“He is dead,” said they; “for just now a very huge beast with four great feet came to the pool and crushed him with his cloven heel.”
The frog, puffing herself out, inquired, “Was the beast as big as that in size?”
“Cease mother, to puff yourself out,” said her son, “and do not be angry; for you would, I assure you, sooner burst than successfully imitate the hugeness of that monster.”
To know the limitations of our nature, and act accordingly, is the part of wisdom.
THE HERON WHO WAS
HARD TO PLEASE
A heron having bolted down too large a fish, burst its deep gullet-bag and lay down on the shore to die. A kite seeing it, exclaimed: “You richly deserve your fate; for a bird of the air has no business to seek its food from the sea.”