“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci. Adopted by Steve Jobs.
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A Horse desired something: he wanted to conquer the Stag. So, the Horse asked a Hunter to help him.
The Hunter agreed, but said: “To help you, I must place this piece of iron in your mouth to guide you to your enemy, and this saddle upon your back to keep steady as we follow him.”
The Horse needed to conquer the Stag, so the Horse agreed.
After overcoming the Stag, the Horse said to the Hunter: “Thank you very much for your assistance, but, now get off, and remove those things you have put upon me.”
The Hunter replied, “Not so fast, friend. I now have gotten you under bit and spur, and I will keep you exactly as you are.”
Moral of the Story: All things have their price. Our desires make us vulnerable to manipulation, and favors are indentures.
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Introduction – The Essential Aesop – Epilogue
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He Who Feeds Us Enslaves Us – The Business of Aesop™ No. 64 – The Dog and the Wolf
Hiring on Hope – The Business of Aesop™ No. 90 – The Cat-Maiden; The Essential Aesop: Epilogue
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Why We Loved It: Aesop reminds us to be vigilant. Asking for a favor is a form of debt, and it often needs to be paid back, in some way, in some form. Some requests for repayment are more subtle than others. And, some ways of repayment are more expensive, or last longer, than others.
“He who is truly shrewd would rather have people need him than thank him. You will get more from dependence than from courtesy. He who has already drunk turns his back on the well, and the orange already squeezed turns from gold into mud. When there is no longer dependence, good manners disappear, and so does esteem. The most important lesson experience teaches is to maintain dependence, and entertain it without satisfying it. This can hold even a king.” ~ Baltasar Gracian, The Art of Worldly Wisdom
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© 2013 Arnold Zegarelli and Gregg Zegarelli, Esq. Gregg can be contacted through LinkedIn. Arnold Zegarelli can be contacted through Facebook.
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