52. The Boys and the Frogs



SOME BOYS, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water and began to pelt them with stones.

They killed several of them, when one of the Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: "Pray stop, my boys: what is sport to you, is death to us."





53. The Sick Stag



A SICK STAG lay down in a quiet corner of its pasture-ground.

His companions came in great numbers to inquire after his health, and each one helped himself to a share of the food which had been placed for his use; so that he died, not from his sickness, but from the failure of the means of living.



Evil companions bring more hurt than profit.





54. The Salt Merchant and His Ass



A PEDDLER drove his Ass to the seashore to buy salt.

His road home lay across a stream into which his Ass, making a false step, fell by accident and rose up again with his load considerably lighter, as the water melted the sack.

The Peddler retraced his steps and refilled his panniers with a larger quantity of salt than before.

When he came again to the stream, the Ass fell down on purpose in the same spot, and, regaining his feet with the weight of his load much diminished, brayed triumphantly as if he had obtained what he desired.

The Peddler saw through his trick and drove him for the third time to the coast, where he bought a cargo of sponges instead of salt.

The Ass, again playing the fool, fell down on purpose when he reached the stream, but the sponges became swollen with water, greatly increasing his load.

And thus his trick recoiled on him, for he now carried on his back a double burden.
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