The Two Travellers
As two men were travelling through a wood, one of them took up an axe which
he saw lying upon the ground. "Look here," said he to his companion, "I have
found an axe."
"Don't say, 'I have found it,'" said the other, "but 'We have found it.' As we are
companions, we ought to share it between us." The first would not agree to this
idea, however.
They had not gone far when they heard the owner of the axe calling after them in
a great passion. "We are in for it!" cried he who had the axe.
"Nay," answered the other, "say 'I'm in for it!'—not we. You would not let me
share the prize, and I am not going to share the danger."
The Fox in the Well
An unlucky Fox, having fallen into a well, was able, by dint of great efforts, just
to keep his head above water.
While he was struggling there and sticking his claws into the side of the Well, a
Wolf came and looked in. "What! my dear brother," cried he, with affected
concern, "can it really be you that I see down there? How cold you must feel!
How long have you been in the water? How came you to fall in? I am so pained
to see you. Do tell me all about it!"
"The end of a rope would be of more use to me than all your pity," answered the
Fox.
"Just help me to get my foot on solid ground once more, and you shall have the
whole story."
The Hen and the Fox
A Fox, having crept into an outhouse, looked up and down for something to eat,
and at last espied a Hen sitting upon a perch so high that he could be no means