Moral: He who is puffed up by prosperity will as suddenly sink beneath misfortune.
A Sycamore tree, growing beside an Oak, felt proud as the first warm days of spring made its leaves sprout quickly. It looked down on the Oak, which remained bare and seemingly spiritless.
The Oak, knowing its own strength, replied, “Do not be too pleased with the first warm breeze. The frosts may yet return, and if they do, they will damage your early leaves. I wait for the true warmth of spring, and when it comes, I will display a majesty that will endure. But those who are swayed by the first sign of favor will be the first to lose their splendor and succumb to winter’s chill.”
