After another mile or two they came to a second field of barley. The soldiers alighted, cut down the grain, tied it in sheaves, and rode away with it.
Then the captain said to the old farmer: "Why did you make us walk so far? The first field of barley was better than this one."
"That is true, sir," answered the honest old man; "but it was not mine."
Damon and Pythias
ELLA LYMAN CABOT
ore than two thousand years ago two young men who were intimate friends lived in Sicily. Their names were Damon and Pythias.
The ruler of the country, named Dionysius, was a cruel man. He put Pythias in prison and fixed a day for his death. Pythias had done nothing wrong, but he had angered Dionysius.