den.

The angry Merchant immediately turned about and drove the Ass
back to the seashore, where he loaded him with two great baskets
of sponges. At the ford the Ass again tumbled over; but when he
had scrambled to his feet, it was a very disconsolate Ass that
dragged himself homeward under a load ten times heavier than
before.

_The same measures will not suit all circumstances._

[Illustration: THE ASS AND THE LOAD OF SALT]

[Illustration]

THE LION AND THE GNAT

"Away with you, vile insect!" said a Lion angrily to a Gnat that
was buzzing around his head. But the Gnat was not in the least
disturbed.

"Do you think," he said spitefully to the Lion, "that I am afraid
of you because they call you king?"

The next instant he flew at the Lion and stung him sharply on the
nose. Mad with rage, the Lion struck fiercely at the Gnat, but
only succeeded in tearing himself with his claws. Again and again
the Gnat stung the Lion, who now was roaring terribly. At last,
worn out with rage and covered with wounds that his own teeth and
claws had made, the Lion gave up the fight.

The Gnat buzzed away to tell the whole world about his victory,
but instead he flew straight into a spider's web. And there, he
who had defeated the King of beasts came to a miserable end, the
prey of a little spider.

_The least of our enemies is often the most to be feared._

_Pride over a success should not throw us off our guard._

THE LEAP AT RHODES

A certain man who visited foreign lands could talk of little when
he returned to his home except the wonderful adventures he had
met with and the great deeds he had done abroad.

One of the feats he told about was a leap he had made in a city
Called Rhodes. That leap was so great, he said, that no other man
could leap anywhere near the distance. A great many persons in
Rhodes had seen him do it and would prove that what he told was
true.

"No need of witnesses," said one of the hearers. "Suppose this
city is Rhodes. Now show us how far you can jump."

_Deeds count, not boasting words._

THE COCK AND THE JEWEL

A Cock was busily scratching and scraping about to find something
to eat for himself and his family, when he happened to turn up a
precious jewel that had been lost by its owner.

"Aha!" said the Cock. "No doubt you are very costly and he who
lost you would give a great deal to find you. But as for me, I
would choose a single grain of barleycorn before al