THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS ON A HUNT
The Lion and a lot of other Beasts made a plan to share whatever they caught when they went on a hunt. The first day they went out they took a fat Stag, which was cut up into three parts. The Lion said he would be the chief judge, and laid his paw on one of the shares, and thus spoke: “This first piece I claim as your lord and king; this part, too, I claim as the most brave and most fierce of you all; and as for the third,” he cried, as he bent his big, bright eyes on the crowd of Beasts, “I mean to take that, too, and let me see which of you dare stop me!” Might is apt to make a right.
THE EAGLE AND THE ARROW
A man shot a shaft at an Eagle, and hit him in the heart. When in the pains of death, the Eagle saw that the dart was made in part with one of his own quills. “Ah!” said he, “how much more sharp are wounds which are made by arms which we have ourselves made!” It is sad to find that we are the cause of our own ills.
THE MOUSE AND THE FROG
One day a Mouse met a Frog, and so well did they like each other that they said they would travel together. The Frog feared lest the Mouse should come to harm, and so tied his own hind-leg to the fore-leg of the Mouse. After a walk of some days like this on land, they came to a pond. The Frog made a start to swim, and bade the Mouse be of good heart. When they had got half-way over, the Frog made a sharp plunge to the bottom—and of course took the Mouse with him. The poor Mouse tried so hard to get to the top of the water again, and made such a splash, and such a noise, that a Kite that was flying past heard it, flew down, caught the Mouse, bore him off, and took the Frog with him. Self-help is best.