was overjoyed
at recovering his property, and thanked his benefactor warmly; and the
latter was so pleased with his honesty that he made him a present of
the other two axes. When the Woodman told the story to his companions,
one of these was filled with envy of his good fortune and determined
to try his luck for himself. So he went and began to fell a tree at
the edge of the river, and presently contrived to let his axe drop
into the water. Mercury appeared as before, and, on learning that his
axe had fallen in, he dived and brought up a golden axe, as he had
done on the previous occasion. Without waiting to be asked whether
it was his or not the fellow cried, "That's mine, that's mine," and
stretched out his hand eagerly for the prize: but Mercury was so
disgusted at his dishonesty that he not only declined to give him the
golden axe, but also refused to recover for him the one he had let
fall into the stream.
Honesty is the best policy.
THE ASS, THE FOX, AND THE LION
An Ass and a Fox went into partnership and sallied out to forage for
food together. They hadn't gone far before they saw a Lion coming
their way, at which they were both dreadfully frightened. But the Fox
thought he saw a way of saving his own skin, and went boldly up to the
Lion and whispered in his ear, "I'll manage that you shall get hold of
the Ass without the trouble of stalking him, if you'll promise to let
me go free." The Lion agreed to this, and the Fox then rejoined his
companion and contrived before long to lead him by a hidden pit, which
some hunter had dug as a trap for wild animals, and into which he
fell. When the Lion saw that the Ass was safely caught and couldn't
get away, it was to the Fox that he first turned his attention, and he
soon finished him off, and then at his leisure proceeded to feast upon
the Ass.
Betray a friend, and you'll often find you have ruined yourself.
THE LION AND THE MOUSE
A Lion asleep in his lair was waked up by a Mouse running over his
face. Losing his temper he seized it with his paw and was about to
kill it. The Mouse, terrified, piteously entreated him to spare its
life. "Please let me go," it cried, "and one day I will repay you for
your kindness." The idea of so insignificant a creature ever being
able to do anything for him amused the Lion so much that he laughed
aloud, and good-humouredly let it go. But the Mouse's chance came,
after all. One day the Lion got entang
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