The Thief and the Beetle
Once upon a time, at the edge of an old forest where cool waters ran, there lived a greedy thief. This man was one who set his eyes on high things and had made a habit of seizing the labour of others with ease. One day he stole a brightly gleaming golden ring from the bedchamber of the richest merchant of the village. Taking the darkness of the night as his chance, he began to flee swiftly with his loot towards the thick trees. His aim was to hide in the depths of the forest before anyone woke, and to lose his trail completely with the first lights of the morning. The thief, worn out with weariness, took shelter in the hollow of a great plane tree and drew a deep breath.
Just as he had taken out his golden ring and set to gazing at it with admiration, a small beetle appeared at his side. This tiny beetle with the shining shell began to climb towards the ring with great curiosity. The thief smiled angrily and said, "Get out of my way, worthless creature; this treasure is more precious than you could ever understand!" The beetle paid no heed at all and, climbing stubbornly onto the ring, began to rattle its hard wings. The rattling that arose echoed in the silence of the night and turned into a sound shrill enough to draw the attention of the guards on his trail. The thief tried to sweep the beetle away with his hand, but the tiny creature came back at once and kept up its pursuit.
What is more, the beetle rolled the ring with its feet and dragged it out of the hollow, right under the moonlight. The glitter of the ring struck at once the eyes of the village guards who were searching the forest for the thief. The man, who was trying to understand what was happening, heard the footsteps of the guards and tried to flee in panic. But in the darkness his foot caught on a great root, and he fell flat upon the ground and was caught. While the guards took the ring, the little beetle slipped silently among the leaves, as if it had completed its task. The thief, who had never thought that a little beetle could cause a great disaster, huddled in regret within his shackles. No injustice stays hidden; even the smallest detail is enough to bring the truth to light. Do not take upon you the curse of the oppressed; it comes out slowly.