A farmerhad a horsethathadbeenanexcellentfaithfulservanttohim: buthewasnowgrowntoooldtowork; sothefarmerwouldgivehimnothingmoretoeat, andsaid, 'I wantyounolonger, sotakeyourselfoffoutofmystable; I shallnottakeyoubackagainuntilyouarestrongerthan a lion.' Thenheopenedthedoorandturnedhimadrift.
1
Thepoorhorsewasverymelancholy, andwanderedupanddowninthewood, seekingsomelittleshelterfromthecoldwindandrain. Presently a foxmethim: 'What's thematter, myfriend?' saidhe, 'whydoyouhangdownyourheadandlooksolonelyandwoe-begone?' 'Ah!' repliedthehorse, 'justiceandavariceneverdwellinonehouse; mymasterhasforgottenallthat I havedoneforhimsomanyyears, andbecause I cannolongerworkhehasturnedmeadrift, andsaysunless I becomestrongerthan a lionhewillnottakemebackagain; whatchancecan I haveofthat? heknows I havenone, orhewouldnottalkso.'
2
However, thefoxbidhimbeofgoodcheer, andsaid, 'I willhelpyou; liedownthere, stretchyourselfoutquitestiff, andpretendtobedead.' Thehorsedidashewastold, andthefoxwentstraighttothelionwholivedin a cavecloseby, andsaidtohim, 'A littlewayofflies a deadhorse; comewithmeandyoumaymakeanexcellentmealofhiscarcase.' Thelionwasgreatlypleased, andsetoffimmediately; andwhentheycametothehorse, thefoxsaid, 'Youwillnotbeabletoeathimcomfortablyhere; I'lltellyouwhat—I willtieyoufasttohistail, andthenyoucandrawhimtoyourden, andeathimatyourleisure.'