Lida B. McMurry

“ THE DONKEY AND HIS MASTERS
"How I hate this early rising!" said a donkey, with a great yawn. "I wish I might sleep till sunrise. Here I am, harnessed and ready to start to town before the roosters crow. And why? To take a little fruit and a few vegetables to market. Isn't that a foolish reason for spoiling my dreams!"
The master was tired of his donkey, for he never seemed willing to do his work. "I do hate a donkey with his ears turned backward," he said. "He has no right to complain, for his work is really light, and he gets plenty of food and rest."
One day a tanner came along. ”

“ The horse is sound and well, but I will make him think that he needs a doctor; then I shall tell him that I can cure him." The wolf smacked his lips as he thought of the meal he would soon have.
He marched into the pasture in a very business-like way. Going right up to the horse, he said:
"Good morning, my dear sir. This is fine grass you are eating and a beautiful morning to be out. I am sorry to see you looking so poorly this bright day. I happen to be a doctor. As you know, a good doctor can tell at sight when one is sick. If you were well, you would not have been turned out to pasture. ”

“ At last Reynard said:
"Now, friends, before we take our evening meal, I have something to say for the good of all of us.
"I have been lying awake nights thinking what we could do to free ourselves from the weight of our heavy tails. Spring is here with its rainy weather. You all know how wet and muddy our tails become. Often I have had to give up a first-class meal and trot off home, hungry, to stay until my tail had dried. You have had to do the same. Many a poor fox has lost his life because of his long tail. ”

“ Graypate arose and said:
"You have heard why we are here. Anyone who has a good plan for ridding us of the cat will please tell of it. The meeting is open to all."
"Let us all run at him suddenly when he is not looking for us, and each give him a bite. That would surely kill him," said one brave mouse.
"But how many of us do you think he would kill?" said another mouse. "I will not risk my life nor that of my family." ”

“ The Indian arose and pushed the fire back from the Ice King. Then he took his trembling hand, lifted him up, and led him to the door of the wigwam.
As the Ice King passed out he said, "You have conquered me twice. You shall always be my master."
Ever since that time men have been masters of the Ice King. When his cold breath blows, they make the fires warmer and their clothing thicker. ”

“ Every mouse raised a tiny paw.
Mr. Graypate walked out to the front and took charge of the meeting. It was well that they chose him, for he was the wisest mouse in the whole country. Gazing over the crowd, he said, "Will Mr. Longtail tell us why we have met here? Mr. Longtail, come out in front where we can hear you."
Mr. Longtail walked slowly to the front. Then he stood upon his hind legs and said:
"My friends, I think you all know why we are here. Last night Mrs. Whitenose, whom we all love, and all her family were killed by the big white cat. ”

“ Some foolish wolves tried to kill him when he was a puppy, but he treated them so badly that they have since been careful to keep out of his way."
"He is certainly a brave dog," said a neighbor, "but I think you are foolish to keep him. He eats as much meat as a dozen small dogs, and smaller dogs would take as good care of your sheep as he."
"There may be something in what you say," said the shepherd. "I have often wished that Hero ate less meat, but I should hate to part from him." ”

“ You know that there is much work to be done at this time of the year. Your master must think that you are not able to work.
"Now, my friend, be frank with me; tell me what ails you, that I may cure you. I have been to the best schools in the country. There I learned about diseases of every kind and a sure cure for every disease. If you have no money to pay my bill, do not let that trouble you. We can settle that later."
The horse looked at the wolf out of the corner of his eye and said, "Now that I think of it, I believe that something is wrong with the bottom of my left hind foot." ”

“ The wheat will spoil if it is not cut. If our neighbors will not help us, we shall have to call upon our relatives. Go out this afternoon and ask your uncle John and his sons to cut the wheat for us to-morrow."
As soon as the mother came home, the little birds said, "The wheat will surely be cut tomorrow, for the farmer has sent for his relatives to cut it. Please take us away to-night, mother."
"Don't worry," said the mother; "there is no danger so long as the farmer waits for his relatives to do the work. We will stay right here to-night." ”

“ THE HUNTER AND THE FARMER
"Are you afraid of a lion? I am not. There is nothing that I should like better than to meet one," said a man to his neighbor whose calf the lion had killed. "To-morrow morning I will go out and hunt for this fierce lion, which is doing so much harm. ”

“ The raven flew away and the rat followed. As the rat left home, he said, "Tortoise, you had better stay at home. You go so slowly that you can not reach the gazelle in time to help. We shall soon be back, I hope." ”

“ One day one of his subjects said to him, "Please, O king, tell me why you are so much better to us now than you used to be."
The king replied:
"As I was going through a forest one afternoon I saw a hound chasing a fox. He caught the fox and bit him badly. The fox will always be lame.
"When the hound was going home, a man threw a stone at him and broke his leg.
"The man had not gone far when his horse threw him and his leg was broken. ”

“ White-coat smoothed his poor brother's feathers, nestled close to him, and soothed him with his coo! coo! coo!
THE HORSE AND THE WOLF
A horse, in the early spring, was turned into a pasture of fresh grass. He was enjoying himself very much when a hungry wolf spied him. The horse did not see the wolf.
The wolf said, "I want that horse. I have not had a good meal for a month. He is so big that I can not catch him as I would a sheep. I shall have to play a trick." So he lay down on the ground and thought how he could deceive the horse and then catch him. ”

“ The load was taken from the dead donkey's back and placed upon the horse.
At the close of the day the horse reached the end of his journey. Every bone in his body was aching, and he was so lame that he could hardly walk.
THE LEAVES AND THE ROOTS
"We cast cool shade upon the green grass," whispered the fluttering leaves. "We dress the tree in fresh and quiet green. It is bare and brown without us. The tired traveler and the panting beast are thankful for our shade. Children love to play under our shelter. At night the song birds of the woods fly to us for our protection. ”

“ THE WOLF, THE GOAT, AND THE KID
"Good-by, little one," said Mrs. White Paw, the goat, to her daughter.
"Do not go, mother, I am afraid to stay here alone," cried little Nanny.
"But I must get my dinner or you will have no milk for your supper," said her mother.
"There is nothing to fear but the prowling wolf. Bar the door when I am gone; then he can not get in. Do not open the door unless you hear this password, 'Cursed be the wolf and all his race!'"
The mother, as she trotted away, felt no fear for her little daughter's safety. "No one knows that password but myself," she said ”

“ The crow gave a loud "caw!" As she did so, the meat fell from her mouth. The fox snapped it up quickly.
Poor crow, she saw when too late that the fox was only fooling her.
THE VAIN CROW
"I hate a black dress, no matter how glossy," said a proud crow. "I have made up my mind to be a peacock."
As he said this, he flew away to a barnyard where he found some feathers which the peacock had shed. He picked these up with his bill and placed them among his own feathers.
Then he marched back and forth, looking at his fine new coat. He even tried to walk like the peacock. ”

“ The mouse tried to get free, but the frog only laughed.
A hawk, looking down, saw the mouse and swooped down upon it. Since the frog was fastened to the mouse, he too was carried off, and both lost their lives.
When the other frogs heard of what had happened, they said, "Served him right. Served him right," and no frog since that time has ever played a mean joke.
THE BOYS AND THE FROGS
"Let us go to the pond and have some fun," said George.
"What fun can we have there?" asked Frank. "The pond is nothing but an old mudhole. We can not swim in such water." ”

“ The tongue became parched and all the mill feeders were unhappy.
More hours passed; then the mill feeders held another meeting. It was a short, quiet, earnest meeting.
"We have been fools," they all said. "The mill was working for us while we were working for it. Our strength came from the grist which we sent to it. We can do nothing without the help of the mill. Let us go to work again. If the mill will only grind for us, we will gladly furnish the grist."
THE FARMER AND HIS SONS
"Boys, why are you always quarreling? That is no way to live," said a farmer to his sons one day. ”

“ I do not need to go with you."
"You do not know what you need," replied his father. "No wise fox hunts in the daytime."
But Reynard did not mind what his father said, and every day he went out hunting. He killed so many chickens, turkeys and ducks that everyone tried to catch him.
One night the old fox started out alone, but Reynard crept slowly after him. The old fox went toward a large farmhouse. ”

“ You have great sport tormenting us, because we cannot fight for ourselves. You are cowards! cowards!"
And all the little frogs echoed, "Cowards! cowards!"
THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF
John was a shepherd boy. He cared for his father's sheep. As there were many wolves prowling about waiting for a chance to kill the sheep, John had to be very watchful.
Some men were harvesting wheat in a field not far from where the flock was feeding. One day they were startled by the cry, "A wolf! a wolf!" They looked up and saw John motioning wildly to them and pointing toward the sheep. ”

“ How glad I am that you are safe!" said the happy mother.
THE WISE GOAT
A goat was on top of a high cliff eating grass.
A wolf was at the foot of the cliff looking at him. He wanted the goat for his supper, but he could not climb the steep cliff.
"Come down here," said the wolf. "The grass is much better here. See how much of it there is."
"Thank you," said the goat. "You may have all of that good grass yourself, but you shall not eat me."
THE SHEPHERD AND THE DOGS
"Hero is a wonderful dog," said a shepherd, "I have not lost a sheep since I owned him, not one. ”

“ The Sun said nothing, but came out from under a cloud and smiled down upon the traveler.
"How good that feels!" said the traveler. The Sun shone on. "It is getting warm," said the traveler, unbuttoning his coat.
It was now past noon. "The Sun is too much for me," said the traveler, and he threw off his coat and hunted for a shady place.
The North Wind's harshness had failed. The Sun's gentleness had won.
THE CAMEL AND HIS MASTER
One night a camel looked into the tent where his master was sleeping. "How warm it is in there!" he said. "I should like a good place like that myself." ”

“ I said to myself, 'He who does wrong to any living thing will suffer for it sooner or later,' and that is why I am a better king and a happier man."
[Footnote: Adapted from a fable of the same name found in The Tortoise and the Geese, published by Houghton, Mifflin Co.]
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE
"Why do you move along so slowly?" said a hare to a tortoise. "Let me show you how to get over the ground."
"You think I am slow, do you?" replied the tortoise. "Let us run a race to the cross-roads. I think I can beat you."
"Do you hear that?" said the hare to a fox, who was standing near. ”

“ The wagoner climbed up to his seat and called back to the man who was working in the field, "My load is out, but no thanks to you."
The man replied, "You took my advice and put your shoulder to the wheel; that is what brought you out."
THE LARK AND THE FARMER
A meadow lark built her nest in a field of wheat. She had a happy time raising her family, for no one came near her nest.
There were four little larks in her family, and they were now nearly large enough to fly.
The wheat was ripe and the mother knew that men might come to the field any day to reap ”

“ When the mother lark heard that the farmer had made up his mind to cut the wheat himself, she said to her little ones, "Get ready to fly away. If the farmer is to do the work himself, it will be done at once."
THE LION AND THE MOUSE
A lion was sleeping one day when a little mouse came along and ran up and down over his face. ”

“ The fifty fables in this book have been selected for second grade reading because they are easily comprehended by pupils of that grade, and because they teach lessons which every child should learn.
It is not wise to tell the class the moral application of the fables. It is better to have each pupil make his own application without any suggestion from the teacher. ”