LESSON 57 DON'T BE SELFISH.

DON'T BE SELFISH.

jour-neys re-fu-sing sure-ly

road-side begged pun-ished

lagged com-rade con-duct

shil-lings bar-gain might

1. A man kept a horse and an ass. On his journeys, he spared the horse and put all the burden 〔1〕 upon the back of the poor ass.

2. One day the ass fell sick and lagged 〔2〕 behind. He said that if the horse would help him, he would soon be well again, but if not, the load would surely kill him.

3. The horse laughed at his fellow servant, called him a lazy beast, and told the ass not to worry him.

4. As the sun rose in the heavens and the day grew hotter, the poor ass became worse, and at last fell by the roadside—dead.

5. The man removed the load from the body of the dead ass, and placed it on the horse's back.

Thinking that the dead body of the ass might be worth a few shillings, he placed this upon the top of the load.

6. "Alas," said the horse, "I am justly punished for my cruel conduct, for by refusing to take a share of my comrade's load, I have now to bear it all, and his dead body into the bargain 〔3〕 ."

注释

〔1〕 burden: Load.

〔2〕 lagged: Came very slowly.

〔3〕 into the bargain: As well.