The Wolf and the House Dog

A gaunt, starving wolf, wandering the edges of a village in search of food, encountered a plump, well-groomed house dog and remarked with genuine envy how healthy and comfortable the dog's life appeared compared to his own constant, desperate hunt for survival.

The dog, sympathetic, invited the wolf to come live at the house instead, describing the easy comfort of regular meals, a warm place to sleep, and gentle treatment from his human family — advantages the wolf, exhausted from his hard life, found deeply tempting.

As they walked together toward the house, the wolf noticed a worn patch of missing fur around the dog's neck and asked what had caused it. The dog admitted, almost as an afterthought, that it was from the collar and chain he wore during the day, since his master preferred to keep him tied up except at feeding time. The wolf stopped walking immediately. "Keep your comfortable meals, friend," he said, turning back toward the forest. "I would rather go hungry and free than well-fed and chained."