Page:An argosy of fables.djvu/457

 Rh THE FROG AND THE HEN

FROG, splashing in his native pond, was one day much annoyed by the cackling from a neighbouring hen-roost. So he hopped out of the water, and making his way straight to the nest of the worthy Hen, addressed her as follows:

"Good morning. Madam Hen, so it is you, is it, that's making all this noise? Then let me tell you that I think it very hard that fate has afflicted me with such a noisy neighbour. Pray tell me what all this chatter is about?"

"I have just laid an egg," replied the Hen, "and I wanted everybody to know about it."

"Only an egg!" sneered the Frog, "really is that all? Small reason, I must say, for so much fuss and boasting!"

"Only an egg, indeed! My good sir, what business have you to complain about my cackling when I have patiently borne in silence your everlasting croaking? If I publish abroad what I do it is because I know that I am useful. But you Frogs are worthless, idle, puffed-up breed who might far better hold your tongues!"

(Iriarte, Literary Fables.)

SAGE old Thrush was once discipling

&ensp;His grandson Thrush, a hair-brain'd stripling.

In the purveying art.He knew.

He said, where vines in plenty grew.

Whose fruit delicious when he'd come