a store of honey had been found in a hollow tree, and the wasps declared positively that it belonged to them. the bees were just as sure that the treasure was theirs. the argument grew very pointed, and it looked as if the affair could not be settled without a battle, when at last, with much good sense, they agreed to let a judge decide the matter. so they brought the case before the hornet, justice of the peace in that part of the woods.
when the judge called the case, witnesses declared that they had seen certain winged creatures in the neighborhood of the hollow tree, who hummed loudly, and whose bodies were striped, yellow and black, like bees.
counsel for the wasps immediately insisted that this description fitted his clients exactly.
such evidence did not help judge hornet to any decision, so he adjourned court for six weeks to give him time to think it over. when the case came up again, both sides had a large number of witnesses. an ant was first to take the stand, and was about to be cross-examined, when a wise old bee addressed the court.
"your honor," he said, "the case has now been pending for six weeks. if it is not decided soon, the honey will not be fit for anything. i move that the bees and the wasps be both instructed to build a honey comb. then we shall soon see to whom the honey really belongs."
the wasps protested loudly. wise judge hornet quickly understood why they did so: they knew they could not build a honey comb and fill it with honey.
"it is clear," said the judge, "who made the comb and who could not have made it. the honey belongs to the bees."
ability proves itself by deeds.
a lark made her nest in a field of young wheat. as the days passed, the wheat stalks grew tall and the young birds, too, grew in strength. then one day, when the ripe golden grain waved in the breeze, the farmer and his son came into the field.
"this wheat is now ready for reaping," said the farmer. "we must call in our neighbors and friends to help us harvest it."
the young larks in their nest close by were much frightened, for they knew they would be in great danger if they did not leave the nest before the reapers came. when the mother lark returned with food for them, they told her what they had heard.
"do not be frightened, children," said the mother lark. "if the farmer said he would call in his neighbors and friends to help him do his work, this wheat will not be reaped for a while yet."
a few days later, the wheat was so ripe, that when the wind shook the stalks, a hail of wheat grains came rustling down on the young larks' heads.
"if this wheat is not harvested at once," said the farmer, "we shall lose half the crop. we cannot wait any longer for help from our friends. tomorrow we must set to work, ourselves."
when the young larks told their mother what they had heard that day, she said:
"then we must be off at once. when a man decides to do his own work and not depend on any one else, then you may be sure there will be no more delay."
there was much fluttering and trying out of wings that afternoon, and at sunrise next day, when the farmer and his son cut down the grain, they found an empty nest.
self-help is the best help.
there was once a cat who was so watchful, that a mouse hardly dared show the tip of his whiskers for fear of being eaten alive. that cat seemed to be everywhere at once with his claws all ready for a pounce. at last the mice kept so closely to their dens, that the cat saw he would have to use his wits well to catch one. so one day he climbed up on a shelf and hung from it, head downward, as if he were dead, holding himself up by clinging to some ropes with one paw.
when the mice peeped out and saw him in that position, they thought he had been hung up there in punishment for some misdeed. very timidly at first they stuck out their heads and sniffed about carefully. but as nothing stirred, all trooped joyfully out to celebrate the death of the cat.
just then the cat let go his hold, and before the mice recovered from their surprise, he had made an end of three or four.
now the mice kept more strictly at home than ever. but the cat, who was still hungry for mice, knew more tricks than one. rolling himself in flour until he was covered completely, he lay down in the flour bin, with one eye open for the mice.
sure enough, the mice soon began to come out. to the cat it was almost as if he already had a plump young mouse under his claws, when an old rat, who had had much experience with cats and traps, and had even lost a part of his tail to pay for it, sat up at a safe distance from a hole in the wall where he lived.
"take care!" he cried. "that may be a heap of meal, but it looks to me very much like the cat. whatever it is, it is wisest to keep at a safe distance."
the wise do not let themselves be tricked a second time.
one bright morning as the fox was following his sharp nose through the wood in search of a bite to eat, he saw a crow on the limb of a tree overhead. this was by no means the first crow the fox had ever seen. what caught his attention this time and made him stop for a second look, was that the lucky crow held a bit of cheese in her beak.
"no need to search any farther," thought sly master fox. "here is a dainty bite for my breakfast."
up he trotted to the foot of the tree in which the crow was sitting, and looking up admiringly, he cried, "good-morning, beautiful creature!"
the crow, her head cocked on one side, watched the fox suspiciously. but she kept her beak tightly closed on the cheese and did not return his greeting.
"what a charming creature she is!" said the fox. "how her feathers shine! what a beautiful form and what splendid wings! such a wonderful bird should have a very lovely voice, since everything else about her is so perfect. could she sing just one song, i know i should hail her queen of birds."
listening to these flattering words, the crow forgot all her suspicion, and also her breakfast. she wanted very much to be called queen of birds.
so she opened her beak wide to utter her loudest caw, and down fell the cheese straight into the fox's open mouth.
"thank you," said master fox sweetly, as he walked off. "though it is cracked, you have a voice sure enough. but where are your wits?"
the flatterer lives at the expense of those who will listen to him.
a traveler had hired an ass to carry him to a distant part of the country. the owner of the ass went with the traveler, walking beside him to drive the ass and point out the way.
the road led across a treeless plain where the sun beat down fiercely. so intense did the heat become, that the traveler at last decided to stop for a rest, and as there was no other shade to be found, the traveler sat down in the shadow of the ass.
now the heat had affected the driver as much as it had the traveler, and even more, for he had been walking. wishing also to rest in the shade cast by the ass, he began to quarrel with the traveler, saying he had hired the ass and not the shadow it cast.
the two soon came to blows, and while they were fighting, the ass took to its heels.
in quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance.
one day, a long time ago, an old miller and his son were on their way to market with an ass which they hoped to sell. they drove him very slowly, for they thought they would have a better chance to sell him if they kept him in good condition. as they walked along the highway some travelers laughed loudly at them.
"what foolishness," cried one, "to walk when they might as well ride. the most stupid of the three is not the one you would expect it to be."
the miller did not like to be laughed at, so he told his son to climb up and ride.
they had gone a little farther along the road, when three merchants passed by.
"oho, what have we here?" they cried. "respect old age, young man! get down, and let the old man ride."[pg 103]
though the miller was not tired, he made the boy get down and climbed up himself to ride, just to please the merchants.
at the next turnstile they overtook some women carrying market baskets loaded with vegetables and other things to sell.
"look at the old fool," exclaimed one of them. "perched on the ass, while that poor boy has to walk."
the miller felt a bit vexed, but to be agreeable he told the boy to climb up behind him.
they had no sooner started out again than a loud shout went up from another company of people on the road.
"what a crime," cried one, "to load up a poor dumb beast like that! they look more able to carry the poor creature, than he to carry them."
"they must be on their way to sell the poor thing's hide," said another.
