"He is not a handsome beast," the animals all agreed, "he is not even amusing. And as for his habits, he certainly has very bad manners!"
"If he only had a brush like mine," said the Fox, proudly whisking his fine, bushy tail, "I should not have thought it so strange!"
"Or if he had big, strong claws like mine," rejoined the Bear, "it would not have been so extraordinary. But, as we all know, the poor beast has no claws at all!"
"You don't think, do you, that his tusks got him into favor?" broke in the Ox. "Is it possible that they were mistaken for horns, like mine?"
"Do you mean to tell me," demanded the Ass, shaking his ears, "that you really none of you know what it is that has made the Elephant so popular at Court? Why, I guessed the reason right away! If it had not been for his beautiful long ears, he would never have got into favour!"
(Krilov, Fables. Adapted from the translation by William R. S. Ralston.)
THE EAGLE AND THE SPIDER
AN Eagle had soared above the clouds to the highest peak of a mountain range, and perching upon an ancient cedar, admired the landscape spread out below it. For it seemed as though the boundaries of the whole world could be seen from that height.
"Heaven be praised," said the Eagle, "for giving me such powers of flight, that there is no mountain too high for me to reach. I am now looking down upon the beauties of the world from a point which no other living creature has ever reached!"
"What a boaster you are," observed a Spider from a near-by twig.
