comes of trying to do what one is not
fit for. Let the cobbler stick to
his last, or misfortune
follows fast."

[Illustration]

What is a Man?

IN a certain forest, a Lioness dwelt who had one cub. This cub did not
go to school, as you one day will go; but he learned his lessons at
home. And what do you think his lessons were? Not multiplication which
is vexation; not the Rule of Three which puzzles me; not spelling and
copy-books. No; the Lioness had only one lesson to teach her cub, and
that was, to avoid mankind as if they were poison. Every day, morning
and evening, she taught him for an hour; telling him again and again,
that of all the beasts of the forest he need fear none, for a lion is
stronger than any, but man he must fear and keep clear of.

Well, the little Lion grew big; and as often happens to children as well
as lions' cubs, he grew conceited too. He could not believe that his
mother was old enough to know better than he; no, he would see for
himself. So one fine day, this Lion set out on a voyage of discovery.

The first thing he saw was an Ox. This Ox was a fine sturdy animal, and
the Lion felt rather nervous to see such hoofs and horns. You must
remember he was young and ignorant, and had hardly seen any animal but
his mother and father. So he went up to the Ox, and said timidly--

"Good morning, sir. Will you be good enough to tell me if you are a
Man?"

If an Ox could laugh, that Ox would have laughed in the face of the
Lion's cub. But an Ox is always solemn, like a Turk, though he does not
love bloodshed as a Turk does. This Ox was chewing the cud, munching and
mouthing with great calmness, so as to get the full flavour of the rich
grass. He turned his meek eyes, and stared at the Lion. Then he said--

"A Man! God forbid. A Man is a terrible creature. He makes slaves of us
Oxen, and puts a yoke on our necks and fastens us to a thing called a
plough; and makes us pull the plough to and fro, up and down, till we
are tired to death. If we won't go, he sticks a prod into us, which
hurts us very much. I can't think what is the use of all this pother; we
get no good of it. And when we are old, and can work no more, he kills
us, and eats our flesh, and the skin he makes into shoes for his own
feet. Keep clear of Men, if you value your life." Then the Ox turned his
head away, and went on with his chewing.

This gave our Lion something to think about. He th