approached. The Hound seized him. The Jackal said:

"Remember your false testimony."

The Wren

A Wren had built its nest on the side of a road. When the eggs were
hatched, a Camel passed that way. The little Wrens saw it and said to
their father when he returned from the fields:

"O papa, a gigantic animal passed by."

The Wren stretched out his foot. "As big as this, my children?"

"O papa, much bigger."

He stretched out his foot and his wing. "As big as this?"

"O papa, much bigger."

Finally he stretched out fully his feet and legs.

"As big as this then?"

"Much bigger."

"That is a lie; there is no animal bigger than I am."

"Well, wait," said the little ones, "and you will see."

The Camel came back while browsing the grass of the roadside.

The Wren stretched himself out near the nest. The Camel seized the
bird, which passed through its teeth safe and sound.

"Truly," he said to them, "the Camel is a gigantic animal, but I am not
ashamed of myself."

On the earth it generally happens that the vain are as if they did not
exist; but sooner or later a rock falls and crushes them.

Mule, Jackal, and Lion

The Mule, the Jackal, and the Lion went in company.

"We will eat the one whose race is bad," they said to each other.

"Lion, who is your father?"

"My father is a lion, and my mother is a lioness."

"And you, Jackal, what is your father?"

"My father is a jackal, and my mother too."

"And you, Mule, what is your father?"

"My father is an ass, and my mother is a mare."

"Your race is bad; we will eat you."

He answered them: "I will consult an old man. If he says that my race
is bad, you may devour me."

He went to a farrier, and said to him, "Shoe my hind feet, and make the
nails stick out well."

He went back home. He called the Camel and showed him his feet,
saying, "See what is written on this tablet."

"The writing is difficult to decipher," answered the Camel. "I do not
understand it, for I only know three words--_outini_, _ouzatini_,
_ouazakin_."

He called the Lion, and said to him, "I do not understand these
letters; I only know three words--_outini_, _ouzatini_, _ouazakin_."

"Show it to me," said the Lion. He approached. The Mule struck him
between the eyes and stretched him out level.

He who goes with a knave is betrayed by him.

AFRICAN FABLES

"The world is old, they say; I don't deny it;
But, infant still
In tast