A quarrel had arisen between the Horse and the Stag,
so the Horse came to a Hunter to ask his help to take
revenge on the Stag. The Hunter agreed, but said: ‘If you
desire to conquer the Stag, you must permit me to place
this piece of iron between your jaws, so that I may guide
you with these reins, and allow this saddle to be placed
upon your back so that I may keep steady upon you as we
follow after the enemy.’ The Horse agreed to the
conditions, and the Hunter soon saddled and bridled him.
Then with the aid of the Hunter the Horse soon
overcame the Stag, and said to the Hunter: ‘Now, get off,
and remove those things from my mouth and back.’
‘Not so fast, friend,’ said the Hunter. ‘I have now got
you under bit and spur, and prefer to keep you as you are
at present.’
Moral Lesson: If you allow men to use you for your own purposes,
they will use you for theirs.
―
Aesop
