ornaments of his royal crown. When the Pebble heard of the brilliant fortune of the Diamond, it began to complain of its own hard lot; and one day, seeing a peasant driving by, it called out to him:
"Do me a favour, kind sir, take me with you to the city. Why should I lie here in the mud and dust while my friend the Diamond, so I am told, is enjoying the honours of the Court? I don't understand why it has been treated so royally. It lay here beside me for many years; and after all, it is nothing but a stone, like myself. Please take me with you! Who can tell? Perhaps when I reach the city I too may be highly honoured!"
The peasant picked up the Pebble, tossed it into his lumbering cart, and brought it to the city. On its way the Pebble passed the time picturing itself as occupying a place beside the Diamond in the King's crown. But it really met with quite a different fate. It was put to good use, for it served to mend a hole in the high-road.
(Krilov, Fables. Adapted from the translation by William R. S. Ralston.)
THE PIKE AND THE CAT
A CONCEITED young Pike took it into his foolish young head to leave his native home in the water, and lead the life of a Cat. Perhaps he was envious of the Cat's easy, comfortable life; or perhaps he was tired of eating nothing but fish dinners. At all events he asked Pussy to take him with her the next time she went to hunt mice in the warehouse.
"But, my dear friend," said the Cat, "what in the world do you know about catching mice? I am afraid you will make a sad mess of it! You know the old sayings, 'A tailor should stick to his last,' and 'Jack of all trades is master of none.'"
