"Open your sack, Mr. Fox! open your sack!" cried the cat, but the dogs
had gripped him, and held him fast.
"Oh, Mr. Fox!" cried the cat, "you with your hundred arts, and your
sackful of tricks, are held fast, while I, with my one, am safe. Had
you been able to creep up here, you would not have lost you life."
* * * * *
THE RATS AND THEIR SON-IN-LAW
There once lived in Japan a rat and his wife, folk of noble race, who
had one beautiful daughter. They were exceedingly proud of her charms,
and dreamed, as parents will, of the grand marriage she was sure
to make in time. Proud of his pure rodent blood, the father saw no
son-in-law more to be desired than a young rat of ancient lineage,
whose attentions to his daughter were very marked. This match,
however, brilliant as it was, seemed not to the mother's taste. Like
many people who think themselves made out of special clay, she had a
very poor opinion of her own kind, and was ambitious for an alliance
with the highest circles. To the stars! was her motto, she always
said, and really, when one has a daughter of incomparable beauty, one
may well hope for an equally incomparable son-in-law.
Pages:
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77