Aesop's Fables

the wolf and_the crane

a wolf had_been gorging on an animal he had killed, when suddenly a small bone in_the meat stuck in_his throat and he_could_not swallow it . he soon felt terrible pain in_his throat, and ran up and down groaning and groaning and seeking for something to relieve the pain . he tried to induce every_one he met to remove the bone .` i_would give anything,' said he, ` if_you_would take it out .' at last the crane agreed to_try, and told the wolf to lie on_his side and open his jaws as wide as he_could . then the crane put its long neck down the wolf's throat, and with its beak loosened the bone, till at last it got it out .

` will_you kindly give_me the reward you promised ? ' said the crane .

the wolf grinned and showed his teeth and said: ` be content . you_have put your head inside a wolf's mouth and taken it out again in safety; that ought_to_be reward enough for_you .'

gratitude and greed go not together .