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fighting a gnat？ Here； out of my way； you atom of nothing！ I'll blow you
to the other end of the world。〃
But though the Lion puffed his cheeks until they were like great
bellows； and then blew with all his might； he could not disturb the little
Gnat's hold on the swaying grass…blade。
〃You'll blow all your whiskers away if you are not careful；〃 he said；
with a laugh〃but you won't move me。 And if you dare leave this spot
without fighting me； I'll tell all the beasts of the forest that you are afraid
of me； and they'll make ME King。〃
〃Ho； ho！〃 roared the Lion。 〃Very well； since you will fight； let it be
so。〃
〃You agree to the conditions； then？ The one who conquers shall be
King？〃
〃Oh； certainly；〃 laughed the Lion； for he expected an easy victory。
〃Are you ready？〃
〃Quite ready。〃
〃ThenGO！〃 roared the Lion。
And with that he sprang forward with open jaws； thinking he could
easily swallow a million gnats。 But just as the great jaws were about to
close upon the blade of grass whereto the Gnat clung； what should happen
but that the Gnat suddenly spread his wings and nimbly flewwhere do
you think？right into one of the Lion's nostrils！ And there he began to
sting； sting； sting。 The Lion wondered； and thundered； and blunderedbut
the Gnat went on stinging； he foamed； and he moaned； and he groaned
still the Gnat went on stinging； he rubbed his head on the ground in agony；
he swirled his tail in furious passion； he roared； he spluttered； he sniffed；
he snuffedand still the Gnat went on stinging。
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〃O my poor nose； my nose； my nose！〃 the Lion began to moan。 〃Come
down； come DOWN； come DOWN！ My nose； my NOSE； my NOSE！！
You're King of the Forest； you're King； you're Kingonly come down。 My
nose； my NOSE； my NOSE！〃
So at last the Gnat flew out from the Lion's nostril and went back to
his waving grass… blade； while the Lion slunk away into the depths of the
forest with his tail between his legsBEATEN； and by a tiny Gnat！
〃What a fine fellow am I； to be sure！〃 exclaimed the Gnat； aa he
proudly plumed his wings。 〃I've beaten a liona LION！ Dear me； I ought
to have been King long ago； I'm so clever； so big； so strongOH！〃
The Gnat's frightened cry was caused by finding himself entangled in
some silky sort of threads。 While gloating over his victory； the wind had
risen； and his grass…blade had swayed violently to and fro unnoticed by
him。 A stronger gust than usual had bent the blade downward close to the
ground； and then something caught it and held it fast and with it the
victorious Gnat。 Oh； the desperate struggles he made to get free！ Alas！ he
became more entangled than ever。 You can guess what it wasa spider's
web； hung out from the over… hanging branch of a tree。 Thenflipperty…
flopperty； flippertyflopperty； flop； flip； flop down his stairs came
cunning Father Spider and quickly gobbled up the little Gnat for his
supper； and that was the end of him。
A strong Lionand what overcame him？ A GNAT。
A clever Gnatand what overcame him？ A SPIDER'S WEB！ He who
had beaten the strong lion had been overcome by the subtle snare of a
spider's thread。
ESPECIALLY FOR CLASSES II。 AND III。
THE CAT AND THE PARROT
Once there was a cat； and a parrot。 And they had agreed to ask each
other to dinner； turn and turn about： first the cat should ask the parrot； then
the parrot should invite the cat； and so on。 It was the cat's turn first。
Now the cat was very mean。 He provided nothing at all for dinner
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except a pint of milk； a little slice of fish； and a biscuit。 The parrot was too
polite to complain； but he did not have a very good time。
When it was his turn to invite the cat； he cooked a fine dinner。 He had
a roast of meat； a pot of tea； a basket of fruit； and； best of all； he baked a
whole clothes…basketful of little cakes！little； brown； crispy； spicy cakes！
Oh； I should say as many as five hundred。 And he put four hundred and
ninety…eight of the cakes before the cat； keeping only two for himself。
Well； the cat ate the roast； and drank the tea； and sucked the fruit； and
then he began on the pile of cakes。 He ate all the four hundred and ninety…
eight cakes； and then he looked round and said：
〃I'm hungry； haven't you anything to eat？〃
〃Why；〃 said the parrot； 〃here are my two cakes； if you want them？〃
The cat ate up the two cakes； and then he licked his chops and said； 〃I
am beginning to get an appetite； have you anything to eat？〃
〃Well； really；〃 said the parrot； who was now rather angry； 〃I don't see
anything more； unless you wish to eat me！〃 He thought the cat would be
ashamed when he heard thatbut the cat just looked at him and licked his
chops again；and slip！ slop！ gobble！ down his throat went the parrot！
Then the cat started down the street。 An old woman was standing by；
and she had seen the whole thing； and she was shocked that the cat should
eat his friend。 〃Why； cat！〃 she said； 〃how dreadful of you to eat your
friend the parrot！〃
〃Parrot； indeed！〃 said the cat。 〃What's a parrot to me？I've a great
mind to eat you； too。〃 Andbefore you could say 〃Jack Robinson〃slip！
slop！ gobble！ down went the old woman！
Then the cat started down the road again； walking like this； because he
felt so fine。 Pretty soon he met a man driving a donkey。 The man was
beating the donkey； to hurry him up； and when he saw the cat he said； 〃Get
out of my way； cat； I'm in a hurry and my donkey might tread on you。〃
〃Donkey； indeed！〃 said the cat； 〃much I care for a donkey！ I have
eaten five hundred cakes； I've eaten my friend the parrot； I've eaten an old
woman；what's to hinder my eating a miserable man and a donkey？〃
And slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went the old man and the donkey。
Then the cat walked on down the road； jauntily； like this。 After a little；
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he met a procession； coming that way。 The king was at the head； walking
proudly with his newly married bride； and behind him were his soldiers；
marching； and behind them were ever and ever so many elephants；
walking two by two。 The king felt very kind to everybody； because he had
just been married； and he said to the cat； 〃Get out of my way； pussy； get
out of my way； my elephants might hurt you。〃
〃Hurt me！〃 said the cat； shaking his fat sides。 〃Ho； ho！ I've eaten five
hundred cakes； I've eaten my friend the parrot； I've eaten an old woman；
I've eaten a man and a donkey； what's to hinder my eating a beggarly
king？〃
And slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went the king； down went the queen；
down went the soldiers；and down went all the elephants！
Then the cat went on； more slowly； he had really had enough to eat；
now。 But a little farther on he met two land…crabs； scuttling along in the
dust。 〃Get out of our way； pussy；〃 they squeaked。
〃Ho； ho ho！〃 cried the cat in a terrible voice。 〃I've eaten five hundred
cakes； I've eaten my friend the parrot； I've eaten an old woman； a man with
a donkey； a king； a queen； his men…at…arms； and all his elephants； and now
I'll eat you too。〃
And slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went the two land…crabs。
When the land…crabs got down inside； they began to look around。 It
was very dark； but they could see the poor king sitting in a corner with his
bride on his arm； she had fainted。 Near them were the men…at…arms；
treading on one another's toes； and the elephants； still trying to form in
twos；but they couldn't； because there was not room。 In the opposite
corner sat the old woman； and near her stood the man and his donkey。 But
in the other corner was a great pile of cakes； and by them perched the
parrot； his feathers all drooping。
Let's get to work！〃 said the land…crabs。 And； snip