There was once a Horse who used to graze in a meadow which he had all to himself. But one day a Stag came into the meadow, and said he had as good a right to feed there as the Horse, and moreover chose all the best places for himself. The Horse, wishing to be revenged upon his unwelcome visitor, went to a man and asked if he would help him to turn out the Stag. “Yes,” said the man, “I will by all means; but I can only do so if you let me put a bridle in your mouth and mount on your back.” The Horse agreed to this, and the two together very soon turned the Stag out of the pasture: but when that was done, the Horse found to his dismay that in the man he had got a master for good.
有一匹马在一片草地上吃草，那里一切都归他独享。但有一天，一只雄鹿来到这片草地，说他和马一样有权在那里吃草，还把草长得好的地方都划给了他自己。为了报复这位不速之客，马去找人，问人是否能帮他把雄鹿赶走。人回答：“好的，我会竭尽全力，不过你需要答应我，让我在你嘴上勒一条缰绳，在你背上放一个马鞍。”马同意了，于是人和马很快便将雄鹿赶出了草地。但从此后，马却发现事情有些令他沮丧，因为人永远成了他的主人。