A man once caught an eagle, and after clipping his wings turned him loose among the fowls（家禽） in his hen-house, where he moped in a corner, looking very dejected（沮丧的） and forlorn（绝望的）. After a while his captor was glad enough to sell him to a neighbour, who took him home and let his wings grow again.

As soon as he had recovered the use of them, the eagle flew out and caught a hare, which he brought home and presented to his benefactor. A fox observed this, and said to the eagle, "Don't waste your gifts on him! Go and give them to the man who first caught you; make him your friend, and then perhaps he won't catch you and clip your wings a second time."