Hound who had served his master well for years, and had run down
many a quarry in his time, began to lose his strength and speed owing
to age. One day, when out hunting, his master started a powerful wild
boar and set the Hound at him. The latter seized the beast by the ear,
but his teeth were gone and he could not retain his hold; so the
boar escaped. His master began to scold him severely, but the Hound
interrupted him with these words: "My will is as strong as ever,
master, but my body is old and feeble. You ought to honour me for what
I have been instead of abusing me for what I am."

THE CLOWN AND THE COUNTRYMAN

A Nobleman announced his intention of giving a public entertainment in
the theatre, and offered splendid prizes to all who had any novelty
to exhibit at the performance. The announcement attracted a crowd of
conjurers, jugglers, and acrobats, and among the rest a Clown, very
popular with the crowd, who let it be known that he was going to
give an entirely new turn. When the day of the performance came,
the theatre was filled from top to bottom some time before the
entertainment began. Several performers exhibited their tricks, and
then the popular favourite came on empty-handed and alone. At once
there was a hush of expectation: and he, letting his head fall upon
his breast, imitated the squeak of a pig to such perfection that the
audience insisted on his producing the animal, which, they said, he
must have somewhere concealed about his person. He, however, convinced
them that there was no pig there, and then the applause was deafening.
Among the spectators was a Countryman, who disparaged the Clown's
performance and announced that he would give a much superior
exhibition of the same trick on the following day. Again the theatre
was filled to overflowing, and again the Clown gave his imitation
amidst the cheers of the crowd. The Countryman, meanwhile, before
going on the stage, had secreted a young porker under his smock; and
when the spectators derisively bade him do better if he could, he gave
it a pinch in the ear and made it squeal loudly. But they all with one
voice shouted out that the Clown's imitation was much more true to
life. Thereupon he produced the pig from under his smock and said
sarcastically, "There, that shows what sort of judges you are!"

THE LARK AND THE FARMER

A Lark nested in a field of corn, and was rearing her brood under
cover of the ripening grain. One day,