The Wolf And The Crane

by Aesop

　　A Wolf had been feasting too greedily, and a bone had stuckcrosswise in his throat. He could get it neither up nor down, andof course he could not eat a thing. Naturally that was an awfulstate of affairs for a greedy Wolf.

　　So away he hurried to the Crane. He was sure that she, with herlong neck and bill, would easily be able to reach the bone andpull it out.

　　"I will reward you very handsomely," said the Wolf, "if you pullthat bone out for me."

　　The Crane, as you can imagine, was very uneasy about putting herhead in a Wolf's throat. But she was grasping in nature, so shedid what the Wolf asked her to do.

　　When the Wolf felt that the bone was gone, he started to walkaway.

　　"But what about my reward!" called the Crane anxiously.

　　"What!" snarled the Wolf, whirling around. "Haven't you got it?Isn't it enough that I let you take your head out of my mouthwithout snapping it off?"

　　Expect no reward for serving the wicked.