Then came the weasel, whose strong teeth soon set the tortoise at liberty, and together they hid themselves in a bush.

The goat had led the hunter a merry chase, which the latter was finally forced to give up, and then return to recover his sack. He was congratulating himself on having at least captured something that couldn’t run away from him, when he lifted the sack from the ground, and found that now he had lost the tortoise.

This story shows the strength of true friendship, and that when the desire to help is there, a way to do so will be found.


THE ADVENTURES OF JUAN

Juan was always getting into trouble. He was a lazy boy, and more than that, he did not have good sense. When he tried to do things, he made such dreadful mistakes that he might better not have tried.

His family grew very impatient with him, scolding and beating him whenever he did anything wrong. One day his mother, who was almost discouraged with him, gave him a bolo[[4]] and sent him to the forest, for she thought he could at least cut firewood. Juan walked leisurely along, contemplating some means of escape. At last he came to a tree that seemed easy to cut, and then he drew his long knife and prepared to work.


[4]. A long knife.