THE PRINCE AND THE FLEA
A PRINCE of Royal blood was once sadly tormented by a Flea. At last he caught the troublesome pest, and was about to kill it when the Flea said: "I beg of you, do not kill me, for the harm I have done you is small." "Yes," replied the Prince, before he crushed it, "but you did me all the harm that you could!"
This Fable teaches that even small offenders must be punished, in order that big criminals may see and tremble.
(Fables de Vartan. Paris, 1825.)
THE FOX AND THE ICICLE
A HUNGRY Fox, searching for food one winter day, came across a long, fine Icicle, shaped very much like a bone, and fell to gnawing it eagerly. "A plague upon it!" said he, "there is the sound of a bone in my ears, and the feel of a bone between my teeth, but never a scrap of it goes down into my stomach!"
This Fable teaches that we must not judge by appearances.
(Fables de Vartan. Paris, 1825.)
THE THIRTY-TWO TEETH
A SYRIAN Philosopher, both good and wise, was arguing one day with an Armenian, when the latter, who was young and quick tempered, became angry and cried:
"I have half a mind to fling this stone in your mouth and knock out every one of your thirty-two teeth!"
