two travelers were walking along the seashore. far out they saw something riding on the waves.

"look," said one, "a great ship rides in from distant lands, bearing rich treasures!"

the object they saw came ever nearer the shore.

"no," said the other, "that is not a treasure ship. that is some fisherman's skiff, with the day's catch of savoury fish."

still nearer came the object. the waves washed it up on shore.

"it is a chest of gold lost from some wreck," they cried. both travelers rushed to the beach, but there they found nothing but a water-soaked log.

do not let your hopes carry you away from reality.

a wolf had stolen a lamb and was carrying it off to his lair to eat it. but his plans were very much changed when he met a lion, who, without making any excuses, took the lamb away from him.

the wolf made off to a safe distance, and then said in a much injured tone:

"you have no right to take my property like that!"

the lion looked back, but as the wolf was too far away to be taught a lesson without too much inconvenience, he said:

"your property? did you buy it, or did the shepherd make you a gift of it? pray tell me, how did you get it?"

what is evil won is evil lost.

a stag, drinking from a crystal spring, saw himself mirrored in the clear water. he greatly admired the graceful arch of his antlers, but he was very much ashamed of his spindling legs.

"how can it be," he sighed, "that i should be cursed with such legs when i have so magnificent a crown."

at that moment he scented a panther and in an instant was bounding away through the forest. but as he ran his wide-spreading antlers caught in the branches of the trees, and soon the panther overtook him. then the stag perceived that the legs of which he was so ashamed would have saved him had it not been for the useless ornaments on his head.

we often make much of the ornamental and despise the useful.