pped up such
delicious morsels without making any bones about it, but this
Lamb looked so very helpless and innocent that the Wolf felt he
ought to have some kind of an excuse for taking its life.

"How dare you paddle around in my stream and stir up all the
mud!" he shouted fiercely. "You deserve to be punished severely
for your rashness!"

"But, your highness," replied the trembling Lamb, "do not be
angry! I cannot possibly muddy the water you are drinking up
there. Remember, you are upstream and I am downstream."

"You _do_ muddy it!" retorted the Wolf savagely. "And besides, I
have heard that you told lies about me last year!"

"How could I have done so?" pleaded the Lamb. "I wasn't born
until this year."

"If it wasn't you, it was your brother!"

"I have no brothers."

"Well, then," snarled the Wolf, "It was someone in your family
anyway. But no matter who it was, I do not intend to be talked
out of my breakfast."

And without more words the Wolf seized the poor Lamb and carried
her off to the forest.

_The tyrant can always find an excuse for his tyranny._

_The unjust will not listen to the reasoning of the innocent._

THE WOLF AND THE SHEEP

A Wolf had been hurt in a fight with a Bear. He was unable to
move and could not satisfy his hunger and thirst. A Sheep passed
by near his hiding place, and the Wolf called to him.

"Please fetch me a drink of water," he begged, "that might give
me strength enough so I can get me some solid food."

"Solid food!" said the Sheep. "That means me, I suppose. If I
should bring you a drink, it would only serve to wash me down
your throat. Don't talk to me about a drink!"

_A knave's hypocrisy is easily seen through._

THE HARES AND THE FROGS

Hares, as you know, are very timid. The least shadow, sends them
scurrying in fright to a hiding place. Once they decided to die
rather than live in such misery. But while they were debating how
best to meet death, they thought they heard a noise and in a
flash were scampering off to the warren. On the way they passed a
pond where a family of Frogs was sitting among the reeds on the
bank. In an instant the startled Frogs were seeking safety in the
mud.

"Look," cried a Hare, "things are not so bad after all, for here
are creatures who are even afraid of us!"

_However unfortunate we may think we are there is always someone
worse off than ourselves._

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

THE FO