The Florist, incensed at this treatment of his favourite flower, in revenge spread a net, and took the Bull-bull captive; who, finding itself in the snare, thus expostulated with the Florist: "How can you use me so cruelly? Do not I chearfully repay you for the harbour that your garden affords me with the music of my song?" "What harm," replied the Florist, "had that rose done to you that you treated it so despitefully?" He released, however, his little prisoner who, as soon as he had regained his freedom, shook his wings, and perched on the bough of a neighbouring tree, from whence he thus addressed the florist :

"A good action should never go without it's reward;-dig at the foot of that orange tree, and you will find a treasure." He did so, and found one. Upon which he, turned to the warbler, and thanking him, asked," how he who had eyes so penetrating as to discover a treasure bu

ried in the earth, could avoid seeing a net over his head.”

"Know, O man!" replied the Bull-bull, "that there is no escaping the hand of destiny-what must be, must be."

SEVENTH

SEVENTH EVENING.

HAROUN ABRASCHID.

AN EASTERN TALE.

THERE HERE was among the caliphs one more than all the rest renouned for the goodness of his temper; I need not say to those who are conversant in the eastern history, that his name was Haroun Abraschid. 'Twas his custom to walk unknowni among his subjects, and hear from their own mouths their grievances and their opinion of their rulers. He advanced and degraded according to these reports, and perhaps

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perhaps sometimes to hastily, though always with an upright purpose; and used to say, he was the only sovereign who heard the thoughts of his people.

One morning, about sun-rise, as he was walking along the side of a river, he saw an old man and his grandson earnest in discourse. The boy, in wantonness, had taken a water-worm out of the flags, and, having thrown it on the ground, had lifted up his foot to crush it. The old man pulled him back, and just as the caliph came up, was speaking to him thus:"Boy, do not take away that which is not in thy power to give. He who gave life to that insect, gave it also to thee: how darest thou then violate what he bestowed? Shew mercy, and thou wilt find mercy."

The caliph stopped, and hearing beggary and rags so eloquent, he stood astonished. What is your name, and where is your habitation?" said he. The old man told

him

him he was called Atelmoule, and pointed

to his cottage.

"Rise

In an hour a robe of state was sent to the cottage, officers attended, and Atelmoule was told he was appointed Vizier. They led him, full of wonder and confusion, to the caliph he fell upon his face before the throne; and, without daring to look up, kissed the verge of the royal robe. Atelmoule," said the caliph, next the throne: forget not your own lessons. Shew mercy, and you shall find it." The man, filled with astonishment and surprize, beheld the person with whom he. had spoken in the morning.

you are

Mean time the sun was warm-the worm whose life the new vizier had saved, opened its shelly back, and gave birth to a fly, that buzzed about, and enjoyed his new-born wings with rapture; he settled on the mule that carried the vizier, and stung him;— the mule pranced, and threw his unaccustomed

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