“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci. Adopted by Steve Jobs.
A Wolf had a bone stuck in his throat.
He was sure that the Crane, with her long neck, would easily be able to reach the bone and pull it out. “If you pull the bone out for me,” said the Wolf to the Crane, “I will give you the greatest of rewards!”
The Crane, tempted by such a reward, did what the Wolf asked, removing the bone for him.
After the bone had been removed, the Wolf walked away. The Crane looking on in surprise, said, “But, Mister Wolf, what of my greatest reward?”
“How ungrateful you are!” snarled the Wolf in retort, “Your head was in my mouth, and I let you keep your life!”
Moral of the Story: There is no good bargain where there is neither trust in the party nor the ability to enforce the terms. Power justifies its position. Temptation makes us vulnerable.
Introduction – The Essential Aesop – Epilogue
Why We Loved It: Aesop chooses his meanest character—the Wolf—matched with the character most capable to resolve the problem—the Crane.
But there’s an inherent problem with this potential partnership: Wolves eat Cranes, and Cranes wisely tend to know it. Moreover, the pesky issue for the Wolf is that the problem is in his throat, and he needs the Crane to do the surgery, with the Crane volunteering to put her head down the Wolf’s throat. A significant challenge.
The Wolf cannot rely upon his power, so he needs to be wise [1], and, in doing so, implement clever tactics to achieve his goal, with laser focus. [2] He is perhaps too incapable at the moment to seize upon the Crane, so he must apply a lesson of Master Aesop, using seduction, becoming the Clever Fox.
The Wolf might compliment the Crane’s singing like the Fox, such as in The Fox and the Crow [3], but Cranes are not necessarily vain in that regard. He might also lie about this or that, such as perhaps was done in The Fox, Cock and the Dog [4], but that is too remote. Therefore, the Wolf must “to sell” the deal. [5], [6]
And, with neither the Crane’s love, nor the Crane’s fear? Reward. [7]
But not just any reward, but the Wolf offers his “greatest reward.” This is also known as “hope of a reward.“ Thus, a clear example of the adage:
“Spes esca rapax.” (“Hope is a predator’s bait.”)
“What’s in it for me?“ asks the Crane. And the Wolf responds using a tactic that is a tale as old as time to “sell” the Crane. “Reward!” replies the Wolf, with the self-discipline to smile and not to snarl. [MUID201X] (A Wolf that snarls during seduction is not a very wise Wolf, although perhaps powerful.)
The more that the Crane desires reward, the less the Crane is wise. [8] Thus, “Facilius est rem pretiosam stulto vendere, qui pecuniam non habet, quam aliquid vile est vendere sapiento qui multam pecuniam habet.” (“It is easier to sell something expensive to a fool who has no money, than it is to sell something inexpensive to a sage who has a lot of money.”) The Crane lost her head—in a manner of speaking—and didn’t even ask about about the type of “bone” in the Wolf’s throat. The Crane’s appetite for the reward overcame her. [9]
Here, we should note that the Wolf does not exactly lie, but rather the Wolf dissimulates. [10] Indeed, the Wolf did grant the “reward,” which existed only by the foolish act of the Crane. The Crane—a Fool—got lucky. [11] The Sage and the Fool are made in the beginnings, not in the endings. [12] Lucky does not make a Fool wise and unlucky does not make a Sage foolish.
This fable reminds us to be careful in our deal-making. There is always a brass ring dangling—the bait—and our emotions tend to draw us to it. But, nothing is free.
Trust is important, but it is not a replacement from prudent practical protections, such as “Trust but verify,” “Trust in Allah, but tie up your camel,” “Pray to God, boys, but keep your powder dry.” Trusting that someone won’t take your gun is not the same as locking it up. There is no “But I trusted” legal defense for the fiduciary who is duped, but only injury and liability.
Here the Crane made a deal at extreme risk and did not have the power or authority to enforce it. Thusly, we keep our heads about us. It’s not always what is to be gained, but rather what is at risk of loss.
“Sapiens et Stultus in initiis, non in finibus fiunt.” (“The Sage and the Fool are made in the beginnings, not in the endings.”)
[1] Epilogue: On the Wisdom of Aesop [GRZ24] [LinkedIn #GRZ_24]
[2] Are You Running With Your Shoes Untied? – Or, the Despise of Failure by Self-Inflicted Wounds [GRZ208] [LinkedIn #GRZ_208]
[3] Flattery – No. 54. The Fox and the Crow – The Essential Aesop™- Back to Basics Abridgment Series [GRZ98_54] [LinkedIn #GRZ_98_54]
[4] Consenting – No. 76. The Fox, Cock and the Dog – The Essential Aesop™ – Back to Basics Abridgment Series [GRZ98_76] [LinkedIn #GRZ_98_76]
[5] The Recipe to Make Bud Wiser [Branding, Part I] [GRZ142] [LinkedIn #GRZ_142]
[6] Marlboro Man; You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby. [Branding, Part II] [GRZ143] [LinkedIn #GRZ_143]
[7] Love or Fear to Motivate: Which is Better? [GRZ216] [LinkedIn #GRZ_216]
[8] The Folly of Love – No. 85. The Lion in Love – The Essential Aesop™-Back to Basics [GRZ98_85] [LinkedIn #GRZ_98_90]
[9] Trust, by Tendency and Prediction. No. 36. The Wolf and the Sheep – The Essential Aesop™ – Back to Basics Abridgment Series [GRZ98_36] [LinkedIn #GRZ_98_36]
[19] VI. Simulation and Dissimulation; Or, The Art of the Lie. – Back to Basics Abridgement Series [GRZ190] [LinkedIn #GRZ_190]
[11] On Wisdom and Luck; Or, Getting Lucky is not the Same as Being Wise [GRZ155] [LinkedIn #GRZ_155]
[12] The Three Noble Cardinal Rules of Wisdom [GRZ189] [LinkedIn #GRZ_189]
“Doveryai, no proveryai.” (“Trust, but verify.”) Vladimir Lenin [Ronald Reagan]
“A man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my camel and trust in Allah, or should I leave her untied and trust in Allah?’ The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Tie her and trust in Allah.’” Muhammad, Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2517
“Trust in God, and keep your powder dry.” Oliver Cromwell
“Sapiens et Stultus in initiis, non in finibus fiunt.” (“The Sage and the Fool are made in the beginnings, not in the endings.”) ~ grz
Warren Buffett [MUID200X] “You cannot make a good deal with a bad person.”
Darkest Hour [MUID52X] – Winston Churchill, “You cannot argue with a tiger when your head is in its mouth.”
Revolver – [MUID201X] – “What’s in it for me?”
Caesar [MUID164X] – Ambiguity
ChatGPT Review
Deep Analysis of “Bad Bargains, Power and Vulnerability by Temptation – No. 13. The Wolf and the Crane”
I. Zegarelli’s Ethos and Interpretive Method
Gregg Zegarelli does not merely retell Aesop; he repurposes each tale into a case study of human nature, leveraging fable as a vector for applied ethics, civic doctrine, and leadership psychology. Here, he engages a duality between structural trust and transactional seduction. His ethos converges on three pillars:
- Power and Vulnerability are asymmetrical realities—not moral balances.
- Wisdom is front-loaded—the deal’s outcome is determined at its origin.
- Desire corrupts discernment—temptation is the entry point of folly.
This fable is transformed from a moral anecdote about betrayal into a micro-treatise on deal dynamics, trust asymmetry, and psychological seduction in power relationships.
II. Pedagogical Analysis: Core Teachings
Zegarelli deploys this fable not as folklore, but as a business ethics problem disguised as a primal transaction.
A. Power Disparity and Enforceability
- Quote: “There is no good bargain where there is neither trust in the party nor the ability to enforce the terms.”
- This is jurisprudence by fable: the absence of enforceability, whether by law or leverage, renders any promise moot. Like Warren Buffett’s maxim—”you can’t make a good deal with a bad person”—Zegarelli points to non-institutionalized trust as a gamble, not a virtue.
B. Psychological Manipulation via Temptation
- The Wolf is powerless in throat, but powerful in hierarchy.
- He weaponizes hope as a substitute for currency: “Spes esca rapax” (“Hope is a predator’s bait”).
- By offering an undefined “greatest reward,” the Wolf leverages emotional seduction, a form of voluntary risk-taking on the part of the Crane.
C. Wisdom is Chronological
- Maxim: “Sapiens et Stultus in initiis, non in finibus fiunt.”
- This teaching recurs across Zegarelli’s works: wisdom is a decision in the beginning, not a realization at the end. The fool isn’t defined by being tricked, but by failing to foresee trickery.
III. Embedded Philosophical Threads
1. Simulation and Dissimulation
Zegarelli emphasizes that the Wolf does not lie outright—he dissimulates. He creates ambiguity through vague terms (“greatest reward”), which is a legal tactic as much as it is a predator’s one. This ties to:
2. The Crane’s “Consent”
This is a backdoor critique of unenforceable consent. The Crane agrees, but without terms. Like many bad contracts, the reward is implied, not express, and therefore noncompensable.
3. Risk Without Recourse
The Crane voluntarily enters the Wolf’s mouth—a metaphor for entering danger without leverage. This visual is echoed in:
- Churchill’s quote: “You cannot argue with a tiger when your head is in its mouth.”
- This metaphor is tactical and legal: Do not negotiate from a position of no retreat.
IV. Zegarelli’s Cross-Referencing as Pedagogical Layering
Zegarelli uses a multi-article lattice of cross-references to elevate this fable from anecdote to thematic convergence:
| Referenced Article | Contributing Theme |
|---|---|
| [GRZ98_54] Fox & Crow | Flattery and vanity manipulation |
| [GRZ98_85] Lion in Love | Love’s folly as disarming force |
| [GRZ142–GRZ143] Branding Series | Selling the dream over substance |
| [GRZ216] Love vs. Fear | Power incentives in human behavior |
| [GRZ208] Failure by Self-Infliction | Lack of preparedness undermines outcomes |
| [GRZ155] Wisdom vs. Luck | The fool believes fortune is design |
| [GRZ190] Dissimulation | Sophisticated lying through ambiguity |
Zegarelli constructs a scaffold of wisdom, where each article is not standalone, but interlinked for multi-faceted illumination.
V. Conclusion and Applied Moral:
“The reward for foolish risk is survival, not enrichment.”
Zegarelli’s reworking teaches that:
- A weak position breeds dependence on seduction or manipulation.
- Power can feign benevolence, but without contract or coercion, it’s just showmanship.
- Every ‘bad bargain’ is not in the deal—it is in the decider.
His moral twist is a pivot:
It’s not betrayal that defines the lesson, but foolish hope in absence of enforcement.
Modern Application
- In business, seduction appears as future equity, phantom profit, or implied goodwill.
- In law, a client without contractual protections may survive the deal but gains nothing from it.
- In leadership, Zegarelli teaches that a wise actor sees the danger of even favorable-seeming terms when structural power is imbalanced.
Final Maxim Reframed:
Do not trust a predator with promises. If your head is in the deal, and the other has the teeth, the best “reward” you’ll get… is the chance to walk away.
20250527.4o
© 2013 Arnold Zegarelli and Gregg Zegarelli, Esq.
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bad-bargains-power-vulnerability-temptation-13-wolf-zegarelli-esq-
Related Articles:
- [133] TikTok v. QuickBooks? Preparing for Data War. “Good? Bad? I’m the guy with the gun.” [GRZ133] [LinkedIn #GRZ_133]
- [53] Trusting the People, Trusting the Deal – The Business of Aesop™ No. 13 – The Wolf and the Crane [GRZ53] [LinkedIn #GRZ_53] (“If you have the worst contract, but your deal is with good people, you tend to get through it; however, if you have the best contract, but your deal is with bad people, you will be made miserable, you will be made sore, and you will leave the deal abrased.” 2/28/17)
GRZ98_13.20250527 GRZUID98_13