some very striking example
that should make them see that discord would lead them to
misfortune.

One day when the quarreling had been much more violent than usual
and each of the Sons was moping in a surly manner, he asked one
of them to bring him a bundle of sticks. Then handing the bundle
to each of his Sons in turn he told them to try to break it. But
although each one tried his best, none was able to do so.

The Father then untied the bundle and gave the sticks to his Sons
to break one by one. This they did very easily.

"My Sons," said the Father, "do you not see how certain it is
that if you agree with each other and help each other, it will be
impossible for your enemies to injure you? But if you are divided
among yourselves, you will be no stronger than a single stick in
that bundle."

_In unity is strength._

THE WOLF AND THE CRANE

A Wolf had been feasting too greedily, and a bone had stuck
crosswise in his throat. He could get it neither up nor down, and
of course he could not eat a thing. Naturally that was an awful
state of affairs for a greedy Wolf.

So away he hurried to the Crane. He was sure that she, with her
long neck and bill, would easily be able to reach the bone and
pull it out.

"I will reward you very handsomely," said the Wolf, "if you pull
that bone out for me."

The Crane, as you can imagine, was very uneasy about putting her
head in a Wolf's throat. But she was grasping in nature, so she
did what the Wolf asked her to do.

[Illustration]

When the Wolf felt that the bone was gone, he started to walk
away.

"But what about my reward!" called the Crane anxiously.

"What!" snarled the Wolf, whirling around. "Haven't you got it?
Isn't it enough that I let you take your head out of my mouth
without snapping it off?"

_Expect no reward for serving the wicked._

[Illustration]

THE ASS AND HIS DRIVER

An Ass was being driven along a road leading down the mountain
side, when he suddenly took it into his silly head to choose his
own path. He could see his stall at the foot of the mountain, and
to him the quickest way down seemed to be over the edge of the
nearest cliff. Just as he was about to leap over, his master
caught him by the tail and tried to pull him back, but the
stubborn Ass would not yield and pulled with all his might.

"Very well," said his master, "go your way, you willful beast,
and see where it leads you."

With that he let go, and the