thinking how he might cure
him of this trick, on his next journey to the coast freighted the beast
with a load of sponges. When they arrived at the same stream as before,
the Ass was at his old tricks again, and rolled himself into the water;
but he found to his cost, as he proceeded homewards, that instead of
lightening his burden, he had more than doubled its weight.

The same measures will not suit all circumstances.

The Gnat and the Bull.

A Gnat that had been buzzing about the head of a Bull, at length
settling himself down upon his horn, begged his pardon for incommoding
him; "but if," says he, "my weight at all inconveniences you, pray say
so, and I will be off in a moment." "Oh, never trouble your head about
that," says the Bull, "for 'tis all one to me whether you go or stay;
and, to say the truth, I did not know you were there."

The smaller the Mind the greater the Conceit.

The Lion and the Gnat.

[Illustration]

As a Gnat was buzzing around a Lion, the Lion said to him: "How dare you
approach so near? Be off, or I will kill you with the least stroke of
my paw." The Gnat, knowing the advantage of his small size, and his
alertness, immediately challenged the boaster to combat, and alighting
first upon his nose and then upon his tail, made the Lion so furious
that he injured himself grievously with his paws. As the Gnat flew away
he boasted of his own prowess in thus defeating the King of Beasts
without the slightest injury to himself. But, in his carelessness, he
flew directly into a spider's web, and the spider instantly seized and
killed him.

The Lion, the Ass and the Fox Hunting.

The Lion, the Ass and the Fox formed a party to go out hunting. They
took a large booty, and when the sport was ended, bethought themselves
of having a hearty meal. The Lion bade the Ass allot the spoil. So,
dividing it into three equal parts, the Ass begged his friends to make
their choice; at which the Lion, in great indignation, fell upon the Ass
and tore him to pieces. He then bade the Fox make a division; who,
gathering the whole into one great heap, reserved but the smallest mite
for himself. "Ah! friend," says the Lion, "who taught you to make so
equitable a division?" "I wanted no other lesson," replied the Fox,
"than the Ass's fate."

Better be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.

The Dog Whose Ears were Cropped.

[Illustration]

A Dog complained of the