The Lion and a lot of other Beasts made a plan to share whatever they caught when they went on a hunt. The first day they went out they took a fat Stag, which was cut up into three parts. The Lion said he would be the chief judge, and laid his paw on one of the shares, and thus spoke: "This first piece I claim as your lord and king; this part, too, I claim as the most brave and most fierce of you all; and as for the third," he cried, as he bent his big, bright eyes on the crowd of Beasts, "I mean to take that, too, and let me see which of you dare stop me!" _Might is apt to make a right._ THE EAGLE AND THE ARROW A man shot a shaft at an Eagle, and hit him in the heart. When in the pains of death, the Eagle saw that the dart was made in part with one of his own quills. "Ah!" said he, "how much more sharp are wounds which are made by arms which we have ourselves made!" _It is sad to find that we are the cause of our own ills._ THE MOUSE AND THE FROG One day a Mouse met a Frog, and so well did they like each other that they said they would travel together. The Frog feared lest the Mouse should come to harm, and so tied his own hind-leg to the fore-leg of the Mouse. After a walk of some days like this on land, they came to a pond. The Frog made a start to swim, and bade the Mouse be of good heart. When they had got half-way over, the Frog made a sharp plunge to the bottom--and of course took the Mouse with him. The poor Mouse tried so hard to get to the top of the water again, and made such a splash, and such a noise, that a Kite that was flying past heard it, flew down, caught the Mouse, bore him off, and took the Frog with him. _Self-help is best._ THE WOLF AND THE GOAT As a Goat stood on the top of a high rock, a Wolf who could not get at her where she was thus spoke to her: "Pray come down; I much fear that you will fall from that great height; and you will, too, find the grass down here much more fresh and thick." "I am much pleased by your kind thought," said the Goat, "but do not mind if I do not accept it, as I think that you think more of your own meal than of mine." _Keep far from those you do not trust._ THE BAD DOG There was once a Dog which was so fierce and bad that his master had to tie a big clog round his neck lest he should bite and tease men and boys in the street. The Dog thought that this was a thing to be proud of, so ran through the best known streets, and grew so vain that he scorned the dogs he met, and would not be seen with them. But one of them said in his ear, "You are wrong, my friend; the badge round your neck is a mark of shame, not a cause for pride." _Some win fame only for their folly._ THE KID AND THE WOLF