Fable
The Wolf & the House Dog
There was once a Wolf who got very little to
eat because the Dogs of the village were so wide awake and watchful. He was
really nothing but skin and bones, and it made him very downhearted to think of
it.
One
night this Wolf happened to fall in with a fine fat House Dog who had wandered
a little too far from home. The Wolf would gladly have eaten him then and
there, but the House Dog looked strong enough to leave his marks should he try
it. So, the Wolf spoke very humbly to the Dog, complimenting him on his fine appearance.
"You
can be as well-fed as I am if you want to," replied the Dog. "Leave
the woods; there you live miserably. Why, you have to fight hard for every bite
you get. Follow my example and you will get along beautifully."
"What
must I do?" asked the Wolf.
"Hardly
anything," answered the House Dog. "Chase people who carry canes,
bark at beggars, and fawn on the people of the house. In return you will get
tidbits of every kind, chicken bones, choice bits of meat, sugar, cake, and
much more besides, not to speak of kind words and caresses."
The
Wolf had such a beautiful vision of his coming happiness that he almost wept.
But just then he noticed that the hair on the Dog's neck was worn and the skin
was chafed.
"What
is that on your neck?"
"Nothing
at all," replied the Dog.
"What!
nothing!"
"Oh,
just a trifle!"
"But
please tell me."
"Perhaps
you see the mark of the collar to which my chain is fastened."
"What!
A chain!" cried the Wolf. "Don't you go wherever you please?"
"Not
always! But what's the difference?" replied the Dog.
"All
the difference in the world! I don't care a rap for your feasts and I wouldn't
take all the tender young lambs in the world at that price." And away ran
the Wolf to the woods.
Moral
- There is nothing worth so much as liberty.
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