The Cattle and the Butchers

The cattle, once on a time, determined to make an end of the butchers, whose whole art, they said, was conceived for their destruction. So they assembled together and whetted their horns for the contest. A very old ox, who had long worked at the plough, then addressed them:

"Have a care, my friends, what you do. These men, at least, kill us with decency and skill, but if we fall into the hands of botchers instead of butchers, we shall suffer a double death; for be well assured, men will not go without beef, even though they are without butchers."