about it, and then lay down in his cave to wait for visitors. And
when they came to offer him their sympathy, he ate them up one by
one.

The Fox came too, but he was very cautious about it. Standing at
a safe distance from the cave, he inquired politely after the
Lion's health. The Lion replied that he was very ill indeed, and
asked the Fox to step in for a moment. But Master Fox very wisely
stayed outside, thanking the Lion very kindly for the invitation.

"I should be glad to do as you ask," he added, "but I have
noticed that there are many footprints leading into your cave and
none coming out. Pray tell me, how do your visitors find their
way out again?"

_Take warning from the misfortunes of others._

THE MAN AND THE LION

A Lion and a Man chanced to travel in company through the forest.
They soon began to quarrel, for each of them boasted that he and
his kind were far superior to the other both in strength and
mind.

Now they reached a clearing in the forest and there stood a
statue. It was a representation of Heracles in the act of tearing
the jaws of the Nemean Lion.

"See," said the man, "that's how strong _we_ are! The King of
Beasts is like wax in our hands!"

"Ho!" laughed the Lion, "a Man made that statue. It would have
been quite a different scene had a Lion made it!"

_It all depends on the point of view, and who tells the story._

THE ASS AND THE LAP DOG

There was once an Ass whose Master also owned a Lap Dog. This Dog
was a favorite and received many a pat and kind word from his
Master, as well as choice bits from his plate. Every day the Dog
would run to meet the Master, frisking playfully about and
leaping up to lick his hands and face.

All this the Ass saw with much discontent. Though he was well
fed, he had much work to do; besides, the Master hardly ever took
any notice of him.

Now the jealous Ass got it into his silly head that all he had to
do to win his Master's favor was to act like the Dog. So one day
he left his stable and clattered eagerly into the house.

Finding his Master seated at the dinner table, he kicked up his
heels and, with a loud bray, pranced giddily around the table,
upsetting it as he did so. Then he planted his forefeet on his
Master's knees and rolled out his tongue to lick the Master's
face, as he had seen the Dog do. But his weight upset the chair,
and Ass and man rolled over together in the pile of broken dishes
from the table.