a parsan waz JrFvN a wAgan aloN a kancri lEn, `en H `Ilz sANk dQn intM a rat. H rastik JrFvar, stMpafFd n agAst, stUd lUkN At H wAgan, n did naHiN bt atar lQd krFz t harkjalIz t kam n help him. harkjalIz, i z sed, apIrd n Has aJresd him: "pat jYr SOldarz t H `Ilz, mF mAn. gOd on jYr bUlaks, n nevar mYr prE t mI f help, antil jM hAv dan jYr best t help jYrself, Yr dipend apon i jM wil hensfYrT prE in vEn."
-- self-help z H best help. --
a hardzmAn tendN hiz flok in a fYrist lost a bUl-kAf fram H fOld. Aftar a loN n frMtlis sarc, hI mEd a vQ Ht, if hI kUd Onli diskavar H TIf hM hAd stOlan H kAf, hI wUd ofar a lAm in sAkrafFs t /harmIs, /pAn, n H gyrdian dIitIz v H fYrist. not loN Aftarwardz, Az hI asendd a smYl hilak, hI sY At its fUt a lFan fIdN on H kAf. tErafFd At H sFt, hI liftd hiz Fz n hiz hAndz t hevan, n sed: "Jast nQ F vQd t ofar a lAm t H gyrdian dIitIz v H fYrist if F kUd Onli fFnd Qt hM hAd robd mI; bt nQ Ht F hAv diskavard H TIf, F wUd wiliNli Ad a fUl-grOn bUl t H kAf F hAv lost, if F mE Onli sikjar mF On eskEp fram him in sEfti."
a grMm jMzd t spend hOl dEz in karIkOmN n rabN dQn hiz hYrs, bt At H sEm tFm stOl hiz Ots n sOld Hem f hiz On profit. "alAs!" sed H hYrs, "if jM rIli wiS mI t b in gUd kndiSn, jM SUd grMm mI les, n fed mI mYr."
a hYrs sOlJar tUk H atmOst pEnz wiT hiz cyrJar. Az loN Az H wYr lAstd, hI lUkd apon him Az hiz felO-helpar in Yl imarJansIz n fed him kErfali wiT hE n kYrn. bt `en H wYr waz Ovar, hI Onli alQd him cAf t It n mEd him kEri hevi lOdz v wUd, sabJektN him t mac slEviS JraJari n il-crItmnt. wYr waz agen prOklEmd, hQevar, n `en H crampit samand him t hiz stAndard, H sOlJar pat on hiz cyrJar its militEri crApNz, n mQntd, bIiN klAd in hiz hevi kOt v mEl. H hYrs fel dQn scrEtwE andar H wEt, nO loNgar Ikwal t H bardan, n sed t hiz mAstar, "jM mast nQ gO t H wYr on fUt, f jM hAv crAnsfYrmd mI fram a hYrs intM an As; n hQ k jM ekspekt Ht F k agen tarn in a mOmant fram an As t a hYrs?"
a hYrs n H As war crAvalN tageHar, H hYrs prAnsN aloN in its fFn crApNz, H As kErIiN wiT difakali H hevi wEt in its bAskits. "F wiS F war jM," sFd H As; "naHiN t d n wel fed, n Yl Ht fFn hyrnis apon jM." nekst dE, hQevar, HEr waz a grEt bAtl, n H hYrs waz wMndd t deT in H fFnl cyrJ v H dE. hiz frend, H As, hApand t pAs bF SYrtli Aftarwardz n fQnd him on H pqnt v deT. "F waz roN," sed H As...
-- betar hambl sikjariti Hn gildd dEnJar. --
At wan tFm H hYrs hAd H plEn entFrli t himself. Hn a stAg incrMdd intM hiz dOmEn n SErd hiz pAscar. H hYrs, dizFrN t rivenJ himself on H scrAnJar, Askd a mAn if hI war wilN t help him in paniSN H stAg. H mAn riplFd Ht if H hYrs wUd risIv a bit in hiz mQT n agrI t kEri him, hI wUd kncrFv efektiv wepanz agenst H stAg. H hYrs knsentd n alQd H mAn t mQnt him. fram Ht Qr hI fQnd Ht insted v abtEnN rivenJ on H stAg, hI hAd enslEvd himself t H sarvis v mAn.
a sartan hantar, hAvN snErd a hEr, plEsd i apon hiz SOldarz n set Qt hOmwardz. on hiz wE hI met a mAn on hYrsbAk hM begd H hEr v him, andar H prItens v parcasN i. hQevar, `en H hYrsmn got H hEr, hI rOd of Az fAst Az hI kUd. H hantar rAn Aftar him, Az if hI waz Sar v OvartEkN him, bt H hYrsmn inkrIsd mYr n mYr H distans bitwIn Hem. H hantar, sYrli agenst hiz wil, kYld Qt t him n sed, "get aloN wiT jM! f F wil nQ mEk jM a prezant v H hEr."
a hantar, not vEri bOld, waz sarcN f H crAks v a lFan. h Askd a mAn felN Oks in H fYrist if h hAd sIn eni myrks v hiz fUtsteps Yr nM `Er hiz lEr waz. "F wil," sed H mAn, "At wans SO jM H lFan himself." H hantar, tarnN vEri pEl n cAtarN wiT hiz tIT fram fIr, riplFd, "nO, TANk jM. F did not Ask Ht; i z hiz crAk Onli F Am in sarc v, not H lFan himself."
-- H hIrO z brEv in dIdz Az wel Az wardz. --
a hantsmn, ritarnN wiT hiz dYgz fram H fIld, fel in bF cAns wiT a fiSarmn hM waz briNN hOm a bAskit wel lEdan wiT fiS. H hantsmn wiSd t hAv H fiS, n HEr Onar ekspIriansd an Ikwal loNN f H kontents v H gEm-bAg. HE kwikli agrId t ekscEnJ H prOdMs v HEr dEz spYrt. Ic waz sO wel plIzd wiT hiz byrgan Ht HE mEd f sam tFm H sEm ekscEnJ dE Aftar dE. fFnali a nEbar sed t Hem, "if jM gO in Hs wE, jM wil sMn discrq bF frIkwant jMs H pleZar v jYr ekscEnJ, n Ic wil agen wiS t ritEn H frMts v hiz On spYrt."
-- abstEn n enjq. --
a vEri pYr mAn, a kyrpantar bF crEd, hAd a wUdan imiJ v markjari, bifYr `ic h mEd ofarNz dE bF dE, n begd H Fdl t mEk him ric, bt in spFt v hiz encrItIz h bikEm pYrar n pYrar. At lAst, bIiN vEri ANgri, h tUk hiz imiJ dQn fram its pedistl n dASd i agenst H wYl. `en its hed waz nokd of, Qt kEm a scrIm v gOld, `ic H kyrpantar kwikli pikd ap n sed, "wel, F TiNk HQ yrt YltageHar koncradiktari n anrIzanabl; f `en F pEd jM onar, F rIpd nO benafits: bt nQ Ht F mAlcrIt jM F Am lOdd wiT an abandans v ricz."
a JAkdY, sIiN sam davz in a kOt abandantli pravFdd wiT fUd, pEntd himself `Ft n Jqnd Hem in Yrdar t SEr HEr plentifal mEntanans. H davz, Az loN Az h waz sFlant, sapOzd him t b wan v Hemselvz n Admitd him t HEr kOt. bt wan dE h fargot himself n bigAn t cAtar, HE diskavard hiz crM kErAktar n JrOv him fYrT, pekN him wiT HEr bIks. fElN t abtEn fUd amaN H davz, h ritarnd t H JAkdYz. HE tM, not rekagnFzN him on akQnt v hiz kalar, ekspeld him fram livN wiT Hem. sO dizFrN tM endz, h abtEnd nIHar.
a hAf-fAmiSd JAkdY sItd himself on a fig-crI, `ic hAd pradMsd sam frMt entFrli Qt v sIzan, n wEtd in H hOp Ht H figz wUd rFpan. a foks sIiN him sitN sO loN n larnN H rIzan v hiz dOiN sO, sed t him, "jM r indId, sar, sAdli disIvN jYrself; jM r indalJN a hOp scroN inaf t cIt jM, bt `ic wil nevar riwYrd jM wiT enJqmnt."
a JE vencarN intM a jyrd `Er pIkoks jMzd t wYk, fQnd HEr a nambar v feHarz `ic hAd fYlan fram H pIkoks `en HE war mOltN. h tFd Hem Yl t hiz tEl n scratd dQn tYrdz H pIkoks. `en h kEm nIr Hem HE sMn diskavard H cIt, n scrFdN ap t him pekd At him n plakd awE hiz borOd plMmz. sO H JE kUd d nO betar Hn gO bAk t H aHar JEz, hM hAd wocd hiz bihEvjar fram a distans; bt HE war Ikwali anqd wiT him, n tOld him:
-- i z not Onli fFn feHarz Ht mEk fFn bardz. --
JMpitar iSjMd a proklamESn t Yl H bIsts v H fYrist n promisd a rqal riwYrd t H wan hMz ofspriN SUd b dImd H hAndsamist. H maNki kEm wiT H rest n prizentd, wiT Yl a maHarz tendarnis, a flAt-nOzd, hErlis, il-fIcard jaN maNki Az a kAndidEt f H promisd riwYrd. a Jenaral lAf salMtd har on H prIzantESn v har san. SI rezalMtli sed, "F nO not `eHar JMpitar wil alot H prFz t mF san, bt Hs F d nO, Ht h z At lIst in H Fz v mI hiz maHar, H dIrist, hAndsamist, n mOst bjMtafal v Yl."
akYrdN t an EnSnt leJand, H farst mAn waz mEd bF JMpitar, H farst bUl bF neptMn, n H farst hQs bF minarva. on H kmplISn v HEr lEbarz, a dispjMt arOz Az t `ic hAd mEd H mOst parfekt wark. HE agrId t apqnt mOmas, hQevar, bIiN vEri envias v H hAndIkrAft v Ic, fQnd fYlt wiT Yl. h farst blEmd H wark v neptMn bikYz h hAd not mEd H hYrnz v H bUl bilO hiz Iz, sO h mFt betar sI `Er t scrFk. h Hn kndemd H wark v JMpitar, bikYz h hAd not plEsd H hyrt v mAn on H QtsFd, Ht evrIwan mFt rId H TYts v H Ivl dispOzd n tEk prikYSnz agenst H intendd miscif. n, lAstli, h invEd agenst minarva bikYz SI hAd not kncrFvd Fran `Ilz in H fQndESn v har hQs, sO its inhAbitants mFt mYr Izili rimMv if a nEbar prMvd anplezant. JMpitar, indignant At sac invetarit fYltfFndN, JrOv him fram hiz ofis v JaJ, n ekspeld him fran H mAnSnz v Olimpas.
a kid, ritarnN wiTQt pratekSn fram H pAscar, waz parsMd bF a wUlf. sIiN h kUd not eskEp, h tarnd rQnd, n sed: "F nO, frend wUlf, Ht F mast b jYr prE, bt bifYr F dF F wUd Ask v jM wan fEvar jM wil plE mI a tMn t `ic F mE dAns." H wUlf kmplFd, n `Fl h waz pFpN n H kid waz dAnsN, sam hQndz hIrN H sQnd rAn ap n bigAn cEsN H wUlf. tarnN t H kid, h sed, "i z Jast `at F dizarv; f F, hM Am Onli a bUcar, SUd not hAv tarnd pFpar t plIz jM."
-- in tFm v dFr nId, klevar TiNkN z kI. --
a kiN, hMz Onli san waz fond v myrSl eksarsFzz, hAd a JrIm in `ic h waz wYrnd Ht hiz san wUd b kild bF a lFan. afrEd H JrIm SUd prMv crM, h bilt f hiz san a plezant pAlas n adYrnd its wYlz f hiz amjMzmnt wiT Yl kFndz v lFf-sFzd Anamlz, amaN `ic waz a pikcar v a lFan. `en H jaN prins sY Hs, hiz grIf At bIiN Has knfFnd barst Qt afreS, n, stAndN nIr H lFan, h sed: "O jM mOst ditestabl v Anamlz! TrM a lFiN JrIm v mF fYHarz, `ic h sY in hiz slIp, F Am Sat ap on jYr akQnt in Hs pAlas Az if F hAd bin a garl: `at SAl F nQ d t jM?" wiT HIz wardz h screcd Qt hiz hAndz tYrd a TYrn-crI, mInN t kat a stik fram its brAncz sO Ht h mFt bIt H lFan. bt wan v H crIz priklz pIrsd hiz fiNgar n kYzd grEt pEn n inflamESn, sO Ht H jaN prins fel dQn in a fEntN fit. a vFalant fIvar sadanli set in, fram `ic h dFd not meni dEz lEtar.
-- wI hAd betar bEr Qr crablz brEvli Hn crF t eskEp Hem. --
H bIsts v H fIld n fYrist hAd a lFan Az HEr kiN. h waz nIHar rATfal, krMl, nYr tirAnakl, bt Jast n Jentl Az a kiN kUd b. darN hiz rEn h mEd a rqal proklamESn f a Jenaral asembli v Yl H bardz n bIsts, n JrM ap kndiSnz f a jMnivarsl lIg, in `ic H wUlf n H lAm, H pAnHar n H kid, H tFgar n H stAg, H dYg n H hEr, SUd liv tageHar in parfekt pIs n Amiti. H hErsed, "O, hQ F hAv loNd t sI Hs dE, in `ic H wIk SAl tEk HEr plEs wiT impjMniti bF H sFd v H scroN." n Aftar H hEr sed Hs, h rAn f hiz lFf.
H kFts v Oldan tFmz, Az wel Az H swonz, hAd H privaliJ v soN. bt hAvN hard H nE v H hYrs, HE war sO encAntd wiT H sQnd, Ht HE crId t imatEt i; n, in crFiN t nE, HE fargot hQ t siN.
-- H dizFr f imAJinEri benafits ofan involvz H los v prezant blesNz. --
a lEbarar lE lisanN t a nFtangElz soN TrMQt H samar nFt. sO plIzd waz h wiT i Ht H nekst nFt h set a crAp f i n kApcard i. "nQ Ht F hAv kYt HI," h krFd, "HQ SAlt YlwEz siN t mI."
"wI nFtangElz nevar siN in a kEJ," sed H bard.
"Hn Fl It HI," sed H lEbarar, "F hAv YlwEz hard sE Ht a nFtangEl on tOst z a dEnti mYrsl."
"nE, kil mI not," sed H nFtangEl, "bt let mI frI n Fl tel HI TrI TiNz fyr betar warT Hn mF pYr bodi." H lEbarar let him lMs, n h flM ap t a brAnc v a crI n sed: "nevar bilIv a kAptivz promis; HAts wan TiN. Hn agen: kIp `at jM hAv. n H Tard pIs v AdvFs z: sorO not Ovar `at z lost fYrevar." Hn H soN-bard flM awE.
a snEk, hAvN mEd hiz hOl klOs t H pYrc v a kotiJ, infliktd a mYrtl bFt on H kotiJarz infant san. grIvN Ovar hiz los, H fYHar rizolvd t kil H snEk. H nekst dE, `en i kEm Qt v its hOl f fMd, h tUk ap hiz Aks, bt bF swiNN tM hAstili, misd its hed n kat of Onli H end v its tEl. Aftar sam tFm H kotiJar, afrEd Ht H snEk wUd bFt him YlsO, endevard t mEk pIs, n plEsd sam bred n solt in H hOl. H snEk, slFtli hisN, sed: "HEr kn hensfYrT b nO pIs bitwIn as; f `enevar F sI jM F SAl rimembar H los v mF tEl, n `enevar jM sI mI jM wil b TiNkN v H deT v jYr san."
-- nO wan crMli fargets inJarIz in H prezans v him hM kYzd H inJari. --
a wUlf parsMd a lAm, `ic fled f refjMJ t a sartan templ. H wUlf kYld Qt t him n sed, "H prIst wil slE jM in sAkrifFs, if h SUd kAc jM." on `ic H lAm riplFd, "i wUd b betar f mI t b sAkrifFsd in H templ Hn t b Itan bF jM."
a lAmp, sOkd wiT tM mac ql n flErN brFtli, bOstd Ht i gEv mYr lFt Hn H san. Hn a sadan paf v wind arOz, n H lAmp waz imIdiatli ekstiNgwiSd. its Onar lit i agen, n sed: "bOst nO mYr, bt hensfYrT b kntent t giv HF lFt in sFlans. nO Ht not Ivan H styrz nId t b rIlit."
H lyrk (akYrdN t an EnSnt leJand) waz krIEtd bifYr H arT itself, n `en har fYHar dFd, Az HEr waz nO arT, SI kUd fFnd nO plEs v bErial f him. SI let him lF anintard f fFv dEz, n on H siksT dE, not nOiN `at els t d, SI bErId him in har On hed. hens SI abtEnd har krest, `ic z popjMlarli sed t b har fYHarz grEv-hilak.
-- jMTs farst dMti z revarans t pErants. --
a lyrk hAd mEd har nest in H arli spriN on H jaN grIn `It. H brMd hAd YlmOst grOn t HEr fUl screNkT n atEnd H jMs v HEr wiNz n H fUl plMmiJ v HEr feHarz, 1en H Onar v H fIld, lUkN Ovar hiz rFp krop, sed, "H tFm hAz kam `en F mast Ask Yl mF nEbarz t help mI wiT mF hyrvast." wan v H jaN larks hard hiz spIc n rilEtd i t hiz maHar, inkwFrN v har t `at plEs HE SUd mMv f sEfti. "HEr z nO akEZn t mMv jet, mF san," SI riplFd; "H mAn hM Onli sendz t hiz frendz t help him wiT hiz hyrvast z not rIli in arnist." H Oner v H fIld kEm agen a fjM dEz lEtar n sY H `It SedN H grEn fram ekses v rFpnis. h sed, "F wil kam mFself tamYrO wiT mF lEbararz, n wiT Az meni rIparz Az F kn hFr, n wil get in H hyrvast." H lyrk on hIrN HIz wardz sed t har brMd, "i z tFm nQ t b of, mF litl wanz, f H mAn z in arnist Hs tFm; h nO loNgar crasts hiz frendz, bt wil rIp H fIld himself."
-- self-help z H best help. --
on a samar dE, `en H grEt hIt indMsd a Jenaral Tarst amaN H bIsts, a lFan n a bYr kEm At H sEm mOmant t a smYl wel t JriNk. HE fIrsli dispjMtd `ic v Hem SUd JriNk farst, n war sMn engEJd in H AganIz v a mYrtl kombAt. `en HE stopd sadanli t kAc HEr breT f a fIrsar rinjMal v H fFt, HE sY sam valcarz wEtN in H distans t fIst on H wan Ht SUd fYl farst. HE At wans mEd ap HEr kwYral, sEiN, "i z betar f as t mEk frendz, Hn t bikam H fMd v krOz Yr valcarz."
a lFan, grEtli dizFrN t kApcar a bUl, n jet afrEd t atAk him on akQnt v hiz grEt sFz, rizYrtd t a crik t enSar hiz discrakSn. h aprOcd H bUl n sed, "F hAv slEn a fFn SIp, mF frend; n if jM wil kam hOm n pyrtEk v him wiT mI, F SAl b dilFtd t hAv jYr kompani." H lFan sed Hs in H hOp Ht, Az H bUl waz in H Akt v riklFnN t It, h mFt atAk him t AdvAntiJ, n mEk hiz mIl on him. H bUl, on aprOcN H lFanz den, sY H hjMJ spits n gFant kYlJranz, n nO sFn `atevar v H SIp, n, wiTQt sEiN a ward, kwFitli tUk hiz dipyrcar. H lFan inkwFrd `F h went of sO abraptli wiTQt a ward v sAljMtESn t hiz hOst, hM hAd not givan him eni kYz f ofens. "F hAv rIzanz inaf," sed H bUl. "F sI nO indikESn `atevar v jYr hAvN slYtard a SIp, `Fl F d sI vEri plEnli evri preparESn f jYr dFnN on a bUl."
a lFan rOmN bF H sISYr sY a dolfin lift ap its hed Qt v H wEvz, n saJestd Ht HE mEk an alFans, sEiN Ht v Yl H Anamlz HE Yt t b H best frendz, sins H wan waz H kiN v bIsts on H arT, n H aHar waz H sovrin rMlar v Yl inhAbitants v H OSn. H dolfin glAdli knsentd t H rikwest. not loN Aftarwardz H lFan hAd a kombAt wiT a wFld bUl, n kYld on H dolfin t help him. H dolfin, HO kwFt wilN t giv him asistans, waz anEbl t d sO, Az h kUd not bF eni mInz rIc H lAnd. H lFan abjMzd him Az a crEtar. H dolfin riplFd, "nE, mF frend, blEm not mI, bt nEcar, `ic `Fl givN mI H sovrinti v H sI, hAz kwFt dinFd mI H pQr v livN apon H lAnd."
an Igl stEd hiz flFt n encrItd a lFan t mEk an alFans wiT him t HEr mjMcMal AdvAntiJ. H lFan riplFd, "F hAv nO abJekSn, bt jM mast ekskjMz mI f rikwFrN jM t fFnd Sarti f jYr gUd fET, f hQ kn F crast enIwan Az a frend hM z Ebl t flF awE fram hiz byrgan `enevar h plIzz?"
-- crF bifYr jM crast. --
a foks entard intM pyrtnarSip wiT a lFan on H pritens v bikamN hiz sarvant. Ic andartUk hiz propar dMti in akYrdans wiT hiz On nEcar n pQrz. H foks diskavard n pqntd Qt H prE; H lFan sprAN on i n sIzd i. H foks sMn bikEm Jelas v H lFan kErIiN of H lFanz SEr, n sed Ht h wUd nO loNgar fFnd Qt H prE, bt wUd kApcar i on hiz On akQnt. H nekst dE h atemptd t snAc a lAm fram H fOld, bt h himself fel prE t H hantsmen n hQndz.