Page:Three hundred Aesop's fables (Townshend).djvu/155

Rh would keep guard and drive off thieves with their stings. The Farmer, interrupting them, said: "I have already two oxen, who, without making any promises, do all these things. It is surely better for me to give the water to them than to you."

A had one son and one daughter; the former remarkable for his good looks, the latter for her extraordinary ugliness. While they were playing one day as children, they happened by chance to look together into a mirror that was placed on their mother's chair. The boy congratulated himself on his good looks; the girl grew angry, and could not bear the self-praises of her Brother; interpreting all he said (and how could she do otherwise?) into reflection on herself. She ran off to her father, to be avenged, in her turn, on her Brother, and spitefully accused him of having, as a boy, made use of that which belonged only to girls. The father embraced them both, and bestowing his kisses and affection impartially on each, said: "I wish you both every day to look into the mirror: you, my son, that you may not spoil your beauty by evil conduct; and you, my daughter, that you may make up for your want of beauty by your virtues."

Dogs, finding the skin of a lion, began to tear it in pieces with their teeth. A Fox, seeing them, said, "If this lion were alive, you would soon find out that his claws were stronger than your teeth."

It is easy to kick a man that is down.