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Thus far and wide was heard her scream.

"That Raven on yon left-hand oak,

Curse on his ill-betiding croak,

Bodes me no good." No more she said,

When poor blind Bob, with stumbling tread,

Fell prone; o'erturn'd the panniers lay,

And her mash'd eggs bestrew'd the way.

She, sprawling on the yellow road,

Rail'd, swore, and curs'd: "Thou croaking Toad,

A murrain take thy rascal throat;

I knew misfortune in the note."

"Dame," quoth the Raven, "spare your oaths,

Unclench your fist, and wipe your clothes.

But why on me those curses thrown?

Goody, the fault was all your own;

For had you laid this brittle ware

On Dun, the old sure-footed Mare,

Though all the Ravens of the hundred

With croaking had your tongue out-thunder'd,

Sure-footed Dun had kept her legs,

And you, good Woman, sav'd your eggs."

(John Gay.)

THE QUARRELSOME CATS

WO Cats having stolen some cheese could not agree about dividing it. To settle the quarrel they referred the matter to a Monkey. The latter readily consented to act as judge; and producing a pair of scales he put a part of the cheese in each scale. "Let