MORAL. Little enemies and little wounds are not to be despised. APPLICATION. Small troubles often cause much suffering. Petty grievances and minor annoyances sometimes produce more unhappiness than the severer trials of life. Persons are to be met with who bear real afflictions, acute pain, domestic bereavements, and loss of property, with manly courage and noble resolution, and yet, in the daily course of their occupations, permit themselves to be made miserable by things of comparatively little consequence-as the state of the weather, or of public securities, or some temporary derangement of plans, or some petty household difficulty. Such men resemble the bear suffering from troubles brought on from no worthy cause, but arising from the stings of his puny enemies. The Bear, it may be observed, brought his troubles on himself. The hive was upset while he indulged in an act of self-gratification, without any reference to the hurt he might cause to its occupants. A little more care for the feelings of others would have saved him from the stings of the Bees and from the sufferings resulting from their attack. Think much of a trifle, though small it appear; Small sands make the mountains, and moments the year. THE TRAVELLERS AND THE BEAR. Two Men travelling through a forest together, mutually promised to stand by each other in any) danger they should meet upon the way. They had not gone far, before a Bear came rushing towards them out of a thicket; upon which one, being as light, nimble fellow, got up into a tree. The other, perceiving that he had no chance single-handed: against the Bear, fell flat with his face upon the ground, as if dead, and held his breath. The Bear: came up and smelt him; and supposing him to be. a dead carcass, went back again into the wood without doing him the least harm. When all was over, the Traveller who had climbed the tree came down to his companion, and, with a pleasant smile, asked him what the Bear said to him; "For," says he, "I took notice that he placed his mouth very close to your ear."-"Why," replies the other, "he charged me to tell you that you were a great coward, and that I should take care for the future how I trusted those who made fine promises, and yet would not stand by their friends when in danger and difficulty.” MORAL. Trust not fine promises. APPLICATION. The man of many words is to be suspected. He is too often a mere butterfly flitting about in the summer sunshine of undisturbed prosperity, but disappearing on the first frost of a wintry day, or at the first whisper of adversity. His courage oozes away at the approach of danger. Such is the man described in this fable. He is common enough in society. He is seen in the garb of the speculator confident in the success of his scheme or adventure, and leading those who trust him to loss and calamity. He is the type of every faithless man who, by fair promises, brings a friend into trouble, and leaves him to extricate himself as best he can. Brag is a good dog, but Holdfast is a better. fable, in a word, gives a caution against fine pro The mises, and against believing all we hear. It points out the imprudence of trusting any one in affairs of importance until sufficient proof has been given of their integrity, truth, talent, and fidelity. He that is thy friend indeed,' A TRUMPETER being taken prisoner in a battle, begged hard for quarter, declaring his innocence, and protesting that he neither had killed nor could kill any man; bearing no arms, but only his trumpet, which he was obliged to sound at the word of command. "For that reason," replied his enemies, "we are determined not to spare you; for though you yourself never fight, yet with that base instrument of yours you blow up animosity between other people, and so become the occasion of much bloodshed." |