A poor Fisherman, who lived on the fish he caught,

The Dog & His Reflection

had bad luck one day and caught nothing but a very small

A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was fry. The Fisherman was about to put it in his basket when

hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go. As he the little Fish said:

crossed a narrow footbridge, he happened to look down

"Please spare me, Mr. Fisherman! I am so small it is
and saw himself reflected in the quiet water as if in a
not worth while to carry me home. When I am bigger, I
mirror. But the greedy Dog thought he saw a real Dog
shall make you a much better meal."
carrying a bone much bigger than his own.

But the Fisherman quickly put the fish into his

If he had stopped to think he would have known
basket.
better. But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and

sprang at the Dog in the river, only to find himself "How foolish I should be," he said, "to throw you
swimming for dear life to reach the shore. At last he back. However small you may be, you are better than
managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking nothing at all."
about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a stupid

Dog he had been. A small gain is worth more than a large promise.

It is very foolish to be greedy.

The Fisherman & the Little Fish The Young Crab & His Mother
 "Why in the world do you walk sideways like that?"
said a Mother Crab to her son. "You should always walk
straight forward with your toes turned out."
"Show me how to walk, mother dear," answered the
little Crab obediently, "I want to learn."
So the old Crab tried and tried to walk straight
forward. But she could walk sideways only, like her son.
And when she wanted to turn her toes out she tripped and
fell on her nose.
Do not tell others how to act unless you can set a good example.
The Kid & the Wolf
"A frisky young Kid had been left by the herdsman
on the thatched roof of a sheep shelter to keep him out of
harm's way. The Kid was browsing near the edge of the
roof, when he spied a Wolf and began to jeer at him,
making faces and abusing him to his heart's content.
"I hear you," said the Wolf, "and I haven't the least
grudge against you for what you say or do. When you are
up there it is the roof that's talking, not you."
Do not say anything at any time that you would not say at all times.
The Bundle of Sticks
A certain Father had a family of Sons, who were
forever quarreling among themselves. No words he
could say did the least good, so he cast about in his
mind for some very striking example that should
make them see that discord would lead them to
misfortune.
One day when the quarreling had been much more
violent than usual and each of the Sons was moping
in a surly manner, he asked one of them to bring
him a bundle of sticks. Then handing the bundle to
each of his Sons in turn he told them to try to break
character. Besides, I did not know the Cranes were going
it. But although each one tried his best, none was
able to do so. to steal."
The Father then untied the bundle and gave the
sticks to his Sons to break one by one. This they "You may be a very good bird," answered the
did very easily.
"My Sons," said the Father, "do you not see how Farmer, "but I caught you with the thieving Cranes and
certain it is that if you agree with each other and you will have to share the same punishment with
help each other, it will be impossible for your
enemies to injure you? But if you are divided t h e m . " You are judged by the company you keep.
among yourselves, you will be no stronger than a
single stick in that bundle."
In unity is strength.

The Farmer & the Stork

A Stork of a very simple and trusting nature had

been asked by a gay party of Cranes to visit a field that

had been newly planted. But the party ended dismally with

all the birds entangled in the meshes of the Farmer's net.

The Stork begged the Farmer to spare him.

"Please let me go," he pleaded. "I belong to the

Stork family who you know are honest and birds of good