THE LABOURER AND THE SLY FOX. 109

again and again the animal attacked him. He had nearly
reached the town to which he was going, when he met a
friend who was unarmed, whom he told of the danger he had
met with; and, as he believed himself now safe from attack,
he gave him the sword for his defence. The wolf had been
watching this proceeding, evidently intent on attacking the
person who was travelling without a sword. When he saw
that the first he had attacked was now defenceless, he made
after him at full speed, and overtaking him before he got into
the town, leaped upon him, unarmed as he now was, and
killed him.

When striving for an object, continue your efforts and
be cautious, as at the first, till you have gained it.

 

THE LABOURER AND THE SLY FOX.

A LABOURER going to his work one morning caught. sight of
a fox stretched out at full length under a bush. Believing
it to be dead, the man drew it out by the tail, and swung it
about to assure himself of the fact. Seeing no signs of life,
he then threw it over his shoulder, intending to make a cap
of the skin, and ornament his cottage wall with the bushy
tail. While the fox hung over one shoulder, his pickaxe
balanced it on the other. The point of the axe. as he walked
along, every now and then struck against the ribs of the fox,
which, not so dead as the man thought, objected to this
treatment, though he did not mind being carried along with
his head downward. Losing patience, he gave a sharp snap
at that portion of the labourer’s body near which his head