A TORTOISE, lazily basking1 in the sun, complained to the

　　sea-birds of her hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly.

　　An Eagle, hovering2 near, heard her lamentation3 and demanded what

　　reward she would give him if he would take her aloft and float

　　her in the air. "I will give you," she said, "all the riches of

　　the Red Sea." "I will teach you to fly then," said the Eagle; and

　　taking her up in his talons4 he carried her almost to the clouds

　　suddenly he let her go, and she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing

　　her shell to pieces. The Tortoise exclaimed in the moment of

　　death: "I have deserved my present fate; for what had I to do

　　with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on the

　　earth?'

　　If men had all they wished, they would be often ruined.