d stung him on the
nostrils. The Lion, trying to crush him, tore himself with his claws,
until he punished himself severely. The Gnat thus prevailed over the
Lion, and buzzing about in a song of triumph, flew away. But shortly
afterwards he became entangled in the meshes of a cobweb, and was eaten
by a spider. He greatly lamented his fate, saying: "Woe is me, that I,
who can wage war successfully with the hugest beasts, should perish
myself from this spider."

The Widow and her Little Maidens.

A widow woman, fond of cleaning, had two little maidens to wait on her.
She was in the habit of waking them early in the morning, at cockcrow.
The maidens, being aggrieved by such excessive labor, resolved to kill
the cock who roused their mistress so early. When they had done this,
they found that they had only prepared for themselves greater troubles,
for their mistress, no longer hearing the cock, was unable to tell the
time, and so, woke them up to their work in the middle of the night.

Unlawful acts to escape trials only increase our troubles.

The Fox and the Lion.

[Illustration]

A Fox who had never yet seen a Lion, when he fell in with him by a
certain chance for the first time in the forest, was so frightened that
he was near dying with fear. On his meeting with him for the second
time, he was still much alarmed, but not to the same extent as at first.
On seeing him the third time, he so increased in boldness that he went
up to him, and commenced a familiar conversation with him.

Acquaintance softens prejudices.

[Illustration]

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.

[Illustration]

A Country Mouse invited a Town Mouse, an intimate friend, to pay him a
visit, and partake of his country fare. As they were on the bare
plough-lands, eating their wheat-stalks and roots pulled up from the
hedge-row, the Town Mouse said to his friend: "You live here the life of
the ants, while in my house is the horn of plenty. I am surrounded with
every luxury, and if you will come with me, as I much wish you would,
you shall have an ample share of my dainties." The Country Mouse was
easily persuaded, and returned to town with his friend. On his arrival,
the Town Mouse placed before him bread, barley, beans, dried figs,
honey, raisins, and, last of all, brought a dainty piece of cheese from
a basket. The Country Mouse, being much delighted at the sight of such
good cheer, expressed his satisfaction in