One hot day, a stag came to quench his thirst at a lake, and stood there to scan his shape from head to foot, as it shone in the clear pool. “What strength is there,” said he, “in this fine pair of horns which branch out with so much grace from each side of my head! If the rest of my form were but of a piece with my horns, I would give place to none. But, ah, me! how slight are these poor legs of mine. I would as lief have none at all.” Just then some men, and a pack of hounds that had been on the scent, made to the spot where the stag stood. Off he went, at full speed; and those legs, with which he found so much fault, soon took him out of the reach of hounds and men. But the horns which he was so vain of, by ill luck, caught in the boughs of a tree, and held him there till the hounds came to pull him down. [Illustration: The Stag in the Lake.--Page 32. _Æsop._] THE MAN, THE FOX, AND THE BEAR. A man once saw a fox which had so sleek a coat that he felt a wish to kill him for the sake of it, and he thought of a plan by which he might save the skin whole. He dug a deep trench just in front of his hole, on which he spread leaves, sticks, and straw, and then hid in the thick trees out of sight, to wait till the fox came home. But he went to sleep; and while he slept, the fox came up, saw the piece of meat, and had a great wish to taste it; yet when he stole a look round him, he had his doubts that all was right, so he did not touch it. Soon a bear came up, and sprang on the bait. The sticks gave way as he lit on them, and down he fell in the pit. The noise woke up the man, who, as he thought of course it was his friend the fox, went down the pit, where the bear gave him a hug which took all the breath out of his lungs, and then ate him up. So the man was caught in his own trap. He must rise in good time who would cheat the fox. THE FOX AND THE CROW. A crow sat on the bough of a tree with a piece of cheese in her beak. A sly old fox which saw her, said, “What a fine bird thou art! How bright is thine eye, how sleek are thy wings, what grace is there in the turn of thy whole form! Oh, that such a bird should lack a voice!” The poor crow was much struck with this speech, saw not its guile, and would fain prove how sweet her note was; so she gave a loud caw, and down fell the cheese to the ground. The fox ran off with it, and said, as he went, “I spoke loud of her charms; but fair words do not cost much, nor does the heart feel all that the false tongue speaks. Yet I said not a word of her brains; for a wise head makes a close mouth, and a close mouth will catch no flies.” [Illustration: The Fox and the Crow.--Page 34. _Æsop._] THE BOOR AND THE STAG.