Master Raven, perched upon a tree, Held in his beak a savoury piece of cheese; Its pleasant odour, borne upon the breeze, Allured Sir Reynard, with his flattery. "Ha! Master Raven, 'morrow to you, sir; How black and glossy! now, upon my word, I never--beautiful! I do aver. If but your voice becomes your coat, no bird More fit to be the Phœnix of our wood-- I hope, sir, I am understood?" The Raven, flattered by the praise, Opened his spacious beak, to show his ways Of singing: down the good cheese fell. Quick the Fox snapped it. "My dear sir, 'tis well," He said. "Know that a flatterer lives On him to whom his praise he gives; And, my dear neighbour, an' you please, This lesson's worth a slice of cheese."-- The Raven, vexed at his consenting, Flew off, too late in his repenting. FABLE III. THE FROG THAT WISHED TO MAKE HERSELF AS BIG AS THE OX. A Frog, no bigger than a pullet's egg, A fat Ox feeding in a meadow spied. The envious little creature blew and swelled; In vain to reach the big bull's bulk she tried. "Sister, now look! observe me close!" she cried. "Is this enough?"--"No!" "Tell me! now then see!" "No, no!" "Well, now I'm quite as big as he?" "You're scarcely bigger than you were at first!" One more tremendous puff--she grew so large--she burst. The whole world swarms with people not more wise: The tradesman's villa with the palace vies. Ambassadors your poorest Princelings send, And every Count has pages without end. [Illustration: THE TWO MULES.] FABLE IV. THE TWO MULES. Two Mules were journeying--one charged with oats, The other with a tax's golden fruit. This last betrayed that manner which denotes Excessive vanity in man or brute. Proudly self-conscious of his precious load, He paced, and loud his harness-bells resounded; When suddenly upon their lonely road, Both Mules and masters were by thieves surrounded. The money-bearer soon was put to death: "Is this the end that crowns my high career? Yon drudge," he murmured with his latest breath, "Escapes unhurt, while I must perish here!" "My friend," his fellow-traveller made reply, "Wealth cannot always at the poor man scoff. If you had been content to do as I, You'd not at present be so badly off." FABLE V. THE WOLF AND THE DOG. A Wolf, who was but skin and bone, So watchful had the sheep-dogs grown, Once met a Mastiff fat and sleek, Stern only to the poor and weak. Sir Wolf would fain, no doubt, have munched This pampered cur, and on him lunched; But then the meal involved a fight, And he was craven, save at night; For such a dog could guard his throat As well as any dog of note.