Aesop and the Farmer
Once upon a time, at the edge of an old forest where cool waters flowed gently, there lived a man named Aesop, known for his wisdom. One day Aesop set out towards a peaceful village where fields of yellow wheat stretched away. By the side of the road stood an eager farmer who was ploughing his field but complaining constantly about his bad-tempered dog. This farmer was trying strange methods to train his dog, which attacked every stranger who passed on the road. He thought that by giving bread to the people the dog bit, the animal would grow calm and its anger would settle. Just as Aesop came up to the farmer, the bad-tempered dog suddenly darted forward and bit the wise man's leg. Though Aesop drew back in pain, he kept his composure and began to watch what the farmer would do.
The farmer at once took a slice of fresh bread out of his bag and held it out towards the dog's mouth. While the animal greedily snatched the bread and ate it, the farmer looked at the sage with a proud smile on his face. "Did you see, my wise friend? I offered him a sweet treat so that he would not attack you again," he said. Aesop gave a deep sigh at this senseless behaviour and shook his head with a smile. "Tell me, my friend, why do you reward this dog instead of punishing him?" he asked. The farmer defended what he had done as a very clever method and went on praising himself. "This way the dog will be sorry for what he did and will forget his bite through sweetness," he answered.
While wiping the wound on his leg, Aesop gave the farmer that historic answer he would never forget. "Oh my friend, take care that the dogs of the other village do not see what you have done!" he said, looking into his eyes. "If they see that aggression is rewarded, they will bite us all in turn in order to eat tasty bread," he added. When the farmer heard these words he understood the great mistake he had made and bowed his head in shame. That day he grasped that rewarding wickedness only opens the door to new wickedness. Rewarding wrong behaviour only causes the fault to grow greater and greater. He who is indulged becomes shameless, he who is trusted too much becomes a thief.