A Shepherd, driving his Sheep to a wood, saw an oak of unusual size, full of acorns¹, and, spreading his cloak under the branches, he climbed up into the tree, and shook down the acorns. The sheep, eating the acorns, frayed² and tore the cloak. The Shepherd coming down, and seeing what was done, said: "O you most ungrateful creatures! you provide wool to make garments for all other men, but you destroy the clothes of him who feeds you."

The basest ingratitude³ is that which injures those who serve us.