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very long-necked jar with a narrow mouth, in which the Fox could
not insert his snout, so all he could manage to do was to lick the
outside of the jar.

"I will not apologise for the dinner," said the Stork:

"One bad turn deserves another."



The Fox and the Mask


A Fox had by some means got into the store-room of a theatre.
Suddenly he observed a face glaring down on him and began to be
very frightened; but looking more closely he found it was only a
Mask such as actors use to put over their face. "Ah," said the
Fox, "you look very fine; it is a pity you have not got any
brains."

Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.



The Jay and the Peacock


A Jay venturing into a yard where Peacocks used to walk, found
there a number of feathers which had fallen from the Peacocks when
they were moulting. He tied them all to his tail and strutted
down towards the Peacocks. When he came near them they soon
discovered the cheat, and striding up to him pecked at him and
plucked away his borrowed plumes. So the Jay could do no better
than go back to the other Jays, who had watched his behaviour from
a distance; but they were equally annoyed with him, and told him:

"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds."



The Frog and the Ox


"Oh Father," said a little Frog to the big one sitting by the
side of a pool, "I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as
big as a mountain, with horns on its head, and a long tail, and it
had hoofs divided in two."

"Tush, child, tush," said the old Frog, "that was only Farmer
White's Ox. It isn't so big either; he may be a little bit taller
than I, but I could easily make myself quite as broad; just you
see." So he blew himself out, and blew himself out, and blew
himself out. "Was he as big as that?" asked he.

"Oh, much bigger than that," said the young Frog.

Again the old one blew himself out, and asked the young one if
the Ox was as big as that.

"Bigger, father, bigger," was the reply.

So the Frog took a deep breath, and blew and blew and blew,
and swelled and swelled and swelled. And then he said: "I'm sure
the Ox is not as big as this. But at this moment he burst.

Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction.



Androcles


A slave named Androcles once escaped from his master and fled
to the forest. As he was wandering about there he came upon a
Lion lying down moaning and groaning. At first he turned to flee,
but finding that the Lion did not pursue him, he turned back and
went up to him. As he came near, the Lion put out his paw, which
was all swollen and bleeding, and Androcles found that a huge

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