door, "Come, what are you yawning for?
Hurry up and get ready: I mean you to go with me." But the Dog merely
wagged his tail and said quietly, "I'm ready, master: it's you I'm
waiting for."
THE SHIPWRECKED MAN AND THE SEA
A Shipwrecked Man cast up on the beach fell asleep after his struggle
with the waves. When he woke up, he bitterly reproached the Sea for
its treachery in enticing men with its smooth and smiling surface,
and then, when they were well embarked, turning in fury upon them and
sending both ship and sailors to destruction. The Sea arose in the
form of a woman, and replied, "Lay not the blame on me, O sailor, but
on the Winds. By nature I am as calm and safe as the land itself: but
the Winds fall upon me with their gusts and gales, and lash me into a
fury that is not natural to me."
THE WILD BOAR AND THE FOX
A Wild Boar was engaged in whetting his tusks upon the trunk of a tree
in the forest when a Fox came by and, seeing what he was at, said to
him, "Why are you doing that, pray? The huntsmen are not out to-day,
and there are no other dangers at hand that I can see." "True, my
friend," replied the Boar, "but the instant my life is in danger I
shall need to use my tusks. There'll be no time to sharpen them then."
MERCURY AND THE SCULPTOR
Mercury was very anxious to know in what estimation he was held by
mankind; so he disguised himself as a man and walked into a Sculptor's
studio, where there were a number of statues finished and ready for
sale. Seeing a statue of Jupiter among the rest, he inquired the price
of it. "A crown," said the Sculptor. "Is that all?" said he, laughing;
"and" (pointing to one of Juno) "how much is that one?" "That," was
the reply, "is half a crown." "And how much might you be wanting for
that one over there, now?" he continued, pointing to a statue of
himself. "That one?" said the Sculptor; "Oh, I'll throw him in for
nothing if you'll buy the other two."
THE FAWN AND HIS MOTHER
A Hind said to her Fawn, who was now well grown and strong, "My son,
Nature has given you a powerful body and a stout pair of horns, and I
can't think why you are such a coward as to run away from the hounds."
Just then they both heard the sound of a pack in full cry, but at a
considerable distance. "You stay where you are," said the Hind; "never
mind me": and with that she ran off as fast as her legs could carry
her.
THE FOX AND THE LION
A Fox
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