THE MOUSE, THE COCK, AND THE CAT.

A young mouse, whose mother was very careful of her, was desirous of going abroad, to see the world. Dear mother, said she, do let me take a walk, and enjoy myself alone, and not keep me always tied to your apron strings. You are too young and inconsiderate as yet, said the mother, to be trusted alone. You will immediately get into danger, and perhaps lose your life. Oh, never be afraid for me, mamma, replied the young one, I have eyes to see, and feet to run with, and wit enough to keep out of danger.

This impatience to get beyond the reach of parents, said the mother, and to enjoy liberty, is a weakness too common to children, and often proves fatal to them; but for once I will let you go, only be careful, and remember that my anxiety will not cease, till I see you return.

Oh, never fear, said the young one, I will be back in two hours at farthest; and will then entertain you with a history of my rambles.

So saying, she skipped away in high glee, and scarcely knew how to behave herself for joy; but within half an hour, she came running back, quite out of breath, and every hair on her back standing upright with horror.

What is the matter, said the mother? What has so much alarmed you?

Give me, answered the young mouse, a few minutes to take breath, and I will tell you.

I fear you have been heedlessly running into danger, said the mother, shaking her head.

Indeed, but I have not, mother; when you have heard all I have to say, you will think I have behaved very wisely. After having gone through the fields, and looked at the grass, the cows, and the flowers, I turned into a farm-yard, where I saw ploughs, and yokes, and a deal of fine things, which I never saw before. But just now I spied a terrible creature, which I at once knew to be an enemy. It had a strange piece of flesh as red as blood growing on top of its head, and another of the same colour under its chin. What it was I know not; but it flapped its wings, and, opening its great mouth wide enough to swallow me, uttered such a tremendous scream, as made me tremble like a leaf, and I scampered away as fast as I could, and here I am safe. But this was very unfortunate, for just then I saw at a little distance another creature, so beautiful and harmless, so gentle and modest, that I fell directly in love with it. It was very much like us in shape, but ten times as large. It had a soft fur coat, beautifully brindled, black and gray. It fixed its eyes on me, and I verily believe was about to speak to me, when Mr. Redcrest set up his terrible squall, and obliged me to take to my heels.

My dear child, said the old mouse, every word you speak alarms me. The animal, which terrified you so, is one of the most innocent creatures in the world; whereas the one you so much admired, is no other than the cat, a most implacable enemy to the whole race of mice. It is fortunate you escaped as you did; the next moment you would have been devoured, and never more should I have seen you. From this, my child, you will learn the value of experience, and better realize the benefit of parental care, which is necessary to save you from innumerable dangers.

It is foolish to look upon any thing as unworthy of notice, merely because it is little. Nothing is little or great but by comparison. When Gulliver was in Brobdingnag, a country in the story-book, where the people were sixty feet high, they could not help exclaiming, "Bless me, how little you are!" But the same Gulliver, when he was in Lilliput, whose puny inhabitants were only five or six inches high, was called a giant, because he was so large.

There is a little insect, called the gad-fly, which stings the bull and other great and mighty beasts, particularly in hot countries, till it drives them mad. Perhaps this is, because these poor beasts are destitute of understanding, by which we are taught to endure pain, and wait with patience till it is over.

Begone, contemptible wretch, said a lion one day to a gadfly who was buzzing around him. He thought it beneath the majesty of his character to suffer himself to be disturbed by such a pitiful insect.

Do you despise me, said the gad-fly, highly incensed at the insulting tone and language of the lion? I will teach you to think twice another time, before you determine whom you will despise-I declare war against you.

The lion laid down with great composure at the mouth of his den, without deigning to take the least notice of what the gad-fly said. The insect began his hum or drone, the signal that he was about to commence his attack; then taking a circuit in the air, darted upon the lion's neck, and stung him. With another sweep he fastened upon his cheek, which he stung so severely, as to draw blood. The lion roared most terribly. The strongest beasts ran to their hiding-places; and all the inhabitants of the forest trembled. The whole was the work of a fly.

The assailant was not yet content. He stung the lion behind his ears; he entered his nostrils, and there wounded him severely. This was the worst of all. The lion could do nothing to the fly. He lashed his sides with his tail; he gnashed his teeth, and tossed the foam from his lips. At last, quite exhausted, he fell upon the ground, and bit the dust with agony.

Was not this an ill-natured little insect, to tease and torment so noble a creature as a lion, that had never done him any harm? I hope you will never torment a poor lame or blind man, or a wild beast, confined in a cage, merely because he has not power to injure you. Such conduct is a certain proof of a bad disposition, and a coward.

The fly was greatly puffed up with his victory. See, with what ease I have vanquished the king of beasts! I challenge the whole world. Where is the fool-hardy creature, that dares contend with me!

A spider from her hole heard the vain boasting fly, and laughed at her folly. There is none so great, but there is a greater. The fly, having sung the song of victory, was flying off in proud triumph, when she struck full tilt upon a spider's web, and was entangled in the flimsiest and most slender net in the world. The spider leaped from her hole, seized the conqueror of the world, and put her to death in

a moment.

There is no creature too small to be despised, nor too great to be conquered.

The Fox, you know, is one of the most cunning and subtle of all animals. There is no deception or hypocrisy, to which he will not stoop, in order to effect his wicked purposes.

Á hungry fox, one day, saw a cock perched upon a tree, just where the branches divide themselves from the stem. He wished to make a meal of him; but the difficulty was, how to get at him. The cock was quite high, out of his reach, and the fox had no wings to enable him to fly to him. A stratagem must be thought of.

The fox looked up and around, licked his chops, and sat down upon his hind feet, quite at a loss what to do. At length he says to the cock, Have you heard the news today?

The news, what news? answered red crest. I have heard of nothing, but what daily occurs; robberies, thefts, murders, piracies, all which are the natural fruits of fraud and hypocrisy and so long as cunning passes for wisdom, and successful knavery and fraud for prudent foresight, we need expect nothing better.

You moralize, said the fox; this is beneath a person of your exaltation. Affairs of states and nations better become your dignity. The news I have to relate is of this