Fable
The Ass & The Lap Dog
There was once an Ass whose Master also owned
a Lap Dog. This Dog was a favorite and received many a pat and kind word from
his Master, as well as choice bits from his plate. Every day the Dog would run to
meet the Master, frisking playfully about and leaping up to lick his hands and
face.
All
this the Ass saw with much discontent. Though he was well fed, he had much work
to do; besides, the Master hardly ever took any notice of him.
Now
the jealous Ass got it into his silly head that all he had to do to win his
Master's favor was to act like the Dog. So, one day he left his stable and
clattered eagerly into the house.
Finding
his Master seated at the dinner table, he kicked up his heels and, with a loud
bray, pranced giddily around the table, upsetting it as he did so. Then he
planted his forefeet on his Master's knees and rolled out his tongue to lick
the Master's face, as he had seen the Dog do. But his weight upset the chair,
and Ass and man rolled over together in the pile of broken dishes from the
table.
The
Master was much alarmed at the strange behavior of the Ass, and calling for
help, soon attracted the attention of the servants. When they saw the danger,
the Master was in from the clumsy beast, they set upon the Ass and drove him
with kicks and blows back to the stable. There they left him to mourn the
foolishness that had brought him nothing but a sound beating.
Moral
- Do not try to gain favor by acting in a way that is
contrary to your own nature and character.
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