IN a forest, deep, shady, and still, there once
lived a company of Hares.
Whenever a leaf fell rustling
to the ground,
or a squirrel, jumping in the branches, broke a
twig, the Hares started and
trembled; they
were so timid.
One day there came a great
wind rushing
through the tops of the
trees with a roaring
noise, and waving the branches back and forth.
It frightened the Hares
so much that they
all started together, running as fast
as they
could to get out of the forest, which
had been
their home.
"What a sad
state is ours," they said,
"never to eat in comfort,
to sleep always in
fear, to be startled by a shadow,
and fly with
beating heart at the rustling
of the leaves.
Better death, by far. Let us drown ourselves
in yonder lake."
But when they came to the lake, it
happened
that there were scores of frogs sporting on the
banks; who, when they heard
the sound of
footsteps, jumped into the water.
The timid Hares
were startled by the
splash; but, as they saw the frogs dive to
the
bottom of the lake, as wise old Hare said, "Stop
a moment! let us consider.
Here are crea-
tures that are more timid than we, ---they are
afraid even of us. It may not be as bad as
we
thought. Perhaps we have been
foolish, as
foolish as the frogs, who
are alarmed when
there is no danger. Let
us make the best of
our lot, and try to be brave
in it." So back
they went again to the forest.
|