Another Crow--a sly old fellow--came and watched him for some time in
silence.

"Friend," said he at last, "you'll never break it in that way. Listen
to me. This is the way to do it: Fly up as high as you can, and let
the tiresome thing fall upon a rock. It will be smashed then sure
enough, and you can eat it at your leisure."

The simple-minded and unsuspecting Crow did as he was told, flew up and
let the Mussel fall.

Before he could descend to eat it, however, the other bird had pounced
upon it and carried it away.



The Ass and His Purchaser

A Man wished to purchase an Ass, and agreed with his owner that he
should try him before he bought him. He took the Ass home, and put him
in the straw-yard with his other asses, upon which the beast left all
the others and joined himself at once to the most idle and the greatest
eater of them all.

The Man put a halter on him, and led him back to his owner: and when he
was asked how, in so short a time, he could have made a trial of him,
"I do not need," he answered, "a trial; I know that he will be just
such another as the one whom of all the rest he chose for his
companion."