Pagina 107 de 274

A Waggoner was driving his team along a muddy lane with a full

load behind them, when the wheels of his waggon sank so deep in

the mire that no efforts of his horses could move them. As he

stood there, looking helplessly on, and calling loudly at

intervals upon Hercules for assistance, the god himself appeared,

and said to him, "Put your shoulder to the wheel, man, and goad

on your horses, and then you may call on Hercules to assist you.

If you won't lift a finger to help yourself, you can't expect

Hercules or any one else to come to your aid."

Heaven helps those who help themselves.

THE POMEGRANATE, THE APPLE-TREE, AND THE BRAMBLE

A Pomegranate and an Apple-tree were disputing about the quality

of their fruits, and each claimed that its own was the better of

the two. High words passed between them, and a violent quarrel

was imminent, when a Bramble impudently poked its head out of a

neighbouring hedge and said, "There, that's enough, my friends;

don't let us quarrel."