A gaunt Wolf was almost dead with hunger when he
happened to meet a House-dog who was passing by. ‘Ah,
Cousin,’ said the Dog. ‘I knew how it would be; your
irregular life will soon be the ruin of you. Why do you
not work steadily as I do, and get your food regularly
given to you?’
‘I would have no objection,’ said the Wolf, ‘if I could
only get a place.’
‘I will easily arrange that for you,’ said the Dog; ‘come
with me to my master and you shall share my work.’
So the Wolf and the Dog went towards the town
together. On the way there the Wolf noticed that the hair
on a certain part of the Dog’s neck was very much worn
away, so he asked him how that had come about.
‘Oh, it is nothing,’ said the Dog. ‘That is only the place
where the collar is put on at night to keep me chained up;
it chafes a bit, but one soon gets used to it.’
‘Is that all?’ said the Wolf. ‘Then good-bye to you,
Master Dog.’
Moral Lesson: Better starve free than be a fat slave.
―
Aesop
