Part 3 (2/2)

In terror the Boy ran toward the village shouting ”Wolf! Wolf!”

But though the Villagers heard the cry, they did not run to help him as they had before. ”He cannot fool us again,” they said.

The Wolf killed a great many of the Boy's sheep and then slipped away into the forest.

_Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth._

THE GNAT AND THE BULL

A Gnat flew over the meadow with much buzzing for so small a creature and settled on the tip of one of the horns of a Bull.

After he had rested a short time, he made ready to fly away. But before he left he begged the Bull's pardon for having used his horn for a resting place.

”You must be very glad to have me go now,” he said.

”It's all the same to me,” replied the Bull. ”I did not even know you were there.”

_We are often of greater importance in our own eyes than in the eyes of our neighbor._

_The smaller the mind the greater the conceit._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE PLANE TREE

Two Travellers, walking in the noonday sun, sought the shade of a widespreading tree to rest. As they lay looking up among the pleasant leaves, they saw that it was a Plane Tree.

”How useless is the Plane!” said one of them. ”It bears no fruit whatever, and only serves to litter the ground with leaves.”

”Ungrateful creatures!” said a voice from the Plane Tree. ”You lie here in my cooling shade, and yet you say I am useless! Thus ungratefully, O Jupiter, do men receive their blessings!”

_Our best blessings are often the least appreciated._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE FARMER AND THE STORK

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