erd, driving his Sheep to a wood, saw an oak of unusual size,
full of acorns, and, spreading his cloak under the branches, he climbed
up into the tree, and shook down the acorns. The sheep, eating the
acorns, frayed and tore the cloak. The Shepherd coming down, and seeing
what was done, said: "O you most ungrateful creatures! you provide wool
to make garments for all other men, but you destroy the clothes of him
who feeds you."

The basest ingratitude is that which injures those who serve us.

The Fox and the Crow.

[Illustration]

A Crow, having stolen a bit of flesh, perched in a tree, and held it in
her beak. A Fox, seeing her, longed to possess himself of the flesh, and
by a wily stratagem succeeded. "How handsome is the Crow," he exclaimed,
"in the beauty of her shape and in the fairness of her complexion! Oh,
if her voice were only equal to her beauty, she would deservedly be
considered the Queen of Birds!" This he said deceitfully, having greater
admiration for the meat than for the crow. But the Crow, all her vanity
aroused by the cunning flattery, and anxious to refute the reflection
cast upon her voice, set up a loud caw, and dropped the flesh. The Fox
quickly picked it up, and thus addressed the Crow: "My good Crow, your
voice is right enough, but your wit is wanting."

He who listens to flattery is not wise, for it has no good purpose.

The Swallow and the Crow.

The Swallow and the Crow had a contention about their plumage. The Crow
put an end to the dispute by saying: "Your feathers are all very well in
the spring, but mine protect me against the winter."

Fine weather friends are not worth much.

The Hen and the Golden Eggs.

[Illustration]

A Cottager and his wife had a Hen, which laid every day a golden egg.
They supposed that it must contain a great lump of gold in its inside,
and killed it in order that they might get it, when, to their surprise,
they found that the Hen differed in no respect from their other hens.
The foolish pair, thus hoping to become rich all at once, deprived
themselves of the gain of which they were day by day assured.

[Illustration]

The Old Man and Death.

An old man was employed in cutting wood in the forest, and, in carrying
the fagots into the city for sale. One day, being very wearied with his
long journey, he sat down by the wayside, and, throwing down his load,
besought "Death" to come. "Death" immediately appeared, in