Page:Stories and story-telling (1915).djvu/299

 THE SISTERS

"You dirty black thing," cried the diamond to the coal, "do not come near me."

"I will not indeed," said the coal; "you are too beautiful for the likes of me. I might dim your brilliance."

When she heard this answer, the proud diamond was ashamed of herself. "Press close to me," she said, "you are my own sister. I am only more highly polished."

THE LION AND THE SHEPHERD

Once a lion roaming through the forest trod on a thorn and it stuck in his foot. In great pain he limped out to a shepherd and looked up at him beseechingly. The shepherd gently drew out the thorn. The lion fawned upon him and licked his hand to thank him.

Not long after the shepherd was blamed for a wrong he had not done. The king said he must die. "Throw him to the lions and let him be torn to pieces," commanded the king.

The king's officers seized the poor shepherd and threw him into the arena, before the lion's cage. Out stalked a lion. It was the very one the shepherd had helped. And lo! instead of tearing the