Spelling : The Mountains in Labour

 

 

 

The Mountains in Labour
One day the Countrymen noticed that the Mountains
were in labour; smoke came out of their summits, the
earth was quaking at their feet, trees were crashing, and
huge rocks were tumbling. They felt sure that something
horrible was going to happen. They all gathered together
in one place to see what terrible thing this could be. They
waited and they waited, but nothing came. At last there
was a still more violent earthquake, and a huge gap
appeared in the side of the Mountains. They all fell down
upon their knees and waited. At last, and at last, a teeny,
tiny mouse poked its little head and bristles out of the gap
and came running down towards them, and ever after they
used to say:
‘Much outcry, little outcome.’

Spelling : The Frogs Desiring a King

The Frogs Desiring a King

The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy
swamp that just suited them; they went splashing about
caring for nobody and nobody troubling with them. But
some of them thought that this was not right, that they
should have a king and a proper constitution, so they
determined to send up a petition to Jove to give them
what they wanted. ‘Mighty Jove,’ they cried, ‘send unto
us a king that will rule over us and keep us in order.’ Jove
laughed at their croaking, and threw down into the
swamp a huge Log, which came downrplashto the swamp.
The Frogs were frightened out of their lives by the
commotion made in their midst, and all rushed to the
bank to look at the horrible monster; but after a time,
seeing that it did not move, one or two of the boldest of
them ventured out towards the Log, and even dared to
touch it; still it did not move. Then the greatest hero of
the Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced dancing
up and down upon it, thereupon all the Frogs came and
did the same; and for some time the Frogs went about
their business every day without taking the slightest notice
of their new King Log lying in their midst. But this did
not suit them, so they sent another petition to Jove, and
said to him, ‘We want a real king; one that will really rule
over us.’ Now this made Jove angry, so he sent among
them a big Stork that soon set to work gobbling them all
up. Then the Frogs repented when too late.
Better no rule than cruel rule.

Spellling : The Swallow and the Other Birds

 

The Swallow and the Other Birds
It happened that a Countryman was sowing some
hemp seeds in a field where a Swallow and some other
birds were hopping about picking up their food. ‘Beware
of that man,’ quoth the Swallow. ‘Why, what is he doing?’
said the others. ‘That is hemp seed he is sowing; be careful
to pick up every one of the seeds, or else you will repent
it.’ The birds paid no heed to the Swallow’s words, and by
and by the hemp grew up and was made into cord, and of
the cords nets were made, and many a bird that had
despised the Swallow’s advice was caught in nets made out
of that very hemp. ‘What did I tell you?’ said the Swallow.
Destroy the seed of evil, or it will grow up to your
ruin.

Spelling: The Lion and the Mouse

The Lion and the Mouse
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began
running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the
Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his
big jaws to swallow him. ‘Pardon, O King,’ cried the little
Mouse: ‘forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who
knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of
these days?’ The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the
Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw
and let him go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a
trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the
King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a
waggon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse
happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which
the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the
ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. ‘Was I not right?’
said the little Mouse.
Little friends may prove great friends.

Spelling : The Ass and the Lapdog

 

The Ass and the Lapdog
A Farmer one day came to the stables to see to his
beasts of burden: among them was his favourite Ass, that
was always well fed and often carried his master. With the
Farmer came his Lapdog, who danced about and licked his
hand and frisked about as happy as could be. The Farmer
felt in his pocket, gave the Lapdog some dainty food, and
sat down while he gave his orders to his servants. The
Lapdog jumped into his master’s lap, and lay there
blinking while the Farmer stroked his ears. The Ass, seeing
this, broke loose from his halter and commenced prancing
about in imitation of the Lapdog. The Farmer could not
hold his sides with laughter, so the Ass went up to him,
and putting his feet upon the Farmer’s shoulder attempted
to climb into his lap. The Farmer’s servants rushed up
with sticks and pitchforks and soon taught the Ass that
clumsy jesting is no joke.

Spelling : The Sick Lion

The Sick Lion
A Lion had come to the end of his days and lay sick
unto death at the mouth of his cave, gasping for breath.
The animals, his subjects, came round him and drew
nearer as he grew more and more helpless. When they saw
him on the point of death they thought to themselves:
‘Now is the time to pay off old grudges.’ So the Boar
came up and drove at him with his tusks; then a Bull
gored him with his horns; still the Lion lay helpless before
them: so the Ass, feeling quite safe from danger, came up,
and turning his tail to the Lion kicked up his heels into his
face. ‘This is a double death,’ growled the Lion.
Only cowards insult dying majesty.