An old man who saw a child stand for a long time by the side of a stream, said, “My boy, why do you gaze so long on this brook?” “Sir,” said the child, “I stay here to wait till the stream has run off, for then I shall pass with dry feet.” “Nay,” quoth the old man, “you might stay out your life, and yet not do that, for this brook will run on as long as time. And as you wend your way through life, you will find this out. If you go with the stream, you will get to the sea; but if you do not go with the stream, you will have to wade.” THE MICE, THE CAT, AND THE BELL. Once on a time some mice were in such great dread of a cat, that they did not dare to stir day or night lest she should kill them. At this rate they thought they should starve, so they all met to talk of the best thing for them to do. While they thus sat in great doubt, a pert young mouse rose and said, “I have thought of a good plan, and that is to tie a bell to the cat’s neck, which would ring at each step she takes, and let us know when she comes near.” This bright speech brought hope with it, and made the mice jump for joy. Then a grave old mouse, who till now had been quite mute, rose and said, “I have heard that you ‘hold a wolf by the ears’ and that you ‘put salt on the bird’s tail,’ but what shall we do to bell the cat?” Safe bind, safe find. THE BEAR IN THE WOOD. Two men had to pass through a thick wood, and one of them said, “Should we fall in with wild beasts, I will come to your help, if you will do the same by me.” “So be it,” said his friend, and off they set. They had not gone far when a bear made a rush out of the wood. The man who had made the good rule for them to act on, got up a tree to hide, and his poor friend was put to his wits’ end to save his life, so he fell flat on the ground, held his breath, and lay quite still, that the bear might think he was dead. The huge beast came close up to him, and felt him with his snout, but as he took him for a dead man, did him no harm. When the bear was gone, and all was safe, the man came down from the tree, and with a smile, said, “What did the bear tell you when he put his snout so close up to your ear?” “Well,” said his friend, “what he told me was this--‘Have a care of that rogue up the tree, and for the time to come put no trust in him!’” Prove thy friend ere thou have need of him. THE OLD FOX AND HER YOUNG ONE.