the foolish animals he met with in
his wanderings. At last, meeting a Fox, he tried to frighten him also,
but the Fox no sooner heard the sound of his voice, than he exclaimed:
"I might possibly have been frightened myself, if I had not heard your
bray."

No disguise will hide one's true character.

The Boy Bathing.

[Illustration]

A Boy bathing in a river was in danger of being drowned. He called out
to a traveler passing by for help. The traveler, instead of holding out
a helping hand, stood up unconcernedly, and scolded the boy for his
imprudence. "Oh, sir!" cried the youth, "pray help me now, and scold me
afterwards."

Counsel, without help, is useless.

The Cock and the Fox.

The Fox, passing early one summer's morning near a farm-yard, was caught
in a springe, which the farmer had planted there for that end. The Cock,
at a distance, saw what happened, and, hardly yet daring to trust
himself too near so dangerous a foe, approached him cautiously, and
peeped at him. Reynard addressed himself to him, with all the designing
artifice imaginable. "Dear cousin," says he, "you see what an
unfortunate accident has befallen me here, and all upon your account:
for, as I was creeping through yonder hedge, in my way homeward, I heard
you crow, and was resolved to ask you how you did before I went any
farther; but I met with this disaster; and therefore now I must ask you
for a knife to cut this string; or, at least, to conceal my misfortune
till I have gnawed it asunder." The Cock, seeing how the case stood,
made no reply, but posted away as fast as he could, and told the farmer,
who came and killed the Fox.

To aid the vicious is to become a partner in their guilt.

The Viper and the File.

[Illustration]

A Viper, entering the workshop of a smith, sought from the tools the
means of satisfying his hunger. He more particularly addressed himself
to a File, and asked of him the favor of a meal. The File replied: "You
must indeed be a simple-minded fellow if you expect to get anything from
me, who am accustomed to take from every one, and never to give anything
in return."

The covetous are poor givers.

The Oxen and the Axle-Trees.

A heavy wagon was being dragged along a country lane by a team of oxen.
The axle-trees groaned and creaked terribly, when the oxen, turning
round, thus addressed the wheels: "Hallo there! why do you make so much
noise? We bear all the labor, and w