

The Thief and the House-Dog.A Thief came in the night to break into a house. He brought with himseveral slices of meat, that he might pacify the House-dog, so that heshould not alarm his master by barking. As the Thief threw him thepieces of meat, the Dog said: "If you think to stop my mouth, to relaxmy vigilance, or even to gain my regard by these gifts, you will begreatly mistaken. This sudden kindness at your hands will only make memore watchful, lest under these unexpected favors to myself you havesome private ends to accomplish for your own benefit, and for mymaster's injury. Besides, this is not the time that I am usually fed,which makes me all the more suspicions of your intentions." He who offers bribes needs watching, for his intentions are not honest. From Aesop's Fables |