t," said he, "sits my master. He holds the
reins, and flicks me with his whip, and him I obey, but I don't want
any of your impertinence. _I_ know when I may dawdle and when I may
not."

THE COCK AND THE JEWEL

A Cock, scratching the ground for something to eat, turned up a Jewel
that had by chance been dropped there. "Ho!" said he, "a fine thing
you are, no doubt, and, had your owner found you, great would his joy
have been. But for me! give me a single grain of corn before all the
jewels in the world."

THE WOLF AND THE SHEPHERD

A Wolf hung about near a flock of sheep for a long time, but made no
attempt to molest them. The Shepherd at first kept a sharp eye on him,
for he naturally thought he meant mischief: but as time went by and
the Wolf showed no inclination to meddle with the flock, he began to
look upon him more as a protector than as an enemy: and when one day
some errand took him to the city, he felt no uneasiness at leaving
the Wolf with the sheep. But as soon as his back was turned the
Wolf attacked them and killed the greater number. When the Shepherd
returned and saw the havoc he had wrought, he cried, "It serves me
right for trusting my flock to a Wolf."

THE FARMER AND THE STORK

A Farmer set some traps in a field which he had lately sown with corn,
in order to catch the cranes which came to pick up the seed. When he
returned to look at his traps he found several cranes caught, and
among them a Stork, which begged to be let go, and said, "You ought
not to kill me: I am not a crane, but a Stork, as you can easily see
by my feathers, and I am the most honest and harmless of birds." But
the Farmer replied, "It's nothing to me what you are: I find you among
these cranes, who ruin my crops, and, like them, you shall suffer."

If you choose bad companions no one will believe that you are
anything but bad yourself.

THE CHARGER AND THE MILLER

A Horse, who had been used to carry his rider into battle, felt
himself growing old and chose to work in a mill instead. He now no
longer found himself stepping out proudly to the beating of the drums,
but was compelled to slave away all day grinding the corn. Bewailing
his hard lot, he said one day to the Miller, "Ah me! I was once a
splendid war-horse, gaily caparisoned, and attended by a groom
whose sole duty was to see to my wants. How different is my present
condition! I wish I had never given up the battlefield f