The Junior Classics
Chapter 15 : "Pray act up to it at once," said the other animals.The old Goat laid himself

"Pray act up to it at once," said the other animals.

The old Goat laid himself down in a cave on the roadside, with his flowing beard and long curved horns. The Lion, on his way to the village, saw him, and stopped at the mouth of the cave.

"So you have come, after all," said the Goat.

"What do you mean?" said the Lion.

"Why, I have long been lying in this cave. I have eaten up one hundred elephants, a hundred tigers, a thousand wolves, and ninety-nine lions.

One more lion has been wanting. I have waited long and patiently.

Heaven has, after all, been kind to me," said the Goat, and shook his horns and his beard, and made a start as if he were about to spring upon the Lion.

The latter said to himself, "This animal looks like a Goat, but it does not talk like one. So it is very likely some wicked spirit in this shape. Prudence often serves us better than valor, so for the present I shall return to the wood," and he turned back.

The Goat rose up, and, advancing to the mouth of the cave, said, "Will you come back tomorrow?"

"Never again," said the Lion.

"Do you think I shall be able to see you, at least, in the wood to- morrow?"

"Neither in the wood nor in this neighborhood any more," said the Lion, and running to the forest, soon left it with his kindred.

The animals in the country, not hearing him roar any more, gathered round the Goat, and said, "The wisdom of one doth save a host."

THE GLOWWORM AND THE JAC KDAW

By Ramaswami Raju

JACKDAW once ran up to a Glowworm and was about to seize him. "Wait a moment, good friend," said the Worm, "and you shall hear something to your advantage."

"Ah! what is it?" said the Daw.

"I am but one of the many glowworms that live in this forest. If you wish to have them all, follow me," said the Glowworm.

"Certainly!" said the Daw.

Then the Glowworm led him to a place in the wood where a fire had been kindled by some woodmen, and pointing to the sparks flying about, said, "There you find the glowworms warming themselves round a fire. When you have done with them I shall show you some more, at a distance from this place."

The Daw darted at the sparks and tried to swallow some of them, but his mouth being burned by the attempt, he ran away exclaiming, "Ah, the Glowworm is a dangerous little creature!"

THE CAMEL AND THE PIG

By Ramaswami Raju

A CAMEL said, "Nothing like being tall! Look how tall I am!"

A Pig, who heard these words, said, "Nothing like being short! Look how short I am!"

The Camel said, "Well, if I fail to prove the truth of what I said. I shall give up my hump."

The Pig said, "If I fail to prove the truth of what I have said, I shall give up my snout."

"Agreed!" said the Camel.

"Just so!" said the Pig.

They came to a garden, inclosed by a low wall without any opening. The Camel stood on this side of the wall, and reaching the plants within by means of his long neck, made a breakfast on them. Then he turned, jeeringly to the Pig, who had been standing at the bottom of the wall, without even having a look at the good things in the garden, and said, "Now, would you be tall or short?"

Next they came to a garden, inclosed by a high wall, with a wicket gate at one end. The Pig entered by the gate, and, after having eaten his fill of the vegetables within, came out, laughing at the poor Camel, who had had to stay outside because he was too tall to enter the garden by the gate, and said, "Now, would you be tall or short?"

Then they thought the matter over and came to the conclusion that the Camel should keep his hump and the Pig his snout, observing, "Tall is good, where tall would do; of short, again, 'tis also true!"

THE DOG AND. THE DOG DEALER

By Ramaswami Raju

A DOG was standing by the cottage of a peasant. A man who dealt in dogs pa.s.sed by the way. The Dog said, "Will you buy me?"

The man said, "Oh, you ugly little thing! I would not give a quarter of a penny for you!"

Then the Dog went to the palace of the king and stood by the portal.

The sentinel caressed it, and said, "You are a charming little creature!"

Just then the Dog Dealer came by. The Dog said, "Will you buy me?"

"Oh," said the man, "you guard the palace of the king, who must have paid a high price for you. I cannot afford to pay the amount, else I would willingly take you."

"Ah!" said the Dog, "how place and position affect people!"

THE TIGER, THE FOX, AND THE HUNTERS

By Ramaswami Raju

A FOX was once caught in a trap. A hungry Tiger saw him and said, "So you are here!"

"Only on your account," said the Fox in a whisper.

"How so?" said the Tiger.

"Why, you were complaining you could not get men to eat, so I got into this net to-day, that you may have the men when they come to take me,"

said the Fox, and gave a hint that if he would wait a while in a thicket close by he would point out the men to him.

"May I depend upon your word?" said the Tiger.

"Certainly," said the Fox.

The Hunters came, and seeing the Fox in the net, said, "So you are here!"

"Only on your account," said the Fox, in a whisper.