The gardner's dog fell into a deep well, from which his master used to draw water for the plants in his garden with a rope and a bucket. Failing to get the dog out by means of these, the gardener went down into the well himself in order to fetch him up. But he dog thought he had come to make sure of drowning him; so he bit his master as soon as be came within reach, and hurt him a good deal, with the result that he left the dog to his fate and climbed out of the well, remarking, "It serves me quite right for trying to save so determined a suicide."

花匠的狗掉进了一口深井里，井旁边有绳子和桶，是花匠经常用来打水去浇花的工具，可无论用什么办法，他也没能把狗捞上来。于是，为了救小狗，花匠自己跳进了井中。可是，狗却以为主人下来是要淹死它，所以，当花匠靠近狗时，狗立刻狠狠地咬了他一口。花匠着实受了重伤，决定让狗自生自灭，不再管它了。花匠一边往上爬，一边说：“我真是活该！为什么要去救一个想要寻死的畜生呢？”