ery quiet in the meeting. One after another of the younger mice
went out. None but the older ones were left. At last they too went
sadly home. No one would bell the cat.

THE FOX AND THE CROW

One day the door of a cottage stood open. A tame crow flew through the
door into the cottage. She stole a piece of meat from the table, and
flew to a branch of a tall tree.

Just as she had settled there to enjoy her meat a fox came along and
stopped under the tree. He sniffed something good to eat. Looking
about, he saw the meat in the crow's mouth and wanted it.

How could he get the meat? He could not climb the tree. What good would
it do if he could? The crow would fly away when she saw him coming. He
could not coax the crow to come down to the ground. She knew what a fox
likes to eat.

At last the fox had a happy thought. He said to himself, "A crow is one
of the proudest birds I ever knew. I will flatter her and she will
forget about the meat."

So he called out in his sweetest voice, "Good day, my pretty bird"; but
the crow did not reply. She only stepped about proudly on the branch.

"I wish I had such a beautiful form as you have," said the fox.

Still no answer, but the crow held up her head and turned it first to
one side and then to the other, showing that she was pleased.

"What a graceful neck and bright eye!" said the fox. "The other birds
may well be jealous of you."

No answer yet. She only raised her wings a little and gazed down upon
the fox.

"If your voice were only as beautiful as your form and your dress, you
would be queen of all the birds; but it seems that you can not talk at
all. What a pity that you are dumb!"

The crow gave a loud "caw!" As she did so, the meat fell from her
mouth. The fox snapped it up quickly.

Poor crow, she saw when too late that the fox was only fooling her.

THE VAIN CROW

"I hate a black dress, no matter how glossy," said a proud crow. "I
have made up my mind to be a peacock."

As he said this, he flew away to a barnyard where he found some
feathers which the peacock had shed. He picked these up with his bill
and placed them among his own feathers.

Then he marched back and forth, looking at his fine new coat. He even
tried to walk like the peacock.

The peafowls came into the yard. They did not know at first what to
make of the sight. Then they saw that the crow was trying to dress and
act as they did. They flew at him, calling, "Away with