The Dog, the Wolf and the Ram
Once upon a time, at the edge of an old forest where cool waters flowed gently, there lived a loyal dog and a brave ram. These two friends, who had worked side by side on the same farm for years, were abandoned to their fate by their owners when they grew old. The two companions took to the road together and began to look for a peaceful shelter, passing along paths where the wind whispered. As the sun set the shadows grew longer, and the golden ears of grain bowed their heads toward the night. The two old friends withdrew to rest at the foot of a rocky cliff where hungry predators roamed. Just at that moment, a huge wolf appeared from among the bushes, his eyes shining with greed and his belly rumbling. The wolf's mouth watered, and he saw this weakened ram as an easy morsel.
Stepping forward with a threatening air, the wolf murmured, "I never expected to find such a tasty supper in this lonely land." The loyal dog at once used his wits and whispered into the ram's ear: "Do not show any alarm, hold your head high and do as I say." Then the dog roared loudly at the ram, as if he were a master. "Hey, my friend, bring that huge wolf head we took out of the sack, so that we may quiet this hunger of ours!" The ram understood the gravity of the situation and answered proudly, shaking his mighty horns. "Which wolf's head do you want, my friend; the big one we hunted yesterday, or the one from last week?" The dog, swaggering, said, "Bring the biggest and the freshest one, tonight our bellies must be truly full."
Hearing these terrible words, the wolf's knees gave way and his fur bristled. The poor wolf, believing that before him stood dangerous creatures that hunted wolves, began to sweat with mortal fear. "I must flee from here at once, before they add me beside those heads in that sack," he thought to himself. When the ram pretended to reach for the sack and shook his horns toward the wolf, the wolf plunged into the forest without even looking back. The two clever friends escaped a certain danger thanks to their cunning and drew a deep breath. All night long they huddled close to each other and waited in safety for the first light of morning. Sensible solidarity and courage shown in hard times are enough to avert even the most terrible threats. Strength grows from unity.