“I will drive this stone down your throat, in order that your thirty-two teeth may choke you.” The Priest returned hastily to his house, lost in astonishment, and said to his wife: “In the name of God, wife, light a candle, and count how many teeth I have.” She counted them and said: “They are just thirty-two in number.” The Priest at once returned to the Young Man and said: “How did you learn the number of my teeth? And who told you?” “Sir,” replied the other, “I learned the number of your teeth from the number of my own.” This fable shows that from my own bad qualities I am able to guess yours, for all faults are common. THE CONVERTED CAT The Cat, having put on the cowl and become a monk, sent word to the mice and said: “It is an abominable thing to shed blood. As for me, I will shed no more, for I am become religious.” Then the mice replied: “Although we saw in you the whole Order of St. Anthony, or of our holy Father St. Mark, we could have no confidence in your hypocrisy.” The Cat covered herself with a dust rag, and smeared herself with flour. The mice approached her, saying: “Wretch, we see through your dust rag!” Then she pretended to be dead, and lay in the path of the mice, who approached her and said: “Miserable cheat, although your skin be made into a purse, we could not believe that you had given up your habitual knavery.” This fable shows that when you have once found out a person of dishonest, treacherous, and evil character, you should not trust him, even if he tries to do right, for he cannot change his nature. THE FOX AND THE WOLF The Fox deceived the Wolf, telling him that if he delivered a letter to the heads of the village, they would give him food to bring back. When the Wolf reached the village the dogs fell upon him, biting and wounding him. When he returned in a sad plight the Fox said to him: “Why did you not show your letter?” “I did show it,” was the reply, “but there were a thousand dogs, who did not know the handwriting.” This fable shows that there are many people ignorant, though brave, with whom it is best not to dispute or to mix, but prudently to keep away from them. THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER The Horse complained to his Rider, saying that it was unjust that a fair and powerful creature, such as he was, should be a slave and carry so weak a thing as man. His Rider replied: “I feed you, I shelter you with a roof, and I show you where water and grass are to be found.” “But you take away my liberty, and put a hard bit in my mouth. You weary me with long journeys, and sometimes expose me to the dangers of battle,” answered the Horse. “Take, then, your liberty,” said his master, removing the bridle from his head and the saddle from his back.