A FEATHERY REED. 



A FEATHERY REED.— Indiscretion. 



We are told that Pan and Apollo once contended with 

 the flute and the lyre for pre-eminence in music, and made 

 choice of Midas, King of Phrygia, to award the palm. He 

 preferred the music of Pan to that of Apollo, whereupon the 

 god of the silver-bow made the king's ears as an ass's ears. 

 Midas hid them under his Phrygian cap, so that no one 

 but his hair-dresser knew of the change. The man, harassed 

 by the discovery, feeling that he could not keep it secret, 

 and dreading the consequences to himself should he reveal 

 it, dug a hole in the ground, and whispered into it the 

 words, " Midas has ass's ears," as if he would bury it there. 

 He then filled up the grave of the secret, on which a 

 Feathery Reed grew up, and, as it waved about in the 

 breeze,, it seemed to betray continually the buried secret, 

 waving forth the words, " Midas has the ears of an ass ! " 



FENNEL {A nethum fosniculum). — Strength. 



The gladiators in training for exhibition used to mix 

 Fennel with their food, for the purpose of stimulating their 

 energies. Successful gladiators were crowned with a garland 

 of Fennel, after the sports were concluded. It is now used 

 by us for culinary purposes, giving a pleasant flavour to 

 sauces served with salmon and mackerel. It forms a pretty 

 garnish to these fish. The seeds are a strong carminative, 

 and great quantities are annually imported from France for 

 use in medicine. 



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