The army entered the forest; but they had not gone far before they were fired upon from every side. The firing was kept up. The soldiers were falling to the ground, killed, or wounded; but no enemy was in sight, and no one could see where the firing came from. General Braddock and his chief officers were killed. The army was defeated; and Washington, the principal officer left alive, gathered their shattered ranks together; led them out from the woods and marched them back to the place from which they had started. The failure of that military enterprise, stands out on the page of history as a striking illustration of the folly of self-confidence. “The Folly of a Sailor’s Self-Confidence.” The captain of a ship had brought his vessel to the entrance of the channel that leads to the harbor of one of the principal seaport towns of Scotland. He had often sailed in and out of that harbor. He felt confident that he could take the vessel in himself. When the pilot came and offered his services, he said: “No, I’ll be my own pilot. I know every rock in the channel. I am sure I can take the ship safely in.” He started on his way. It was blowing a gale at the time. But he had not got far before the ship was dashed against a hidden rock of which he did not know. The vessel went to pieces, almost in sight of the harbor, and the captain and his crew were all lost. Here we see the folly of self-confidence. But we often see this folly even when it does not lead to such fatal results as followed in the illustrations already given. This is clearly shown in the following fable: “The Owl That Thought He Could Sing.” “What in the world can bring so many people into the grove to hear the nightingales sing?” said a young owl to his mother. The old owl didn’t know and didn’t care—she was busy watching a bat. “I am sure I have as fine a voice as any nightingale and a good deal stronger.” “Stronger, certainly, my son,” said the owl, blinking her eyes, for the bat had escaped. “I shall go into the grove to-night, and give them a song,” said the self-confident young owl. The old owl opened her round eyes very wide, but said nothing. So, when night came, and the hour for the sweet singing of the birds drew near, he flew heavily along and placed himself in a part of the grove where he could be seen and heard to the best advantage. But the nightingales did not like the prospect either of his company or his help in their concert; so those of them who were going to sing flew away to another grove, while those who were to be quiet for the night kept snugly at roost. “Where can the nightingales be?” said one of the people who had come to hear them. Then the self-confident young owl set up a hoot so long and loud that it startled the people. “That horrid creature has frightened them all away,” said one. “Where’s my gun? I’ll soon fix him.” The owl took the hint and without waiting till the gun appeared hastened back home.