Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1880 — A Fable. [ARTICLE]

A Fable.

A pack of hyenas having been much annoyed at the manner in which the leopards had carried off the sheep which they had intended to feed upon, were rejoiced to see one of their enemies alone. “Now,” said they, “we can revenge ourselves, and strike terror into the rest of his family. We have nothing to do but to surround him, and he will fall an easy prey to our fury.” “It will be a grand thing to drag home a dead leopard,” saitl a young hyena. “ I will have his head,” said anotlier. “And I his tail.” “ And I his teeth. ” “And I his claws.” “And his body will make a fine feast for us,” said all the hyenas ; and they laughed in chorus. They drew closer and closer round the leopard, who, seeing himself so greatly outnumbered, felly that flight would I>e better than fighting, and, perceiving a sturdy tree not far oft’, he made a sudden bound, and, upsetting several of his assailants, gained one of the lower branches, where he. kept the enemy at bay. So matters stood, when suddenly the leopard began to growl furiously, and the growl was answered by a prolonged growl in the distance. Again and again the leopard growled, and each time the growl was heard from afar. “The leopards are coming,” said an old hyena, “we had better be off. ” Then a panic seized upon the pack, and away they fled, leaving the leopard on his post of advantage. He waited a few moments after the last of his opponents had disappeared, and then quietly descondid. “Ah,” said he, “it is not always those wiio talk the loudest who win the victory. A wise head will outgeneral an army of boasters ; and it was lucky I remembered that there was an echo about here, or I should not have been left master of the field.”