down on the ground exhausted with his efforts.
When all was quiet, the Mouse darted out and bit him again. Beside
himself with rage he started to his feet, but by that time the Mouse
was back in his hole again, and he could do nothing but bellow and
fume in helpless anger. Presently he heard a shrill little voice say
from inside the wall, "You big fellows don't always have it your own
way, you see: sometimes we little ones come off best."

The battle is not always to the strong.

THE HARE AND THE HOUND

A Hound started a Hare from her form, and pursued her for some
distance; but as she gradually gained upon him, he gave up the chase.
A rustic who had seen the race met the Hound as he was returning, and
taunted him with his defeat. "The little one was too much for you,"
said he. "Ah, well," said the Hound, "don't forget it's one thing to
be running for your dinner, but quite another to be running for your
life."

THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE

A Town Mouse and a Country Mouse were acquaintances, and the Country
Mouse one day invited his friend to come and see him at his home in
the fields. The Town Mouse came, and they sat down to a dinner of
barleycorns and roots, the latter of which had a distinctly earthy
flavour. The fare was not much to the taste of the guest, and
presently he broke out with "My poor dear friend, you live here no
better than the ants. Now, you should just see how I fare! My larder
is a regular horn of plenty. You must come and stay with me, and
I promise you you shall live on the fat of the land." So when he
returned to town he took the Country Mouse with him, and showed him
into a larder containing flour and oatmeal and figs and honey and
dates. The Country Mouse had never seen anything like it, and sat down
to enjoy the luxuries his friend provided: but before they had well
begun, the door of the larder opened and some one came in. The two
Mice scampered off and hid themselves in a narrow and exceedingly
uncomfortable hole. Presently, when all was quiet, they ventured out
again; but some one else came in, and off they scuttled again. This
was too much for the visitor. "Good-bye," said he, "I'm off. You live
in the lap of luxury, I can see, but you are surrounded by dangers;
whereas at home I can enjoy my simple dinner of roots and corn in
peace."

THE LION AND THE BULL

A Lion saw a fine fat Bull pasturing among a herd of cattle and cast
about for some