Page:Tales of old Lusitania.djvu/188

172 man remove his olive tree to make room for my pomegranate tree to grow."

The king replied, "My magistrates never do wrong."

Then the monkey went to the queen, and said, "Oh, queen, scold the king for not punishing the magistrate, who will not bid the man remove his olive tree to make room for my pomegranate tree to grow."

The queen replied, "A wife should never scold her husband."

Then the monkey went to a rat and said, "Oh, rat, gnaw the queen's skirt, she will not scold the king for not punishing the magistrate, who will not bid the man remove his olive tree to make room for my pomegranate tree to grow."

The rat replied, "It would be rude to gnaw a lady's skirt."

Then the monkey went to the cat, and said, "Oh, cat, kill the rat, that will not gnaw the queen's skirt, who will not scold the king for not punishing the magistrate, who will not bid the man remove his olive tree to make room for my pomegranate tree to grow."

The cat replied, "Mice are easier to kill and nicer to eat."

Then the monkey went to the dog, and said, "Oh, dog, worry the cat, that will not kill the rat, that will