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A full-grown Bull was struggling to force his huge bulk through

the narrow entrance to a cow-house where his stall was, when a

young Calf came up and said to him, "If you'll step aside a

moment, I'll show you the way to get through." The Bull turned

upon him an amused look. "I knew that way," said he, "before you

were born."

THE TREES AND THE AXE

A Woodman went into the forest and begged of the Trees the favour

of a handle for his Axe. The principal Trees at once agreed to so

modest a request, and unhesitatingly gave him a young ash

sapling, out of which he fashioned the handle he desired. No

sooner had he done so than he set to work to fell the noblest

Trees in the wood. When they saw the use to which he was putting

their gift, they cried, "Alas! alas! We are undone, but we are

ourselves to blame. The little we gave has cost us all: had we

not sacrificed the rights of the ash, we might ourselves have

stood for ages."

THE ASTRONOMER