the birds and the beasts declared war against each other. no compromise was possible, and so they went at it tooth and claw. it is said the quarrel grew out of the persecution the race of geese suffered at the teeth of the fox family. the beasts, too, had cause for fight. the eagle was constantly pouncing on the hare, and the owl dined daily on mice.
it was a terrible battle. many a hare and many a mouse died. chickens and geese fell by the score—and the victor always stopped for a feast.
now the bat family had not openly joined either side. they were a very politic race. so when they saw the birds getting the better of it, they were birds for all there was in it. but when the tide of battle turned, they immediately sided with the beasts.
when the battle was over, the conduct of the bats was discussed at the peace conference. such deceit was unpardonable, and birds and beasts made common cause to drive out the bats. and since then the bat family hides in dark towers and deserted ruins, flying out only in the night.
the deceitful have no friends.
just as a great bear rushed to seize a stray kid, a lion leaped from another direction upon the same prey. the two fought furiously for the prize until they had received so many wounds that both sank down unable to continue the battle.
just then a fox dashed up, and seizing the kid, made off with it as fast as he could go, while the lion and the bear looked on in helpless rage.
"how much better it would have been," they said, "to have shared in a friendly spirit."
those who have all the toil do not always get the profit.
a stray lamb stood drinking early one morning on the bank of a woodland stream. that very same morning a hungry wolf came by farther up the stream, hunting for something to eat. he soon got his eyes on the lamb. as a rule mr. wolf snapped up such delicious morsels without making any bones about it, but this lamb looked so very helpless and innocent that the wolf felt he ought to have some kind of an excuse for taking its life.
"how dare you paddle around in my stream and stir up all the mud!" he shouted fiercely. "you deserve to be punished severely for your rashness!"
"but, your highness," replied the trembling lamb, "do not be angry! i cannot possibly muddy the water you are drinking up there. remember, you are upstream and i am downstream."
"you do muddy it!" retorted the wolf savagely. "and besides, i have heard that you told lies about me last year!"
"how could i have done so?" pleaded the lamb. "i wasn't born until this year."[pg 43]
"if it wasn't you, it was your brother!"
"i have no brothers."
"well, then," snarled the wolf, "it was someone in your family anyway. but no matter who it was, i do not intend to be talked out of my breakfast."
and without more words the wolf seized the poor lamb and carried her off to the forest.
the tyrant can always find an excuse for his tyranny.
the unjust will not listen to the reasoning of the innocent.
