THE FLEA AND THE OX
A Flea once said to an Ox, "How comes it that a big strong fellow like
you is content to serve mankind, and do all their hard work for them,
while I, who am no bigger than you see, live on their bodies and drink
my fill of their blood, and never do a stroke for it all?" To which
the Ox replied, "Men are very kind to me, and so I am grateful to
them: they feed and house me well, and every now and then they show
their fondness for me by patting me on the head and neck." "They'd pat
me, too," said the Flea, "if I let them: but I take good care they
don't, or there would be nothing left of me."