"Will you promise not to run away?"
"Did you ever hear," answered Aesop, "of a bird in a cage that promised to stay in it?"
Xanthus was so much pleased with the answers that he bought Aesop.
Some time afterward, Xanthus, wishing to give a dinner to some of his friends, ordered Aesop to furnish the finest feast that money could buy.
The first course Aesop supplied was of tongues cooked in many ways, and the second of tongues and the third and the fourth. Then Xanthus called sharply to Aesop:
"Did I not tell you, sirrah, to provide the choicest dainties that money could procure?"
"And what excels the tongue?" replied Aesop. "It is the great channel of learning and philosophy. By this noble organ everything wise and good is accomplished."
The company applauded Aesop's wit, and good humor was restored.
"Well," said Xanthus to the guests, "pray do me the favor of dining with me again to-morrow. And if this is your best," continued he turning to Aesop, "pray, to-morrow let us have some of the worst meat you can find."
The next day, when dinner-time came, the guests were assembled. Great was their astonishment and great the anger of Xanthus at finding that again nothing but tongue was put upon the table.