or lamb, you will serve for my dinner."

FRAUD AND VIOLENCE HAVE NO SCRUPLES

THE WIND & THE SUN

[Illustration]

The Wind and the Sun had a bet,
The wayfarers' cloak which should get:
Blew the Wind--the cloak clung:
Shone the Sun--the cloak flung
Showed the Sun had the best of it yet.

TRUE STRENGTH IS NOT BLUSTER

KING LOG & KING STORK

[Illustration]

The Frogs prayed to Jove for a king:
"Not a log, but a livelier thing."
Jove sent them a Stork,
Who did royal work,
For he gobbled them up, did their king.

DON'T HAVE KINGS

THE FRIGHTENED LION

[Illustration]

A Bull Frog, according to rule,
Sat a-croak in his usual pool:
And he laughed in his heart
As a Lion did start
In a fright from the brink like a fool.

IMAGINARY FEARS ARE THE WORST

THE MOUSE & THE LION

[Illustration]

A poor thing the Mouse was, and yet,
When the Lion got caught in a net,
All his strength was no use
'Twas the poor little Mouse
Who nibbled him out of the net.

SMALL CAUSES MAY PRODUCE GREAT RESULTS

THE MARRIED MOUSE

So the Mouse had Miss Lion for bride;
Very great was his joy and his pride:
But it chanced that she put
On her husband her foot,
And the weight was too much, so he died.

ONE MAY BE TOO AMBITIOUS

HERCULES & THE WAGGONER

[Illustration]

When the God saw the Waggoner kneel,
Crying, "Hercules! Lift me my wheel
From the mud, where 'tis stuck!"
He laughed--"No such luck;
Set your shoulder yourself to the wheel."

THE GODS HELP THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES

THE LAZY HOUSEMAIDS

[Illustration]

Two Maids killed the Rooster whose warning
Awoke them too soon every morning:
But small were their gains,
For their Mistress took pains
To rouse them herself without warning.

LAZINESS IS ITS OWN PUNISHMENT

THE SNAKE & THE FILE

[Illustration]

A Snake, in a fix, tried a File
For a dinner. "'Tis not worth your while,"
Said the steel, "don't mistake;
I'm accustomed to _take_,
To _give's_ not the way of a File."

WE MAY MEET OUR MATCH

THE FOX & THE CROW

Said sly Fox to the Crow with the cheese,
"Let me hear your sweet voice, now do please!"
And this Crow, being weak,
Cawed the bit from her beak--
"Music charms," said the Fox, "and here's cheese!"

BEWARE OF FLATTERERS

THE DOG IN THE MANGER

[Illustration]

A Cow sought a mouthful of hay;
But a Dog in the m