LESSON 8 THE FOX AND THE CAT

THE FOX AND THE CAT

wood hun-dred people sack-ful

friend-ly cun-ning boast least

1. One day a cat met a fox in the wood. "Ah!" she thought, "he is wise, and people think much of him. I will speak to him."

2. So she said, in a very friendly way, "Good morning, dear Mister Fox, how are you?"

THE HOUNDS HAD TAKEN HIM.

3. The fox, full of pride, looked at the cat from head to tail, and would hardly speak to her.

4. At last he said, "Oh, you poor little hungry mouse hunter, you old gray tabby, what are you thinking about, to ask me how I am? What have you learned, and how many tricks do you know?"

5. "I know only one trick," said the cat, meekly.

　"Arid what is that?" asked the fox.

6. "Well," said the cat, "if the hounds are behind me, I can spring up a tree out of their way and save myself."

7. "Is that all?" said the fox. "Why, I know a hundred tricks. I have, besides, a sackful of cunning. But I pity you, puss; so come with me, and I will teach you how to get away from the hounds."

8. Just then a pack of hounds was seen coming. The cat quickly sprang up a tree, and seated herself on one of the branches, where the thick leaves quite hid her.

9. The cat looked to see the skill and cunning of the fox, but the hounds had taken him, and held him fast.

10. "Ah, Mister Fox," cried the cat, "your hundred tricks are not of much use to you. If you had known my one trick, you would not so soon have lost your life."

11. We should never boast of what we know, or of what we can do. Those who can do most boast least.