A hungry wolf once met a dog by the gates of a grand estate. Now, the dog was strong and plump, but the wolf was no more than skin and bone, almost dead with hunger. He asked morosely,
“How come you look so content and well-fed?”
“You could easily have as much food as me,” answered the dog. “How can you ever expect to get enough food living wild as you do, when you have to fight for every mouthful? You should get a place like me and things would look up.”
“What would I have to do?” asked the wolf, eagerly.
“Hardly anything!” replied to the dog. “Chase away beggars, suck up to the people in the house. And for that, they will give you bones and meat and all sorts of delicious things, not to mention strokes and kind words.”
This sounded too good to be true to the starving wolf, and he was ready to turn his back on the forests and the fields when he happened to notice something on the dog’s neck.
“What is that?” he asked suspiciously.
“This?” said the dog. “Just my collar, so that they can tie me up sometimes.”
“Tied up!” exclaimed the wolf. “Can’t you go where you please?”
“Well, not always,” said the dog. “But what of it?”
“I wouldn’t give up my freedom for any amount of food!” cried the wolf in disgust. “Besides which, the weight of that collar would spoil my appetite altogether!” and off he ran back to the forest.
THE MORAL: It is better to have freedom and an empty stomach than a full one and live in chains.
~ Aesop’s Fables