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 164 Man. "But if you live to be my age, Nature will give you a bow like mine, for nothing, even if you don't want it."

Let us not laugh at the infirmities of age, for they will all come upon us in turn in our own last days.

(Abstemius, Fable 21.)

THE STREAM AND ITS SOURCE

STREAM one day said to its Source, "Lazy good-for-nothing that you are! In spite of the plentiful current of water that you give, you do not nourish even the smallest fish! Throughout the whole length of my course, on the contrary, one may see more fishes, constantly darting and playing than can be found in any other stream of the same size. In this way I am of pleasure and service to the whole district. But you might as well be dead, for you sustain no life in you."

The Source, indignant at these unjust words, made no reply, but began to decrease the quantity of water that she had until now furnished to the Stream. Before long she stopped the supply of water entirely. The result was that the level of the Stream gradually fell lower and lower, until at last the water failed completely and the Stream and the fishes disappeared together.

(Abstemius, Fable 57.)

THE RIVER SHARK WHO WOULD BE KING OF THE OCEAN

SHARK, established at the mouth of a river, ruled over all the fishes living in its waters. As he was considerably larger and stronger than the others they humbly accepted his authority. In