The Bear and the Two
Travelers
Two men were
traveling together,
when a Bear suddenly met them on their path.
One of them
climbed up quickly
into a tree and concealed himself in the branches.
The other,
seeing that he
must be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the Bear came up
and
felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, he held his breath,
and
feigned the appearance of death as much as he could.
The Bear
soon left him, for
it is said he will not touch a dead body.
When he was
quite gone, the
other Traveler descended from the tree, and jocularly inquired of his
friend
what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear.
"He gave me
this advice,"
his companion replied. "Never travel with a friend who deserts you at
the
approach of danger."
Misfortune
tests the sincerity of friends.
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