[Illustration]

THE COCK AND THE JEWEL.

As a Cock was scratching up the straw, in a farm-yard, in search of
food for the hens, he hit upon a Jewel that by some chance had found
its way there. "Ho!" said he, "you are a very fine thing, no doubt, to
those who prize you; but give me a barley-corn before all the pearls
in the world."

The Cock, in this, was sensible; but there are many silly people who
despise what is precious only because they cannot understand it.

[Illustration]

THE DOG AND THE SHADOW.

A Dog was crossing a river, with a piece of meat in his mouth, when he
saw his own shadow reflected in the stream below. Thinking that it was
another dog, with a piece of meat, he resolved to make himself master
of that also; but in snapping at the supposed treasure he dropped the
bit he was carrying, and so lost all.

Grasp at the shadow, and lose the substance;--the common fate of those
who hazard a real blessing for a visionary good.

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THE DOG AND THE RAT.

A great Dog caught a small but thievish Rat. "O, sir!" said the Rat,
"pray let me go. Next year I shall have grown bigger, and then you can
kill me."--"No, no," said the Dog; "I have got you now, but next year
I am not sure of getting you again."

Check a small fault at once.

[Illustration]

THE BEAVER AND THE FLY.

A busy little Beaver had been working for months, arranging his house,
by the river side. "Why do you take all that trouble?" said a lazy
bluebottle Fly; "I never work."--"That is the reason," answered the
Beaver, "why so many of you die of cold and hunger, in winter."

Idleness comes to ruin, at last.

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THE PEACHES.

A Farmer went to town, on a market day, and bought five peaches. He
gave one to his wife, and one to each of his four sons.

The next day he said to his sons, "Well, what have you done with your
peaches?"

"I ate mine," said the eldest, "and kept the stone. I will plant it
in the ground, that I may have a peach-tree, in time."

"I sold mine," said the second son, "and got so much money for it that
I can buy six peaches when I go to town."

"I ate mine up directly I got it," said the youngest, "and threw the
stone away; and mother gave me half of hers."

"I took mine to poor George, our neighbor, who is ill," said the third
son. "He cannot eat much, and I thought he would like it. He would not
take it at first, so I laid it upon