'The Dove and the Ant'

'The Dove and the Ant', an illustration by JVL in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989.

The Dove and the Ant

When an ant tried to drink from a stream he almost drowned. Observing this, a dove, perched on a tree above,  picked a leaf from a twig and dropped it into the pool. The ant quickly climbed upon the leaf and was rescued. Sometimes afterwards a bird-catcher was trying to catch birds with a snare. The ant noticed this and stung the man's foot, causing him to make a mess of the snare. The dove noticing all this flew off to safety.

Moral: One good turn deserves another.

Selected Parallels: Caxton, Remicius  11. La Fontaine 2/12. L’Estrange 203. Chambry 242. Perry 235. TMI B362.