_N.B.--I cannot conscientiously recommend the Indulgent Reader to proceed any further--for reasons which, should he do so, will be obvious. H. B. J._ THE PARABLES OF PILJOSH FREELY RENDERED INTO ENGLISH FROM THE ORIGINAL STYPTIC WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY H. B. JABBERJEE, B.A. INTRODUCTION I shall begin by begging that it may not be supposed either that _I_ am the Author or even the Translator of the appended fables! The plain truth of the matter is that I am far indeed from standing agog with amazement at their literary or other excellences, and inclined rather to award them the faint damnation of a very mediocre eulogy. But it so happens that the actual translator is the same young English friend who kindly furnished me with a few selected poetic extracts for my Society novel, and has earnestly entreated me (as the _quid pro quo_!) to compose an introduction and notes for his own effusion, alleging that it is a _sine quâ non_ nowadays for all first class Classics to be issued with introduction, notes and appendix by some literary knob--otherwise they speedily become obsolete and still-born. Therefore I readily consented to oblige him, although I am no _au fait_ in the Styptic dialect, and cannot therefore be held answerable for the accuracy of my friend's translation, which he admits himself is of a rather free description. Of the Philosopher who composed these Proverbs or Fables little is known, even in his own country, except that (as all Scholiasts are aware) he was born on the 1st of April 1450 (old style), and for some years filled the important and responsible post of Archi-mandrake of Paraprosdokian. He probably met with a violent end. I shall not undertake to provide a note to _every_ parable, but only in cases where I think that the Parabolist is not quite as luminous as the nose on one's face, and needs the services of an experienced interpreter. H. B. J. The Butterfly visited so many flowers that she fell sick of a surfeit of nectar. She called it "Nervous Breakdown." * * * * * "Instead of vainly lamenting over those we have lost," said the young Cuckoo severely, to the Father and Mother Sparrow, "it seems to me that you should be rejoicing that _I_ am still spared to you!" _Note._--A mere plagiaristic adaptation of the trite adage concerning the comparative values of birds in the hand and in the bush.--H. B. J. * * * * * "I am old enough to be thy Grandfather!" the Egg informed the Chicken. "In that case," replied the Chicken, "it is high time thou bestirredst thyself!" "Not so!" said the Egg, "since the longer I remain quiescent, the fitter I shall be for the career that is destined for me." "Indeed," inquired the Chicken, "and what may _that_ be?" "_Politics!_" answered the Egg with importance.