ud, and said: "It may be all as you say; I only know this, I
have taken you with these robbers, the Cranes, and you must die in their
company."

Birds of a feather flock together.

The Ass and his Driver.

[Illustration]

An Ass, being driven along the high road, suddenly started off, and
bolted to the brink of a deep precipice. When he was in the act of
throwing himself over, his owner, seizing him by the tail, endeavored to
pull him back. The Ass persisting in his effort, the man let him go,
and said: "Conquer; but conquer to your cost."

The perverse generally come to harm.

The Hare and the Hound

[Illustration]

A Hound having started a Hare from his form, after a long run, gave up
the chase. A Goat-herd, seeing him stop, mocked him, saying: "The little
one is the best runner of the two." The hound replied; "You do not see
the difference between us; I was only running for a dinner, but he for
his life."

Incentive spurs effort.

The Kites and the Swans.

The Kites of old time had, equally with the Swans, the privilege of
song. But having heard the neigh of the horse, they were so enchanted
with the sound, that they tried to imitate it; and, in trying to neigh,
they forgot how to sing.

The desire for imaginary benefits often involves the loss of present
blessings.

The Dog in the Manger.

[Illustration]

A Dog lay in a manger, and by his growling and snapping prevented the
oxen from eating the hay which had been placed for them. "What a
selfish Dog!" said one of them to his companions; "he cannot eat the hay
himself, and yet refuses to allow those to eat who can."

We should not deprive others of blessings because we cannot enjoy them
ourselves.

The Crow and the Serpent.

A Crow, in great want of food, saw a Serpent asleep in a sunny nook, and
flying down, greedily seized him. The Serpent, turning about, bit the
Crow with a mortal wound. The Crow in the agony of death exclaimed: "O
unhappy me! who have found in that which I deemed a most happy windfall
the source of my certain destruction."

What seem to be blessings are not always so.

The Cat and the Fox.

[Illustration]

As the Cat and the Fox were talking politics together, Reynard said:
"Let things turn out ever so bad, he did not care, for he had a thousand
tricks for them yet, before they should hurt him." "But pray," says he,
"Mrs. Puss, suppose there should be an invasion, wha