" The
Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him,
that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Some time after the Lion was
caught in a trap, and the hunters, who desired to carry him alive to the
King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry
him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the
sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away
the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the
little Mouse.

_Little friends may prove great friends._

207

THE CROW AND THE PITCHER

A Crow, half-dead with thirst, came upon a Pitcher which had once been
full of water; but when the Crow put its beak into the mouth of the
Pitcher he found that only very little water was left in it, and that he
could not reach far enough down to get at it. He tried and he tried, but
at last had to give up in despair. Then a thought came to him, and he
took a pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another
pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and
dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped
that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into
the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the
Pitcher. At last, at last, he saw the water mount up near him; and after
casting in a few more pebbles he was able to quench his thirst and save
his life.

_Little by little does the trick._

208

THE FROG AND THE OX

"Oh, Father," said a little Frog to the big one sitting by the side of a
pool, "I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as big as a mountain,
with horns on its head, and a long tail, and it had hoofs divided in
two."

"Tush, child, tush," said the old Frog, "that was only Farmer White's
Ox. It isn't so big either; he may be a little bit taller than I, but I
could easily make myself quite as broad; just you see." So he blew
himself out, and blew himself out, and blew himself out. "Was he as big
as that?" asked he.

"Oh, much bigger than that," said the young Frog.

Again the old one blew himself out, and asked the young one if the Ox
was as big as that.

"Bigger, Father, bigger," was the reply.

So the Frog took a deep breath, and blew and blew and blew, and swelled
and swelled and swelled. And then he said: "I'm sure the Ox is not as
big as--" But at this moment he burst.

_Self-conceit may lead