The Crow and Mercury

The crow tugged at the snare. The cord only bit tighter around his leg. He flapped and he kicked, and then he cried out to the sky. "Great Apollo! Set me free, and I will burn sweet incense at your shrine. I promise! I promise!"

The cord slipped loose. Up flew the crow, high over the trees and away. By the time he reached his nest, he had forgotten the shrine, and the incense, and the promise too.

Not long after, he hopped down for some grain, and snap! A snare had him again. He looked up at the sky, and he looked quickly away. Apollo would not want to hear from him. So he called on another god instead. "Great Mercury! Set me free, and I will burn sweet incense at your shrine. I promise! I promise!"

There was a flash of silver, and Mercury stood before him on his winged sandals. He looked at the crow for a long time.

"You lying bird," he said. "You made that promise to Apollo. He set you free, and you forgot him as soon as you could fly. How can I believe one word you say?"