you, thank you!" said the Fox. "But, Mouse, I have a wife
also, and we have had bad luck in hunting. We are almost starved. Can't
you spare me a little more?"
"Why," declared the Mouse, "I have already overpaid you for the little
work you have done. However, you can take the head, too!"
Thereupon the Fox jumped upon the Mouse, who gave one faint squeak and
disappeared.
_If you are proud and selfish you will lose all in the end._
SECOND EVENING
THE FROGS AND THE CRANE
SECOND EVENING
Again the story-hour is come, and the good old wife of the legend-teller
has made her poor home as warm and pleasant as may be, in expectati
|