III
The Crow and the Eagle
The sheep went out to pasture.
Suddenly an Eagle appeared, swooped down from the sky, caught a little lamb with its claws, and bore him away.
A Crow saw it, and felt also an inclination to dine on meat. She said:—
“That was not a very bright performance. Now I am going to do it, but in better style. The Eagle was stupid; he carried off a little lamb, but I am going to take that fat ram yonder.”
The Crow buried her claws deep in the ram’s fleece, and tried to fly off with him; but all in vain. And she was not able to extricate her claws from the wool.
The shepherd came along, freed the ram from the Crow’s claws, and killed the Crow, and flung it away.
IV
The Mouse and the Frog
A Mouse went to visit a Frog. The Frog met the Mouse on the bank, and urged him to visit his chamber under the water.
The Mouse climbed down to the water’s edge, took a taste of it, and then climbed back again.
“Never,” said he, “will I make visits to people of alien race.”