e you."

Boasters brag most when they cannot be detected.

THE ASS AND THE LAP-DOG

There was once a man who had an Ass and a Lap-dog. The Ass was housed
in the stable with plenty of oats and hay to eat and was as well off
as an ass could be. The little Dog was made a great pet of by his
master, who fondled him and often let him lie in his lap; and if he
went out to dinner, he would bring back a tit-bit or two to give him
when he ran to meet him on his return. The Ass had, it is true, a good
deal of work to do, carting or grinding the corn, or carrying the
burdens of the farm: and ere long he became very jealous, contrasting
his own life of labour with the ease and idleness of the Lap-dog. At
last one day he broke his halter, and frisking into the house just as
his master sat down to dinner, he pranced and capered about, mimicking
the frolics of the little favourite, upsetting the table and smashing
the crockery with his clumsy efforts. Not content with that, he even
tried to jump on his master's lap, as he had so often seen the dog
allowed to do. At that the servants, seeing the danger their master
was in, belaboured the silly Ass with sticks and cudgels, and drove
him back to his stable half dead with his beating. "Alas!" he cried,
"all this I have brought on myself. Why could I not be satisfied with
my natural and honourable position, without wishing to imitate the
ridiculous antics of that useless little Lap-dog?"

THE FIR-TREE AND THE BRAMBLE

A Fir-tree was boasting to a Bramble, and said, somewhat
contemptuously, "You poor creature, you are of no use whatever. Now,
look at me: I am useful for all sorts of things, particularly when men
build houses; they can't do without me then." But the Bramble replied,
"Ah, that's all very well: but you wait till they come with axes and
saws to cut you down, and then you'll wish you were a Bramble and not
a Fir."

Better poverty without a care than wealth with its many
obligations.

THE FROGS' COMPLAINT AGAINST THE SUN

Once upon a time the Sun was about to take to himself a wife. The
Frogs in terror all raised their voices to the skies, and Jupiter,
disturbed by the noise, asked them what they were croaking about. They
replied, "The Sun is bad enough even while he is single, drying up our
marshes with his heat as he does. But what will become of us if he
marries and begets other Suns?"

THE DOG, THE COCK, AND THE FOX

A