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went pit…a…pat。 He rubbed his little eyes with his feelers； and then peered
all around trying to penetrate the deep gloom as he whispered in terror
〃WHATWASTHAT？〃
What do YOU think it was？ 。 。 。 Yes； a LION！ A great； big lion who；
while most other denizens of the forest slept； was out hunting for prey。 He
came rushing and crashing through the thick undergrowth of the forest；
swirling his long tail and opening wide his great jaws； and as he rushed he
RO…AR…R…R…ED！
Presently he reached the spot where the little Gnat hung panting at the
tip of the waving grass…blade。 Now the little Gnat was not afraid of lions；
so when he saw it was only a lion； he cried out
〃Hi； stop； stop！ What are you making that horrible noise about？〃
The Lion stopped short； then backed slowly and regarded the Gnat
with scorn。
〃Why； you tiny； little； mean； insignificant creature you； how DARE
you speak to ME？〃 he raged。
〃How dare I speak to you？〃 repeated the Gnat quietly。 〃By the virtue
of RIGHT； which is always greater than MIGHT。 Why don't you keep to
your own part of the forest？ What right have you to be here； disturbing
folks at this time of night？〃
By a mighty effort the Lion restrained his angerhe knew that to
obtain mastery over others one must be master over oneself。
〃What RIGHT？〃 he repeated in dignified tones。 〃BECAUSE I'M
KING OF THE FOREST。 That's why。 I can do no wrong； for all the other
creatures of the forest are afraid of me。 I DO what I please； I SAY what I
please； I EAT whom I please； I GO where I pleasesimply because I'm
King of the Forest。〃
〃But who told you you were King？〃 demanded the Gnat。 〃Just answer
me that！〃
〃Who told ME？〃 roared the Lion。 〃Why； everyone acknowledges it
don't I tell you that everyone is afraid of me？〃
〃Indeed！〃 cried the Gnat disdainfully。 〃Pray don't say ALL； for I'm not
afraid of you。 And further； I deny your right to be King。〃
This was too much for the Lion。 He now worked himself into a perfect
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
fury。
〃YouyouYOU deny my right as King？〃
〃I DO； and； what is more； you shall never be King until you have
fought and conquered me。〃
The Lion laughed a great lion laugh； and a lion laugh cannot be
laughed at like a cat laugh； as everyone ought to know。
〃Fightdid you say fight？〃 he asked。 〃Who ever heard of a lion
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 provi