A Wolf, after devouring his prey, happened to have a bone stick in his
throat, which gave him so much pain, that he went howling up and down,
and importuning every creature he met to lend him a kind hand in order
to his relief; nay, he promised a reasonable reward to any one who
should perform the operation with success. At last, the Crane undertook
the business, ventured his long neck into the rapacious felon’s throat,
plucked out the bone, and asked for the promised reward. The Wolf,
turning his eyes disdainfully towards him, said, I did not think you
had been so unconscionable: I had your head in my mouth, and could have
bit it off whenever I pleased, but suffered you to take it away without
any damage, and yet you are not contented!
Who serves a villain, might as wisely free
The hardened murderer from the fatal tree.