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A muleteer set forth on a journey, driving before him an Ass and a Mule, both well-laden. The Ass, as long as he traveled along the plain, carried his load with ease; but when he began to ascend the steep path of the mountain, he felt his load to be more than he could bear. He entreated his companion to relieve him of a small portion, that he might carry home the rest but the Mule paid no attention to the request. The Ass shortly afterwards fell down dead under his burden. The muleteer, not knowing what else to do in so wild a region, placed upon the Mule the load carried by the Ass in addition to his own, and at the top of all placed the hide of the Ass, after he had flayed him. The Mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden, said thus to himself: "I am treated according to my  deserts. If I had only been willing to assist the Ass a little in his need, I should not now be bearing together with his burden, himself as well."

The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail.

A Fox caught in a trap, escaped with the loss of his " brush." Henceforth feel ing his life a burden from the shame and ridicule to which he was exposed, he schemed to bring all the other Foxes into a like condition with himself, that in the common loss he might the better conceal his own deprivation. He assembled a good many Foxes, and publicly advised them to cut off their tails, saying, " that they would not only look much better without them, but that they would get rid of the weight of the brush, which was a very great inconvenience " One of them interrupting him said: "If you had not yourself lost your tail, my friend, you would not thus counsel us."

The Widow and the Sheep.