One day a hog, an ox, a cow, a dog, and a sheep all met in a straw yard. The hog told the rest that he thought that beast stood first in rank who was kept most for his own sake, and not for the sake of the work that he did. “Now, which of you,” said he, “can boast of this so well as I can?” To the horse he spoke first. “As for you, though you are well fed, and have grooms to wait on you, and make you sleek and clean, yet all this is for the sake of your work. Do not I see the man on the farm take you out at break of day, put you in chains, or bind you fast to the shafts of a cart with a load in it, and keep you out till noon? Then, in the space of an hour does he not take you to work once more till dusk? I may say just the same of the ox, save that he does not work for such good fare.” To the cow he spoke next: “You, who are so fond of your straw and grains, you are thought worth your cost for your milk, which they drain from you twice a day; and your young ones, who should by right have the milk, are torn from you to go no one knows where.” Then thus spoke he to the sheep: “They turn you out to shift as well as you can on the bare hills. You pay dear for your keep, for you have to part with your warm coats once a year, and at night starve with the cold. As for the dog, he has to keep watch all the live long night, while the rest of us are wrapt in soft sleep. In short, you are all slaves, kept for use; while I, on my part, have a warm sty, with food close to my snout, all day and free of cost. All they want from me is to see me eat my food from the trough, bask in the sun, and live at my ease.” Thus spoke the hog. But in a short time the frost set in, and, as it was a bad time for all kinds of food, the man was in great straits to keep his live stock till the spring. “How can I feed them all?” thought he. “I must part with those I can best spare. As for my horse and ox, I shall have _work_ for them--they must be kept, cost what it will. My cows will not give much milk in the frost, it may be, but they will calve in the spring, and will thrive in the new grass; the sheep will do as long as there is a blade on the hills; and if a deep fall of snow should come, I must give them hay, for I count on their wool to make out my rent with. But my hog will eat me out of house and home; so, as he _yields_ naught, I must kill him at once.” THE DRUM AND THE VASE. A drum was heard to boast, in these words, to a vase of sweet herbs, “Hark at my loud, strong tone which rends the sky. When men hear my voice they march to arms, and join the fight with joy!” “Be not too proud,” said the vase; “as for me, I grant you there is a chain on my lips. I speak not, but I am full of good things, while thou hast naught in thee but noise, and must be struck to give it out.” THE FROGS AND THEIR KING.