Lesson 1
Pike Owns Stream, Perch Must Pay… Or Get Out
What is it? It is a Fish. It has a Name. The Name is Pike. It is a Big Fish and can Bite. See its Teeth. Can a Fish live on the Land? No, it will die on Land. But see, the small Fish is on the Land. Will the small Fish die? Yes, it will. Why does it go on Land, then? The Pike forced it to the Land. The small Fish is a Perch. Is not the Pike a bad Fish to do so ill a deed? It is, but you must not say so. Oh no. For do you not see that the Pike owns the stream, and so has a right to get Rent for the use of the Stream from the Perch? But this Perch could not pay, and had to get out. The Pike means no ill, but Biz is Biz, you know. But should it be the Law that a Pike can own a Stream? Ah, now you have hit it! No, it should not. Such a law is bad – for Perch.
Lesson 2
Crow Owns Air, Jay Must Work… Keep Crow Fat
See the bird! It is a big black Bird, is it not? They call it a Crow. It is a fat Crow, but it does not Work. How, then, does it keep so Fat? Do you not see the Small Bird? Yes, I see it. Well, that is a Jay. It has to Work and find Grub for the Crow, so the Crow may sit on the tree all day and have a Good Time. But is not the Jay a Fool to do so? So you may think, but the poor Jay does not do this for Fun. Oh, no! You see, the Crow owns the Air, and will not let the Jay use it but on these Terms: the Jay must pay Rent or he can not fly nor sit on a Rock, so you see the Fix he is in. Poor Jay! Yes, he is Poor, but the Crow is Fat. What a soft Life the Crow has, to be sure! It is a Fine Thing to own the Air, is it not?
Lesson 3
Rose In Pot, Will Not Live… Imp Owns Light
What is This? Do you not See what it is? No, for it is so Dark I can not see what it is. Well, I will tell you. It is a Rose in a Pot. But I do not see the Rose nor the Pot; it is all Black and Dark. Quite so, my Dear, but do you know why it is Dark? No, I do not; but a a Rose can not live in the Dark, can it? No, it can not. That is just where the Trick comes in. You see, at the right edge there, is an Imp who Owns the Light, and he says the Rose must pay him for its use or he will shut it off and let the Rose die. Well, this Rose can not Pay, and so the Light is shut off. That is how it is that you do not see the Rose when you look. Poor Rose! Bad Imp! No, do not say Bad, for he Owns the Light, you know, and that makes it quite the Right thing. I hope you see the Point.
Lesson 4
Poor Slave Bows, Man Owns Him… Holds The Whip
See the poor Slave and the Man with the Whip. Will he Hit the Slave? It would be just like him to do so. Is he not a bad Man to beat the poor Slave? Oh no; don’t you see, he Owns the Slave and may do with him as he will? If the Law says a Man may Own a Slave, then that is all there is to it. But it is a bad law for the Slave, is it not? Yes. It is not nice nor fun to be a Slave. You must Work and you get no Wage. But the Slave gets his Keep, does he not? Well yes, the Man that owns him must give him Food and take care of him. I know lots of Men that would be glad to work for their Keep right here in this Town, where we don’t have Slaves at all. They would not be wont to Starve as they are now, though they are Free. You see? To be free can be a Law Sham, not free for real.
Lesson 5
This Not Slave…
Oh Dear No, Man Owns Land
Is this a Slave, too? No, we do not call this a Slave. The Law has now set the Slave free. But does not the Man with the Plug Hat own the Man with the Bare Head? No, he does not Own him. All men are born Free in this Good Land, you know. Then why does the small Man kneel down to the big Man, and say that he will Work for him for a Wage that will just get him a Bite to eat and a Roof for his Head? Is not that the Talk of a Slave? It is Like it, my dear, but he is Free Man, as I have told you. The big Man does not own Him, but he Owns the Land, and as the Man can not live if he does not Work, and as he can not work if he has not the Use of the Land, he is just like the Fish out of the Stream, or the Jay who must use the Air, or the Rose that needs for Light. See? Good nice Laws.