Lesson:

1. Under a great tree in the woods, two boys saw a fine, large nut, and both ran to get it.


2. James got to it first, and picked it up.


3. 'It is mine,' said John, 'for I was the first to see it.'


4. 'No, it is mine' said James, 'for I was the first to pick it up.'


5. Thus, they at once began to quarrel about the nut.


6. As they could not agree whose it should be, they called an older boy, and asked him.


7. The older boy said, 'I will settle this quarrel.'


8. He took the nut, and broke the shell. He then took out the kernel, and divided the shell into two parts, as nearly equal as he could.


9. 'This half of the shell,' said he, 'belongs to the boy who first saw the nut.


10. 'And this half belongs to the boy who picked it up.


11. 'The kernel of the nut, I shall keep as my pay for settling the quarrel.


12. 'This is the way,' said he, laughing, 'in which quarrels are very apt to end.'