A Dog had been taught to take his master's dinner to him every day. As he smelled the good things in the basket, he was sorely tempted¹ to taste them, but he resisted the temptation and continued day after day to carry the basket faithfully. One day all the dogs in the neighborhood followed him with longing² eyes and greedy jaws³, and tried to steal the dinner from the basket. At first the faithful dog tried to run away from them, but they pressed him so close that at last he stopped to argue with them. This was what the thieves desired, and they soon ridiculed⁴ him to that extent that he said: "Very well, I will divide with you," and he seized the best piece of chicken in the basket, and left the rest for the others to enjoy.

He who stops to parley⁵ with temptation, will be very likely to yield.