The Hart and the Vine

A hart, hard-pressed in the chase, hid himself beneath the large leaves of a vine. The huntsmen, in their haste, overshot the place of his concealment. Supposing all danger had passed, the hart began to nibble on the tendrils of the vine.

One of the huntsmen, attracted by the rustling of the leaves, looked back and, seeing the hart, shot an arrow from his bow and struck it. As the hart lay at the point of death, he groaned, "I am rightly served, for I should not have maltreated the vine that saved me."

In that moment, he realized the importance of respecting those who offer shelter, even in times of desperation.