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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."

THE BIRDS, THE BEASTS, AND THE BAT