THE OLD MAN AND HIS ASS.

bar-gain cu-ri-ous dis-mount-ed pre-sent-ly trudg-ing whist-ling un-man-ner-ly shoul-ders laugh-ter tum-bled fright-en-ed po-si-tion AN old man and his son were driving an ass to the market to sell. "What a fool is this fellow," said a man upon the road, "to be trudging it on foot with his son, that his ass may go light!" The old man, hearing this, set his boy upon the ass, and went whistling by his side.

Presently they met another man. "You unmannerly boy," cried he, "to be riding, while your poor old father is on foot!" The father at once told his son to get off, and then mounted himself.

By-and-by they met two other men. "Do you see," said one of them to the other, "how that lazy old fellow takes his ease on the beast whilst his poor little boy is walking footsore and weary?" The old man no sooner heard this, than he said, "Jump up behind, my son."

The next man they met on the road was no better pleased. Pray, honest friend," said he, "is that ass

your own?"

"Yes," the old man replied.

"I should not have thought so, by your loading him in that way. Why, you and your son are better able to carry the poor beast, than he is to carry you!"

The old man wished to please everybody, so he prepared to carry his ass. He and his son dismounted, tied the legs of the donkey, and by the help of a pole tried to carry him upon their shoulders over the bridge that led to the town. The people ran in crowds to see this curious sight. The poor ass was quite frightened

at the noise and laughter of the people; and not liking his new position, he gave a sudden jerk, broke the pole, and tumbled over the bridge into the river.

The poor old man made the best of his way home, amid the jeers of the crowd. He was vexed and

ashamed that, in trying to please everybody, he had pleased nobody, and lost his ass into the bargain.

THERE was a round pond, and a pretty pond too,
About it white daisies and violets grew,

And dark weeping willows, that stoop to the ground,
Dipped in their long branches, and shaded it round.

One day a young chicken that lived thereabout,
Stood watching to see the ducks pop in and out,
Now turning tail upward, now diving below;
She thought, of all things, she should like to do so.

*

So the poor silly chick was determined to try;

She thought 'twas as easy to swim as to fly:
Though her mother had told her she must not go near,
She foolishly thought there was nothing to fear.

"My feet, wings, and feathers, for aught* I can see,

As good as the ducks' are for swimming," said sho:

'Though my beak is pointed, and their beaks are round, Is that any reason that I should be drowned?

"Why should I not swim, then, as well as a duck? I think I shall venture,* and try what's my luck ! ” For in spite of all that her mother had taught her, "I'm remarkably fond," said she, "of the water."

were true:

So in this poor creature most foolishly flew,
But soon found her dear mother's cautions
She splashed, and she dashed, and she turned herself round,
And heartily wished herself safe on the ground.

But now 'twas too late to begin to repent,*
The harder she struggled the deeper she went;
And when every effort she vainly* had tried,
She slowly sank down to the bottom and died!

Determined, made up her mind. Aught, anything. Venture, risk. Cautions, warnings. Repent, to be sorry. Fainly, to no

purpose.

THERE lived an ass in days gone by, that wished to be a lion, or a bear, or some other wild beast. Now one day, this foolish creature found a lion's skin, and put it on. Then he went into the woods and fields, and frightened the silly sheep.

He had not gone far, before he met his owner in a narrow lane. The ass thought to frighten his master; but the good man, seeing his long ears stand out, was not to be deceived. So taking a cudgel in his hand, he soon taught the impostor to care more for his own skin than the lion's.

Thus the poor beast found out what folly it is to make a false show. And so every person who pretends to be more clever or learned than he is, is like the ass in the lion's skin.

I once knew a schoolboy like this foolish ass. The master offered a prize to the boy who should draw the best map at home. But of course each scholar was expected to do it all himself. Well, six of the boys competed for the prize, and brought their maps on the appointed day.

One of the maps was well drawn, and beautifully coloured. It was by far the best, and belonged to John Roberts. All were surprised to see such a beautiful map done by this boy. And the master said that, before he gave the prize, he should like to have a copy made. So John sat down, with paper and pencil and india-rubber, and began to draw. But as soon as he drew a line, he rubbed it out again, He tried and tried for a whole hour, and then was obliged to confess that his cousin had drawn the map for him.

The master was very angry, and said he was like