A wolf met a Horse coming out of a field of oats. Wolf advised Horse to eat the fine oats. Horse was on to the Wolf as oats are not the food of Wolves.
Men of evil reputation, when they perform a good deed, fail to get credit for it.
Townsend version
A wolf coming out of a field of oats met a Horse and thus addressed him: “I would advise you to go into that field. It is full of fine oats, which I have left untouched for you, as you are a friend whom I would love to hear enjoying good eating.” The Horse replied, “If oats had been the food of wolves, you would never have indulged your ears at the cost of your belly.”
Moral
Men of evil reputation, when they perform a good deed, fail to get credit for it.
Equus, Lupus, et Hordeum
Lupus, cum per arvum quoddam erraret, forte hordei copiam reperit sed, cum eo uti in cibum minime posset, relicto discessit. Equo autem mox obviam factus, eum ad arvum illud ut veniret hortabatur, aiens ut repertum hordeum non comederit, sed ipsi reservaverit, quod dentium equi strepitum audire summae sibi esset voluptati. Cui equus subiiciens, “Heus tu,” ait, “si lupi hordeo vesci possent, haud profecto aures ventri praeposuisses.”
Perry #154
