|
THE TORTOISE AND THE
DUCKS
"Take me with you, please," called a tortoise to a gray
duck and a
white duck that were flying over.
The ducks heard the
tortoise and flew down toward him.
"Do you really wish to go with
us?" asked the ducks as they came
to the ground near the
tortoise.
"I surely do," replied the tortoise. "Will you please
take me?"
"Why, yes, I think we can do so," said the white duck
slowly.
The two ducks talked together in low tones for a few
minutes. Then
they flew to the woods. They soon brought back a strong
twig and
dropped it in front of the tortoise.
"Now," said the
ducks, "if we take you off to see the world, you
must promise us one
thing."
"What is that?" asked the tortoise. "I will promise
almost
anything if you will let me go."
"You must promise not to
say one word while you are in the air,
NOT ONE WORD," replied the
ducks.
"All right, I promise," said the tortoise. "Sometimes I do
not say
a word for a whole day because there is no one to listen to
me."
"Well, take firm hold of the middle of the twig; we are ready
to
start," said the gray duck.
"If you value your life, you must
hold on tightly," said the white
duck.
The tortoise took hold of
the middle of the twig and each duck
took hold of one end.
Then
they flew up! up! up! while the tortoise swung from the
middle of the
twig. How he enjoyed it! He had never had such a
ride.
They had
gone a long way safely when they came to a hayfield. The
haymakers
looked up and saw the ducks and the tortoise.
"Ho! ho! the tortoise
has stolen some wings," called one of the
haymakers.
"What a
queer carriage he has!" laughed another in a loud voice.
"I pity
his horses," said another.
This made the tortoise so angry that he
cried out, "You--" but no
one knows what he was going to say, for he
fell to the ground and
was killed.
HOME
|
THE MOUSE AND THE
FROG
THE BOYS AND THE FROGS
THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF
THE TWO GOATS
THE STRIKE OF THE
MILL FEEDERS
THE FARMER AND HIS SONS
THE FOUR OXEN AND THE LION
THE HUNTER AND THE FARMER
THE
FOX IN THE WELL
THE MICE IN COUNCIL
THE FOX AND THE CROW
THE VAIN
CROW
THE HOUSE AND THE LOADED DONKEY
THE LEAVES AND THE ROOTS
THE
BULL AND THE GNAT
THE FARMER AND HIS THREE
SONS
THE YOUNG FOX
VISIT OF THE MOUSE TO THE COUNTRY
THE TWO DOVES
THE HORSE AND THE
WOLF
THE BEES, THE DRONES, AND THE
WASP
THE BIRDS, THE BEASTS, AND THE
BAT
THE WOODMAN AND HIS AXE
THE BLACKBIRD AND THE DOVE
THE FOX WITH HIS TAIL CUT OFF
THE GREEDY DOG
THE GOOSE THAT
LAID GOLD EGGS
THE DONKEY AND HIS
MASTERS
THE COBBLER AND THE RICH MAN
THE ICE KING
THE WOLF, THE
GOAT, AND THE KID
THE WISE GOAT
THE SHEPHERD AND THE DOGS
THE
BOY AND THE NUTS
THE CROW AND THE
PITCHER
THE GROCER AND HIS DONKEY
THE THREE FISH
THE
WAGONER
THE LARK AND THE FARMER
THE LION AND THE MOUSE
THE ANT
AND THE DOVE
THE HAPPY FAMILY
THE TYRANT WHO BECAME A JUST RULER
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE
THE MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR DONKEY
THE PUG DOG AND HIS SHADOW
THE PARTRIDGE IN THE NET
THE
NORTH WIND AND THE SUN
THE CAMEL AND HIS
MASTER |