The Rich & Poor Boy

An old Arab story goes that two boys – one rich and the other poor – were returning home from the market.

The rich boy bought honey-covered cookies and the poor one, a piece of old bread.

‘I will let you eat my cookie if you play the dog for me,' the rich boy said.

The poor boy accepted and, on his fours on the walkway, he began to eat the rich boy's goodies.

The wise man Fath, who was watching the scene, said:

‘If this poor boy had a little bit of dignity he would find out a way of making money.

‘But he prefers to turn into the rich boy's dog in order to eat his cookies.

‘Tomorrow, when he is grown up, he will do the same for a public office and will be capable of betraying his country for a bag of gold.'