Part 17 (1/2)

”If it had been full of water,” pleaded the mouse, ”it would not have upset.”

[Ill.u.s.tration]

”But I might have lain down in it, monster!” persisted the cat.

”No, you couldn't,” was the answer; ”it is not wide enough.”

”Fiend!” shrieked the cat, smas.h.i.+ng him with her paw; ”I can curl up real small when I try.”

The _ultima ratio_ of very angry people is frequently addressed to the ear of the dead.

XCIX.

In crossing a frozen pool, a monkey slipped and fell, striking upon the back of his head with considerable force, so that the ice was very much shattered. A peac.o.c.k, who was strutting about on sh.o.r.e thinking what a pretty peac.o.c.k he was, laughed immoderately at the mishap.

N.B.--All laughter is immoderate when a fellow is hurt--if the fellow is oneself.

”Bah!” exclaimed the sufferer; ”if you could see the beautiful prismatic tints I have knocked into this ice, you would laugh out of the other side of your bill. The splendour of your tail is quite eclipsed.”

Thus craftily did he inveigle the vain bird, who finally came and spread his tail alongside the fracture for comparison. The gorgeous feathers at once froze fast to the ice, and--in short, that artless fowl pa.s.sed a very uncomfortable winter.

C.

A volcano, having discharged a few million tons of stones upon a small village, asked the mayor if he thought that a tolerably good supply for building purposes.

”I think,” replied that functionary, ”if you give us another dash of granite, and just a pinch of old red sandstone, we could manage with what you have already done for us. We would, however, be grateful for the loan of your crater to bake bricks.”

”Oh, certainly; parties served at their residences.” Then, after the man had gone, the mountain added, with mingled lava and contempt: ”The most insatiable people I ever contracted to supply. They shall not have another pebble!”

He banked his fires, and in six weeks was as cold as a neglected pudding. Then might you have seen the heaving of the surface boulders, as the people began stirring forty fathoms beneath.

When you have got quite enough of anything, make it manifest by asking for some more. You won't get it.

CI.

”I entertain for you a sentiment of profound amity,” said the tiger to the leopard. ”And why should I not? for are we not members of the same great feline family?”

”True,” replied the leopard, who was engaged in the hopeless endeavour to change his spots; ”since we have mutually plundered one another's hunting grounds of everything edible, there remains no grievance to quarrel about. You are a good fellow; let us embrace!”