|Two friends were walking along the road, when a Bear came suddenly upon
them.
One of them got first to a tree, and climbed up into it and hid among
the branches.
The other, who was slower, fell flat upon the ground, and made believe
that he was dead.
When the Bear came up to him, and poked him with his nose, he held his
breath; for it is said that this animal will not touch a dead man. The
Bear went off, and the Man who was in the tree came down, and asked the
other what the Bear had whispered.
“He told me,” said the other, “not to travel with friends who would
desert me when danger came.”
This fable teaches that misfortunes sometimes show which Of our friends
are true friends.