Aesop's Fables : The Wolf and the Crane

The Wolf and the Crane

A Wolf had been gorging on an animal he had killed, whensuddenly a small bone in the meat stuck in his throat and he couldnot swallow it.He soon felt terrible pain in his throat, and ranup and down groaning and groaning and seeking for something torelieve the pain.He tried to induce every one he met to removethe bone."I would give anything," said he, "if you would take itout."At last the Crane agreed to try, and told the Wolf to lieon his side and open his jaws as wide as he could.Then the Craneput its long neck down the Wolf's throat, and with its beakloosened the bone, till at last it got it out.

"Will you kindly give me the reward you promised?" said theCrane.

The Wolf grinned and showed his teeth and said: "Be content.You have put your head inside a Wolf's mouth and taken it outagain in safety; that ought to be reward enough for you."

Gratitude and greed go not together.