12. The father then directed his oldest son to untie the bundle, and to
break each stick separately. As soon as the bundle was untied, each of
the sons took the sticks separately, and found that they could easily
break every one of them, and scatter them, in small pieces, all about
the floor.

13. "Now," said the father, "I wish you, my dear sons, to learn a lesson
from these sticks. So long as you are all united in love and friendship,
you need fear little from any enemies; but, if you quarrel among
yourselves, and do not keep together, you see by these little sticks how
easily your enemies may put you down separately."

14. Now, this was a very wise father, and he taught his sons a very
useful lesson with this bundle of sticks. I also wish to teach you, my
little friend, whoever you are, that are reading this book, another
useful lesson from the same story.

15. Hard words, especially long ones, will be difficult to you to read,
unless, like the sons in the story, you untie the bundle; that is, until
you take the long words apart, and read one part or syllable at a time.
Thus you may learn what is meant by that wise saying, "_Divide and
conquer_."




LESSON III.

_The same subject, continued._