THE FABLES OF ÆSOP THE SLAVE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2752, 5 March 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE FABLES OF ÆSOP THE SLAVE

THE- CAT AND THE MICE.

A certain house was overrun with mice, so its owners got a cat, who caught and ate a number of the mischievous little animals. The mice, finding their numbers growing thinner, consulted together how to best preserve themselves from the jaws of the cat, and they decided that none of them should go down below tho top shelf, where the cat could not get at them. The cat, finding that the mice no longer came down, "fit very hungry, ancf resolved upon a very clever trick. She hung by her hind logs on a nail on the wail, and pretended to be dead, hoping by this means to persuade the mice to come down. She had not been hanging there long before a cunning old mouse peeped over the edge of the shelf, and said: "Ah. mv good friend, you may hang there as lo'ng’as you like : I certainly would not- trust myself with you even if I knew that your skin was stuffed with straw.” It is better to Ik? on the safe side. THE TRAVELLERS AND THE BEAR Two men. travelling together, promised to stand by each other in case any danger should threaten them. They had not- gone very far when a bear came rushing out of. the wood. Upon this one of the travellers, being a good climber, got into a tree. The other, who could not climb, fell fiat upon Ills face and lay quite still, holding his breath. The bear came up and smelt him, but him to be deed, went back into the wood without / doing him any harm. ’ \ When the danger was over the man who had climbed the tree came down to his companion, and asked him whan it was the bear said to him when he put his mouth so close to the man s ear. “Why.” answered the other, “he advised me t-o take care in future not to put- any trust in such a coward as you are. or I should always be deceived.”

A true companion will always stand bv bis companion in danger. THE FIR-TBEE AND THE BBAMBLE. A tail, straight, fir-tree that stood towering up in the forest was very proud of his height! and dignity, and lie despised the little shrubs which grew beneath him. One day a bramble ask'd him why he was so proud. "Because,” replied the fir-tree, “I look upon myself as the finest tree for beauty ol any in the forest. My top shoots up towards the clouds, and my branches spread round in constant, beauty, while you crawl on the ground, liable to be crushed by every animal that- comes near.” "All tliis may be true enough.” replied the bramble : “but when the woodman has marked you for cutting down, and the axe comes to be applied t-o your VKZ-. I fancy you will wish that you could change places with me.” Pride always goes before a fall.