Page:Three hundred Aesop's fables (Townshend).djvu/110

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The Fables of Æsop.

THE MOUSE AND THE BULL

A Bull was bitten by a Mouse, and, pained by the wound, tried to capture him. The Mouse first reached his hole in safety, and the Bull dug into the walls with his horns, until wearied, crouching down, he slept by the hole. The Mouse peeping out, crept furtively up his flank, and, again biting him, retreated to his hole. The Bull rising up, and not knowing what to do, was sadly perplexed. The Mouse murmured forth, "The great do not always prevail. There are times when the small and lowly are the strongest to do mischief."


THE DOG AND THE COOK.

A rich man gave a great feast, to which he invited many friends and acquaintances. His dog availed himself of the occasion to invite a stranger dog, a friend of his, saying, "My master gives a feast; you will have unusually good cheer; come and sup with me to-night." The Dog thus invited went at the hour appointed, and seeing the preparations for so grand an entertainment, said, in the joy of his heart, "How glad I am that I came! I do not often get such a chance as this. I will take care and eat enough to last me both to-day and to-morrow." While he thus congratulated himself, and wagged his tail, as if he would convey a sense of his pleasure to his friend, the Cook saw him moving about among his dishes, and, seizing him by his fore and hind paws, bundled him without ceremony out of the window. He fell with force upon the ground, and limped away, howling dreadfully. His yelling soon attracted other street dogs, who came up to him, and inquired how he had