A man drove his ass down to the coast to buy a load of salt, and on his way home the ass fell in the midst of a stream. The salt, of course, did not take long to melt, and so the ass lost his load, and came home fresh and gay. The next day the man set off to the coast for some more salt, and put the load on his ass once more. As they went through the stream, the ass took care to fall down just at the same spot, and thus got rid of his load this time too. But the man, who now saw the trick, made a plan to cure the ass of it. He bought a large load of sponge, and put it on the back of the beast, and drove him, for the third time, to the coast. By and by they came to the stream, when the ass thought to play his old pranks. But the sponge got wet through, and the ass found to his cost that so far from a light load, he had now on his back one which was ten times the weight of the first. If a man cheats me once, shame on him. If he cheats me twice, shame on me. THE WOLF AND THE HOUSE DOG. A poor lean wolf, that was but skin and bone, fell in with a plump house dog, and said, “How comes it, my friend, that you look so fat and sleek, while I, who am in the woods night and day in search of food, do but starve at the best?” “Well,” said the dog, “you may be as well off as I am, if you will do the same for it. I have but to guard the house from thieves; so come home with me, and see how you like the life.” “With all my heart!” cries the wolf. As they went down the road side by side, the wolf saw a mark on the dog’s neck, and would know what it was. So they had a talk. _Dog._--Well, it may be a slight mark from the chain. _Wolf._--Chain! Do you mean to say that you may not roam when and where you please? _Dog._--Why, not quite. For, you see, they do look on me as the least in the world fierce, so they tie me up by day, but I am let loose at night. And all in the house pet me, and feed me with scraps from their own plates, and--Come on. What ails you? _Wolf._--Oh, good night to you. I wish you joy of your fine life; but, for my part, though I may not be fat, I will at least be free. No one loves chains, though they be made of gold. [Illustration: The Wolf and the House Dog.--Page 31. _Æsop._] THE STAG IN THE LAKE.