The Goatherd and the Wild Goats, by Aesop
A goatherd, having lead his goats to pasture, noticed that they were mixing with some wild goats. And, when evening fell, he herded all of them into his cave together. The next day, a great storm raged. Not being able to lead them out to pasture as usual, he left them inside. To his own goats he gave only a handful of fodder, just enough to keep them from starving. But for the strangers, on the other hand, he increased the ration, with the intention of keeping them as well.
When the bad weather was almost over he let them all out to pasture. But, upon reaching the mountain, the wild goats ran away. As the goatherd shouted after them, accusing them of ingratitude for thus abandoning him after all the care he had taken of them, they turned round to reply:
'All the more reason for us to be suspicious. For if you treated us, mere newcomers, better than your old flock, it's quite clear that if some other goats came along you would then neglect us for them.'
This fable shows that one should not to welcome the over-friendly advances of new acquaintances in preference to old friendship. We must remember that when we have became old friends they will strike new friendships with others, and those new friends will become their favourites.
I really love reading these old fables, it's amazing how some things have not change that much in the last 25 centuries...
