The uneducated man who begins by seeking the society of the learned, in this way becomes educated. In time he grows capable of finishing his education, unaided by others. THE SHARK A Shark, taking up his station at the mouth of a river, ruled over all the inhabitants of the waters. As he conducted himself with extreme violence toward them, they showed every sign of submissiveness. He had, in fact, become their King, and they treated him as such. The Shark was unduly elated by his situation. “Wherefore,” said he to himself, “should I not extend my dominion still farther?” Taking advantage of a favorable opportunity, he left the river and went out to sea, with a view of expanding his domain. “I must now subjugate the fishes who dwell here,” he remarked. He was thus dreaming of ocean conquest, when he met the whale. Seized with alarm, and frozen with terror, the would-be conqueror fled, and regained the mouth of the river, feeling quite dejected. Henceforth he was very careful not to leave his lurking-place. Let us beware of giving up a satisfactory position, in pursuit of vainglory, and for the sake of increasing our power; in all cases let us limit our desires. THE WOLF, THE NURSE, AND THE CHILD A certain Wolf was wandering round in search of prey. He entered a village and heard a Child crying. “What are you crying for?” asked the Child’s old Nurse. “Unless you stop I will give you to the Wolf.” Some time afterward, when the Child had stopped crying, the old woman began to flatter and humor him. “If the Wolf comes,” said she, “we will tie him fast, then we will give him a beating, and hit him so hard that it will kill him, and after that we will give him to the cat.” “Lord deliver us from the people of this house!” cried the Wolf, on hearing these words. “Nothing is less to be relied upon than their words; one moment they speak in one way, and the next in another!” Saying this, he took himself off, and hurriedly retired. Do not trust the promises of people whose word is as changeable as the color of the chameleon. THE CANDLE A Candle, made of soft and pliant wax, lamented over the fact that the slightest touch injured it. It did nothing but sigh, and burst out into bitter complaints against its dismal lot, especially dwelling upon the fact that bricks, although at first tender and pasty, grow hard from heat and thus acquire an age-long durability. In order to acquire the same hardness, and to reap the same advantages, it leaped into the fire, melted, and was consumed. It is useless to rise up in irritation and revolt against the disadvantages which are inherent in our nature, our constitution, or our position. THE CLOWN TURNED FIRST SOLDIER, THEN MERCHANT A certain Clown, occupied in cultivating his field, guided the plough now this way, now that, and in the midst of his task felt sorry that he had not been more favored by fortune.