e Honey.

A Jar of Honey having been upset in a housekeeper's room, a number of
flies were attracted by its sweetness, and placing their feet in it, ate
it greedily. Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that
they could not use their wings, nor release themselves, and were
suffocated. Just as they were expiring, they exclaimed, "O foolish
creatures that we are! For the sake of a little pleasure we have
destroyed ourselves."

The Great and the Little Fishes.

[Illustration]

A Fisherman was drawing up a net which he had cast into the sea, full of
all sorts of fish. The Little Fish escaped through the meshes of the
net, and got back into the deep, but the Great Fish were all caught and
hauled into the ship.

Our insignificance is often the cause of our safety.

The Wolves and the Sheep.

[Illustration]

"Why should there always be this implacable warfare between us?" said
the Wolves to the Sheep. "Those evil-disposed Dogs have much to answer
for. They always bark whenever we approach you, and attack us before we
have done any harm. If you would only dismiss them from your heels,
there might soon be treaties of peace between us." The sheep, poor
silly creatures! were easily beguiled, and dismissed the Dogs. The
Wolves destroyed the unguarded flock at their pleasure.

Change not friends for foes.

The Fox and the Stork.

[Illustration]

The Fox invited the Stork to dinner, and provided nothing but a soup, in
a wide, shallow dish. This he could lap up with ease; but the Stork, who
could but just dip in the point of his bill, was not a bit better. A few
days after, he returned the compliment, and invited the Fox; but
suffered nothing to be brought to the table but some minced meat in a
glass jar, the neck of which was so deep and so narrow, that, though the
Stork with his long bill could eat very well, all that the Fox could do
was to lick the brims. Reynard was heartily vexed, but owned that he had
been used as he deserved.

Those who practice cunning must expect to suffer by it.

The Bat and the Weasels.

A Bat, falling upon the ground, was caught by a Weasel, of whom he
earnestly besought his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by
nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a
bird, but a mouse, and thus saved his life. Shortly afterward the Bat
again fell on the ground, and was caught by another Weasel, whom he
likewise e