8 THE STORY-BOOK OF SCIENCE 



"Then the ice said: 'The sun is stronger than I, 

 and it melts me. ' 



"Sun, sun, the strong should be kind; but you are 

 wicked, to melt the ice ; and you, ice, to have broken 

 the ant's leg poor little leg. 



"Then the sun said: 'The clouds are stronger 

 than I; they hide me.' 



"Clouds, clouds, the strong should be kind; but 

 you are wicked, to hide the sun; you, sun, to melt the 

 ice; Mini you, ice, to have broken the ant's leg poor 

 little leg. 



"Then the clouds said: 'The wind is stronger 

 than we; it drives us away/ 



" Wind, wind, the strong should be kind; but you 

 are wicked, to drive away the clouds ; you, clouds, to 

 hide the sun ; you, sun, to melt the ice ; and you, ice, 

 to have broken the ant 's leg poor little leg. 



"Then the wind said: 'The walls are stronger 

 than I; they stop me.' 



"Walls, walls, the strong should be kind; but you 

 are wicked, to stop the wind ; you, wind, to drive away 

 the clouds ; you, clouds, to hide the sun ; you, sun, to 

 melt the ice; and you, ice, to have broken the ant's 

 leg poor little leg. 



"Then the walls said: 'The rat is stronger than 

 we ; it bores holes through us. ' 



"Rat, rat, the strong " 



"But it is all the same thing, over and over 

 again, Mother Ambroisine," exclaimed Jules impa- 

 tiently. 



"Not quite, my child. After the rat comes the cat 

 that eats the rat, then the broom that strikes the cat, 



