108 FAVOURITE FABLES.

FABLE LXXVIII.

THE DOG IN THE MANGER.

A Doe was lying upon a manger full of hay. An Ox,
being hungry, came near, and wanted to eat of the hay;
but the envious, ill-natured cur, getting up and snarling at
him, would not suffer him to touch it. Upon which the Ox,
in the bitterness of his heart, said, ‘‘ What a selfish wretch
thou art, for thou canst neither eat hay thyself, nor suffer
others to do so.”’

MORAL.

Selfishness is a most contemptible thing; but that degree
of it which withholds from others what we can make no ~
possible use of ourselves, is hateful in the extreme.

—o——_.

FABLE LXXIX.
THE OLD MAN AND DEATH.

A poor, feeble old Man, who had crawled out into a neigh-
bouring wood to gather a few sticks, had made up his bundle,