IMMORAL: 

Don’t praise the soft whiteness of a labor delegate’s hands.

[Illustration:  The Fox and the Crow.]

The Ass in the Lion’s Skin.

An ass, by some means unknown to the writer, having managed to get into a lion’s skin, ran around the neighborhood frightening the beasts into fits.  When he brayed, they said:  “Jupiter! what a magnificent bass voice he has!” and he was the pantata of that district until he died of old age.

IMMORAL: 

A good bluff, well chucked, is liable to do considerable execution.

[Illustration:  The Ass in the Lion’s Skin.]

The Horse and the Oyster.

A very prancy horse, discovering an oyster on the sea-shore, thought to show off a little and make the oyster envious.

After he had done some surprising leaps and curvetings, he went up to the oyster, and, with a toss of his head, said: 

“There! what do you think of that?”

“You must excuse me,” answered the bivalve, “but I have been blind from birth, and missed the whole show.”

IMMORAL: 

Of what use is a dress suit in the Desert of Sahara?

[Illustration:  The Horse and the Oyster.]

The Monkey and the Ass.

An ass, having seen a monkey doing tricks on a roof, to the edification of the villagers, became envious, and essayed to emulate his more agile rival.

The roof broke under his greater weight, and he fell through on his master, squashing him flatter than a pan-cake.  Thenceforward, having no one to say him nay, he lived a life of peace and plenty, coming and going at his own sweet will, while the monkey was captured by an organ grinder and works eighteen hours a day.

IMMORAL: 

People are not always such asses as they seem to us.

[Illustration:  The Monkey and the Ass.]

The Merchant and the Fool.

A merchant of horses was driving his stock to the market.  On the road he met a venerable old fool, who offered to buy his entire stock.

“It is this way,” said the intended purchaser, “I will take your horses now, and whenever I find use for one, I will send you the money for it.”

“Now the gods be lenient to folly!” exclaimed the indignant merchant.  “Man, Man! where in the realm of idiocy did you get your knowledge of business?”

“I ran a pay-on-publication journal for ten years,” said the fool with asperity.

But the merchant had vanished in a cloud of oaths and dust.

[Illustration:  The Merchant and the Fool.]

The Wolf and the Sheep.

A wolf that had been left for dead by the dogs lay not far from a running brook.  He felt that one good drink might save his life.  Just then a sheep passed near.