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Don't you go near them. They have a way of saying one thing and

meaning another which has just been the death of several of our

poor friends."

THE ASS AND THE DOG

An Ass and a Dog were on their travels together, and, as they

went along, they found a sealed packet lying on the ground. The

Ass picked it up, broke the seal, and found it contained some

writing, which he proceeded to read out aloud to the Dog. As he

read on it turned out to be all about grass and barley and

hay--in short, all the kinds of fodder that Asses are fond of.

The Dog was a good deal bored with listening to all this, till at

last his impatience got the better of him, and he cried, "Just

skip a few pages, friend, and see if there isn't something about

meat and bones." The Ass glanced all through the packet, but

found nothing of the sort, and said so. Then the Dog said in

disgust, "Oh, throw it away, do: what's the good of a thing like

that?"

THE ASS CARRYING THE IMAGE