A Beetle once begged the Eagle to spare a Hare which had run to her for protection. And when he came out of the warren in the early morning sunshine, and there saw the shadow cast by his long and pointed ears, a terrible fright seized him. At last one of the Frogs, the oldest and bravest, put his head out of the water, and said, Oh, please, dear children, stop your cruel play! See, said the man, that's how strong we are! To warm my hands, the Man replied. But he always guarded it faithfully. All he could do to amuse himself was to talk to his dog or play on his shepherd's pipe. No, no, your majesty. In pity for the noble Eagle he rushed up and soon had loosened the coiling Serpent and freed the Eagle. And so the Bat escaped with his life a second time.
Do not sacrifice your freedom for the sake of pomp and show.