Directory_and_Chronicle_1845 — Page 796

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out without fear." They had just left their hole, when puss made a spring and seized one of them, devouring him bones and all. The other jumped back to her fellows, saying, “I just said she had half shut her eyes, and was saying her prayers, and now would have a better heart, and do well; who would have thought she would just then snap up one of us, not even leaving his skull!"

Moral. Some will say prayers to do wickedness, and others do no wick- edness even if they do not say prayers.

Beat him half Dead.

A rich old man one day spoke to a covetous fellow, “I will give you a thousand taels, if you will let me beat you to death." The man thought a good while, and replied, "Will you give me five hundred taels for beating me half dead?"

Moral.-Men brave the winds and waves for money, and often lose their lives, but I guess this man would not just hit it, and only be half killed.

Lacking Rice and a Bed.

A poor man was boasting to a number of friends, "My family is not so very rich, but I have all sorts of things in it;" and he began counting them over with his fingers, adding, “There is wanting only the imperial car and phoenix chariot." There are all kinds of enta- bles too, the only things wanting are a dragon's heart and a phoenix's liver." A boy standing by, knitting his brow, rejoined, “There's no bed in the house, for we sleep on a pallet of straw, and we did'nt have a kernel of rice to-day; and now you're telling these lies before the world." The man lifting up his eyes, added, Very true, just so;

""

I forgot; there's everything in the house we want, except a phoenix's liver, a dragon's heart, some rice for supper, an imperial car, the phoenix chariot, and a bed to sleep on."

Moaal.-To be poor is not ridiculous, but to be poor and lie so about it is contemptible.

Brothers buying a Pair of Boots.

Two brothers bought a pair of boots which it was agreed they should wear together. On bringing them home, the younger brother put them on and wore them every day, so that his elder brother had no part of the wear, with which he was not at all pleased, and so got up nights to wear them, going without sleep. The boots in a little while were quite worn out, when the younger said,

"Let us buy a

new pair of boots." The other, knitting his brow, said, “No, unless you will let me sleep nights; if I can sleep, you can do it.”

Moral. The proverb saith, "In a leaky ship, or on a lean horse, people all fare alike, and get no pity.”