Rock A Bye Library: A Book of Fables. Unknown

p>Rock A Bye Library: A Book of Fables / Amusement for Good Little Children

      THE FOX AND THE COCK

      A Fox, one day, saw a Cock on the roof of a barn. “Come to me, my dear Master Cock,” said he; “I have always heard you are such a clever fellow; and I want to ask you a riddle.” Glad to hear himself praised, the foolish Cock came down, and the Fox caught him, and ate him in a moment.

      The praise of the wicked is always dangerous.

      THE GIANT AND THE DWARF

      A Dwarf one day met a Giant. “Let me come with you,” said he.

      “Very well,” said the Giant.

      When they met robbers, the Giant beat them with his club; but the Dwarf got beaten. At last he began to cry; but the Giant said, “My little man, if you are not strong you must not go out to battle with a Giant.”

      We must not set ourselves up as equal to people who are greater and wiser than we.

      THE PARTRIDGE AND HER YOUNG

      A Partridge lived in a corn-field. “Mother,” said one of her Chicks, “we must run away from this field; for I heard the owner say ‘I will ask my neighbors to mow that field to-morrow.’” The Partridge said “Never mind.”—“But,” said another Chick, “I since heard him say ‘I will mow the field myself.’”—“Then,” said the Partridge, “we must indeed run away; for this man is going to do his own work.”

      THE COCK AND THE JEWEL

      As a Cock was scratching up the straw, in a farm-yard, in search of food for the hens, he hit upon a Jewel that by some chance had found its way there. “Ho!” said he, “you are a very fine thing, no doubt, to those who prize you; but give me a barley-corn before all the pearls in the world.”

      The Cock, in this, was sensible; but there are many silly people who despise what is precious only because they cannot understand it.