A goatherd looked after his goats adequately, but no more. He fed them no more than was needful and showed them no special fondness. One winter, a herd of wild goats were driven by cold and hunger to hang around the tame goats. The goatherd was pleased, for he hoped to persuade them to stay and perhaps become part of his own flock. So he offered them the best food he had, looked after them and made a fuss of them. His own animals, who had faithfully given him their milk all the time, were very offended.
In the spring, the wild goats saw that there was now plenty of food in the mountains and wandered off. The goatherd was angry, and shouted after them that they were ungrateful. One of them looked over her shoulder and answered, "If you had treated your own goats better, we might have stayed; but we know that if another herd of strangers arrived, you would then neglect us for their sakes."
In the spring, the wild goats saw that there was now plenty of food in the mountains and wandered off. The goatherd was angry, and shouted after them that they were ungrateful. One of them looked over her shoulder and answered, "If you had treated your own goats better, we might have stayed; but we know that if another herd of strangers arrived, you would then neglect us for their sakes."
