a hungry wolf one day saw a lamb drinking at a stream, and wished to frame some plausible excuse for making him his prey.

"what do you mean by muddling the water i am going to drink?" fiercely said he to the lamb.

"pray forgive me," meekly answered the lamb; "i should be sorry in any way to displease you, but as the stream runs from you toward me, you will see that such cannot be the case."

"that's all very well," said the wolf; "but you know you spoke ill of me behind my back a year ago."

"nay, believe me," replied the lamb, "i was not then born."

"it must have been your brother, then," growled the wolf.

"it cannot have been, for i never had any," answered the lamb.

"i know it was one of your lot," rejoined the wolf, "so make no more such idle excuses." he then seized the poor lamb, carried him off to the woods, and ate him, but before the poor creature died he gasped out, feebly, "any excuse will serve a tyrant."