第46页 / 共274页

A Fox and a Monkey were on the road together, and fell into a

dispute as to which of the two was the better born. They kept it

up for some time, till they came to a place where the road passed

through a cemetery full of monuments, when the Monkey stopped and

looked about him and gave a great sigh. "Why do you sigh?" said

the Fox. The Monkey pointed to the tombs and replied, "All the

monuments that you see here were put up in honour of my

forefathers, who in their day were eminent men." The Fox was

speechless for a moment, but quickly recovering he said, "Oh!

don't stop at any lie, sir; you're quite safe: I'm sure none of

your ancestors will rise up and expose you."

Boasters brag most when they cannot be detected.

THE ASS AND THE LAP-DOG