A Groom spent days grooming his Horse while, at the same time, he stole his oats and sold them. The Horse wished he would groom less and feed more.
Appearances aren’t everything.
A Groom spent entire days combing and rubbing down his Horse. At the same time the Groom stole his oats and sold them for profit. “Alas!” said the Horse, “if I am to truly be in good condition, groom me less and feed me more.”
Townsend version
A Groom used to spend whole days in currycombing and rubbing down his Horse, but at the same time stole his oats and sold them for his own profit. “Alas!” said the Horse, “if you really wish me to be in good condition, you should groom me less, and feed me more.”
JBR Collection
A dishonest Groom used regularly to sell a good half of the measure of oats that was daily allowed for a Horse, the care of which was entrusted to him. He would, however, keep currying the animal for hours together, to make him appear in good condition. The Horse naturally resented this treatment. “If you really wish me to look sleek,” said he, “in future give me half the currying, and leave off selling half my food.”
Equus et Equiso Eius
Hordeum equi surreptum divendens, equiso eum quotidie et comere et perfricare solebat. At equus “Heus tu,” inquit, “si vere me pulchrum esse cupis, hordeum, quo nutrior, quaeso ne vendas.”
Moral
Ita avari, verba dando et adulando, inopes inescant, eosque iis etiam spoliant, quae sunt ad vivendum necessaria.
Perry #319
