e Sheep with proposals for a lasting
peace between them, on condition of their giving up the sheep-dogs to
instant death. The foolish Sheep agreed to the terms; but an old Ram,
whose years had brought him wisdom, interfered and said, "How can we
expect to live at peace with you? Why, even with the dogs at hand to
protect us, we are never secure from your murderous attacks!"

THE SWAN

The Swan is said to sing but once in its life--when it knows that it
is about to die. A certain man, who had heard of the song of the Swan,
one day saw one of these birds for sale in the market, and bought it
and took it home with him. A few days later he had some friends
to dinner, and produced the Swan, and bade it sing for their
entertainment: but the Swan remained silent. In course of time, when
it was growing old, it became aware of its approaching end and broke
into a sweet, sad song. When its owner heard it, he said angrily, "If
the creature only sings when it is about to die, what a fool I was
that day I wanted to hear its song! I ought to have wrung its neck
instead of merely inviting it to sing."

THE SNAKE AND JUPITER

A Snake suffered a good deal from being constantly trodden upon by man
and beast, owing partly to the length of his body and partly to his
being unable to raise himself above the surface of the ground: so
he went and complained to Jupiter about the risks to which he was
exposed. But Jupiter had little sympathy for him. "I dare say," said
he, "that if you had bitten the first that trod on you, the others
would have taken more trouble to look where they put their feet."

THE WOLF AND HIS SHADOW

A Wolf, who was roaming about on the plain when the sun was getting
low in the sky, was much impressed by the size of his shadow, and said
to himself, "I had no idea I was so big. Fancy my being afraid of a
lion! Why, I, not he, ought to be King of the beasts"; and, heedless
of danger, he strutted about as if there could be no doubt at all
about it. Just then a lion sprang upon him and began to devour him.
"Alas," he cried, "had I not lost sight of the facts, I shouldn't have
been ruined by my fancies."

THE PLOUGHMAN AND THE WOLF

A Ploughman loosed his oxen from the plough, and led them away to the
water to drink. While he was absent a half-starved Wolf appeared on
the scene, and went up to the plough and began chewing the leather
straps attached to the yoke. As he gnawed away desp