A certain man fell ill, and, being in a very bad way, he made a vow that he would sacrifice a hundred oxen to the gods if they would grant him a return to health. Wishing to see how he would keep his vow, they caused him to recover in a short time. Now, he hadn't an ox in the world, so he made a hundred little oxen out of tallow and offered them up on an altar, at the same time saying, “Ye gods, I call you to witness that I have discharged my vow.” The gods determined to be even with him, so they sent him a dream, in which he was bidden to go to the sea-shore and fetch a hundred crowns which he was to find there. Hastening in great excitement to the shore, he fell in with a band of robbers, who seized him and carried him off to sell as a slave: and when they sold him a hundred crowns was the sum he fetched.
Do not promise more than you can perform.
有一个人病了，情况很糟糕，他发誓说，如果神能令他恢复健康，他愿意献祭一百头公牛。诸神想看看他是否遵守诺言，便让他迅速康复了。可是他却连一头牛都没有，于是他用油脂做了一百头小小的牛，送到了祭坛，同时说：“诸神，我请你们来见证，我来兑现自己的诺言了。”诸神决定以眼还眼，所以他们给他托了一个梦，让他去海边，在那可以找到一百个克朗。醒来之后，他十分兴奋，匆匆忙忙赶去了海边，结果却落到了一伙强盗手里，他们抓住他，将他当作奴隶卖掉了，他们卖掉他的价钱正好是一百个克朗。
训诫：不要空许诺言。