The frog, puffing herself out, inquired, "Was the beast as big as _that_ in size?" "Cease mother, to puff yourself out," said her son, "and do not be angry; for you would, I assure you, sooner burst than successfully imitate the hugeness of that monster." _To know the limitations of our nature, and act accordingly, is the part of wisdom._ [Illustration] THE HERON WHO WAS HARD TO PLEASE A heron having bolted down too large a fish, burst its deep gullet-bag and lay down on the shore to die. A kite seeing it, exclaimed: "You richly deserve your fate; for a bird of the air has no business to seek its food from the sea." _Everyone should be content to mind his own business._ [Illustration] THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF A Shepherd Boy, who tended his sheep in a field near a village, used to make fun of his friends by crying out now and then, "A Wolf! a Wolf!" as if a Wolf were at the heels of his sheep. This trick did well more than once. The men who were in the village would leave their work, and come in hot haste to the boy's help, each man with an axe or a club with which to kill the Wolf. But as each time they found that it was a Boy's joke, they made up their minds not to come at his cries. One day the Wolf did come; and the Boy cried and cried, "The Wolf! The Wolf! Help! Help!" But it was all in vain, each man thought he was at his old game again. So the Wolf ate the poor Sheep. _No one trusts a liar even when he speaks the truth._ THE ASS, THE COCK, AND THE LION An Ass and a Cock one day ate together just as a fine Lion passed by. As soon as he had cast his eyes on the Ass, he made up his mind to make a meal of him. But it is said that the Lion, though he is the King of Beasts, dreads to hear a cock crow. Now, it came to pass that, just as the Lion was in the act of springing on the Ass, the Cock sent forth a loud and shrill crow. The Lion took to his heels at once, and ran off as fast as he could. The Ass saw this, and thought that the Lion was running off through fear of him. So he gave a great bray, and threw up his head, and started to chase the runaway King of Beasts. But they had not gone far in this way when the Lion turned round. He soon saw that there was but an Ass behind him; so he stood still in his flight, laid hold of the poor Ass, and soon tore him to pieces. _Pride oft leads to ruin._ THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX