A fox came suddenly into a meadow, where a flock of beautiful, fat geese were reposing; this amused him, so he laughed, and said, "It is just as if I had been called; I am just arrived at the right moment; you sit all there so comfortably together, that I can eat you up one after the other, without disturbing you much." The geese cackled with apprehension, and began to lament their impending fate, and entreat for their lives. The fox, however, would listen to nothing, and said, "There is no mercy for you; you must die!" At last one took courage, and said, "If we poor geese must lose our young, fresh lives, grant us at least this small favor--that we may repeat one prayer, and not die in our sins; after that we will place ourselves in a row, that you may be able to choose the fattest." "Well," said the fox, "perhaps that is only just, it is certainly proper, begin your prayer, and I will wait." The first began with a remarkably long prayer, nothing but "ga, ga," and as it did not seem inclined to leave off, the second would not wait until her turn came, but began likewise, "ga, ga," the third and fourth followed, and they soon all cackled together. (When the prayer is finished you shall have the rest of the story; but as far as I know, they are all still going on.) [Illustration] [Illustration] "Count that day lost whose low-descending sun, Views from thy hand no worthy action done." [Illustration] THE CHILDREN IN THE MOON. Harken, child, unto a story! For the moon is in the sky, And across her shield of silver, See! two tiny cloudlets fly. Watch them closely, mark them sharply, As across the light they pass,-- Seem they not to have the figures Of a little lad and lass? See, my child, across their shoulders Lies a little pole! and lo! Yonder speck is just the bucket, Swinging softly to and fro. It is said, these little children, Many and many a Summer night, To a little well far northward Wandered in the still moonlight. To the wayside well they trotted, Filled their little buckets there, And the Moon-man looking downwards, Saw how beautiful they were. Quoth the man, "How vexed and sulky Looks the little rosy boy! But the little handsome maiden, Trips behind him full of joy. To the well behind the hedgerow Trot the little lad and maiden; From the well behind the hedgerow Now the little pail is laden. How they please me! how they tempt me! Shall I snatch them up to-night? Snatch them, set them here forever, In the middle of my light? Children, ay, and children's children Should behold my babes on high, And my babes should smile forever, Calling others to the sky?" Thus the philosophic Moon-man Muttered many years ago, Set the babes with pole and bucket, To delight the folks below.