such determined sportsmen, he saw her slowly flying towards the rock, behind which he had taken refuge, when on nearer approach, he heard, to his horror, the cries of an infant, and then beheld it in her frightful grasp. Instantly his resolve was made, to fire at the eagle the moment she should alight on the nest, and rather to kill the child than leave it to be devoured. With anxious heart he balanced, directed, and discharged his rifle; the ball went through the head and breast of the eagle; with indescribable delight he bore the babe away, and within a short time after it was missed, he had the satisfaction of restoring it—with wounds which were not serious on one of its arms and sides to its happy mother's bosom.-CASSELL'S NATURAL HISTORY.

THE PORCUPINE, CHAMELEON, AND OWL.

One day a meeting took place between a porcupine and a chameleon, who entering into confidential discourse, each most bitterly complained of the scorn in which they were held by a cruel world. They both declared that they could not name one friend that they had in it, and yet could see no sufficient reason why they should be so badly treated, especially as they had sought by varied experiments to gain approbation, but still found to their cost that neither could succeed. In this dilemma they determined to apply to some competent judge to have the problem solved. They concluded that the owl was the proper object of their search, and accordingly presented themselves before him.

When the owl, having heard each eloquently make out his case, thus gave his judgment. First addressing the chameleon," You," said he, " can lay no claim to friendship, since you only reflect back the object which is presented to you, as if you thought it a perfect model to

imitate and worthy to engross the whole attention, like an insipid echo, offering neither advice, admonition, nor correction, but a mere servile flatterer, as you are, applauding eqnally whatever is presented to your notice-vice or virtue. And as to you," turning to the porcupine, “who hold yourself perpetually armed against all the world, and on every suggestion of envy or caprice shoot your sharp quills at friends or enemies, innocence or guilt, regardless who suffers while you enjoy the triumph of your power and the force of your weapons, what better fate can you expect than to be viewed with terror and dislike? Go, fretful porcupine, and base fawning chameleon, and if you cannot mend your manners, learn at least to be content without friends; for depend upon it, that none are without friends but those who deserve none."-NORTHCOTE'S FABLES.

THE JUDGE AND THE MERCHANT'S PROPERTY.

A certain merchant left in his will seventeen horses to be divided among his three sons, according to the following proportions, viz., the first was to receive one half, the second one third, and the youngest one ninth part of the whole. But when they came to arrange about the division, it was found that to comply with the terms of the will without sacrificing one or more of the animals was impossible.

Puzzled in the extreme, they repaired to the Kází (judge), who, having read the will, said that such a difficult question required time for deliberation, and recommended them to return in two days. When they again made their appearance the judge said:

"I have considered your case, and find that I can make such a division of the seventeen horses among you as will

give each more than his strict share, and yet not one of the animals shall be injured. Are you content?"

"We are, O Kází," was the reply.

"Bring forth the seventeen horses, and let them be placed in the court-yard," said the Kází.

The animals were brought in, and the Kází ordered the groom to place his own horse with them.

He then bade the eldest brother to count the horses.
"There are eighteen in number, O Kází,” he said.

"I will now make the division," responded the Kází. "You, the eldest, are entitled to half; then take nine horses you, the second son, are to receive one third; take, therefore, six: while to you, the youngest, belongs the ninth part-namely two. Thus the seventeen horses are divided among you; you have each more than your share, and I may now take my own steed back again."

·O Kází !" said the brothers, "your wisdom equals that of our Lord Solomon !"-NOTES FROM NINEVEH.

THE JACKAL WHO WAS ELECTED KING OF THE ANIMALS.

There was once a jackal that used constantly to go into a certain city, and to thrust his snout into every person's dish with the greatest impudence. Well, one night, according to custom, he entered the house of a certain indigo manufacturer; but, just as he was putting his nose into the vat, he fell into it, and his whole body was dyed indigo. colour. With the greatest difficulty he managed to clamber out again, and made off for the jungle. On account of his strange colour, the beasts of the forest did not recognise him, and supposing him to be some very distinguished animal, proposed to make him their king. Having so decided, the jackals accordingly elected him. their king, and placed themselves entirely under his com

mand. The jackal, now made chief, in order that no one might recognise him by his voice, made it his practice to place near him only the very smallest animals. Accordingly, whenever he held his court, he used to arrange them in the first rank, and the foxes in the second, the stags and monkeys in the third, the wolves in the fourth, the lions and tigers in the fifth, and the elephants in the sixth. Then he would say, "You all remain each in his own assigned position." And in the evening, when the jackals began to yelp, he indulged his natural tendency by yelping along with them, by which means he succeeded in not being recognised by any of the beasts.

After some days the elected chief, being angry with his brother jackals, dismissed them all from his immediate presence, and promoted the lions, tigers, and elephants to their post. As soon as it was night, the discarded jackals at a distance began their peculiar cry, and the chieftain himself, at his post of honour, joined them therein. The wild beasts which were standing around him, hearing the well-known voice, at once recognised his species, and were heartily ashamed. Without an hour's delay they made minced meat of him.-TALES OF A PARROT.

ASEM THE RECLUSE.

Asem had spent his youth with men; had shared in their amusements; and had been taught to love his fellowcreatures with the most ardent affection; but from the tenderness of his disposition he exhausted all his fortune in relieving the wants of the distressed. The petitioner never sued in vain; the weary traveller never passed his door; he only hesitated from doing good when he had no longer the power of relieving.

From a fortune thus spent in benevolence he expected

a grateful return from those he had formerly relieved, and made his application with confidence of redress; the ungrateful world soon grew weary of his importunity, for pity is but a short-lived passion. He soon, therefore, began to view mankind in a very different light from that in which he had before beheld them; he perceived a thousand vices he had never before suspected to exist; wherever he turned, ingratitude, dissimulation, and treachery, contributed to increase his detestation of them. Resolved, therefore, to continue no longer in a world which he hated, and which repaid his detestation with contempt, he retired to this region of sterility, in order to brood over his resentment in solitude, and converse with the only honest heart he knew, namely, with his own.

A cave was his only shelter from the inclemency of the weather; fruits, gathered with difficulty from the mountains' side, his only food; and his drink was fetched with danger and toil from the headlong torrent. In this manner he lived sequestered from society, passing the hours in meditation, and sometimes exulting, that he was able to live independently of his fellow-creatures.-GOLDSMITH.

FABLE-THE COCK AND THE FOX.

A cock, being perched among the branches of a lofty tree, crowed aloud, so that the shrillness of his voice echoed through the wood and attracted a fox to the place, who was prowling in that neighbourhood in quest of prey. But Reynard, finding the cock was inaccessible, by reason of the height of his situation, had recourse to stratagem in order to decoy him down; so, approaching the tree, "Cousin," says he, "I am heartily glad to see you, but at the same time I cannot forbear expressing my uneasiness at the inconvenience of the place, which will not let me pay my