The Farmer and the Stork

A Farmer set a net in his field in order to catch Cranes and Geese that were eating the young growth there. Now a Stork that was caught with them, and had bruised his foot, too, begged the Farmer to let him go free; he urged him piteously, thus: "Save me, good man, let me go, have pity upon a poor weak thing that has got caught here; for I am not a Crane: come quick, see, I’m a stork, a most useful creature, who takes care of my father and mother, and have no need at all of any of these things in the field." But the Farmer laughed heartily, and said: "Oh, I know you, I’m not ignorant; I know exactly what you are. But you have been caught with others and must die like them."

The fable teaches that it is wise to run away and not consort with wicked men, lest we fall into the same troubles that entrap them.