THE PUG DOG AND HIS SHADOW

“I am going out to see the world,” said a pug puppy.

He ran down a hill as fast as his wabbly legs could carry him, and looked into a little brook which flowed by.

“How queer!” he said, “I did not know that puppies live in water.  This one looks just like my brothers, but it can not be one of them.  They were all asleep when I came away.  I will run home to tell mother about it,” and up the hill he went as fast as he could carry his fat little body.

When he arrived at home, he panted out, “Oh, mother!  I have found out something that you do not know.  There is a pug puppy living in the creek.”

“You are either dreaming, my son, or you have seen your own shadow,” said his mother.

“I know what I saw, mother.  I am not dreaming.  It was not my shadow.  It was a puppy dog,” and the little pug barked savagely at his mother.  “Come with me, mother.  I will show you that I know what I am talking about.”  So the mother followed her puppy.

When they came near the foot of the hill, the little pug ran on ahead of his mother and looked into the stream.

“How lucky!” he said, “he is still here.  Now, mother, you see that what I said is true.”

“It is your shadow, little one.”

“No, no, my eyes are better than yours, mother.”

Just then his mother came up and stood beside him.

“How queer!” said the little dog.  “That is the pug’s mother.  I did not see her before.  It would be too cold for me down in that water.  Why do they live there?”

“You foolish child,” replied the mother.  “It is our shadows that you see there.  See, they are just like us.”

“I am not a baby.  I know what dogs are, mother.  Those are real dogs.”

“Watch, my son, and see what happens,” and the mother dropped a stone on the two shadows.  They were gone.

The little pug stood surprised.  He dropped his ears and went slowly home without saying another word.

THE PARTRIDGE IN THE NET

“I have caught one at last,” said a hunter, “and this is as fine a partridge as one often sees.  It is a young one, too, I do believe,” and he reached his hand into the net to take it out.

This frightened the partridge.  It fluttered and cackled, pecking at the hunter’s hand.

At last it cried out, “Let me go!  Do let me go!  I am but one little bird.  If you will set me free, I will lead a large flock of partridges to your net, and will coax them to go into it.”

But the hunter said, “You seem very willing to deceive the partridges; you might also deceive me.  I will not let you go.”

THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN

“I am stronger than you,” said the North Wind to the Sun.

“That is not true,” said the Sun.  “Everyone knows that I am the stronger.”