Folk Tales
Author's Tales
A Fowler caught a Partridge in his nets, and was just about to wring its neck when it made a piteous appeal to him to spare its life and said:
“Do not kill me, but let me live and I will repay you for your kindness by decoying other partridges into your nets.”
“No,” said the Fowler, “I will not spare you. I was going to kill you anyhow, and after that treacherous speech you thoroughly deserve your fate.”