Some expect gratitude for a favor while secretly undermining its value.
A stag, who had escaped a pack of hounds, came upon a farmer and begged for a place to hide. The farmer, on the condition that the stag would not enter his ripe wheat field, agreed and promised not to betray him. When the hunter and his dogs arrived and asked the farmer if he had seen the stag, the farmer replied, “No, he hasn’t passed this way,” but slyly pointed to the stag’s hiding place. The hunter, focused on the chase, did not notice the gesture and moved on. Once the coast was clear, the stag prepared to leave without a word. “Aren’t you going to thank me for sheltering you?” the farmer asked. “If your actions were as honest as your words, I certainly would,” the stag replied. “But all a double-dealer can expect is just indignation and contempt.”
