trike from a distance is no pleasant neighbor.

The Boy and the Filberts.

A Boy put his hand into a pitcher full of filberts. He grasped as many
as he could possibly hold, but when he endeavored to pull out his hand,
he was prevented from doing so by the neck of the pitcher, which was
much smaller than his closed hand. Unwilling to lose his filberts, and
yet unable to withdraw his hand, he burst into tears, and bitterly
lamented his disappointment. A bystander said to him: "Be satisfied with
half the quantity, and you will readily draw out your hand."

Do not attempt too much at once.

The Woman and her Hen.

[Illustration]

A Woman possessed a Hen that gave her an egg every day. She often
thought with herself how she might obtain two eggs daily instead of
one, and at last, to gain her purpose, determined to give the Hen a
double allowance of barley. From that day the Hen became fat and sleek,
and never once laid another egg.

Covetousness overreacheth itself.

The Lamb and the Wolf.

[Illustration]

A Wolf pursued a Lamb, which fled for refuge to a certain temple. The
Wolf called out to him and said: "The priest will slay you in
sacrifice, if he should catch you;" on which the Lamb replied: "It would
be better for me to be sacrificed in the temple, than to be eaten by
you."

It is safer to be among friends than enemies.

The Bear and the Gardener.

[Illustration]

A Gardener, who lived alone, became discontented, and set out, one day,
to seek a friend who would be a suitable companion. He had not gone far
when he met a Bear, whom he invited to come and live with him. The Bear
was a very silly one, who was also discontented with living alone, so he
went home with the Gardener very willingly. The Gardener provided all
the food, and the only service he required of the Bear was to keep the
flies off his face while he slept in the shade. One day, a fly insisted
upon lighting on the Gardener's face, although he was brushed off again
and again. The silly Bear finally became so enraged that he threw a
heavy stone upon it. He killed the fly, but, alas! he also killed his
friend.

Better have no friend at all than a foolish one.

The Heifer and the Ox.

A Heifer saw an Ox hard at work harnessed to a plough, and tormented him
with reflections on his unhappy fate in being compelled to labor.
Shortly afterward, at the harvest home, the owner released the Ox from
his y