A CHARCOAL Burner carried on his trade at his own house. One day he met a friend who was a Fuller, and begged him to come and live with him. “We shall be far better friends if we live together,” he said, “and then our housekeeping expenses will be greatly lessened.” The Fuller replied: “The arrangement would not suit me in the least, for whatever I should take pains to whiten, your charcoal would immediately blacken. I am afraid we should not grow better friends under such circumstances.” THE PORCUPINE AND THE SNAKES A PRICKLY Porcupine came wandering along one day, looking for a place to live. He found a family of Snakes in a warm cave, and asked them to let him share their shelter. The Snakes consented, though much against their will, and the Porcupine crept into their home. But it was not long before they found that his sharp quills stuck into them and hurt them, and they wished they had never let him in. [Illustration] “Dear Porcupine, please go away,” they said; “you are so large and so prickly.” But the Porcupine was very rude, and said: “Oh, no. If you do not like it here, you can go away. I find it very comfortable.” It was too late that the Snakes learned that it is easier to keep an intruder out than to compel him to go when you have once let him in. THE BUNDLE OF STICKS AN Old Man had many Sons, who were often quarreling. He tried to make them good friends, but could not. As the end of his life drew near, the old Man called them all to him and showed them a bundle of sticks tied tightly together. “Now,” said the Father, “see if you can break this bundle of sticks.” Each of the Sons in turn took the bundle and tried with all his might to break it, but could not. When all had tried and given it up, the Father said, “Untie the bundle, and each of you take a stick and see if you can break that.” This they could do very easily. Then said the Father: “You saw when the sticks were bound together how strong they were; but as soon as they were untied, you broke them easily. Now, if you will stop quarreling and stand by each other, you will be like the bundle of sticks—no one can do you any harm; but if you do not keep together, you will be as weak as is one of the little sticks by itself, which any one can break.” THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG THERE was once a Dog who used to run at every one whom he met, but so quietly that no one suspected harm from him till he began to bite his heels. In order to give notice to strangers that the Dog could not be trusted, and at the same time to punish the Dog himself, the master would sometimes hang a bell about his neck and compel him to drag a heavy clog, which he firmly attached to his collar by a chain.