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A Flea bit a Man, and bit him again, and again, till he could

stand it no longer, but made a thorough search for it, and at

last succeeded in catching it. Holding it between his finger and

thumb, he said--or rather shouted, so angry was he--"Who are you,

pray, you wretched little creature, that you make so free with my

person?" The Flea, terrified, whimpered in a weak little voice,

"Oh, sir! pray let me go; don't kill me! I am such a little thing

that I can't do you much harm." But the Man laughed and said, "I

am going to kill you now, at once: whatever is bad has got to be

destroyed, no matter how slight the harm it does."

Do not waste your pity on a scamp.

THE BEE AND JUPITER