第186页 / 共274页

A Singing-bird was confined in a cage which hung outside a

window, and had a way of singing at night when all other birds

were asleep. One night a Bat came and clung to the bars of the

cage, and asked the Bird why she was silent by day and sang only

at night. "I have a very good reason for doing so," said the

Bird: "it was once when I was singing in the daytime that a

fowler was attracted by my voice, and set his nets for me and

caught me. Since then I have never sung except by night." But the

Bat replied, "It is no use your doing that now when you are a

prisoner: if only you had done so before you were caught, you

might still have been free."

Precautions are useless after the event.

THE ASS AND HIS PURCHASER